General
I have recast the tempo of this song from 3/4 to 6/8, to make the counting easier. However, this is not to say that it makes the counting easy. The tempo of the original, as written in Hymns, changes a lot and includes triplets in odd places. One of the oddest occurs in measures [7] and [9], where there is a triplet, whose first note is a rest, which is counted as one of the triplet notes, but is not played. If you are familiar with the song, just play it as it normally sounds. If not, you’ll have to count it carefully, until you are familiar with it. Count these “phantom” triplet notes as [blank]-two-three, with the last two notes equally stressed. I have indicated this in the tab by substituting a lower case r (for “rest”) for the unplayed note.
Every line of the song begins and ends with a partial measure, so the first measure only has two counts in it, the last two counts of the partial measure at the end of the last line. I always find this a bit confusing, and usually try to avoid split measures, but could not do so this time without making things worse. Just play it as though the final measure of each line and the first measure of the next line were a single measure. Which, in fact, they are.
This song actually has two verses, when sung. I left out the second verse, to fit the song on a single page, and because this is supposed to be an instrumental solo. If you intend to accompany a singer, just play it through twice. You can even play an extra verse of the tab unaccompanied, as a bridge between the two verses. Enjoy!
Barre chords
More than half the chords in this song are barre chords. If you are already familiar with barre chords, this is a good thing, as they are nearly all just a barred e-shape, or are based on it. If you aren’t completely comfortable with barre chords, this is not the best song for learning them. These barre chords aren’t particularly difficult, but you have to hold them for a relatively long time, while subtly altering them to pick up the melody notes, or even to change chords. You will find this very tiring if you are not used to holding barre chords. That’s why I recommend this song for advanced, or at least for intermediate guitarists.
If you are advanced enough to be playing this arrangement, the first two lines should give you no trouble at all. Just play the tab as written, and the melody will be brought out within the chords as tabbed. In measure [2], you don’t actually have to fret the full barred F chord. A simple, four-string F will do. I left out the chord chart for the four-string F, for simplicity’s sake.
The measures in the last two lines are another story. Remember to strum all chords in the last two lines. I left out the strum markings for clarity. There would be so many of them that they would be more confusing than helpful. Nearly all these chords are played with the barre at the VIII fret (eighth fret). In measures [12] and [17], this requires you to stretch your pinkie up to the twelfth fret. To play the full CVIII chord while doing this, you will have to barre the 4th and 5th strings with the ring finger. Be sure not to buzz on the 3rd string while doing this. If your ring finger will not bend backwards enough to clear the 3rd string, try damping that string, or you can just play the first three strings. It won’t sound as nice as a full barre chord, but the audience won’t notice.
Chord changes
You will have to barre a couple of strings with the pinkie, while holding the main barre with the index finger, when converting the CVIII to an F6, in measures [12] and [17]. Fret them with the edge of the pinkie. You don’t have to press very hard. You can fret the strings, then lift the pinkie without disturbing the rest of the left hand, which holds the CVIII chord throughout the phrase. Play the melody notes in the 10th fret the same way.
There is not much of a change from the GIII in [14] to the G7III in [15]. Your pinkie will already be in the 5th fret. Just move it to the 6th fret, and you’ve made the change, with no need to disturb the other fingers. Why make things more difficult than they need to be?
The only really difficult chord change comes in measure [19], where you must transition from CVIII to GIII. This requires a fast and accurate change from the 8th fret to the 3rd. Remember to lift your fingers completely off the strings, or you’ll get an ugly string squeal. A fast and accurate change of five frets like this can be difficult to do, but it sets your hand up for the quick transition to the final C/G. To make it easier, I’ve tabbed it with a E on the open 1st string, instead of a full chord. You can play this note with your right hand alone, while moving your left hand from the 8th fret to the 3rd, giving you an extra beat to make the transition. Pros can do a five fret change like this in the blink of an eye without looking, but I try to give myself as much time as possible, and I always look. Hitting the wrong fret, just at the climax of a song, is a great way to spoil an otherwise perfect performance.
History
Charles Wesley, brother of John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, was a prolific writer of hymns and poems. In his lifetime, he wrote thousands. This one is considered by many to be his best. It has been published in 2629 hymnals! There is an interesting story about its composition:
According to Mrs. Mary Hoover of Bellefonte, PA, her grandmother was involved in the creation of this hymn. Charles Wesley was preaching in the fields of Parish Killyleagh, County Down, Ireland, when his doctrines angered some local men, who attacked him. He sought refuge at a nearby farm, where the farmer’s wife, Jane Lowrie Moore, hid him in the milk house. When a mob arrived in pursuit, she went to the milk house on the pretext of offering them some refreshment, and told Wesley to go out the rear window and hide instead under the hedge, near a little brook. There, he composed the words to this hymn, with the cries of his pursuers all around him.
Mrs. Moore’s descendants still live there, and it is said the house has not changed much since Wesley’s time, according to the Cyber Hymnal website. The hymn has changed since then, however. Originally it had five verses, of which the LDS hymnal includes only the first two: (extra spaces added in the middle of each line to emphasize the internal rhymes).
Jesus, lover of my soul, let me to Thy bosom fly,
While the nearer waters roll, while the tempest still is high.
Hide me, O my Savior, hide, till the storm of life is past;
Safe into the haven guide; O receive my soul at last.
Other refuge have I none, hangs my helpless soul on Thee;
Leave, ah! leave me not alone, still support and comfort me.
All my trust on Thee is stayed, all my help from Thee I bring;
Cover my defenseless head with the shadow of Thy wing.
Wilt Thou not regard my call? Wilt Thou not accept my prayer?
Lo! I sink, I faint, I fall — Lo! on Thee I cast my care;
Reach me out Thy gracious hand! While I of Thy strength receive,
Hoping against hope I stand, dying, and behold, I live.
Thou, O Christ, art all I want, more than all in Thee I find;
Raise the fallen, cheer the faint, heal the sick, and lead the blind.
Just and holy is Thy Name, I am all unrighteousness;
False and full of sin I am; Thou art full of truth and grace.
Plenteous grace with Thee is found, grace to cover all my sin;
Let the healing streams abound; make and keep me pure within.
Thou of life the fountain art, freely let me take of Thee;
Spring Thou up within my heart; rise to all eternity.
