Yellow Dog Blues

Words & Music:

W.C. (William Christopher) Handy

 

Man, I love it when a search for the source of a tune teaches me something new!  Acoustic Guitar had a nice little arrangement of this "Traditional" tune in its July 2006 issue.  A search brought me to a treasure trove called "Mike & Marie's Home Page" where Mike has posted his fingerstyle arrangements of a number of old tunes.  This was originally published as "Yellow Dog Rag" and later published as the "Yellow Dog Blues".  Mike's tabs for both are below.  It is a basic A blues, but I cannot quite parse where the chords go with the words.

 

Since Susan Johnson lost her jockey Lee,

There's been much excitement, more to be.

You can hear her moanin' night and morn,

"Wonder where my easy rider's gone?"

Cablegrams come of sympathy, telegrams go of inquiry.

Letters come from Alabam'

And everywhere that Uncle Sam has even a rural delivery.

All day the phone rings, but it's not for me.

At last good tidings fill our hearts with glee.

This message comes from Tennessee.

 

CHORUS:

Dear Sue, your easy rider struck this 'burg today.

On a southbound rattler side-door Pullman car.

I seen him and he was on the bog.  Easy rider, got to stay away.

So, he had to vamp it but the hike ain't far.

He's gone where the Southern cross the Yellow Dog.

 

I know the Yellow Dog district like a book,

I know the route that rider took;

Every crosstie, bayou, 'burg, and bog.

'Way down where the Southern cross the Dog.

Money don't exactly grow on trees; on cotton stalks, it grows with ease.

No racehorse, racetrack, no grandstand is like old Beck & buckshot land

Down where the Southern cross the Dog.

Every kitchen there is like a cabaret;

Boll weevil works while the people play.

The Yellow Dog Rag all the livelong day.

 

CHORUS:

 

Yellow Dog Blues [arranged by Mike Wingram]

 

Intro

                E7                          A                    

+--------------+-0-------------+-0-------0-----+---------------++----------------++-+

|------2--3--4-|-----------0---|----6--7-------|---------------||----------------||-|

|--------------|---8---7-------|-------------2-|---------5s4-2-||----------------||-|

|------2--4--5-|-----6-------6-|----6------6---|----2------2---||----------------||-|

|----0---------|---------------|---------------|-0-------------||----0-----------||-|

+--------------+-0-------0-----+-0-----0-------+-------0-------++--------0--2--4-++-+

 

 Verse

     A                                                            

+------------------+--------------+---------------+--------------+

|----5--7--8-7-----|-5-7---8------|-5--7--8-7-----|-5-7---8------|

|----6-----------6-|-6------------|-6-----------6-|-6------------|

|-------7------7---|-----7------7-|----7------7---|-----7------7-|

|----0-------------|-0------------|-0-------------|-0------------|

+----------0-------+---------0----+-------0-------+---------0----+

 

     D                         A                                

+----5--5--------+-8--7--5-------+---------------+------------+

|----7--7----7---|---------7---5-|-------------5-|------------|

|----------------|---------------|---------5h6---|------------|

|-------0------0-|----0------0---|----7------7---|----7-----7-|

|----0-----0-----|-0-----0-------|-0-------------|-0----------|

+----------------+---------------+-------0-------+-------0----+

 

     E7                          A                                      

+----0-------------+-0-------0-----+---------------+--------------++-+

|--------------0---|----6--7-------|-------2-------|--------------||-|

|------8---7-------|-------------2-|---------5s4-2-|--------------||-|

|--------6-------6-|----6------6---|----2------2---|--------------||-|

|------------------|---------------|-0-------------|-0------------||-|

+----0-------0-----+-0-----0-------+-------0-------+----0--2--4---++-+

 

     A                                                            

+------------------+--------------+---------------+--------------+

|----5--7--8-7-----|-5-7---8------|-5--7--8-7-----|-5-7---8------|

|----6--6--------6-|-6------------|-6--6--------6-|-6------------|

|-------7------7---|-----7------7-|----7------7---|-----7------7-|

|----0-------------|-0------------|-0-------------|-0------------|

+----------0-------+---------0----+-------0-------+---------0----+

 

