Idaho Bluegrass Association
  • Home
    • About
    • Join Us
    • Donate
    • IBA Newsletter
    • Our Logo
  • Articles & Podcasts
    • Podcasts >
      • ​Jeremy Garrett Interview
      • Keith Reed Interview
      • Jason Homey Interview
      • Becky Smith Interview
      • Marv Quinton Interview
      • Rue Frisbee Interview
      • Donna and Mike Bond Interview
      • Honi Deaton Interview
      • Dennis Stokes Interview
      • Gary Eller Interview
    • Articles >
      • Glen Garrett - The Golden Years
      • Sammie Bush - came to Weiser
      • Mark O’Connor - My History at Weiser
      • Barbara Lamb - Fiddler Extraordinaire
      • Charlie Simmons -The Idaho Bluegrass Association from 1975 to 1985
      • Idaho's 19th century Fiddlers
      • Weiser Fiddle Champions ​ 1950s & 1960s
      • ​Byron Berline
      • Dave Frisbee
      • Weiser Fiddle Champions from 1970s and 80s
      • Megan Lynch Chowning
      • Fiddle Champion ​in 1990s and 2000s
      • Tashina and Tristan Clarridge
    • Snap Shot - Videos from IBA members
  • Events
    • Calendar (BCBB)
    • Open Mic
    • SpringGrass 2023 >
      • Springfest 2022
    • Winterfest
    • IBA Concert Series
    • Virtualgrass
    • Other Bluegrass Events
  • Jam
    • Idaho Jams
    • Jason's Beginner Jam Blog 2021 - 2022
    • Jason's Intermediate Jam Blog 2021 - 2022
    • All of Jason's Songs
    • Old Blogs from Jason >
      • Jason's Beginner Jam Blog 2019 - 2021
      • Jason's Intermediate Jam Blog 2019 - 2021
      • Jason's Beginner Jam Blog 2017 - 2018
      • Jason's Intermediate Jam Blog 2017 - 2018
      • Songs in 2016
  • Camps & Contests
    • Idaho Bluegrass and Banjo Camp
    • Banjo Contest
    • National Oldtime Fiddlers’ Contest
  • Idaho Bands
  • Teachers
  • Classified
  • Links
    • General
    • Learning
    • Specific Instruments

Wildwood Flower

3/19/2019

0 Comments

 
Hi,
The song of the week is 'Wildwood Flower' in the key of D.


Recordings
Flatt & Scruggs - key of D instrumental
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7U3pD_0yX8

The Carter Family - key of Bb: original recorded version with vocals
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4xjqpARrHM

Mother Maybelle Carter - key of F# with vocals
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XE80Ed59uCY


Progression
The chord progression for Wildwood Flower is:
11511
11511
1141
11511
Notice that the 1st, 2nd, and 4th lines of the progression are each 5 measures long.


Vocal or Instrumental?
Before moving to Boise, I was much more accustomed to playing Wildwood Flower at Bluegrass jams as an instrumental rather than as a song with vocals. But, despite the difficulties involved in singing Wildwood Flower, due to the wide range of the melody and the nature of the lyrics, there have been enough people at the beginner and intermediate jams over the past few years who like to sing Wildwood Flower that it has rarely been played as an instrumental when called at the jams. So, in making Wildwood Flower a song of the week for the intermediate jam, I have chosen to sing it rather than leading it as an instrumental.

When played as an instrumental at a bluegrass jam, Wildwood Flower is most often played either in the key of C or the key of G, with guitar players tending to prefer C and banjo players tending to prefer G.

When Wildwood Flower is sung at a jam, one can expect it to be played in any of the 8 standard bluegrass keys: G, A, Bb, B, C, D, E, or F. Because the melody of the song has an unusually wide range (it spans an interval of a major 10th: that is, one whole octave plus a third of an octave), one may find it difficult to find a key that one can comfortably sing the song in, and once one has identified a comfortable key to sing it in, one may discover that that is the only key that one feels comfortable singing the song in. 


Lyrics
Since my early childhood, I have been familiar with set of lyrics for Wildwood Flower on the classic 1928 Carter Family recording (a recording that has greatly influenced most subsequent versions of the song), but have found the lyrics difficult to memorize, as some of the lines make little sense. As far as I can tell from listening to the old record, the lyrics on it are as follows:

Oh, I'll twine with my mingles and waving black hair
With the roses so red and the lilies so fair
And the myrtle so bright with the emerald dew
The pale and the leader and eyes look like blue.

I will dance, I will sing and my laugh shall be gay
I will charm ev'ry heart, in his crown I will sway
When I woke from my dreaming, my idols was clay
All portion of love had all flown away.

Oh, he taught me to love him and promised to love
And to cherish me over all others above
How my heart is now wond'ring no misery can tell
He's left me no warning, no words of farewell.