Over the years, several musical scores have been written to accompany this hymn. Perhaps the most popular, though not the one used in Hymns, has been a melody and arrangement by Joseph Parry composed in 1879. The melody used in the LDS hymnal is titled “Refuge”, and was composed by Joseph P. Holbrook (1822-1888). I have been unable to locate any verifiable information about him.
God, Our Father, Hear Us Pray-- easy version
Sometimes, making a hard song easy also makes it worse. This is not one of those times. This simpler version sounds just as good, and in some ways even better, though many of the cool chords have been eliminated. In this version, fourteen chords have been reduced to eight, and nine barre chords have been reduced to two or three, depending on how you count. The odd one is B, which is an A-shape barred in the second space, but in this instance, the barre isn’t strictly necessary, since the first string is not played, so the “barring” finger only has to fret one string! But it’s still a barre chord, because that is the easiest way to play it. Go figure!
I’ve done my best to make this version easy to play. Aside from Ddim7, all the chords are common ones you probably already know, and there’s only one form of each chord used. There’s no need for Roman numerals to show you where to put the barre, so I’ve left them out. This doesn’t affect the playing of the song at all, but makes for a much less scary tab.
Try as I might, I haven’t been able to totally eliminate all hard chord changes, but I have been able to make most of them a lot easier. In the second measure, I changed the rising pinches into a slow strum on three open strings. This gives your left hand plenty of time to prepare for the Bm in the next measure. The tenth measure works the same way, preparing for the B chord in the eleventh. I also substituted a D7 for the Edim7 in the sixth measure. The two chords are almost alike, musically, but the D7 is easier to play quickly for those not used to barre chords or diminished sevenths. I also substituted a slide for the hammer-on in the seventh measure, to make it easier to play.
The most obvious difference to the audience comes in the second measure of the third and fourth lines, where I’ve substituted a --1__0-- pull-off on the second string (C to B) the for the --8--7-- melody line on the first string (also C to B, but an octave higher). This avoids the rather quick, long transition from the G chord to the high C note. It’s a much easier transition for the guitarist, but is quite noticeable to any listener who knows the hymn, since the melody line goes down to the C instead of up. There’s just no way to avoid this octave deficit without using some rather unusual and difficult chords. If this really bothers you, and you’re advanced enough, play the original version, which I am not taking down.
I left the high C in for the finale, but used a couple of tricks to make the transition and the return easier. Both have to be done within one measure, so you have to be quick and accurate. To simplify, only strum the three open strings of the G chord. You won’t have to fret the chord at all! You can strum with your right hand, while moving your left hand up the neck of the guitar toward the high C at the same time. It may feel a bit strange to be playing the strings with one hand while doing something completely different with the other, but the strangeness will pass with practice. Getting used to it is much easier than learning to play a long reach with speed and accuracy. Why do it the hard way?
Returning on time to the Bm in the next measure isn’t so easy, but here too, there’s a trick that can help, and it actually improves the sound. You start by sliding the C in the eighth space to the B in the seventh. Leave your finger on the string and continue your hand motion toward the head of the guitar, producing a slurring sound as your finger moves from space to space for a few frets. This gives you about a half a beat headstart on your move toward the Bm in the next measure. It’s still not exactly easy, but should help a bit. That’s why I only use it one time in the song. You can even substitute a D for the Bm, to make it easier still. Make the transition as sloppy as you like. It’s supposed to sound slurred. That’s why it’s called a slur. Slurs actually sound pretty cool, as long as you don’t overuse them.
Right at the very end of the last line, I’ve simplified the broken chord. End with a single note, the G, and hold it with tremolo, as long as you can. There are two main ways to do this tremolo on an acoustic guitar. You can slide your finger rapidly back and forth along the string, within the space. This method usually works best for tremolos in the fourth and higher spaces. Or, you can vibrate your finger across the string, stretching it slightly each time. This often works best for the first and second spaces. For the third space, where this note falls, the preferred method depends on the guitarist, the guitar, and the strings. Try it both ways, and use the one that sounds more crisp. If you switch guitars, or even put on new strings, the best method may change. On my guitar, high tension strings seem to like the first method best (along the strings), while low tension strings do better with the second method (across the strings).
You may find that the tremolo on the third fret sounds muddy, no matter what you do. Don't despair! There's a work-around. The same, exact note is found on the second string, in the eighth space. If you can move quickly and accurately from the third fret to the eighth, you can do the tremolo there, using the first method, along the string. Because the string is thicker, the quality of the sound may be a little different, but the tremolo will be much, much crisper.
These two versions of the song need not be considered mutually exclusive. They are in the same key, so you can mix and match chords and techniques from one to the other, giving variety from verse to verse. However you play it, it’s a beautiful hymn, and well-suited to the acoustic guitar, either solo or in a duet with a singer. If accompanying a vocalist, the first four of the five instrumental measures at the end of the song make a fine introduction, minus the final, tremolo measure. I’ve indicated this with half-brackets ┌ ┐ above the score, as is done in the hymnal.
I’ve done my best to make this version easy to play. Aside from Ddim7, all the chords are common ones you probably already know, and there’s only one form of each chord used. There’s no need for Roman numerals to show you where to put the barre, so I’ve left them out. This doesn’t affect the playing of the song at all, but makes for a much less scary tab.
Try as I might, I haven’t been able to totally eliminate all hard chord changes, but I have been able to make most of them a lot easier. In the second measure, I changed the rising pinches into a slow strum on three open strings. This gives your left hand plenty of time to prepare for the Bm in the next measure. The tenth measure works the same way, preparing for the B chord in the eleventh. I also substituted a D7 for the Edim7 in the sixth measure. The two chords are almost alike, musically, but the D7 is easier to play quickly for those not used to barre chords or diminished sevenths. I also substituted a slide for the hammer-on in the seventh measure, to make it easier to play.
The most obvious difference to the audience comes in the second measure of the third and fourth lines, where I’ve substituted a --1__0-- pull-off on the second string (C to B) the for the --8--7-- melody line on the first string (also C to B, but an octave higher). This avoids the rather quick, long transition from the G chord to the high C note. It’s a much easier transition for the guitarist, but is quite noticeable to any listener who knows the hymn, since the melody line goes down to the C instead of up. There’s just no way to avoid this octave deficit without using some rather unusual and difficult chords. If this really bothers you, and you’re advanced enough, play the original version, which I am not taking down.