     D                             A                            

+----5--5--------+-5-7---8------7-+-5----------+--------------+

|----7--7----7---|----------------|-5--7--5--7-|-5-7---5------|

|----------------|----------------|----6--6--6-|-6-6---6------|

|-------0------0-|-----0------0---|----7-----7-|-----7------7-|

|----0-----0-----|-0-------0------|-0-----0----|-0------------|

+----------------+----------------+------------+---------0----+

 

                  E7            A                                

+---------------+---9----7------5-+---------------+---5--5--5-+

|-------5--7--8-|-9--------10-----|---------------|-R---------|

|-------6-------|-----------------|-------2-4-5-6-|---6--6--6-|

|-------7--7--8-|-----9-------9---|----7----------|---7--7--7-|

|----0----------|-----------------|-0-----4-5-6-7-|-----------|

+---------------+-0------0--------+---------------+-----------+

                                                    e q. q  q

 

     D            D                                               

+----5--5-------+-------5---------+---------------+----5--5-----+

|----2--2-------|---6s7---7-----5-|---------------|----5--5-7---|

|---------------|-----------5h6---|-------4-5---6-|-------------|

|-------7-----7-|-----0-------7---|----7------7---|----7------7-|

|----0----------|-0-------0-------|-0-------------|-0-----0-----|

+----------0----+-----------------+-------0-------+-------------+

 

     D                        A                                  

+----5--5--------+------5---------+---------------+------------+

|----2--2----7---|----7---7-1s2---|---------------|----------5-|

|----------------|--------------2-|---------5s4-2-|------------|

|-------0------0-|----0-------2---|----2------2---|----2-----2-|

|----0-----0-----|-0------0-------|-0-------------|-0----------|

+----------------+----------------+-------0-------+-------0----+

 

     B7                         E                     A        F7  E7          

+----2--2-2------+--------------0-+-----------+---------++------------++-+

|----0--0--------|---4----2-0-----|-----------|----R--5-||------------||-|

|----------------|----------------|-----------|-------6-||-----8---7--||-|

|-------1------1-|-----1------1---|------4--5-|-6-----7-||-----7---6--||-|

|----2-----------|-2------2-------|---7--7--7-|-7-------||-----8---7--||-|

+-----------2----+----------------+-0---------+---------++------------++-+

                                    e q. q  q   q  q  h        h   h

 

    Chorus

         A             D     F7     A           A                     

+----+---------------+------------+-------5-------+-------------+

|----|---2-------2---|-3-----4----|-5--7----7---2-|-------------|

|----|.--2-----------|-2-----5----|-6--6--------2-|---------5s4-|

|----|.-----2------2-|----4-----3-|----7------7---|----2------2-|

|----|---0-----------|-0-----0----|-0-------------|-0-----------|

+----+---------0-----+------------+-------0-------+-------0-----+

 

     D7                          A                                   

+----------------+-----------------+--------------5-+-5-----------+

|-------0--1-0---|---1---0-1-0-----|------2---------|---------2---|

|----2-----2-2---|---------------2-|----------2-----|-------------|

|-------0------0-|-----0-------0---|----2-------2---|----2--------|

|----------------|-----------------|-0--------------|-0-----------|

+----2-----2-----+-2-------2-------+--------0-------+-------4---2-+

 

  (1)...

      E                           A                                    

+-----0-----------+-----------------+---------------+--------------+-+

|----------0------|---1-2-1-2-1p0---|---------2-----|--------------|-|

|-----------------|---------------2-|-------5-----2-|-------------.|-|

|--------2------2-|-----2-------2---|----2------2---|-------------.|-|

|-----------------|-----------------|-0-------------|-0------------|-|

+-----0------0----+-0-------0-------+-------0-------+----0--2--4---+-+

 

  (2)...

