schlange - Posted - 09/19/2014:  08:48:56

Mississippi Sheiks album

This week's tune is a classic, easy to sing crossover hit from the 1930's. 

Wikipedia summarizes it nicely:

"Sitting on Top of the World" is a folk-blues song written by Walter Vinson and Lonnie Chatmon, core members of the Mississippi Sheiks, a popular country blues band of the 1930s. Walter Vinson claimed to have composed “Sitting on Top of the World” one morning after playing a white dance in Greenwood, Mississippi.

The song was first recorded by the Mississippi Sheiks in 1930 (on the Okeh label, No. 8784), became a popular crossover hit for the band, and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008.

"Sitting on Top of the World" has become a standard of traditional American music. The song has been widely recorded in a variety of different styles — folk, blues, country, bluegrass, rock — often with considerable variations and/or additions to the original verses. The lyrics of the original song convey a stoic optimism in the face of emotional setbacks, and the song has been described as a “simple, elegant distillation of the Blues”.

Over the years this tune has been played many bluegrass artists including Bill Monroe, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, The Seldom Scene, Lonesome River Band, and Doc Watson.

Lyrics

Work all summer

and half of fall

Spent all of Christmas

in overalls



Chorus:

And now she's gone and I don't worry

I'm sitting on top of the world

Now don't you come runnin'

Holdin' out your hand

Go get your woman

Go get your man

Don't like my peaches

Don't shake my tree

Stay out of my orchard

Let 'em be

(From Carolina Chocolate Drops version)

Learn the Tune:

• Hear It using the GrooveShark playlist to the right.


• We have a video lesson from Casey Henry where she teaches you her own arrangement of a break for this tune. Casey teaches it in a step-by-step, no tab needed fashion. Only $6 thru the end of the week.​ Get it here >


• Backing Tracks: Band in a Box tracks are included below at various speeds for your practicing pleasure. 


• Tabs: several in the BHO archives.

Share!

I (and others) would love to hear (and see!) you play your version of this tune--post it in a reply below!

VIDEO: Sitting On Top Of The World - Nitty Gritty Dirtband (click to view)	VIDEO: Bob Wills - Sittin' On Top of the World (click to view)	VIDEO: Doc Watson ~ Sitting on Top of the World ~ Bristol 9-20-08 (click to view)	VIDEO: Sittin' On Top Of The World - Excerpt from the Custom Banjo Lesson from The Murphy Method (click to view)
Sitting On Top of the World chords	Sittin' On Top of the World Backing Track (G) 70BPM	Sittin' On Top of the World Backing Track (G) 90BPM	Sittin' On Top of the World Backing Track (G) 110BPM
Sittin' On Top of the World Backing Track (G) 130BPM

MrManners - Posted - 09/19/2014:  15:26:02

the nitty gritty vid has Bela.Jerry d., Vassar , Jimmy Martin,Marc O Connor etc.what a jam that would have been

Jack Baker - Posted - 09/19/2014:  15:42:27

Eric,

Why not post the Doc Watson  Tabledited Guitar version I sent you...It might be nice to see how Doc can makes music sound great either on banjo or guitar...Jack

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Originally posted by schlange

Mississippi Sheiks album

Edited by - Jack Baker on 09/19/2014 15:43:12

josephb - Posted - 09/19/2014:  18:02:48

this one looks like fun

youtube.com/watch?v=pR4RxBKqWtk

Jack Baker - Posted - 09/19/2014:  19:17:00

Here's Doc's original version on guitar...Jack

Sittin' On Top Of The World

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Originally posted by Jack Baker

Eric

Why

not post the Doc Watson  Tabledited Guitar version I sent you...It might be nice to see how Doc can makes music sound great either on banjo or guitar...Jack

 

 

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Originally posted by schlange

Mississippi Sheiks album

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Edited by - Jack Baker on 09/19/2014 19:24:06

Oblake - Posted - 09/19/2014:  21:59:34

Not the greatest video, I'd rather not stare at the back of the band but I love the energy Darrell Webb gives this song.

VIDEO: Sittin on Top of the World (Sierra Hull and Friends) (click to view)

Don Borchelt - Posted - 09/20/2014:  11:07:49

I'll break the ice.  This video was made in 1998, when I played with a band called Wry Whiskey. We were trying to sound a little more like the Mississippi Sheiks than Bill Monroe, and we got some of the way there, I guess. I admit that my attempt to sing like Lester was less than successful. Richie now plays with Merrimack Valley Bluegrass, and Brian plays with fiddler Robin Warren, as Spirit Fiddle. 

Edited by - Don Borchelt on 09/20/2014 11:08:25

VIDEO: Sittin' on Top of the World (click to view)

Laurence Diehl - Posted - 09/20/2014:  13:04:18

Don that was a very nice rendition, I liked the pace and it must be nice to have a visual record of past musical collaborations. I guess the intern behind the camera didn't realize that it is customary to have the singer in the frame when he is singing!

Here is my attempt, recorded about a year ago. I am steering towards the blues side of things rather than the bluegrass.

VIDEO: Sitting on top of the World (click to view)

Jack Baker - Posted - 09/20/2014:  14:00:05

Wonderful arrangement and tasteful as always Laurence...Jack

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Originally posted by Laurence Diehl

Don that was a very nice rendition, I liked the pace and it must be nice to have a visual record of past musical collaborations. I guess the intern behind the camera didn't realize that it is customary to have the singer in the frame when he is singing!

Here is my attempt, recorded about a year ago. I am steering towards the blues side of things rather than the bluegrass.

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MrManners - Posted - 09/20/2014:  18:03:54

good job as always Don.i think like your camera views better than the ongoing view of that old big boy above you.ha ha of course they did burn it up
wonder If there is a vid of Jack Cooke,the stanley brother stalwart ,it was kinda his theme song.

scrimple101 - Posted - 09/22/2014:  22:28:52

Always loved Howlin' Wolf's version: youtube.com/watch?v=qexY8RlFtII