I left the high C in for the finale, but used a couple of tricks to make the transition and the return easier. Both have to be done within one measure, so you have to be quick and accurate. To simplify, only strum the three open strings of the G chord. You won’t have to fret the chord at all! You can strum with your right hand, while moving your left hand up the neck of the guitar toward the high C at the same time. It may feel a bit strange to be playing the strings with one hand while doing something completely different with the other, but the strangeness will pass with practice. Getting used to it is much easier than learning to play a long reach with speed and accuracy. Why do it the hard way?
Returning on time to the Bm in the next measure isn’t so easy, but here too, there’s a trick that can help, and it actually improves the sound. You start by sliding the C in the eighth space to the B in the seventh. Leave your finger on the string and continue your hand motion toward the head of the guitar, producing a slurring sound as your finger moves from space to space for a few frets. This gives you about a half a beat headstart on your move toward the Bm in the next measure. It’s still not exactly easy, but should help a bit. That’s why I only use it one time in the song. You can even substitute a D for the Bm, to make it easier still. Make the transition as sloppy as you like. It’s supposed to sound slurred. That’s why it’s called a slur. Slurs actually sound pretty cool, as long as you don’t overuse them.
Right at the very end of the last line, I’ve simplified the broken chord. End with a single note, the G, and hold it with tremolo, as long as you can. There are two main ways to do this tremolo on an acoustic guitar. You can slide your finger rapidly back and forth along the string, within the space. This method usually works best for tremolos in the fourth and higher spaces. Or, you can vibrate your finger across the string, stretching it slightly each time. This often works best for the first and second spaces. For the third space, where this note falls, the preferred method depends on the guitarist, the guitar, and the strings. Try it both ways, and use the one that sounds more crisp. If you switch guitars, or even put on new strings, the best method may change. On my guitar, high tension strings seem to like the first method best (along the strings), while low tension strings do better with the second method (across the strings).
You may find that the tremolo on the third fret sounds muddy, no matter what you do. Don't despair! There's a work-around. The same, exact note is found on the second string, in the eighth space. If you can move quickly and accurately from the third fret to the eighth, you can do the tremolo there, using the first method, along the string. Because the string is thicker, the quality of the sound may be a little different, but the tremolo will be much, much crisper.
These two versions of the song need not be considered mutually exclusive. They are in the same key, so you can mix and match chords and techniques from one to the other, giving variety from verse to verse. However you play it, it’s a beautiful hymn, and well-suited to the acoustic guitar, either solo or in a duet with a singer. If accompanying a vocalist, the first four of the five instrumental measures at the end of the song make a fine introduction, minus the final, tremolo measure. I’ve indicated this with half-brackets ┌ ┐ above the score, as is done in the hymnal.
God, Our Father, Hear Us Pray
WARNING: CONTAINS VERY EASY CHORDS (with scary names.) And lots of barre chords. If you can play barre chords, you should have no trouble.
THE CHORDS:
According to the piano music in the hymnal, this song is a long series of chords, with hardly any melody notes. That sounds good when accompanying choral or congregational singing, but does not do so well as an instrumental solo. But it’s such a beautiful song, with such a lovely chord progression, that I could not resist it. It did require a bit of arranging for instrumental guitar, and in one case, I had to substitute an F#7 chord for Fdim7, to bring out the melody.
There are lots of “diminished seventh” chords in this song. Don’t let that throw you. They are beautiful, and easy to play. Only the names are scary. And there’s a secret to playing them that you may not know.
THE SECRET: Nearly all diminished seventh chords are played exactly the same way; only the barre position varies. Sometimes, even that does not change. The second chord in the first measure is actually an Fdm7, but it’s played exactly the same as Ddim7. The name is the only difference! That’s right-- the very same chord has two different names. Actually, it has four different names: Ddim7 = Fdim7 = G#dim7 = Bdim7. All four are exactly the same chord, played exactly the same way. All four names are equally correct.
I call them all Ddim7 for simplicity. Change the barre position, and you get other diminished seventh chords, in similar groups of four. There are technical reasons for this. I won’t go into them here, but if you are interested, see the PDF document in The Tabs at right, called “Diminished Seventh Chord Theory”. You’ll learn how, by mastering one easy, four-string chord, you can play five dozen really beautiful chords. Really.
Those dim7 chords probably all should have Roman numerals attached, to show which space the barre goes in. I didn’t do it, because their names would be ridiculously long, and would not fit in the tablature. G#dim7II, for example.
Some chords called for in the piano music have been replaced with single notes or two-note pinches, for playability. In the interest of simplicity, and to avoid confusion, I have left their chord names out of the tab entirely.
There are two different ways of playing A7 in this tab, two ways of playing Bm, and two ways to play D7. All are necessary to bring out the melody. If you just play them one way, the melody will go down where it’s supposed to go up,. There are also two different ways of playing G. You may find it easier to fret the non-barred G as if you were playing G7, for easier chord changes. The #1 string is not played, so there is no difference between G and G7, so far as the actual notes played are concerned. Use which ever feels easiest to you.
PLAYING TIPS:
-- At the end of the second measure, you can ease the transition from G to BmII by releasing the G chord early. It won’t matter, as the third pinch is on two open strings. Do the same at the end of the tenth measure, where the transition is from G to BII .
-- The first measure of the second line shows a ligado on the G string, from the 4th fret to the 2nd fret. Normally, this would be played as a pull-off, but if your fingers are short, like mine, you may find it easier to do a push off instead. Whichever way you do it. leave the index finger on the string in the 2nd space, where it will be perfectly positioned for the following D chord.
-- In the first measure of the last line, you will normally use your ring finger to fret the G note on the #1 string. If you leave it on the string, you can easily move it to the second space, to make the pull off, in preparation for the following GIII chord.
-- Following this chord, there are two notes (C and B) on the #1 string, which are to be played with “strong tremolo”. This is done by rapidly vibrating the fretting finger (probably the ring finger) along the string, while continuing to hold the note. The tremolo will be strongest if performed with the finger closer to the next higher fret, rather than in the middle of the space. If you are playing more than one verse, you may choose to omit the tremolo from the earlier verses, adding it in on the last verse for emphasis.
