Chords Req: Cocaine Blues (from Dave Van Ronk)

Subject: cocain blues
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Jan 00 - 09:17 PM

anyone know how to play van ronks cocain blues

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: cocain blues
From: MarkS
Date: 29 Jan 00 - 09:27 PM

I've always done it as a C progression with a capo on the second fret. Sorry I am not musically sophisticated enough to tell you the musical details, but start off in a C chord while adding a G on the top string with your little finger. Then shift to a barre F, etc. With this as a start and a little experimentation, you should be on your way

Subject: RE: Chords Req: cocain blues
From: GUEST,aj
Date: 31 Jul 06 - 03:33 AM

Try these, learned from Townes Van Zandt version (he learned from Hoyt Axton record).
C E7 F F7 C G C (G turnaround)

Subject: RE: Chords Req: cocain blues
From: Scotus
Date: 31 Jul 06 - 09:27 PM

First part:

C, E7, F, F7, C, F, G7, C.

Second part:

E, E7, F, D7, C, F, G7, C.

Jack

Subject: Lyr/Chords Add: COCAINE BLUES (from Johnny Cash)
From: GUEST,SIMPLIFIED VERSION
Date: 31 Jul 06 - 10:22 PM

COCAINE BLUES
As recorded by Johnny Cash on "At Folsom Prison" (1968)

1. [C] Early one mornin' while makin' the rounds,
I took a shot of cocaine and I [G] shot my woman down.
I went right home and I went to bed.
I stuck that [C] lovin' forty-four be-[G]-neath my [C] head.

2. [C] Got up next mornin' and I grabbed that gun,
Took a shot of cocaine and a-[G]-way I run,
Made a good run but I run too slow.
They [C] overtook me down in Juar-[G]-ez Mexi-[C]-co.

3. Laid in the hop joints takin' the pill.
In walked the sheriff from Jericho Hill.
He said: "Willie Lee, your name is not Jack Brown.
You're the dirty hack that shot your woman down."

4. "Yes, oh, yes, my name is Willie Lee.
If you've got a warrant just read it to me.
Shot her down because she made me slow.
I thought I was her daddy but she had five more."

5. When I was arrested I was dressed in black.
They put me on a train and they took me back.
Had no friend for to go my bail.
They slapped my dried-up carcass in that county jail.

6. Early next mornin' 'bout a half past nine,
I spied the sheriff comin' down the line.
He hocked and he coughed as he cleared his throat.
He said: "Come on, you dirty hack, into that district court."

7. Into the courtroom my trial began,
Where I was handled by twelve honest men.
Just before the jury started out,
I saw that little judge commence to look about.

8. In about five minutes in walked a man
Holding the verdict in his right hand.
The verdict read: "In the first degree."
I hollered: "Lordy, Lordy, have mercy on me!"

9. The judge he smiled as he picked up his pen.
Ninety-nine years in the Folsom pen.
Ninety-nine years underneath that ground.
I can't forget the day I shot that bad bitch down.

CODA: Come on; you gotta listen unto me:
Lay off that whiskey and let that cocaine be.

Subject: RE: Chords Req: cocain blues
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Jul 06 - 10:59 PM

Van Ronk did a version he learned from Rev. Gary Davis. It's backpicked(see my post on Candyman). The C chord uses a high and low G on the 1st and 6th string, and the 1st bass note you play is the 4th string.

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Chords Req: cocain blues
From: Johnhenry'shammer
Date: 11 Aug 06 - 01:37 PM

That Johnny Cash version is tabbed completlely wrong.

Subject: RE: Chords Req: cocain blues
From: MissouriMud
Date: 11 Aug 06 - 02:38 PM

As I recall, Van Ronk's version was much simpler than what Van Zandts appears to be - more along the lines of:

C
Every time I meet my baby, go up town
F
Police come and knock me down
C             F       G       C    G C
Cocaine, -- run all round my brain.

E7
Yeah Baby come here quick
    F
This ol' cocaine's 'bout to make me sick
C            F       G       C
Cocaine,-- run all round my brain

Subject: RE: Chords Req: cocain blues
From: MissouriMud
Date: 11 Aug 06 - 02:43 PM

Unfortunately due to spacing translation issues the chords didnt come out quite where they were supposed to in my post - most need to be nudged a bit to the right

Subject: RE: Chords Req: Cocaine Blues (from Dave Van Ronk)
From: GUEST,CAPITAN ACAB
Date: 10 Jan 09 - 05:04 AM

This is the version that Dylan use to do. Amazing song, easy to play for begginners, full of means...

Subject: RE: Chords Req: Cocaine Blues (from Dave Van Ronk)
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 10 Jan 09 - 10:50 AM

the C to E change is where all the fun occurs.

You have have a choice

1) Echord hammering on the the third string - like Broonzy type blues
2) sliding four string long A shape up to the 9th fret
3) walking the two C notes on the fifth and second string up four frets til they make E

use all three for variety.

Subject: RE: Chords Req: Cocaine Blues (from Dave Van Ronk)
From: Will Fly
Date: 10 Jan 09 - 10:53 AM

I do Davy Graham's version - you can catch it at: Cocaine Blues. It's purely an instrumental version.

