schlange - Posted - 03/09/2015:  11:23:14

Charlie Poole & the North Carolina Ramblers

This week's tune is a folk song of uncertain orgin--but it's a popular one for sure. "Don't Let Your Deal Go Down" was made famous by Charlie Poole's recording with this trio the North Carolina Ramblers, recorded July 27, 1925. It sold over 102,000 copies at a time when there were estimated to be only 600,000 phonographs in the Southern United States.

Poole was born in the northern Piedmont region of North Carolina, near the Virginia border. According to Wikipedia, "Poole also played baseball, and his three-fingered playing technique was the result of a baseball accident. He bet that he could catch a baseball without a glove. Poole closed his hand too soon, the ball broke his thumb, and resulted in a permanent arch in his right hand."

Poole was one of the first outlaw country singers. He bought his first good banjo, an Orpheum No. 3 Special, with profits from his moonshine still. Later, he appeared in the 1929 catalog of the Gibson Company, promoting their banjo. He died at the age of 39 after a couple weeks of hard drinking.

It is thought that the phrase "let your deal go down" refers to a popular card game among gamblers during the early part of the 20th Century called the Georgia Skin Game.

This tune has been covered by lots of bands, including of course Flatt Scruggs, and a wonderful recent version on the Earls of Leicester album.

Typically played in G.

Lyrics:

Now I've been all around this whole wide world

Been down to sunny Alabam

My mama always told me, "Son

Never let your deal go down"

(Oh honey) don't let your deal go down

Don't let your deal go down

(Oh honey) don't let your deal go down

Til your last gold dollar's gone

Oh the last time I seen that gal of mine

She was standing in  the door

She said "Honey I'll be a long time gone

You'll never see your gal no more."

Oh I'm going down the railroad track

Gonna take my rocking chair

If these doggone blues don't leave my mind

I'm gonna rock away from here

From Flatt & Scruggs' version

Learn the Tune:

• Hear it using the GrooveShark playlist to the right.


• We have a lesson video from Casey Henry teaching you Earl's break to this tune. Only $6 thru 3/9! Get it here >


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


• Tabs: here's a good one from Jack Baker based on Flatt & Scruggs' 1957 Columbia recording.

Share!

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

Don't Let Your Deal Go Down Chords	Don't Let Your Deal Go Down Backing Track (G) 70BPM	Don't Let Your Deal Go Down Backing Track (G) 90BPM	Don't Let Your Deal Go Down Backing Track (G) 110BPM
Don't Let Your Deal Go Down Backing Track (G) 130BPM	VIDEO: Don't Let Your Deal Go Down - Excerpt from the Custom Banjo Lesson from the Murphy Method (click to view)	VIDEO: Doc Watson - 1991 - Don't Let Your Deal Go Down (click to view)	VIDEO: Jerry Douglas & The Earls of Leicester, Don't Let Your Deal Go Down (click to view)
VIDEO: Flatt and Scruggs ~ Don't Let Your Deal Go Down (click to view)

Beardog - Posted - 03/09/2015:  14:48:40

This tune, along with "Salty Dog", are great for learning and understanding (and hearing) the concept of "drop circle progressions".

Good choice!

A27StarWolf - Posted - 03/09/2015:  15:09:21

What is a drop circle progression?

Jack Baker - Posted - 03/09/2015:  15:43:09

Just another hip term for Diatonic Chord progressions. I'll attach this:

google.com/webhp?rls=ig&gw...ogression

---

Originally posted by A27StarWolf

What is a drop circle progression?

---

Edited by - Jack Baker on 03/09/2015 15:45:24

KidfromDeliverance - Posted - 03/09/2015:  17:01:08

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jack Baker

Just another hip term for Diatonic Chord progressions. I'll attach this:

google.com/webhp?rls=ig&gw...ogression

---

Originally posted by A27StarWolf

What is a drop circle progression?

---

 

---

Heavy stuff, man.

JoeDownes - Posted - 03/10/2015:  00:12:45

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jack Baker

Just another hip term for Diatonic Chord progressions. I'll attach this:

google.com/webhp?rls=ig&gw...ogression

---

Originally posted by A27StarWolf

What is a drop circle progression?

---

 

---

This one ain't diatonic.

It's usually called a ragtime progression when all the chords are major/dominant.

Jack Baker - Posted - 03/10/2015:  07:10:12

Joe,

You should brush up on your music theory slang and what the Circle of 5ths is...What I posted is exactly what the slang term means. This term has been argued for years...Jack

---

Originally posted by JoeDownes

Edited by - Jack Baker on 03/10/2015 07:26:46

JoeDownes - Posted - 03/10/2015:  07:43:02

In a diatonic chord progression the 2 and 6 chords are minor, like in Autumn Leaves: Am / Dm / G7 / C. The chord progression in Don't let your deal go down is not diatonic, because all the chords are major/dominant 7 chords like in A7 / D7 / G7 / C.

Edited by - JoeDownes on 03/10/2015 07:43:25

Jack Baker - Posted - 03/10/2015:  07:51:36

Thanks for the post Joe,

I believe we're talking about two different things...no problem ...Jack

---

Originally posted by JoeDownes

In a diatonic chord progression the 2 and 6 chords are minor, like in Autumn Leaves: Am / Dm / G7 / C. The chord progression in Don't let your deal go down is not diatonic, because all the chords are major/dominant 7 chords like in A7 / D7 / G7 / C.

---

Edited by - Jack Baker on 03/10/2015 08:00:49

Drop Circle Progressions

TennBlues - Posted - 03/12/2015:  07:36:24

The photo of the North Carolina Ramblers is great. What is the fellow to the left of Poole holding in his hand. I assume it is an instrument.

schlange - Posted - 03/12/2015:  08:13:27

quote:

---

Originally posted by TennBlues

The photo of the North Carolina Ramblers is great. What is the fellow to the left of Poole holding in his hand. I assume it is an instrument.

---

A fiddle and a bow...