-- The final three chords require you to go from an Em7 shape to an A7 shape to an E shape, while simultaneously sliding the barre from VII to V to III. Quickly. There is no trick for doing this easily. It’s a hard series to play well, even though the chords individually are not difficult. As in all such situations, the only strategy that works is lots of practice. Sorry, there is no royal road here. It just takes work. However, it’s worth it, as this is a lovely way to end the phrase. You may even wish to repeat the last four measures, slowly, as a finale after the last verse.
-- Since this guitar arrangement is still mostly chords, it works without alteration as a guitar accompaniment for singers, or as a duet with some other instrument. I’d love to hear it done as a duet with a violin. Any violinists out there want to jam?
Historical notes:
Text of the lyrics is by Annie Pinnock Malin, an early Utah pioneer. I have been unable to learn anything about the circumstances under which she wrote this song. Anyone have any information?
The music is from a tune called “Mercy”, by Louis M. Gottschalk, adapted by Edwin P. Parker. Gottschalk was a child prodigy of the piano, born in the USA, but classically trained in Europe, who performed throughout the United States. He left the U.S. after a scandal, and died in Brazil, leaving a large corpus of music. Several of his tunes are well-known hymns, but this is the only one included in the LDS Hymnal, which states that it was “adapted by Edwin P. Parker.
Parker is listed in hymnals of various churches as adapting works by Gottschalk (and other composers), though the names are often misspelled. To further cloud the issue, there are several historical personages of note named Edwin P. Parker, with conflicting birthdates and biographical information. I’m not going to repeat any of them, as I have no way to tell which are true, or even which refer to this-- and not some other-- Edwin P. Parker.
This song is in the public domain.
THE CHORDS:
According to the piano music in the hymnal, this song is a long series of chords, with hardly any melody notes. That sounds good when accompanying choral or congregational singing, but does not do so well as an instrumental solo. But it’s such a beautiful song, with such a lovely chord progression, that I could not resist it. It did require a bit of arranging for instrumental guitar, and in one case, I had to substitute an F#7 chord for Fdim7, to bring out the melody.
There are lots of “diminished seventh” chords in this song. Don’t let that throw you. They are beautiful, and easy to play. Only the names are scary. And there’s a secret to playing them that you may not know.
THE SECRET: Nearly all diminished seventh chords are played exactly the same way; only the barre position varies. Sometimes, even that does not change. The second chord in the first measure is actually an Fdm7, but it’s played exactly the same as Ddim7. The name is the only difference! That’s right-- the very same chord has two different names. Actually, it has four different names: Ddim7 = Fdim7 = G#dim7 = Bdim7. All four are exactly the same chord, played exactly the same way. All four names are equally correct.
I call them all Ddim7 for simplicity. Change the barre position, and you get other diminished seventh chords, in similar groups of four. There are technical reasons for this. I won’t go into them here, but if you are interested, see the PDF document in The Tabs at right, called “Diminished Seventh Chord Theory”. You’ll learn how, by mastering one easy, four-string chord, you can play five dozen really beautiful chords. Really.
Those dim7 chords probably all should have Roman numerals attached, to show which space the barre goes in. I didn’t do it, because their names would be ridiculously long, and would not fit in the tablature. G#dim7II, for example.
Some chords called for in the piano music have been replaced with single notes or two-note pinches, for playability. In the interest of simplicity, and to avoid confusion, I have left their chord names out of the tab entirely.
There are two different ways of playing A7 in this tab, two ways of playing Bm, and two ways to play D7. All are necessary to bring out the melody. If you just play them one way, the melody will go down where it’s supposed to go up,. There are also two different ways of playing G. You may find it easier to fret the non-barred G as if you were playing G7, for easier chord changes. The #1 string is not played, so there is no difference between G and G7, so far as the actual notes played are concerned. Use which ever feels easiest to you.
PLAYING TIPS:
-- At the end of the second measure, you can ease the transition from G to BmII by releasing the G chord early. It won’t matter, as the third pinch is on two open strings. Do the same at the end of the tenth measure, where the transition is from G to BII .
-- The first measure of the second line shows a ligado on the G string, from the 4th fret to the 2nd fret. Normally, this would be played as a pull-off, but if your fingers are short, like mine, you may find it easier to do a push off instead. Whichever way you do it. leave the index finger on the string in the 2nd space, where it will be perfectly positioned for the following D chord.
-- In the first measure of the last line, you will normally use your ring finger to fret the G note on the #1 string. If you leave it on the string, you can easily move it to the second space, to make the pull off, in preparation for the following GIII chord.
-- Following this chord, there are two notes (C and B) on the #1 string, which are to be played with “strong tremolo”. This is done by rapidly vibrating the fretting finger (probably the ring finger) along the string, while continuing to hold the note. The tremolo will be strongest if performed with the finger closer to the next higher fret, rather than in the middle of the space. If you are playing more than one verse, you may choose to omit the tremolo from the earlier verses, adding it in on the last verse for emphasis.
-- The final three chords require you to go from an Em7 shape to an A7 shape to an E shape, while simultaneously sliding the barre from VII to V to III. Quickly. There is no trick for doing this easily. It’s a hard series to play well, even though the chords individually are not difficult. As in all such situations, the only strategy that works is lots of practice. Sorry, there is no royal road here. It just takes work. However, it’s worth it, as this is a lovely way to end the phrase. You may even wish to repeat the last four measures, slowly, as a finale after the last verse.
-- Since this guitar arrangement is still mostly chords, it works without alteration as a guitar accompaniment for singers, or as a duet with some other instrument. I’d love to hear it done as a duet with a violin. Any violinists out there want to jam?
Historical notes:
Text of the lyrics is by Annie Pinnock Malin, an early Utah pioneer. I have been unable to learn anything about the circumstances under which she wrote this song. Anyone have any information?
The music is from a tune called “Mercy”, by Louis M. Gottschalk, adapted by Edwin P. Parker. Gottschalk was a child prodigy of the piano, born in the USA, but classically trained in Europe, who performed throughout the United States. He left the U.S. after a scandal, and died in Brazil, leaving a large corpus of music. Several of his tunes are well-known hymns, but this is the only one included in the LDS Hymnal, which states that it was “adapted by Edwin P. Parker.
