Chord Req: Night Herding Song - Skip Gorman & Othe

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Night Herding Song - Skip Gorman & Othe
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Apr 10 - 11:41 PM

I play this with a partial capo on the second fret. All strings are covered except the low E which gives the "drop D" effect, however, your standard chord shapes still apply because you haven't detuned that string. The only remaining tricky part is in playing the F# chord in which case I have to avoid that low E string because the capo blocks my access to the second fret of that string.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Night Herding Song - Skip Gorman & Othe
From: Artful Codger
Date: 19 Feb 09 - 06:09 PM

From Folk Songs of North America, compiled by Alan Lomax:

Harry Stephen, bronco-buster and cowboy poet, recalls how he composed this classic among western songs...

[...] I didn't have so much of a tune for it. In fact, cowboy songs didn't run to no regular tunes. You'd hardly ever hear cowboys singin' together much. Generally each one of um had such a different kind of a tune that each one would have to sing by himself. See, they all come from different places, they knew the songs different. So mostly they'd kind of recite things. Some of them boys couldn't carry a tune less'n they pack it over their shoulders in a gunny-sack. So they'd kindly just say it or speak it off, like I'm doin'...

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Night Herding Song - Skip Gorman & Othe
From: GUEST,Tom
Date: 18 Feb 09 - 09:34 PM

Well, not exactly the most prompt response here, but if you're still interested, I think I've worked out most of the chords. Seems that Skip's version is in dropped-D tuning (low E dropped to D), capo on the 2nd fret. If someone could correct that not-quite-right "A" chord below, I'd be grateful.

-tom

       D    G          D       G
Move slow, dogies, quit roamin' around

          D          A            G       D               
You have wandered & trampled all over the ground

D          G            D         G
Graze slow dogies, and feed kinda slow

    D       A    G         D
And don't forever be on the go

    A                      D (+bass run B-A-B-D)
Oh move slow, dogies, move slow

      D       G         D          G
I've circle-herded and night-herded too

       D         A          G          D
But to keep you together is what I can't do

    D          G          D          G
My horse is leg-weary and I'm mighty tired

    D      A            G            D
But if'n I lose you I'm sure to get fired

       A                        D (+bass run B-A-B-D)
Bunch up, little dogies, bunch up


    D          A                D      
Oh say, little dogies, when you gone to lay down
    Bm                D7
And quit this forever sifting around

    G                  D
My limbs are weary, my seat is sore

    D                         E       A(?)
Oh lay down dogies like you lay down before

    D            A          D (+bass run B-A-B-D)
Lay down, little dogie, lay down


      D             A               D
Lay still, little dogies, since you have lay down

       Bm                     D7
And stretch away out on the big open ground

       G                         D
Snore loud little dogie, and drown the wild sound

         D                   E          A(?)
That'll all go away when the day comes around

       D            A         D (+bass run B-A-B-D)
Lay still, little dogie, lay still

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Night Herding Song - Skip Gorman & Othe
From: Bee
Date: 19 Feb 07 - 02:28 PM

The Margaret Larkin seems closest to the Gorman, which is the only one I've heard - I think I can work it out from there...(now why didn't I take that free yodelling workshop last summer....)

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Night Herding Song - Skip Gorman & Othe
From: Bee
Date: 19 Feb 07 - 02:21 PM

Thank you, Q. I'll see if the melody works with the above.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Night Herding Song - Skip Gorman & Othe
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 19 Feb 07 - 01:23 PM

Set to a text and melody from Hendren, in Fife and Fife, Cowboy and Western Songs. No help with Skip Gorman, however.

(C)Slow down, (G)dogies, quit your (C)roving around;
You've wandered and trampled all over the ground;
Oh, (F)haze along dogies, (C)feed kinda slow,
And don't be forever (G)on the (C)go;
Move slow, little (F)dogies, move (C)slow.
Heigh-ho, heigh-(G)ho, heigh (C)ho.

From an old Amsco "Sing 'Em, Cowboy, Sing 'Em."

Go ((G)slow, little (D7)dogies why (G)don't you slow down
You've (G)wandered and tramped all over the ground
(G7)Oh (C)graze along (C)dogies go (G)slow kinda slow
And (G)don't- (D7) (G)be (Em)always on the (B7)go.
Move (Em)slow (C)dogies, (C'm)move (G)slow.-

from Margaret Larkin, Singing Cowboy:

Oh (G)say, little (D7)dogies, why (G)don't you slow (D7)down?
You've (G)wandered and (C)tramped all (G)over the ground,
Oh (C)graze along dogies, and (G)move kinda slow,
And don't be for (Em)ever 0n the (G)go.
Move slow, (C)dogies, move (G)slow...

Subject: Chord Req: Night Herding Song - Skip Gorman & Other
From: Bee
Date: 19 Feb 07 - 11:40 AM

There are discussions about this song, but none include any chords. Experience tells me tacking my request on an older thread is unlikely to get results, and I think Gorman's lyrics are slightly different (from the Rounder 'Real Music Box' set).

I've worked at this with little success, maybe it's some alternate tuning, or I'm just frustrated. Any help welcomed.

There's a lovely yodel before each verse.

Night Herding Song

Move slow, dogies, quit roamin' around
You have wandered & trampled all over the ground
Graze slow dogies, and feed kinda slow
And don't forever be on the go
Oh move slow, dogies, move slow

I've circle-herded and night-herded too
But to keep you together is what I can't do
My horse is leg-weary and I'm mighty tired
But if'n I lose you I'm sure to get fired
Bunch up, little dogies, bunch up

Oh say, little dogies, when you gone to lay down
And quit this forever sifting around
My limbs are weary, my seat is sore
Oh lay down dogies like you lay down before
Lay down, little dogie, lay down

Lay still, little dogies, since you have lay down
And stretch away out on the big open ground
Snore loud little dogie, and drown the wild sound
That'll all go away when the day comes around
Lay still, little dogie, lay still