Oh, he taught me to love him and called me his flow'r
That's blooming to cheer him through life's dreary hour
Oh, I long to see him and regret the dark hour
He's won and neglected this pale wildwood flower.

If one compares these lyrics with the original set of lyrics published in 1860, one can see the full extent to which some of the lines got butchered in the transmission process that eventually resulted in the Carter Family version. The original lyrics are:

I'll twine 'mid the ringlets of my raven black hair
The lilies so pale and the roses so fair
The myrtle so bright with an emerald hue
And the pale aronatus with eyes of bright blue.

I'll sing and I'll dance, my laugh shall be gay
I'll cease this wild weeping, drive sorrow away.
Tho' my heart is now breaking, he never shall know
That his name made me tremble and my pale cheeks to glow.

I'll think of him never, I'll be wildly gay
I'll charm ev'ry heart, and the crowd I will sway.
I'll live yet to see him regret the dark hour
When he won, then neglected, the frail wildwood flower.

He told me he loved me, and promised to love
Through ill and misfortune, all others above
Another has won him, ah! mis'ry to tell
He left me in silence, no word of farewell.

He taught me to love him, he call'd me his flower
That blossom'd for him all the brighter each hour
But I woke from my dreaming, my idol was clay
My visions of love have all faded away. 

The way I sing the song is based on the original set of lyrics, but is influenced by my familiarity with the Carter Family version. For instance, I sing only 4 verses, by combining verses 2 and 3 together into a single verse. I omit the last three lines of verse 2 and the first line of verse 3.


Guitar & Banjo Melody Tabs
Without a capo, the key of C works much better than the key of D for working up either a Carter-style or a crosspicking guitar break for Wildwood Flower, which are the two main traditional approaches to playing guitar breaks for the song. For this reason I have not included a guitar tab melody sheet written in D in the attachments. To play a break in D based upon the key of C guitar melody sheet provided here, you will need to capo the 2nd fret of the guitar.

Two banjo tabs of the melody are given in the attachments, one written in the key of C with the banjo tuned to C tuning (GCGBD): capo 2 for D, and one written in the key of D with the banjo tuned to D tuning (F#DF#AD). These are the two options that I believe work best for working up basic Scruggs-style breaks for Wildwood Flower in D. (For clawhammer players, I advise tuning to double C tuning: GCGCD, capo 2 for D. To convert the C tuning melody sheet to double C tuning, all you need to do is to change the 1s to zeros on the line that represents the 2nd string.)


Song List
15 songs were played at last night's jam:
Cry, Cry Darlin' - A
Down The Road - B
Homestead On The Farm - E
In The Pines - E
Little Willie - B
Lonesome Road Blues - G
Nine Pound Hammer - B
Turkey In The Straw - G
Wildwood Flower (played twice) - A & D
Worried Man Blues - B
Paradise - D
Leaning On The Everlasting Arms - D
Shady Grove - C
Winter's Come And Gone - Bb
Red Haired Boy - A
​
Shady Grove - Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver - key of C
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vjSyGWSN8w

Happy Pickin'
Jason
Sheet Music Files:
Wildwood Flower - banjo tab (C tuning)
Download File

Wildwood Flower - banjo tab (D tuning)
Download File

Wildwood Flower - guitar tab (C)
Download File

Wildwood Flower - mandolin tab (D)
Download File

Wildwood Flower - melody in D
Download File
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    ​Jason's Intermediate Jam Blog 2019 - 2021

    Was weekly on Thursdays
             6:30pm
    at Pioneer Building in downtown Boise
    ​

    started Jan 2017
    ​as  Beginner jam 
    (click to see Beginner blog 2017-18)

    ​with Jason Homey

    Picture
    ​Songs regularly called at the Beginner Bluegrass Jam and links from Jason's "Song of the Week" emails.  (from Renee)