Parker is listed in hymnals of various churches as adapting works by Gottschalk (and other composers), though the names are often misspelled. To further cloud the issue, there are several historical personages of note named Edwin P. Parker, with conflicting birthdates and biographical information. I’m not going to repeat any of them, as I have no way to tell which are true, or even which refer to this-- and not some other-- Edwin P. Parker.
This song is in the public domain.
Lord We Ask Thee Ere We Part
George Manwaring was a self-taught pianist, organist, and poet who emigrated with his family to Utah Territory when he was seventeen. He was one of more than 1300 Mormon polygamists imprisoned under the infamous Edmonds Anti-Polygamy Act of 1882. He died of pneumonia less than a month after his release in June of 1889, at the age of thirty-five.
During his short life, George Manwaring was a prolific writer of poems and hymns. Five of them are found in the current (green) edition of Hymns. Besides this one, he is also credited wth:
Joseph Smith’s First Prayer
Sing We Now at Parting
Tis Sweet to Sing the Matchless Love
We Meet Again in Sabbath School
The music was composed by Ebenezer Beesley, an early conductor of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Twelve of his tunes are currently in the LDS hymnal, including (besides this one):
High on a Mountain Top
What Glorious Scenes Mine Eyes Behold
The Happy Day At Last Has Come
God of Our Fathers, We Come unto Thee
Great Is the Lord
Sing We Now at Parting
Tis Sweet to Sing the Matchless Love
Reverently and Meekly Now
Let Us Oft Speak Kind Words
Welcome, Welcome, Sabbath Morning
We Meet Again in Sabbath School
Beesley was a prolific composer of hymn tunes. I have been unable to learn any stories about his composition of this one, which is relatively short and simple.
Play the tablature just as written. There are no special instructions needed. Strum chords where indicated by a wiggly, vertical line to the left of the chord. Where there is no such indication, the chords are to be pinched. Ligados (hammer-ons and pull-offs) are indicated by an underscore between the notes. The length of the underscores has no significance; it is determined entirely by the need to fit the lyrics in below. A pull-off that takes up six spaces of type to print is played exactly like one that takes only one space. Slides are indicated with a back slash between the connected notes.
Musically, the first and fourth verses are identical; only the lyrics differ. They are very easy to play, and use mostly standard chords. The two “non-standard” chords are very simple variations on standard C and G chords. CaddG is formed by adding the G note on the first string, third space, with the left little finger. The non-standard G chord is even easier. Just fret the second string in the third space instead of the first string, and do not play the first string. This chord “inversion” actually contains all the same notes as the normal G chord, but in a slightly different order. Playing G this way emphasizes the D note on the second string, to bring out the melody. You could actually play both these chords as standard C and G chords, but you would lose the melody, to no advantage.
The second and third verses contain the same melody and chord structure, but with different picking patterns, for variety. They are not actually necessary, but the song is so simple, it gets boring hearing all four verses played identically. The third verse has a different time signature. I could have kept it in 4/4, but the counting would have come out, 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & for every measure. Since all the notes in this verse are eighth-notes, I elected to use 8/8 time instead, counting: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 for each measure. The time signature makes no difference in the way the verse is played, just in how it is written.
This hymn is in the Public Domain.
During his short life, George Manwaring was a prolific writer of poems and hymns. Five of them are found in the current (green) edition of Hymns. Besides this one, he is also credited wth:
Joseph Smith’s First Prayer
Sing We Now at Parting
Tis Sweet to Sing the Matchless Love
We Meet Again in Sabbath School
The music was composed by Ebenezer Beesley, an early conductor of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Twelve of his tunes are currently in the LDS hymnal, including (besides this one):
High on a Mountain Top
What Glorious Scenes Mine Eyes Behold
The Happy Day At Last Has Come
God of Our Fathers, We Come unto Thee
Great Is the Lord
Sing We Now at Parting
Tis Sweet to Sing the Matchless Love
Reverently and Meekly Now
Let Us Oft Speak Kind Words
Welcome, Welcome, Sabbath Morning
We Meet Again in Sabbath School
Beesley was a prolific composer of hymn tunes. I have been unable to learn any stories about his composition of this one, which is relatively short and simple.
Play the tablature just as written. There are no special instructions needed. Strum chords where indicated by a wiggly, vertical line to the left of the chord. Where there is no such indication, the chords are to be pinched. Ligados (hammer-ons and pull-offs) are indicated by an underscore between the notes. The length of the underscores has no significance; it is determined entirely by the need to fit the lyrics in below. A pull-off that takes up six spaces of type to print is played exactly like one that takes only one space. Slides are indicated with a back slash between the connected notes.
Musically, the first and fourth verses are identical; only the lyrics differ. They are very easy to play, and use mostly standard chords. The two “non-standard” chords are very simple variations on standard C and G chords. CaddG is formed by adding the G note on the first string, third space, with the left little finger. The non-standard G chord is even easier. Just fret the second string in the third space instead of the first string, and do not play the first string. This chord “inversion” actually contains all the same notes as the normal G chord, but in a slightly different order. Playing G this way emphasizes the D note on the second string, to bring out the melody. You could actually play both these chords as standard C and G chords, but you would lose the melody, to no advantage.
The second and third verses contain the same melody and chord structure, but with different picking patterns, for variety. They are not actually necessary, but the song is so simple, it gets boring hearing all four verses played identically. The third verse has a different time signature. I could have kept it in 4/4, but the counting would have come out, 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & for every measure. Since all the notes in this verse are eighth-notes, I elected to use 8/8 time instead, counting: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 for each measure. The time signature makes no difference in the way the verse is played, just in how it is written.
This hymn is in the Public Domain.
Carnival (from "Black Orpheus")
This is not actually a Gospel song. It is about the hope of finding love. My excuse for publishing it here is that it one of the most beautiful songs ever written, and it has very easy chords. Of the thirteen chords used, nine are two-finger chords, and the rest-- Am, E, Dm, and C-- are super easy chords you probably already know. A few right hand techniques in the second verse are easily mastered with a bit of practice.
