oldwoodchuckb - Posted - 08/28/2009:  13:40:32

A lot of us are already familiar with this rather poignant little tune, as it is popular in jam groups across the the country. We first learned Booth Shot Lincoln from a Man who had just returned to the east coast after 20 years in Seattle.

The song “Booth Shot Lincoln” aka “Booth Killed Lincoln” was originally a broadside ballad, probably written within days of the actual event. There are more verses than I would care to count in the version Bascom Lamar Lunsford sang for the Library Of Congress in 1941 and (perhaps fortunately) I can't find a lyric sheet for that version, but I do have a link to the shorter (seven verse) version Cisco Houston sang in the late 1940s. This is one of those songs that has only come down to the present through a few perservationists. I suspect the rather pedestrian pacing and lack of imagery retired the song rather quickly.

Here are the lyrics:
http://www.ciscohouston.com/lyrics/...incoln.shtml


Here is a version with Adam Miler playing the tune on the autoharp (low part only) and singing the 7 verses Cisco Houston did:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAau...ture=related



The fiddle tune on the other hand, suffers none of the drawbacks of the song. It is a beautiful, sad and rather resigned sounding tune that will probably remain with us for hundreds of years. The structure show Minstrel stage elements and syncopations of the proto-rag. It is a tune on the cusp between old time and modern. The song is sung to the low part of the fiddle tune. This recording shows what I think of as the most common syncopations. The great English folk singer Martin Carthy said that "resignation is the rarest emotion presented in folk song." In the tune "Booth Shot Lincoln" that feeling is perfectly caught without a single word

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMqnSNpNgrk

Here is a differently decorated version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRDP...m=PL&index=2

Both these versions have the high part first, which was how we first learned the tune. We have since fallen in with a bunch that plays the low part first - so be prepared for it either way. I was unable to record my own version as I still am without the correct software and connectors etc etc etc, to do audio recording. This was a problem I hoped to have solved by this time but it was not to be. Instead I offer one of my "live" tabs - audible and readable at the same time through MIDI. You do have to download TEFView at:
http://www.tabledit.com
to use the tab but that is a free download and can be used for playing and printing hundreds of tabs. It is worth the 15 seconds it will take you. Be sure to download TEFView and not the Tabledit demo, which is limited to 16 measures.

The tab itself is available by emailing me either through the hangout or at:
oldwoodchuckb@yahoo.com
I do not keep your email address after sending the tab, nor do I use it for any other purpose.

Please add your comments to "Lock Users not Threads" in the "Improvements and Suggestions forum.
RIP Senator Edward Kennedy

If you are interested in what I say on the hangout you should download a free copy of Rocket Science Banjo - the Advanced Method For Beginning to Intermediate Clawhammer Players. Along with the full text in PDF you will also find the four current RSB videos and the "25 EZ Clawhammer Tunes" at:
http://www.rsb.pricklypearmusic.net

To print the tabs separately from the book you need TEFView a free download from:
http://www.tabledit.com

Banjo Brad is still hosting "How To Mold A Mighty Pinky" and some other material at:
http://www.pricklypearmusic.net
A site chock full of interesting banjo material

Edited by - oldwoodchuckb on 08/28/2009 13:46:10

vrteach - Posted - 08/28/2009:  15:28:10

Nice writeup. I particularly like the youtube version by "bravestcowboy" (the second youtube link).

I like the way that this can be a peppy tune, or not.

The tune "Chase the Banshee" has just about the same high part, but is in G.

Erich -- There''s always room for cello..

http://vrteach.org/banjo/
http://prairiegrapevine.org/
U of Illinois-Springfield Old Time Music

J-Walk - Posted - 08/28/2009:  16:02:02

Good choice, Tony. That's a popular tune at the Tucson jams. I didn't even know it had lyrics.

I like the idea of playing it as part of a medley with another tune. Speed the Plow is a good match. I have a recording of The Gilded Bats, who start out with LIza Jane and then go into Booth.

LyleK - Posted - 08/29/2009:  07:52:27

Yes, gets a lot of play time here, especially when things go "Abe-ish" (e.g., Abe's Retreat, etc.). I'll have to look at your tab (I know I have it somewhere) as this is one that doesn't work well for me if I'm playing banjo alone. The syncopation is what makes it harder to play. In fact, there are a number of *.mp3s now at BHO, all of which (except for one) have banjo _and_ fiddle, where the fiddle really establishes the syncopation. The one *.mp3 that is only banjo sounds like it has some dropped beats.