Subject: RE: Chords Req: Cocaine Blues (from Dave Van Ronk)
From: Darowyn
Date: 10 Jan 09 - 11:46 AM

I've always played it with an F-Fm change thus:-
C(add 5)///, E7///,F//,Fm//,
C////,G7////,C///
Then the turnaround C,C7,F,Fm,G (one chord per beat)
then a bass run:- f,f sharp, g. (single notes on low E string f to f sharp quavers, g crotchet, -a double hammer-on)
I think it sounds bluesier that way, but I've no idea where it came from- it's the way I learned it.
Cheers
Dave

Subject: Lyr Add: COCAINE BLUES (from Roy Hogsed)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 29 Dec 13 - 12:19 AM

Johnny Cash's version is obviously derived from this one, although this is derived from LITTLE SADIE. Hogsed's style has been described as rockabilly or western swing, but frankly this sounds like a polka to me—it is accompanied by accordion.

COCAINE BLUES
As recorded by Roy Hogsed & His Rainbow Riders, 1948.

The lyrics are the same as those sung by Johnny Cash (see above) except these:

Verse 3, line 1: Layin' in a hop joint a-smokin' a pill.

Verse 3, line 4: You're the dirty hype that shot your woman down.

Verse 4, line 3: Shot her cold 'cause she made me sore.

Verse 6, line 4: He said: "Come on, you dirty hype, into that district court."

Verse 7, line 2: Where I was paneled by twelve honest men.

Verse 9, line 2: Ninety-nine years in the San Quentin pen.

Verse 9, line 4: I'll ne'er forget the day I shot my woman down.

CODA, line 1: Come on, you hypes, and listen unto me:

[Note: I have seen Hogsed's name misspelled as "Hogshed" and "Hogshead."]

Subject: Lyr Add: COCAINE BLUES (from Billy Hughes)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 30 Dec 13 - 08:46 AM

This arrangement is more clearly in the western swing style.


COCAINE BLUES
As recorded by Billy Hughes on King 636A, 1947.

Comin' home from work in that old Tulsa town,
Caught my baby triflin' and I shot her down.
I went to bed but I rolled all night.
I knew I had to beat it before daylight.

'Bout four o'clock someone knocked on my door.
I grabbed my pistol and I fell on the floor.
I heard a man callin' my baby's name.
I opened up the door and I blew out his brain.

When I realized the thing I had done,
I grabbed my hypodermic and I made my run.
I made a good start but I ran too slow.
They got me in a dive down in El Paso.

I'm sittin' at a table a-blowin' a stick.
A plainclothes grabbed me and he got me quick.
"Now don't try to tell us your name is Brown.
You're the Cocaine Kid that shot your woman down."

I knew they had me solid with no alibi.
It wouldn't help me any if I told a lie.
I said: "I'm the kid and I'm beat, you see,
So if you've got a warrant, just read it to me."

He said: "You shot your woman and a rounder too.
They might have had it comin' but it's bad for you."
Well, I said, "I'm no angel and I'm full of sin,
But under those conditions I would do it again."

When I was arrested I was dressed in blue.
They handcuffed me and throwed me on an old choo-choo.
I didn't have a nickel, couldn't make the bail,
So they shook me down and throwed me in that old dirty jail.

Jury walked out and then they walked back in.
The foreman held the verdict in his right hand.
Ninety-nine years way down in Mac*
Made me regret the night I wouldn't take her back.

Now listen, all you dopers; take my advice:
Don't ever use a needle any more than twice,
For you'll become an addict and blow your lid.
Take a look at what it did to the Cocaine Kid.

[* Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester, OK.]

Subject: RE: Chords Req: Cocaine Blues (from Dave Van Ronk)
From: The Sandman
Date: 31 Dec 13 - 05:54 AM

well the chord progression i use, has the second part, e major, e7 f d7 plus 9 to c g 7 c, the d7 plus 9 occurs on [making me sick] lyrics.

Subject: RE: Chords Req: Cocaine Blues (from Dave Van Ronk)
From: GUEST,gillymor
Date: 31 Dec 13 - 02:38 PM

GSS, That's a nice variation.

Subject: RE: Chords Req: Cocaine Blues (from Dave Van Ronk)
From: PHJim
Date: 01 Jan 14 - 11:16 AM

Realising that some folks have used the word "tab" to refer to a set of lyrics with chords, rather than a full tab, I decided to tab this out for the guest. I first thought I'd better check Google to see if it was already available and found this: Van Ronk's Cocaine Blues

My brother and I learned to finger-pick from the album Dave Van Ronk - Folksinger in the early sixties. I had a chance to shake his hand and thank him for that before he passed.

Subject: RE: Chords Req: Cocaine Blues (from Dave Van Ronk)
From: PHJim
Date: 01 Jan 14 - 11:56 AM

Here is Dave Van Ronk's version, learned from Rev Gary Davis, but with a modification of is own in the bridge. A great version!

Van Ronk's Cocaine Blues

Here's Keith Richard's version, probably learned from Van Ronk, since he uses Dave's bridge. Another great version.

Keef Richard's Cocaine Blues

Subject: RE: Chords Req: Cocaine Blues (from Dave Van Ronk)
From: The Sandman
Date: 01 Jan 14 - 12:40 PM

thanks gillymor, we owe van ronk a bit, that great chord progression ,in house of rising sun, and cocaine blues, he was a good guitar player and singer definitely