Biography:
Huddie Ledbetter (January 20, 1888 - December 6, 1949) was an iconic American folk and blues musician, and multi-instrumentalist, notable for his strong vocals, his virtuosity on the twelve-string guitar, and the songbook of folk standards he introduced.
Although Lead Belly most commonly played the twelve-string, he could also play the piano, mandolin, harmonica, violin, and accordion. In some of his recordings, such as in one of his versions of the folk ballad "John Hardy", he performs on the accordion instead of the guitar.
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Other songs:
- Dancing With Tears In My Eyes
- Gee, But I Want To Go Home
- Goodnight Irene
- Cotton Fields
- Gee But I Want To Go Home Army Life
- Good Morning Blues
- Goonight Irene
- Im All Out And Down
- John Hardy
- John Henry
- Little Girl
- Midnight Special
- New York City
- On A Monday
- Parting Song When You Smile
- Pick A Bale Of Cotton
- Rock Island Line
- Somebodys Diggin My Potatoes
- The Bourgeois Blues
- Theres A Man Going Round Taking Names
- Where Did You Sleep Last Night
- Whoa Back Buck
- Whoa Back Buck Ox Drivers Song
Four years of hard work!This month of May we celebrated four years on the air. We continue working on the dissemination of this wonderful instrument, thank you for participating in our story!
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Parting Song (When You Smile-o) - Lead Belly
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tabbed by: StoogeKebab with lyric assistance by JohnM
Tuning: Standard
Information:
There are a number of short riffs played in between chord changes and at the start.
They are as follows and will be marked with [square brackets] alongside the chords:
Riff 1:
e|------------|
B|------------|
G|------------|
D|------------|
A|-4-3-2------|
E|------------|
Riff 2:
e|------------|
B|------------|
G|------------|
D|------------|
A|-0-1-2------|
E|------------|
Riff 3:
e|------------|
B|------------|
G|------------|
D|------------|
A|------------|
E|-0-2-4------|
The song begins with a monologue played over chords and maintains an alternating bass line of (string):
6, Chord, 5, Chord
Each chord is usually played 4 times per line
A [1] E7 A
(instrumental)
A
“Now this is a children’s play song.
A
After they done picked cotton all day
A
And their mothers and fathers gonna take ‘em home
A
They gon’ separate now
A
Now they gon’ make a ring in the yard
A
And walk around
A
And they gon’ sing this song
A
Bidding each other goodbye”
A
I’ve come to say goodbye
A
Just one more parting sigh
E7
Just one more last embrace
E7 A
Although it grieves me so
E7 A
Honey I’ve got to go
E7 [2]
Come let me kiss your sweet face
E7
Oh let me hear you say
E7
That when I’m far away
E7
You’ll think of me all the while
E7 A
Stop all your foolish tears
E7 A
Cheer up and dry your tears
E7
Come let me see you smile
E7 A
Because when you smile-o
A [2]
This world will smile with you
E7
But when you cry though
E7
Then you cry alone
E7 A
So don’t feel grieving
A E7
Just because I’m leaving
E7
Look up a-here honey
E7
And let me see you smile
[1] E7 [3] A
[1] E7 A
E7
Oh let me hear you say
E7
That when I’m far away
E7
You’ll love me all the while
E7
Oh on the darkest day
E7
One loving smile this way
E7
That loving heart beguile
E7
Try not to yearn in pain
E7
I’ll soon return again
E7
Come let me see you smile
E7 A
Because when you smile-o
A [2]
This world will smile with you
E7
But when you cry though
E7
Then you cry alone
E7 A
So don’t feel grieving
A E7
Just because I’m leaving
E7
Look up a-here honey
E7
And let me see you smile
[1] E7 [3] A
[1] E7 [3] A
E7 A
Because when you smile-o
A [2]
This world will smile with you
E7
But when you cry though
E7
Then you cry alone
E7 A
So don’t feel grieving
A E7
Just because I’m leaving
E7
Look up a-here honey
E7 A
And let me see you smile
Parting Song (When You Smile-o) - Lead Belly
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tabbed by: StoogeKebab with lyric assistance by JohnM
Tuning: Standard
Information:
There are a number of short riffs played in between chord changes and at the start.
They are as follows and will be marked with [square brackets] alongside the chords:
Riff 1:
e|------------|
B|------------|
G|------------|
D|------------|
A|-4-3-2------|
E|------------|
Riff 2:
e|------------|
B|------------|
G|------------|
D|------------|
A|-0-1-2------|
E|------------|
Riff 3:
e|------------|
B|------------|
G|------------|
D|------------|
A|------------|
E|-0-2-4------|
The song begins with a monologue played over chords and maintains an alternating bass line of (string):
6, Chord, 5, Chord
Each chord is usually played 4 times per line
A [1] E7 A
(instrumental)
A
“Now this is a children’s play song.
A
After they done picked cotton all day
A
And their mothers and fathers gonna take ‘em home
A
They gon’ separate now
A
Now they gon’ make a ring in the yard
A
And walk around
A
And they gon’ sing this song
A
Bidding each other goodbye”
A
I’ve come to say goodbye
A
Just one more parting sigh
E7
Just one more last embrace
E7 A
Although it grieves me so
E7 A
Honey I’ve got to go
E7 [2]
Come let me kiss your sweet face
E7
Oh let me hear you say
E7
That when I’m far away
E7
You’ll think of me all the while
E7 A
Stop all your foolish tears
E7 A
Cheer up and dry your tears
E7
Come let me see you smile
E7 A
Because when you smile-o
A [2]
This world will smile with you
E7
But when you cry though
E7
Then you cry alone
E7 A
So don’t feel grieving
A E7
Just because I’m leaving
E7
Look up a-here honey
E7
And let me see you smile
[1] E7 [3] A
[1] E7 A
E7
Oh let me hear you say
E7
That when I’m far away
E7
You’ll love me all the while
E7
Oh on the darkest day
E7
One loving smile this way
E7
That loving heart beguile
E7
Try not to yearn in pain
E7
I’ll soon return again
E7
Come let me see you smile
E7 A
Because when you smile-o
A [2]
This world will smile with you
E7
But when you cry though
E7
Then you cry alone
E7 A
So don’t feel grieving
A E7
Just because I’m leaving
E7
Look up a-here honey
E7
And let me see you smile
[1] E7 [3] A
[1] E7 [3] A
E7 A
Because when you smile-o
A [2]
This world will smile with you
E7
But when you cry though
E7
Then you cry alone
E7 A
So don’t feel grieving
A E7
Just because I’m leaving
E7
Look up a-here honey
E7 A
And let me see you smile
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