      E                              A                                 

+-----0--------------+-----------------+---------------+-------5--++-+

|--------0-0-0-0-----|---1-2-1-2-1p0---|---------------|----R--2--||-|

|------------------1-|---------------2-|-------6-5-4-2-|-2-----2--||-|

|--------2-------2---|-----2-------2---|----2----------|-------2--||-|

|--------------------|-----------------|-0-----7-6-5-4-|-4-----0--||-|

+-----0------0-------+-0-------0-------+---------------+----------++-+

                                                     (tied) q  h      

 

Yellow Dog Rag  [arranged by Mike Wingram]

 

  Verse

           A

E-------+---------------+----------------+--------------+--------------+

B-5-5-5-|--5--7--8--7---|-5-7---8--------|-5--7--8--7---|-5-7---5------|

G-------|-------------6-|--------------6-|------------6-|--------------|

D-------|-----7-----7---|-----7------7---|----7-----7---|-----7------7-|

A-------|--0------------|-0--------------|-0------------|-0------------|

E-------+--------0------+---------0------+-------0------+---------0----+

 

 

   D7                        A                   (NC)

E--5--5--------+-8--7--5-------+---------------+------------+

B----------7---|---------7---5-|-------------5-|------------|

G--------------|---------------|---------5h6---|------------|

D-----7------7-|----7------7---|----7------7---|------------|

A--5-----------|-5-------------|-0-------------|-0--4--5--6-|

E--------5-----+-------5-------+-------0-------+------------+

 

 

   E7                        A

E--0-----------+-0-------0-----+--------------+--------------+

B----------0---|----6--7-------|----2---2-5---|-2---2--------|

G-----8--7-----|-------------2-|------5-------|---5---2------|

D-----6------6-|----6------6---|----2-------2-|-----2------2-|

A--------------|---------------|-0------------|-0------------|

E--0-----0-----+-0-----0-------+--------0-----+---------0----+

 

 

   A

E---------------+----------------+--------------+-------------+

B--5--7--8--7---|-5-7---8--------|-5--7--8--7---|-5--7-5------|

G--6--6--6----6-|---6---6------6-|----6--6----6-|----6-6------|

D-----7-----7---|-----7------7---|----7-----7---|----7------7-|

A--0------------|-0--------------|-0------------|-0-----------|

E--------0------+---------0------+-------0------+--------0----+

 

 

   D7                             A

E--5--5--5--5---+-5-7---8---7---+-5----------+--------------+

B-------------7-|---------------|----7--5--7-|-5-7---5------|

G---------------|---------------|------------|--------------|

D-----7-----7---|-----7-------7-|----7-----7-|-----7------7-|

A--5------------|-5-------------|-0----------|-0------------|

E--------5------+---------5-----+-------0----+---------0----+

 

 

   (NC)         E              A

E-------------+-----10---------5-+-------------5-+----5--5--5-+

B----5---7--8-|-10------12-9-----|---------------|------------|

G----6---6--8-|------------------|-------5-6-----|----6--6--6-|

D----7---7--7-|------9-------9---|----7------7---|------------|

A--0----------|------------------|-0-------------|-0----------|

E-------------+--0-------0-------+-------0-------+------------+

 

 

   A              (NC)          A               

E--5--5---------+-------5---------+-------------5-+----5--5--5-+

B---------------|---6h7---7-----5-|---------------|------------|

G----------6----|-----------5h6---|---------5h6---|----6--6--6-|

D-----7------7s-|-0---------------|----7------7---|------------|

A--0------------|-----------------|-0-------------|-0----------|

E--------0------+-----------------+-------0-------+------------+


   (D)                        A

E--5--5--------+-------7--------+--------------+---------1---+

B----------7---|---6h7---7------|--------------|----2--------|

G--------------|-----------7--2-|--------------|-------------|

D-----0------0-|-0--------------|--------2h4p2-|----2------0-|

A--0-----0-----|----------------|-0--3h4-------|-0-----4-----|

E--------------+----------------+--------------+-------------+

 

 

