schlange - Posted - 05/15/2015:  14:17:35

Flatt & Scruggs, The Complete Mercury Sessions

 

This week's tune is another Flatt & Scruggs favorite, this time a slower one played in D.

"Cora Is Gone" was written by Mac Odell (real name Odell McLeod) but made famous by Flatt & Scruggs. You can learn more about Mac here.

I'm not sure when the first version of this tune was recorded, but I do know it's on Flatt & Scruggs "The Complete Mercury Sessions" set, which should be a part of any bluegrass banjo player's library! Anybody know when Flatt & Scruggs first recorded this? I assume it was sometime between 1948-50.

Lyrics

Wind's through the night blowing so lonesome

Singing to me a song

A whippoorwill call is just a reminder

Pretty girls have hearts made of stone

I'll wake with the blues at dawn

My darling, Cora is gone

I don't know why she told me goodbye

But my darling, Cora is gone

The ring that she wears I bought for her finger

Purchased her raiment so fine

Gave her my last green back dollar

And now she's left me behind

I'll wake with the blues at dawn

My darling, Cora is gone

I don't know why she told me goodbye

But my darling, Cora is gone

Drifting along like brush on a river

Caring not where I roam

Going to live in the deep forest

Dark hollow will be my new home

Learn the Tune:

• We have a lesson video from Casey Henry teaching you the lead break. Only $6 thru 5/13! Get it here >


• Tabs: several in the archive including a real nice one from Jack Baker

Share!

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

VIDEO: The Earls of Leicester, Cora is Gone (click to view)

VIDEO: Cora Is Gone - Flatt & Scruggs - Audio Only (click to view)

pastorharry - Posted - 05/15/2015:  15:41:24

The original version that Flatt and Scruggs did, Earl was in D(Ruben tuning). Bending notes on the 2nd string 7th fret...different than how those other guys are playing it. I love that old tune.

RioStat - Posted - 05/15/2015:  16:01:59

I can't find them on the Hangout, but there were several good tabs of Earl's version of this song, posted a couple years ago, one by Jack Baker, or Mick G, and another good one.

It is a fun song to play, Earl picked, and choked (or bent) a string, then picked the same string while choked, then un-choked (or un-bent) the string, that's how he got those excellent up and down slurs during his break.

I haven't played it for awhile, but I might "shake the rust off of it", record, and post.

Edited by - RioStat on 05/15/2015 16:05:46

Jack Baker - Posted - 05/15/2015:  16:36:50

Hi Eric,

I'm in Toledo OH right now and just saw your email. Cora is on its way to you....Jack

Prof - Posted - 05/15/2015:  18:59:09

Here's my take based on the Flatt and Scruggs recording (D tuning).

Cora is Gone

Prof - Posted - 05/15/2015:  20:08:05

I'd like to add that this is probably a good one to try by ear -- once you're in D tuning, the entire melody is played either open strings, bending the 2nd string at the 7th fret, or single notes moving up and back down the 1st string. The most difficult part for me to figure out was the backward roll in the middle while holding down the 2nd string at the 7th fret -- and that was mainly due to an awkward feel in the change of roll direction from the rest of the tune.

Jim Pankey - Posted - 05/16/2015:  04:08:49

To avoid retuning during a show I play it in standard with the 5th tuned down to F#

youtu.be/UOzhrBe7yRE

Fathand - Posted - 05/17/2015:  07:48:24

I used to play a bottleneck guitar version of this in Open E tuning which is like banjo open D but pitched two frets higher.

bobskart - Posted - 05/18/2015:  06:41:25

Eric, any backing tracks coming for this one? The others are always helpful.