The song comes from the movie Black Orpheus, under the tiltle “Manha de Carnaval” (Portugese for "Carnival Morning"). The Portugese lyrics have been translated into many languages, and the song has been published under several titles, including “Mañana de Carnaval”, “A Day in the Life of a Fool”, “Theme from Black Orpheus,” etc. The Guiness Book of World Records lists this song as one of the top ten standards played worldwide. It’s a favorite in both vocal and instrumental versions.
This version includes both. The first verse includes the lyrics as recorded by Perry Como, the most popular Internet lyrics, but I have included alternate words for the last line, from Oscar Brown, Jr.’s cover of the song. The second, instrumental verse includes a right-hand finger-damp common in fingerstyle guitar. It sounds (and looks) complex, but is not actually difficult. Once I figured out the technique, it took me only a couple of hours to master, and I am not a fast learner.
Bossa Nova rhythm
There are three basic parts to this piece: the introduction/refrain, the first verse, which is intended as an accompaniment to a vocalist, and the second verse, which is a long, instrumental solo. The second refrain, which is also instrumental, is a repeat of the introduction, with the addition of a finale. The three parts are quite different. The introduction/refrain has a different time signature from the rest of the song. It’s in 6/8 time, with each measure divided into two groups of three eighth-notes each. Each group is accented on the first note of the group, and the two accents are equal. This is shown at the top of the first page of the tab as “6/8 parts = 1 2 3 4 5 6".
A rhythm in which beats or stresses are placed where they wouldn’t normally occur is said to be syncopated. There is no actual syncopation in these measures, but the music sounds syncopated because the melody begins with a partial measure, consisting of two unaccented eighth-notes, like this: 5 6 / 1 2 3 4 5 6 / 1 2 3 4 5 6 etc.
The verses, on the other hand, are indeed syncopated. They are in 8/8 tempo, which is normally counted 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8, with minor accents (not shown) on beats 3 and 7. In Bossa Nova rhythm, the accents are placed differently: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. There are three major accented beats, instead of the usual two, and no minor accents. This approximates the rhythm of the phrase, “I like my pa-stra-mi.” If you say that phrase, you may notice that the last two syllables are held longer than any of the others. That’s the basic rhythm of the song, and with few exceptions, all the 8/8 measures contain beats on those notes. The only exceptions are measures in which there is a pause on the fifth note of the measure, which is a kind of “backhand” way of stressing that note. But hey, it’s jazz, right?
Study guide
The whole introduction is played based on the Am chord, lifting the left index finger, replacing it, or fretting the 2nd string in the 3rd space as needed. It’s actually very easy, even played at speed. That’s a good thing, because the tempo is FAST and steady, except for the hold. This riff is repeated twice later in the song, but is played exactly the same all three times, except for the tremolos, which we’ll cover later.
In between measures [4] and [5], you switch to 8/8 time, and pick up the pattern pick, which continues throughout the first verse. The pattern consists of a bass note, followed by two pinched chords plucked with the index, middle and ring fingers of the right hand, then another chord which is sometimes pinched, but more often is played as a broken chord, using the same fingers. If you can play one of these measures, you can play them all. The basic chord progression is Am - Dm6 - E7, all drop-dead easy chords to play. Occasionally there’s a G7, a C, or a Dm-- no big deal.
A7 is a fairly common chord, but there are several ways to play it, and only one will work in measure [14]. It’s fretted by barring the first four strings in the 2nd space, while fretting the first string in the 3rd space. The easiest way to do this is to do the barre with the index finger, while fretting the first string with the ring finger. You have to do something with the middle finger, so most guitarists place it on top of the barring finger, which helps to make the barre. Having done this, all you have to do to make the Amaj6 chord is lift up the ring finger. Nearly every time you play A7, you’re going to follow it with Amaj6, so you might as well get used to it.
In [18], there’s a Cmaj7 chord made by just lifting up the left index finger. Easy, but it sounds really nice. Then you return to the basic chord progression again, until you reach another A7 in [27]. This time it’s followed by a strange chord called C9. This is basically like the A7, except instead of just playing the first string with the ring finger, lay it across the first three strings. This is actually easier to do than it looks, and the harmony it produces isn’t much different from A7, but don’t leave it out. The close harmonies in the chord progression are what gives it its amazing beauty. Then, just as before, you’ll follow with the Amaj6, but instead of going to Dm6, you play a straight Dm for two verses, then the Dm6. This mini-chord sequence of A7 - C9 - Dm - Dm6 lasts only five measures, but will be one of the most musically memorable parts of the song. It gives you a chance to shine, even while the vocalist has “center stage”. If you are the vocalist, it will be absolutely mind-blowing for the audience, even if they are not musicians. They won’t know why it sounds so cool, but they certainly will know that it does.
Measures [36] and [37] depart from the previous pattern in two ways: you’ll play an E instead of an E7, and the pattern pick ceases, being replaced by a strummed chords, even eliminating the broken chord entirely in [37]. The last two notes of [37] lead into a repition of the refrain, taking the place of the partial measure that began the introduction. This refrain is exactly the same as the intro, except for the two tremolos. They are not played the same. The first tremolo note is played by vibrating the index fingertip at right angles to the second string while fretting the string normally. To do this, you have to bend and release the index finger rapidly, alternately stretching the string sideways. Do not actually release the string. It must remain in contact with the fretboard at all times, or you will get separate notes instead of a tremolo.
The second tremolo is done by vibrating the ring finger along the 2nd string in the 3rd space. To produce a strong tremolo, you will need to release all the other fingers from their strings and press the 2nd string into the fretboard quite hard. The best way I know to do this is to stiffen the ring finger and move the whole hand back and forth along the string. You could make the first tremolo this way too, but for frets below the 3rd, across the string works best, while above the 3rd, along the string works best. At the 3rd fret, it’s your choice. On my guitars, it sounds better as I’ve described. However you do it, make the first tremolo brief, but emphasize the second one by lengthening it into a hold.
Measure [42] begins the second verse, which is played quite differently, because there is no vocalist to carry the melody. This is where you get to SHINE.