   B7             B7           E                      E7 F7 E7

E--2--2-2-------+--------------0-+-------------0-+----0-------++

B-----------0---|---4----2-0-----|---------------|----3-------||

G---------------|--------------1-|-------0-1-----|----1--8--7-||

D-----1-------1-|-----4------4---|----2------2---|-------7--6-||

A--2------------|-2--------------|---------------|-------8--7-||

E---------2-----+--------2-------+-0-----0-------+-0----------++

 

 Chorus

   A              D   F7   A                       (Am)

E--------------+---------+-------5-------+-------------+

B--2-------2---|--3---4--|-5--7----7p5---|---------1p0-|

G--2-----------|--2---5--|-------------6-|-------------|

D-----2------2-|--4---3--|----7------7---|----7------2-|

A--0-----------|--0---0--|-0-------------|-0-----------|

E--------0-----+---------+-------0-------+-------0-----+

 

 

   D7                           A   (NC)

E---------------+-----------------+-----------------+---0-2s3s2-0-----+

B-----0---1-0---|-----0---1-0-----|-----------------|-------------1h2-|

G--2----2-------|---2---2-------2-|-------0---------|-2---------------|

D-----0-------0-|-----0-------0---|---2h4---4-2-----|-----------------|

A---------------|-----------------|-0-----------3h4-|-----------------|

E--2------2-----+-2-------2-------+-----------------+-----------------+

 

 

   E                           A                   (NC)

E--0-----------+-----------------+---------------+---------------+

B-------0------|---1-2-1-2-1p0---|-------------2-|---------------|

G--------------|---------------2-|---------2-----|---------------|

D-----2------2-|-----2-------2---|----2------2---|---5s4--2------|

A--------------|-----------------|-0-------------|-0--------3h4--|

E--0------0----+-0-------0-------+-------0-------+---------------+

                                                   e e q  e e q

 

   A             D      F7      A                       (Am)

E--------------+--------------+-------5-------+-------------+

B--2-------2---|-3------4-----|-5--7----7p5---|---------1p0-|

G--------------|---2------5---|-------------6-|-------------|

D-----2------2-|-----4------3-|----7------7---|----7------2-|

A--0-----------|-0------0-----|-0-------------|-0-----0-----|

E--------0-----+--------------+-------0-------+-------------+

 

 

 

   D7                           A   (NC)

E---------------+-----------------+-----------------+---0-2s3s2-0-----+

B-----0---1-0---|-----0---1-0-----|-----------------|-------------1h2-|

G--2----2-------|---2---2-------2-|-------0---------|-2---------------|

D-----0-------0-|-----0-------0---|---2h4---4-2-----|-----------------|

A---------------|-----------------|-0-----------3h4-|-----------------|

E--2------2-----+-2-------2-------+-----------------+-----------------+

 

 

   E                           A                   (NC)

E--0-----------+-----------------+-----------------+-------------+

B-------0------|---1-2-1-2-1p0---|-----------------|---2--3--4---|

G--------------|---------------2-|-------0---------|-2-----------|

D-----2------2-|-----2-------2---|---2h4---4-2-----|------4--5---|

A--------------|-----------------|-0-----------3h4-|-------------|

E--0------0----+-0-------0-------+-----------------+-------------+

 

 

 

   E                           A                   (NC)

E--0-----------+-----------------+-----------------+-------------+

B-------0------|---1-2-1-2-1p0---|-----------------|---2--3--4---|

G--------------|---------------2-|-------0---------|-2-----------|

D-----2------2-|-----2-------2---|---2h4---4-2-----|------4--5---|

A--------------|-----------------|-0-----------3h4-|-------------|

E--0------0----+-0-------0-------+-----------------+-------------+

 

 

   E7                            (NC)            

E--0-----------+-0-------0-----+-----------------+---------5--++

B----------0---|----6--7-------|-----------------|---0-1s2----||

G-----8--7-----|-------------2-|-------0---------|-2----------||

D-----6------6-|----6------6---|---2h4---4-2-----|------------||

A--------------|---------------|-0-----------3h4-|------------||

E--0-----0-----+-0-----0-------+-----------------+---------0--++

 




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