Piano Diana Blog: The Beatles

Showing posts with label The Beatles. Show all posts

How To Play Rocky Raccoon

We recently had a couple of raccoons visit our pond at night and the little darlings destroyed our water lillies. Their little escapade reminded me of a famous Beatle tune called, Rocky Raccoon. Another great song that I like from the 60s... and apparently my readers as well, Let It Be.

Rocky Raccoon

Words and Music by John Lenon and Paul McCartney
© 1968, 1969 Northern Songs
From The White Album

Key: C
Time: Moderately, in two

Intro: Am7

     Am7                                           
Now somewhere in the black mining hills out Dakota 
      D7sus                              D7
There lived a young boy name of Rocky Raccoon 
    G7                              C
And one day his woman ran off with another guy 
C/B
Hit young Rocky in the eye... 
                           Am7                 D7
Rocky didn't like that, he said, "I'm going to get that boy." 
       G7                          G                            C
So one day he walked into town and booked himself a room in the local

saloon. 
[ Tab from: http://www.guitaretab.com/b/beatles/275421.html ]
Am7                  D7sus        D7
Rocky Racoon checked into his room 
G7                   C  C/B
only to find Gideon's Bible 
Am7             D7sus          D7
Rocky had come equipped with a gun 
   G7                       C C/B   
to shoot off the legs of his rival. 
    Am7                   D7sus      D7
His rival, it seems, had broken his dreams 
   G7                       C C/B
by stealing the girl of his fancy 
    Am7                      D7 
Her name was McGill, and she called herself 'Lil' 
    G7                   C C/B
But everyone knew her as Nancy. 

    Am7                  D7sus D7 
Now she and her man (who called himself Dan) 
     G7                      C C/B
Were in the next room at the hoedown 
Am7                 D7sus D7  
Rocky burst in, and grinning a grin, 
          G7                   C C/B
he said, "Danny boy, this is a showdown." 

    Am7                D7sus D7 
But Daniel was hot. He drew first and shot 
    G7       G             C C/B
and Rocky collapsed in the corner. 
 
Da-n-da da da-n-da da da... Am7  D7  G7  C  3x

        Am7            D7sus     D7
Now the doctor came in stinking of gin 
    G7                      C C/B
and proceeded to lie on the table. 
 
          Am7
He said, "Rocky, you met your match." 
                  D7sus D7 
But Rockey said, "Doc, it's only a scratch. 
            G7                              G            C C/B
And I'll be better... I'll be better Doc as soon as I am able." 

    Am7                    D7
Now Rocky Raccoon, he fell back in his room 
G7                    C C/B
only to find Gideon's bible. 
Am7                        D7sus D7 
Gideon checked out, and he left it no dobt 
   G7                       C C/B
to help with good Rocky's revival. 
 
Oh yeah, yeah 
Da-n-da da da-n-da da da... Am7  D7  G7  C

How To Play Rocky Raccoon

Intro: A/GCG

Am7: A/GCG

D7sus: D/ACG

D7: D/ACF#

G7: G/GBF

C: GCE

C/B: B/GCE

Bridge:

AEGC/ D, C, E, Eb, D, C, A, C

DF#C/ D, C, E, Eb, D, C, A, C

GDFB/ D, C, E, Eb, D, B, G, F#

GDFB/ F, D, B, A, G, A, B, G

Outro:

C/ CC
EGC/ EE, then Eb
G/ DD, then CC
EGC/ A
CC/ CC

Have fun playing this fairly easy piece, whether on the piano or the guitar. There's a lot of block chording throughout the song and some fun riffs for the r.h. in the bridge. If you happen to be a guitar player, too... be sure and visit Hear and Play's music resource, Advanced Guitar 301

