Odds and Ends

All tabs on this page are in GDAD tuning unless otherwise noted. In most cases I indicate the capo position at which I play the song or tune, but that position may not represent the key in which the tune or song is traditionally played.

These tabs represent my interpretations of songs, not necessarily an attempt to mimic the playing of other (better) players. Some of these tabs were originally worked out back when I was just learning bouzouki, and thus may be a bit crude and ham-fisted - or utterly incorrect. In particular, regarding Andy Irvine ... over the years I have attempted to learn dozens of the songs that Andy plays. This compendium includes several of these attempts ... some of which are, well, not very good. I am in no way saying "this is how Andy plays it". Rather, I'm saying this is how I learned to muddle through. Still, just seeing the precise fingerings of someone else may be of some help to others, so I will post my tabs - created and collected over 12 years - for all to share. I hope you find some of them useful.

A few of the songs feature sections that are designed to played along with a guitar part as part of an arrangement for The Gallowglasses, and so may be a bit thin when played alone. This was by design. Most of the tunes are pretty straight, but a few feature "bass line" runs to complement a fiddle lead. Keep these caveats in mind.

Many of the tunes that are transcribed come from thesession.org, where I have converted their ABC notation to tab (using some code that I wrote) - and then ornamented with my own changes that work well with bouzouki - in particular with hammers, pulls and slides ('h', 'p', '/'). Some of the tunes without ornamentation are just direct transcriptions of the raw tune. If you have found some tunes in ABC notation and you'd like me to translate them to tablature, just drop me a note.

While there is a general sense of time in these tabs (wider spaces mean longer notes, crowded notes for triplets, etc), these tabs are best used along with a copy of the song or tune. Listen, then look and see how I happen to play it - then make it your own.

If you find these tabs to be of use, and you'd like to say thanks (or to complain), you can contact me through our home page, or you could consider buying a copy of our latest CD, Thirty Foot and Three.

Hurt
John Barleycorn
Rain Song, The
Stonehenge
Wasted Years

Top

Hurt


Am C D

Verse
	Am     C   D  Am    (x3)
	Am         G
Chorus
	Am    F    C    G   (x3)
	Am    F    G
Outro
	Am      F       G
	Am      F       G        Am

I   hurt myself today, to see if I still feel
I focus on the pain, the only thing thats real
The needle tears a hole, the old familiar sting
Try to kill it all away, but I remember everything

	What Have I become,  my sweetest friend
	Everyone I know, goes away in the end
	And you could have it all, my empire of dirt
	I will let you down, I will make you hurt

I  wear this crown of thorns, upon my liars chair
Full of broken thoughts, I cannot repair
Beneath the stains of time, the feeling   disappears
You are someone else, I am still right here

[Chorus]

If I could start again, a million miles away
I would keep myself, I would find a way.

Top

John Barleycorn


D/b = 7080
DBb = 7070

riff 1                                      turnaround
-----------|------------------------------|------------------------------|
-------87--|--------------------------87--|------------------------------|
-5-3-------|--5-530-023-5-7--5-3-0--------|-/5-530-023-57-5-532h3p2------|
----5/7----|-----------------------5-7----|-------------------------5/7--|

---------------------------------------------------------------------|
------0------------------------7-8-7---------------------------------|
--5-3-0----02-3-5-7----5-3-0---0-0-0-----------3--0--3-5-2-----------|
--0-0-2-------0-0-7----0-0-0-5/7-7-7-----------5--2--5-7-2-----------|

-0-000-0--------------030--------------------------------------------|
-0-000-3-3h5p3p0-----0---30-----0------------------0-----------------|
-0-000-0--------53---------53---5-555-3-2h3p2p0-2--0-----------------|
-------------------------------------------------5/7-----------------|

There were three men came out of the west, their fortunes for to try
And these three men made a solemn oath John Barleycorn must die
	They've plowed, they've sown, they've harrowed him in Threw clods upon his head
And these three men made a solemn oath, John Barleycorn was dead

They've let him lie for a very long time, 'til the rains from heaven did fall
And little Sir John sprung up his head and so amazed them all
	They've let him stand 'til midsummer's day 'til he looked both pale and wan
And little Sir John's grown a long long beard and so become a man

They've hired men with their scythes so sharp to cut him off at the knee
They've rolled him and tied him by the waist, serving him most barbarously
	They've hired men with their sharp pitchforks who've pricked him to the heart
And the loader he has served him worse than that For he's bound him to the cart

They've wheeled him around and around a field 'til they came onto a pond
And there they made a solemn oath on poor John Barleycorn
	They've hired men with their crabtree sticks to cut him skin from bone
And the miller he has served him worse than that For he's ground him between two stones

And little Sir John and the nut brown bowl and his brandy in the glass
And little Sir John and the nut brown bowl proved the strongest man at last
	The huntsman he can't hunt the fox nor so loudly to blow his horn
And the tinker he can't mend kettle or pots without a little barleycorn