This verse includes a right-hand finger-damp common in fingerstyle playing. Strum a chord, then tap some of the strings with the fingers of the right hand. The strings to be damped are noted with stars in front of the notes, like this: --*2--. If you tap too hard, you will hammer-on instead of damping. If you tap too gently, you will just mute the strings, without making the damping sound. The trick is to almost miss the strings. As the fingers slide between the strings, the finger tips contact the fretboard, making a slight thump, while the sides of the fingers damp the strings simultaneously. The little finger can be allowed to tap on the guitar top at the same time, if desired. It is not hard to learn; it just requires practice. Whatever you do, don’t just mute the strings. You need to make a sound here, or it’ll mess up the rhythm. If you can’t do the damp, pluck the strings instead. It won’t sound as cool, but at least the rhythm will be right.
The rhythm of the second verse appears slightly different from the first. Where the first verse has three or four notes in the broken chords, the second has two or three, sometimes leaving out the broken chords altogether, or replacing them with a multiple hammer-on riff. Don’t let it throw you! The Bossa Nova rhythm remains the same, with the accents in the same place. Or, to put it another way, if a note appears in the 1,5, or 7 spot, accent it; if not, don’t let it bother you.
This verse uses both strummed and pinched chords. Please strum the marked chords and pluck the rest. The strings sound very different when plucked. If you wish, you can emphasize the difference by strumming near the center of the strings, and plucking closer to the bridge, for a twangy effect.
The chord progression in the second verse is nearly identical to the first, except that the Cmaj7 in [18] has been replaced with Am in [54]. The refrain at the end of the second verse, in [73], [74], and [75] is played exactly like the previous refrain in [38], [39], and [40]. The only difference is the finale on the end of it.
Play the finale slow, stretching out the chords. The last chord gives you a choice. The easy way to play it is to simply slide the hand one fret up the guitar neck from C#9 to D9. This is a beautiful chord, and a dead easy transition, but it only uses four strings, a bit “thin” to resolve the whole song. You may wish to substitute Amv. It’s very similar, though not quite as pretty, but does use all six strings. After playing it both ways for an hour on three separate occasions, I still don’t know which I like best; please yourself.
Which ever you use, include the whole-chord tremolo. Strum the chord normally, then cup the right hand and vibrate it over the sound hole, about an inch away from the strings, exactly as if using an invisible whammy bar. This makes a distinct “wah-wah-wah-wah” sound, similar to that produced by a real whammy bar. In fact, the whammy bar was invented to compensate for a solid body guitar’s lack of a sound hole, and was originally meant to imitate this sound. You may get better results by vibrating the hand toward and away from the guitar directly over the sound hole, or by moving the hand parallel to the guitar top, covering and uncovering the sound hole. There will be a particular vibration speed that works best for your guitar.
Which ever way you do it, your audience will think you are a fretboard master-- and they’ll be right! Prepare for thunderous applause.
The song comes from the movie Black Orpheus, under the tiltle “Manha de Carnaval” (Portugese for "Carnival Morning"). The Portugese lyrics have been translated into many languages, and the song has been published under several titles, including “Mañana de Carnaval”, “A Day in the Life of a Fool”, “Theme from Black Orpheus,” etc. The Guiness Book of World Records lists this song as one of the top ten standards played worldwide. It’s a favorite in both vocal and instrumental versions.
This version includes both. The first verse includes the lyrics as recorded by Perry Como, the most popular Internet lyrics, but I have included alternate words for the last line, from Oscar Brown, Jr.’s cover of the song. The second, instrumental verse includes a right-hand finger-damp common in fingerstyle guitar. It sounds (and looks) complex, but is not actually difficult. Once I figured out the technique, it took me only a couple of hours to master, and I am not a fast learner.
Bossa Nova rhythm
There are three basic parts to this piece: the introduction/refrain, the first verse, which is intended as an accompaniment to a vocalist, and the second verse, which is a long, instrumental solo. The second refrain, which is also instrumental, is a repeat of the introduction, with the addition of a finale. The three parts are quite different. The introduction/refrain has a different time signature from the rest of the song. It’s in 6/8 time, with each measure divided into two groups of three eighth-notes each. Each group is accented on the first note of the group, and the two accents are equal. This is shown at the top of the first page of the tab as “6/8 parts = 1 2 3 4 5 6".
A rhythm in which beats or stresses are placed where they wouldn’t normally occur is said to be syncopated. There is no actual syncopation in these measures, but the music sounds syncopated because the melody begins with a partial measure, consisting of two unaccented eighth-notes, like this: 5 6 / 1 2 3 4 5 6 / 1 2 3 4 5 6 etc.
The verses, on the other hand, are indeed syncopated. They are in 8/8 tempo, which is normally counted 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8, with minor accents (not shown) on beats 3 and 7. In Bossa Nova rhythm, the accents are placed differently: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. There are three major accented beats, instead of the usual two, and no minor accents. This approximates the rhythm of the phrase, “I like my pa-stra-mi.” If you say that phrase, you may notice that the last two syllables are held longer than any of the others. That’s the basic rhythm of the song, and with few exceptions, all the 8/8 measures contain beats on those notes. The only exceptions are measures in which there is a pause on the fifth note of the measure, which is a kind of “backhand” way of stressing that note. But hey, it’s jazz, right?
Study guide
The whole introduction is played based on the Am chord, lifting the left index finger, replacing it, or fretting the 2nd string in the 3rd space as needed. It’s actually very easy, even played at speed. That’s a good thing, because the tempo is FAST and steady, except for the hold. This riff is repeated twice later in the song, but is played exactly the same all three times, except for the tremolos, which we’ll cover later.
In between measures [4] and [5], you switch to 8/8 time, and pick up the pattern pick, which continues throughout the first verse. The pattern consists of a bass note, followed by two pinched chords plucked with the index, middle and ring fingers of the right hand, then another chord which is sometimes pinched, but more often is played as a broken chord, using the same fingers. If you can play one of these measures, you can play them all. The basic chord progression is Am - Dm6 - E7, all drop-dead easy chords to play. Occasionally there’s a G7, a C, or a Dm-- no big deal.
A7 is a fairly common chord, but there are several ways to play it, and only one will work in measure [14]. It’s fretted by barring the first four strings in the 2nd space, while fretting the first string in the 3rd space. The easiest way to do this is to do the barre with the index finger, while fretting the first string with the ring finger. You have to do something with the middle finger, so most guitarists place it on top of the barring finger, which helps to make the barre. Having done this, all you have to do to make the Amaj6 chord is lift up the ring finger. Nearly every time you play A7, you’re going to follow it with Amaj6, so you might as well get used to it.