photo credit: whats up? :) via photopin (license)
*affiliate links in post*

Blessings,

"Jazz washes away the dust of every day life." -- Art Blakey

Learn To Play Let It Be by The Beatles

Let It Be
Written by: Paul McCartney (100%) (credited as Lennon-McCartney)
Recorded: January 31, (Apple Studios, 3 Savile Row, London, England); April 30, 1969, January 4, 1970 (Studio 2, Abbey Road Studios, London, England)
Mixed: January 4 and 8, March 26, 1970
Length: 3:50 (single version), 4:01 (album version)
Takes: 30
Musicians: John Lennon: backing vocals, bass guitar (1964 Fender Bass VI)
Paul McCartney: lead vocals, piano (Bluthner Flugel Grand), electric piano (1968 Fender Rhodes)
George Harrison: backing vocals, lead guitars (1968 Fender Rosewood Telecaster, 1966 Gibson Les Paul Standard SG)
Ringo Starr: drums (1968 Ludwig Hollywood Maple)
Billy Preston: organ (Hammond RT-3)
Linda McCartney: background vocals
Unknown overdubs: two trumpets, two trombones, one tenor sax, two cellos, choir

History:

* Written by Paul during the sessions for The Beatles (a/k/a the "White Album"), "Let It Be" was inspired by a dream the singer had of his deceased mother, Mary, assuring him, amongst the turmoil of the Beatles' slow breakup, that everything would be all right. McCartney eventually transformed the song into a gospel-style number for the Get Back sessions that would eventually be released as the album Let It Be.
* The earliest known performance of "Let It Be" occurred on January 3, 1969, during rehearsals for the LIB project. It was rehearsed over 38 times on January 8, 9, 25-27, 29, and 31, 1969; Take 27 from the 31st was used as the basis for the official release. That take featured the song's third verse, written on the spot by Paul after it was decided one was needed.
* On April 30, 1969, producer George Martin recorded a new solo from Harrison, although the single release of "Let It Be" would use the original solo from January 31, 1969.
* On January 4, 1970, George recorded yet another guitar solo, which was meant to sync up with the earlier solo and play simultaneously (this idea was later scrapped). Martin added backing vocals from Linda McCartney, at the insistence of Paul, and the resultant mix, with the original solo only, became the "single version" of "Let It Be." For more of this entire article, visit:

http://oldies.about.com/od/thebeatlessongs/a/letitbe.htm

Let It Be part 1 by The Beatles Piano Lesson

YouTube's most popular piano teacher with over 20,000,000 views! www.webpianoteacher.com for ALL of Shawn's video piano lessons.

* Let It Be Chord Chart

LET IT BE (Beatles)

C G Am F
When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me
C G F C/e Dm C
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be

And in my hour of darkness, She is standing right in front of me

Speaking words of wisdom, Let it be

Am G F C
Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be
G C F C/e Dm C
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/b/beatles/let_it_be_crd.htm

* Let It Be Chord Chart

G D Em C
When I find myself in times of trouble mother Mary comes to me
G D C (Tab*1)
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be,
G D Em C
And in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me
G D C (Tab*1)
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be,

Em D C G
Let it be, Let it be, Let it be, Let it be
D C
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

http://www.LadyDpiano.com

Learn How To Play Hey Jude!

I've started back teaching piano lessons this Fall. My piano students love The Beatles. Introducing them to some theory, with The Circle of Fifths and incorporating songs in the Key of F have been a great beginning for many!

We're going Counter Clock-wise around the Circle, and since the Key of C is a bit too easy for some, I've chosen to go around the Circle of Fourths!

Hey Jude is in the Key of F. Here's the chord chart:

F F/ACF
C C/GCE
C C/GBbD
F F/ACF
Bb Bb/FBbD
F F/ACF
C C/ACF
* * * * * *
F-E-Eb (r.h. single notes)
Bb Bb/DF
A A/DF
G G/BbDG
F F/BbDG
E E/GCE
C C/GBbE
F F/ACF
* * * * * *
F/ A-C-Eb
C G/ CE- DF- EG-EG-EG FA-GBb
* * * * * *
E-F/ Ab-A/ B-C/ E-F/ Ab-A/ B-C/F end on F chord
* * * * * *
F F/ACF
Eb Eb/GBbEbF
Bb Bb/FBbDF
F F/ACF

Watch this tutorial of Hey Jude. This guy is great!