Top

Rain Song, The

Intro

---5-------5--5--5----4-------4--4--4-------3-3-1-0---1----1--1-----------------|
----5------5--5--5-----5------5--5--5-------2-2-2-2---1----1--1-----------------|
-----5-----5--5--5------4-----4--4--4-------3-3-3-3---1----1--1-----------------|
------0----0--0--0-------0----0--0--0---0---0---------0----0--0-----------------|


-----0---0-0-----9---7---10--9---2---7-7-----9---7---10--9---2---7-7------------|
-----0---2-2-----0---0---0---0---0---0-0-----0---0---0---0---0---0-0------------|
-----0---0-0-----9---7---10--9---2---7-7-----9---7---10--9---2---7-7------------|
-0-0-0---0-0-----0---0---0---0---0---8-8-----0---0---0---0---0---8-8------------|


Verse x 3
-- 8/7-----7---7----7-----7---7-------------------------------------------------|
---9/8-----8---8----8-----8---8-----------------3--3--3-------3--3--3-----------|
--10/9-----9---9----8-----8---8-----------------3--2--2-------3--2--2-----------|
---0-------0---0----0-----0---0-----------------0--0--5-0-0---0--0--5-----------|


Overdub x1
-0--0--0-------------------0--0--0-------------------0--0--0--------------------|
-0--2--2---0-2---0---------0--2--2--0-2---0----------0--2--2--0-2---0-----------|
-0--0--0-------5---2-5-0---1--1--1------5---2-5-0----2--2--2------5---2-5-0-----|
-0-----0-------------------0-----0-------------------0-----0--------------------|


0-0-2-0--------2---2h5p2-2-2--2-00-0200-0-2-0h2p0---0-2-0h2p0---|---------------|
0-2-0---2-0----2-2--------2---0---0-----3-0------3--3-0------3--|--0---2--2-----|
3-3-0-------5--2--------------0---------5---------5-5---------5-|--0---0--0-----|
0---------------------------------------0-----------0-----------|--0---0--0-----|


BRIDGE:   G  F  (0330)  C  G                   REPEAT x4
==========
Intro
Verse x 3


1- This is the springtime of my loving - the second season I am to know
2- You are the sunlight in my growing - so little warmth I've felt before.
3- It isn't hard to feel me glowing - I watched the fire that grew so low.


Intro
Verse x4


1- It is the summer of my smiles - flee from me Keepers of the Gloom.
2- Speak to me only with your eyes. It is to you I give this tune.
3- Ain't so hard to recognize - These things are clear to all from time to time.
4- Ooh...


Overdub (without the last chord)
Bridge x4


1- Talk Talk ...
2- I've felt the coldness of my winter, I never thought it would ever go.
3- I cursed the gloom that set upon us... but I know that I love you so
4-  Aw, but I know...


Verse x4  (right into the lyrics)


These are the seasons of emotion and like the winds they rise and fall
This is the wonder of devotion - I see the torch we all must hold.
This is the mystery of the quotient - Upon us all a little rain must fall.
 Just a little rain... Oo, yeah.


Overdub
Outro
---/9--9---9--7-5--7--5---------3h5-------2--2---2--0----4---2-4--5---------|
---/5--5---5-------3----------3-----------3--3---3----3--0---0-0--3---------|
---/5--5---5-------3--------3-------------2--2---2-------0---0-0--2---------|
----0--0-----------0----------------------0--0---0-------4--------0---------|


---5-7--8-8---10--1010---/12------3-3-3---3-3-3----|
---3-3--5-5---6---6-6------------4-5-4---4-5-4-----|
---3-3--5-5---6---6-6-----------5-------5----------|
-------------------------------0-------0-----------|


---750-05--20--02-------2-------0------0------0---0--|
---0---------3--------3--3----5--5---5--5---0--0--2--|
---0-----------------2-------5------4------0------0--|
--------------------0-------0------0------0-------0--|

Top

Stonehenge

Arranged for GDAD bouzouki by Michael McNelly http://thegallowglasses.com

Riff 1 (x2)
	In ancient times hundreds of years before the dawn of history
	Lived this strange race of people, the druids
	No one knows who they were or what they were doing
	But their legacy remains hewn into the living rock of Stonehenge
Verse
	Stonehenge, where the demons dwell
	Where the banshees live and they do live well
	Stonehenge where a man is a man
	And the children dance to the pipes of pan
Interlude
Verse
	Stonehenge, 'tis a magic place
	Where the moon doth rise with a dragon's face
	Stonehenge where the virgins lie
	And the prayers of devils fill the midnight sky
Bridge
	And you my love, won't you take my hand?
	We'll go back in time to that mystic land
	Where the dew drops cry and the cats meow
	I will take you there, I will show you how
Interlude (slowing)
	And oh, how they danced
	The little children of Stonehenge
	Beneath the haunted moon
	For fear that day break might come too soon
Tune

Riff 1 (x1)
	And where are they now
	The little people of Stonehenge
	And what would they say to us
	If they were here tonight


Riff 1
--12-11-----10-9----8-7-------------------------||--------------------------
--------8--------6------4---4-5-7-5--0-----0---o||--------------------------
--12-11-----10-9----8-7----------------3-2-0---o||--------------------------
--------10-------8------6------------------2----||--------------------------