LyleK
http://lylewk.home.comcast.net

oldwoodchuckb - Posted - 08/29/2009:  13:19:07

Lyle,
I admit that I almost always play the tune with a fiddler (my wife) so I didn't even think about that. Try adding a M stroke on the 1st string open wherever there is a M-Skip indicated. I don't know if I have M skips over other chords besides the A but you can also just hold down whatever chord form is indicated by the chord name above the staff and hit that note on the first. Make it a somewhat light stroke and you should be fine.

Most of my tabs are as simple as possible for easy learning for beginners (and beginning jammers) - I didn't realize they might get too simple and become.... I guess undecipherable would be the term.

Please add your comments to "Lock Users not Threads" in the "Improvements and Suggestions forum.
RIP Senator Edward Kennedy

If you are interested in what I say on the hangout you should download a free copy of Rocket Science Banjo - the Advanced Method For Beginning to Intermediate Clawhammer Players. Along with the full text in PDF you will also find the four current RSB videos and the "25 EZ Clawhammer Tunes" at:
http://www.rsb.pricklypearmusic.net

To print the tabs separately from the book you need TEFView a free download from:
http://www.tabledit.com

Banjo Brad is still hosting "How To Mold A Mighty Pinky" and some other material at:
http://www.pricklypearmusic.net
A site chock full of interesting banjo material

rinemb - Posted - 08/29/2009:  17:34:16

OWCB, Thanks for this great classic, and fine presentation. Brad

You may be man enough to take my woman, but you''ll never get my banjo.

May not the incidence of success, nor the pretense of retirement-
Lessen the want of enlightenment.

oldwoodchuckb - Posted - 08/29/2009:  19:43:36

Thank you Brad!
Is that a new avatar - and perhaps indicator of a new Chuck Lee?


http://www.rsb.pricklypearmusic.net
Rocket Science Banjo - Advanced Clawhammer Techniques for beginners and long time players alike. Plus videos and 25-40 EZ Clawhammer Tunes.
& check out "How To Mold A Mighty Pinky" at:
http://www.pricklypearmusic.net
banjo brad''s great banjo site

Kitt - Posted - 08/30/2009:  14:20:05

I've been using Oldwoodchuck's midi/tab of Booth Shot Lincoln and it's coming along swimmingly. I've enjoyed the tune since the first time I listened and watched Banjoape's living room version quite some time back. So it's really fun to be finally making it part of my repertoire.

Mark Johnson - Posted - 08/31/2009:  07:57:56

very nice tune and writeup. I'm almost ashamed to admit it but I didn't really know the tune at all. Thanks for sharing,

Mark

Kitt - Posted - 08/31/2009:  08:31:22

It's possible that I'm not understanding something about that M skip/syncopation conversation, but I've been practicing the tune as Oldwoodchuck tabbed it, and I like the M skip in it. It sounds all right to me. But, like I said, maybe there is some problem with it that I'm not getting due to lack of experience.

I haven't listened to the BH jukebox renditions. I'll check those out and see how the solo banjo one sounds. I'll listen to see if I can tell if the 'dropped beats' that LyleK mentioned sound like they come around at about or because of the M skip.

I haven't used M skip very much so maybe I'm just being enthusiastic about taking the opportunity to incorporate it into a tune that I'm playing.

Kitt - Posted - 08/31/2009:  09:54:00

I've now listened to the Booths on the jukebox. The banjo solo one doesn't sound to me like it's based on Oldwoodchuck's tab.

I also spent more time listening to Oldwoodchuck's midi and using his tab version to play it. I like the way it comes off on the midi, and my playing of it sounds good too. The M skip seems to fit in just fine as far as I'm concerned. So I'm curious about what LyleK wrote and what Oldwoodchuck wrote in reply.

