Chord Req: The Man from Athabasca

Subject: Chord Req: The Man from Athabasca
From: GUEST,Drayman
Date: 15 Oct 12 - 12:32 PM

Here on Mudcat, we've got quite a few threads devoted to Country Joe MacDonald, and we've got a few great threads about the poetry of Robert W. Service (known for Cremation of Sam McGee, Shooting of Dan McGrew, and more).

I'm trying to pick out some of the tunes on a great solo album of Country Joe's. It's called "War, War, War." He took some of the WWI poems of Service and set them to music during the Vietnam era.

One of my very favorites is called "The Man from Athabasca."

Country Joe does it in Cm, which I've been making by capo at IV and making the shape of Am. Then some other shapes I make are C, G, and E; I get a little mixed up because it's a long song with verse, chorus, and what we might call bridge sections, I think.

I'd be grateful if somebody said he or she knew the complete chord changes!

Nate
"the drayman"

Subject: RE: Chord Req: The Man from Athabasca
From: GUEST,999
Date: 15 Oct 12 - 06:52 PM

http://www.lyricstime.com/country-joe-mcdonald-the-man-from-athabasca-lyrics.html

Lyrics there, but I could not locate chords.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: The Man from Athabasca
From: Drayman
Date: 15 Oct 12 - 11:43 PM

I know! It's such a tease!

Subject: RE: Chord Req: The Man from Athabasca
From: GUEST,Grishka
Date: 16 Oct 12 - 02:20 PM

Here is what I heard on YouTube, hope it helps:

Intro:
Am C G Am Am E Am Am

Verse:
Am C G Am Am Am7 E E
Am C G Am Am Am7 E E
F C G Am Am
Am C G Am Am Am7 E E
Am C G Am Am Am7 E E
F C G Am Am
F C G C F C G C
F C G C F C E E E E E E E E

Bridge (brackets form a bar together):
Am [C G] Am Am

Subject: RE: Chord Req: The Man from Athabasca
From: GUEST,999
Date: 16 Oct 12 - 02:30 PM

That is great, Grishka. I swear I looked for it on YT yesterday to no avail. Must be too much aluminium in my diet.

Note that geographically, the Town of Athabasca and Lake Athabasca are far apart--about 250 miles as the crow flies.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: The Man from Athabasca
From: Drayman
Date: 16 Oct 12 - 09:20 PM

Wow!

Thanks, Grishka! I can't wait to try playing this wonderful tune with your chords.

If I try it and I'm struggling, can I PM you and insert the chord-changes into the lyrics where I hear them and make sure I understand where they happen?

Thanks a million for your advice!

Nate the drayman
(can't start practicing now...wife watching US presidential debate on TV)

Subject: RE: Chord Req: The Man from Athabasca
From: GUEST,Grishka
Date: 17 Oct 12 - 06:07 PM

Nate, you're welcome. I do not think you can PM guests, and in fact I would not know how to receive such messages. But others have sent public messages with much less public relevance, so it should be OK to ask here.

Each of the chord I notated covers one bar, except for the bracketed two chords, each of which lasts for half a bar. Hope that helps, and you know whom you want for president.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: The Man from Athabasca
From: GUEST,kelvin
Date: 04 Feb 13 - 06:45 AM

I've been haunted by this album for over 40yrs. Ever since I saw country Joe do "Jean Duprez" on the OGWT in 1971. I play it at least every November 11th and at other times to. Picked up a copy of "rhymes of a red cross man", in Hay on Wye a few years back.
Thanks for the chords. great as far as it goes but what about the bit that goes "and I tell of lakes fish haunted" etc.
If you want some simpler songs of that album you could try "the twins" or "young fellow my lad". both of which are just 3 chords.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: The Man from Athabasca
From: GUEST,Grishka
Date: 05 Feb 13 - 08:50 AM

Kelvin, I must admit that I had not listened to the whole song, wrongly assuming that there would not be any change.

So for the bit "And I tell them of the Furland ...":

A7 A7 C C
A7 A7 C C
A7 A7 C C
A7 A7 C C C
Esus4 Esus4 Esus4 Esus4 Am Am

And the end:

... C C
F C F C F C E E E E Am

Yes, the song got something. (Would it be nitpicking if I suggested more care with the pronunciation of French words, as put into the mouth of a Foreign Legionnaire?)

Subject: RE: Chord Req: The Man from Athabasca
From: wysiwyg
Date: 05 Feb 13 - 10:29 AM

I just can't help it-- every time I see the thread/song title, another tune plays in my head: Girl from Ipanema.

~S~