    ​

    All of Jason's Songs
    in alphabetical order

    ​

    Categories

    All
    0 - Basic Chord Progressions
    0 - Nashville Number System Charts
    0 - Song List 2020 Jan
    5 - Song List 2019 Sept
    7 - Song List 2019 April
    8 - Song List 2019 Jan.
    9
    Angel Band
    Are You Missing Me
    Ashes Of Love
    Auld Lang Syne
    Banks Of The Ohio
    Beautiful Brown Eyes
    Beautiful Star Of Bethlehem
    Bill Cheatham
    Black Mountain Rag
    Blue Night
    Blue Ridge Cabin Home
    Cabin In Caroline
    Canaan's Land
    Can't You Hear Me Calling
    Cherokee Shuffle
    Clinch Mountain Backstep
    Cold Corn
    Columbus Stockade Blues
    Cora Is Gone
    Cry
    Cry Cry Darlin
    Cry Darlin'
    Cryin' Holy
    Dark Hollow
    Devil's Dream
    Diamonds In The Rough
    Don't This Road Look Rough And Rocky
    Dooley
    Down In A Willow Garden
    Down The Road
    East Virginia Blues
    Feast Here Tonight
    Fireball Mail
    Foggy Mountain Breakdown
    Foggy Mountain Special
    Footprints In The Snow
    God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
    Gold Rush
    Gold Watch And Chain
    Hallelujah
    Hard Hearted
    Hard Times Come Again No More
    Head Over Heels
    Homestead On The Farm
    Home Sweet Home
    Honey
    Hot Corn
    How Mountain Girls Can Love
    I Can't Feel At Home In This World Anymore
    I Hope You've Learned
    I'll Never Shed Another Tear
    I'm Ready To Go
    I Never Will Marry
    In The Pines
    In The Sweet By And By
    I Saw The Light
    I Still Miss Someone
    It's Mighty Dark To Travel
    I Wonder Where You Are Tonight
    John Hardy
    John Henry
    Joy To The World
    Keep On The Sunny Side
    Last Train From Poor Valley
    Liberty
    Life Is Like A Mountain Railroad
    Little Cabin Home On The Hill
    Little Darling Pal Of Mine
    Little Darlin Pal Of Mine
    Little Georgia Rose
    Little Liza Jane
    Little Maggie
    Little Willie
    Lonesome Feeling
    Long Black Veil
    Love
    Love Of The Mountains
    Love Please Come Home
    Man Of Constant Sorrow
    Mountain Dew
    Nellie Kane
    Nine Pound Hammer
    No Mother Or Dad
    Old Home Place
    Old Joe Clark
    Ole Slew Foot
    O Little Town Of Bethlehem
    On And On
    Over The Hill To The Poorhouse
    Please Come Home
    Red Haired Boy
    Red Wing
    Reuben
    Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms
    Roving Gambler
    Sally Goodin
    Salt Creek
    Salty Dog Blues
    Shady Grove
    Sitting On Top Of The World
    St. Anne's Reel
    Steel Rails
    The Lone Pilgrim
    Think Of What You've Done
    Thirty-Two Acres:
    Tiny Broken Heart
    Turkey In The Straw
    Two Little Boys
    Wabash Cannonball
    We'll Meet Again Sweetheart
    We Three Kings
    What Child Is This
    Whiskey Before Breakfast
    Why Don't You Tell Me So
    Wildwood Flower
    Will You Be Loving Another Man
    Wreck Of The No. 9
    Wreck Of The Old '97
    You Don't Know My Mind

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018

ConTACT US!


ADDRESS:
​Idaho Bluegrass Association
PO Box 6074
Boise, ID 83707

Email

idahobluegrassassociation@gmail.com
Copyright © 2021 IBA.
  • Home
    • About
    • Join Us
    • Donate
    • IBA Newsletter
    • Our Logo
  • Articles & Podcasts
    • Podcasts >
      • ​Jeremy Garrett Interview
      • Keith Reed Interview
      • Jason Homey Interview
      • Becky Smith Interview
      • Marv Quinton Interview
      • Rue Frisbee Interview
      • Donna and Mike Bond Interview
      • Honi Deaton Interview
      • Dennis Stokes Interview
      • Gary Eller Interview
    • Articles >
      • Glen Garrett - The Golden Years
      • Sammie Bush - came to Weiser
      • Mark O’Connor - My History at Weiser
      • Barbara Lamb - Fiddler Extraordinaire
      • Charlie Simmons -The Idaho Bluegrass Association from 1975 to 1985
      • Idaho's 19th century Fiddlers
      • Weiser Fiddle Champions ​ 1950s & 1960s
      • ​Byron Berline
      • Dave Frisbee
      • Weiser Fiddle Champions from 1970s and 80s
      • Megan Lynch Chowning
      • Fiddle Champion ​in 1990s and 2000s
      • Tashina and Tristan Clarridge
    • Snap Shot - Videos from IBA members
  • Events
    • Calendar (BCBB)
    • Open Mic
    • SpringGrass 2023 >
      • Springfest 2022
    • Winterfest
    • IBA Concert Series
    • Virtualgrass
    • Other Bluegrass Events
  • Jam
    • Idaho Jams
    • Jason's Beginner Jam Blog 2021 - 2022
    • Jason's Intermediate Jam Blog 2021 - 2022
    • All of Jason's Songs
    • Old Blogs from Jason >
      • Jason's Beginner Jam Blog 2019 - 2021
      • Jason's Intermediate Jam Blog 2019 - 2021
      • Jason's Beginner Jam Blog 2017 - 2018
      • Jason's Intermediate Jam Blog 2017 - 2018
      • Songs in 2016
  • Camps & Contests
    • Idaho Bluegrass and Banjo Camp
    • Banjo Contest
    • National Oldtime Fiddlers’ Contest
  • Idaho Bands
  • Teachers
  • Classified
  • Links
    • General
    • Learning
    • Specific Instruments