Verse
                 1,3....       2....             last time repeat 2..
---------------|--22-2-------|----------2------|-------------------------------
--00-0---2-----|--33-3----0--|----------3-0---o|-------------------------------
--22-2---0-3---|--22-2--2-0--|-2-2-2-2--2-0---o|-------------------------------
--22-2---0-5---|--0-----4-2--|-4-4-4-4----2----|-------------------------------

Interlude
 B              A             C              C#      D      N.C.       E/B
------------------------------23-2h3p2p0-2-----585------------7-10-7---9---|---------|
-23-2h3p2p0-2---35-3h5p3-23------------------47---7--91097--69-------9-----|--32-32--|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------|--32-32--|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------|

Bridge
  1....                2....          E  G    4....
---------------------|--2----0--------------|-------------
--0---0---3235320----|--3----2-----------2--|------2------
--0---2----------5---|--2----0-----0--2--0--|-3----0------
--2---2--------------|-------0--024---4--0--|-5----0------



Tune:

D D A C
A C D D

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

Tune played with my personal ornamentation.

-----|-----------------|-0---0-2-0-------|-------------------|---------0-2-------|
-----|---------0---0---|---4-----0---0-2-|-3---3---2h3p2p0-0-|-2h3p2p----0-------|
-0-2-|-4---4-5---------|-----------------|-------------------|---------------0-2-|
-----|-----------------|-----------------|-------------------|-------------------|

|-----------------|-0---0-2------------|------------------|---------------||
|----------0--0---|---4-----0-2h3p2p00-|-3h5p3-2----------|-------0-------o|
|--4--4-5---------|--------------------|----------2h3p2p0-|-------0-------o|
|-----------------|--------------------|------------------|---5-----------||

|-/7---7---5---5---|-4---0---2-------|-------0-2h4p2-0-|---------0---2////|
|--0---0---0---0---|-0---0---3---0-2-|-3---3-----------|-2h3h2-2-0--------|
|--0-------0-------|---------2-------|-----------------|------------------|
|--7-------5-------|---------0-------|-----------------|------------------|

|-7---7---5---5---|-4---0---2-------|---0-------------|---------------------||
|-0---0---0---0---|-0---0---3---0-2-|-3---3-2-0h2p0---|----------------0----o|
|-0-------0-------|---------2-------|--------------5--|-2-2h3p2p0------0----o|
|-7-------5-------|---------0-------|-----------------|-----------5---------||


FULL TAB for tune (without my ornamentation)

-----|-----------------|-0---0-2-0-------|-----------------|-------0-2-------|
-----|---------0---0---|---4-----0---0-2-|-3---3---3-2-0-2-|-3-2-3---0-------|
-0-2-|-4---4-5---------|-----------------|-----------------|-------------0-2-|
-----|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

     |-----------------|-0---0-2-0-------|---0-------------|-----------------||
     |----------0--0---|---4-------2-0-2-|-3---3-2-0-2-0---|---------0-------o|
     |--4--4-5---------|-----------------|---------------5-|-2-------0-------o|
     |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----5-----------||

-245-|-7---7---5---5---|-4---0-----------|-------0-2-4-5-4-|-2-0-----0---245--|
-----|-----------------|---------3---0-2-|-3---3-----------|-----3-2-0--------|
-----|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|
-----|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|

     |-7---7---5---5---|-4---0-----------|---0-------------|---------------------||
     |-----------------|---------3---0-2-|-3---3-2-0h2p0---|----------------0----o|
     |-----------------|-----------------|--------------5--|-2-2h3p2p0------0----o|
     |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------5---------||

Top

Wasted Years

Stolen directly from the amazing Beth Patterson

---------------------------|---|--2-----|------------------|---------------------------------|
-/5-0-h1---0----0----0--0--|---|--0-----|------------------|---------------------------------|
--0-0--0-5--3--h5-2-h3--5-2|3--|--2-----|-0-h32--5-5---2---|--3---5---7---0h320-55-----33-/5-|
---------------------------|---|--2-----|-2----0-4-5---2---|--3---5---7---2-----45-----23-/5-|
chorus
------------------------------------------2-----------------|----------------------|
-------------2-------0----0-------0---0---3-----------------|----------------------|
--3----33----0-5--3-3-3--5-5------7---5---2-3---/5----------|-----3--5---2-5-0-----|
--5----23----0-5--23----5---------7---5---2-3---/5----------|-----3--5---2-5-7-----|

From the coast of gold, across the seven seas
I'm traveling on, far and wide
But now it seems, I'm just a stranger to myself
And all the things I sometimes do, it isn't me but someone else

I close my eyes, and think of home
Another city goes by, in the night
Ain't it funny how it is, you never miss it til it's gone away
And my heart is lying there and will be til my dying day

     So understand
     Don't waste your time always searching for those wasted years
     Face up, make your stand
     And realize you're living in the golden years

Too much time on my hands, I got you on my mind
Can't ease this pain, so easily
When you can't find the words to say, it's hard to make it through another day
And it makes me want to cry, and throw my hands up to the sky

(chorus)