RWJones1970 - Posted - 09/01/2009:  00:41:41

*** I thought this tune sounded so nice that I just recently learned it myself. Here is another interesting version of the tune off youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dsi...ture=related

"Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man forsake his thoughts. Let him return to the LORD and HE will have compassion on him. For HE will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are higher than your thoughts and my ways are higher than your ways, Declares The LORD." (Isaiah 55:7-9)

oldwoodchuckb - Posted - 09/01/2009:  13:40:21

Kitt,
I think Lye was mostly worried about the empty space in my arrangement, there s a beat and a half gap with nothing played which can begin to sound very sparse to a banjo player. I like gaps myself as I'm always thinking in terms of the fiddle filling them, but I can see where it can begin to feel as if there is nothing happening to someone more used to fuller arrangements After all I do no, brushes (although I frequently add brushes to many tunes as I play) in the tab, and a 1.5 beat note can fade away long before the next note.


http://www.rsb.pricklypearmusic.net
Rocket Science Banjo - Advanced Clawhammer Techniques for beginners and long time players alike. Plus videos and 25-40 EZ Clawhammer Tunes.
& check out "How To Mold A Mighty Pinky" at:
http://www.pricklypearmusic.net
banjo brad''s great banjo site

jojo25 - Posted - 09/02/2009:  11:27:37

nice selection OWC...and nice write up
words!...who woulda thunk it?

Guess I gotta post a recording of this...soon

here is a vid link from here at BHO that may be of interest

www.banjohangout.org/myhango...s.asp?id=2568" target="_blank">http://2fwww.banjohangout.org/myhan....asp?id=2568

us yankees hear this as a mournful tune
whereas down south it tends to be more of a tune of jubilation



Don''t forget to play all of the quasihemidemisemiquavers!!
Drop thumbs, not bombs

Joe

Mirek Patek - Posted - 09/02/2009:  13:52:37

quote:

---

Originally posted by oldwoodchuckb

Here is a version with Adam Miler playing the tune on the autoharp (low part only) and singing the 7 verses Cisco Houston did:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAau...ture=related

---

g--------0-------0|-   Round Peak pattern on tenor banjo:
d----0-0—----0-0--|-   ASPO from 2nd fret by index finger
G--0--------------|-   http://www.mirekpatek.com
D----------0------|-   http://www.youtube.com/user/mirekpatek
   |_|_|_| |_|_|_|
   T p R I T p R I

oldwoodchuckb - Posted - 09/02/2009:  14:16:32

Mirek,

This was my first experience of him too. I was looking for a version with the words - any version with the words - and ran across his.



http://www.rsb.pricklypearmusic.net
Rocket Science Banjo - Advanced Clawhammer Techniques for beginners and long time players alike. Plus videos and 25-40 EZ Clawhammer Tunes.
& check out "How To Mold A Mighty Pinky" at:
http://www.pricklypearmusic.net
banjo brad''s great banjo site

RWJones1970 - Posted - 09/02/2009:  18:01:00

*** I also love Dean Barber's version which is outstanding. Have you heard it?

http://www.banjohangout.org/myhango...musicid=9251

"Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man forsake his thoughts. Let him return to the LORD and HE will have compassion on him. For HE will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are higher than your thoughts and my ways are higher than your ways, Declares The LORD." (Isaiah 55:7-9)

g-hog - Posted - 09/03/2009:  04:43:40

Thanks, Woodchuck, and everybody else, for the links and info about this tune.

It's a new one on me... never heard of it before, but it's a very nice tune... I'm not so crazy about the lyrics, though... LOL. Anyway, either I missed it somewhere in the threads above (still on cup number one this a.m.), or nobody linked this one, but here is a nice mando take on the tune: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJv4X2sN1tg

And, by the way, the feller that put that one up on youtube looks like he's got plently of clawhammer on his youtube account... so... maybe y'all know him here... I quickly poked around on his youtube page and liked what I saw there very much!

I wish I had time to play.... grrrrrrr.... we've had one thing after another to deal with. No time for music.... and I've got a banjo and lots of guitars collecting dust... plus a fiddle en route that should be here by the end of the month. Ya think they might sell TIME at Walmart or somewhere????? LOL... I'm sure things'll slow down sooner or later. But thanks.... this is a good tune that I'd love to try to learn when that new fiddle gets here.

brokenstrings - Posted - 09/03/2009:  20:58:07

The lyrics of Cisco Houston's version imply that JWB was to perform that night, which he wasn't. (They were playing a comedy called "Our American Cousin." Also about that claybank mare...well, what the heck, they just wanted to write a catchy song.

Jessy

Frailaway, ladies, frailaway!