In [18], there’s a Cmaj7 chord made by just lifting up the left index finger. Easy, but it sounds really nice. Then you return to the basic chord progression again, until you reach another A7 in [27]. This time it’s followed by a strange chord called C9. This is basically like the A7, except instead of just playing the first string with the ring finger, lay it across the first three strings. This is actually easier to do than it looks, and the harmony it produces isn’t much different from A7, but don’t leave it out. The close harmonies in the chord progression are what gives it its amazing beauty. Then, just as before, you’ll follow with the Amaj6, but instead of going to Dm6, you play a straight Dm for two verses, then the Dm6. This mini-chord sequence of A7 - C9 - Dm - Dm6 lasts only five measures, but will be one of the most musically memorable parts of the song. It gives you a chance to shine, even while the vocalist has “center stage”. If you are the vocalist, it will be absolutely mind-blowing for the audience, even if they are not musicians. They won’t know why it sounds so cool, but they certainly will know that it does.
Measures [36] and [37] depart from the previous pattern in two ways: you’ll play an E instead of an E7, and the pattern pick ceases, being replaced by a strummed chords, even eliminating the broken chord entirely in [37]. The last two notes of [37] lead into a repition of the refrain, taking the place of the partial measure that began the introduction. This refrain is exactly the same as the intro, except for the two tremolos. They are not played the same. The first tremolo note is played by vibrating the index fingertip at right angles to the second string while fretting the string normally. To do this, you have to bend and release the index finger rapidly, alternately stretching the string sideways. Do not actually release the string. It must remain in contact with the fretboard at all times, or you will get separate notes instead of a tremolo.
The second tremolo is done by vibrating the ring finger along the 2nd string in the 3rd space. To produce a strong tremolo, you will need to release all the other fingers from their strings and press the 2nd string into the fretboard quite hard. The best way I know to do this is to stiffen the ring finger and move the whole hand back and forth along the string. You could make the first tremolo this way too, but for frets below the 3rd, across the string works best, while above the 3rd, along the string works best. At the 3rd fret, it’s your choice. On my guitars, it sounds better as I’ve described. However you do it, make the first tremolo brief, but emphasize the second one by lengthening it into a hold.
Measure [42] begins the second verse, which is played quite differently, because there is no vocalist to carry the melody. This is where you get to SHINE.
This verse includes a right-hand finger-damp common in fingerstyle playing. Strum a chord, then tap some of the strings with the fingers of the right hand. The strings to be damped are noted with stars in front of the notes, like this: --*2--. If you tap too hard, you will hammer-on instead of damping. If you tap too gently, you will just mute the strings, without making the damping sound. The trick is to almost miss the strings. As the fingers slide between the strings, the finger tips contact the fretboard, making a slight thump, while the sides of the fingers damp the strings simultaneously. The little finger can be allowed to tap on the guitar top at the same time, if desired. It is not hard to learn; it just requires practice. Whatever you do, don’t just mute the strings. You need to make a sound here, or it’ll mess up the rhythm. If you can’t do the damp, pluck the strings instead. It won’t sound as cool, but at least the rhythm will be right.
The rhythm of the second verse appears slightly different from the first. Where the first verse has three or four notes in the broken chords, the second has two or three, sometimes leaving out the broken chords altogether, or replacing them with a multiple hammer-on riff. Don’t let it throw you! The Bossa Nova rhythm remains the same, with the accents in the same place. Or, to put it another way, if a note appears in the 1,5, or 7 spot, accent it; if not, don’t let it bother you.
This verse uses both strummed and pinched chords. Please strum the marked chords and pluck the rest. The strings sound very different when plucked. If you wish, you can emphasize the difference by strumming near the center of the strings, and plucking closer to the bridge, for a twangy effect.
The chord progression in the second verse is nearly identical to the first, except that the Cmaj7 in [18] has been replaced with Am in [54]. The refrain at the end of the second verse, in [73], [74], and [75] is played exactly like the previous refrain in [38], [39], and [40]. The only difference is the finale on the end of it.
Play the finale slow, stretching out the chords. The last chord gives you a choice. The easy way to play it is to simply slide the hand one fret up the guitar neck from C#9 to D9. This is a beautiful chord, and a dead easy transition, but it only uses four strings, a bit “thin” to resolve the whole song. You may wish to substitute Amv. It’s very similar, though not quite as pretty, but does use all six strings. After playing it both ways for an hour on three separate occasions, I still don’t know which I like best; please yourself.
Which ever you use, include the whole-chord tremolo. Strum the chord normally, then cup the right hand and vibrate it over the sound hole, about an inch away from the strings, exactly as if using an invisible whammy bar. This makes a distinct “wah-wah-wah-wah” sound, similar to that produced by a real whammy bar. In fact, the whammy bar was invented to compensate for a solid body guitar’s lack of a sound hole, and was originally meant to imitate this sound. You may get better results by vibrating the hand toward and away from the guitar directly over the sound hole, or by moving the hand parallel to the guitar top, covering and uncovering the sound hole. There will be a particular vibration speed that works best for your guitar.
Which ever way you do it, your audience will think you are a fretboard master-- and they’ll be right! Prepare for thunderous applause.
Oh, Hush Thee, My Baby
Well, it's a little late for Christmas this year, but it took me longer to refine this song than I expected. This
link will bring up two different versions. There are no barre chords
in either one, but that does not mean they are both “easy”. The first
one is beginner to intermediate level of difficulty. It’s in the key of G, so
there are no difficult chords, though there are hammer-ons, pull-offs,
and slides. They sound cool, and are not hard to do.
The second version is an exact transcription of the piano music published in the Children’s Songbook, transposed to the key of G, using the transposing engine found in the Church’s interactive music player at lds.org. Unlike most piano pieces, this song is doesn’t sound bad as a guitar piece. There are two musical “parts”, which on the piano are right hand and left hand, making it easy to keep them separate. On the guitar, this does not work out quite so well. I have italicized the “left hand” part, and specified “Drop D” tuning (lower the bass E string to D) to aid the guitarist, but it’s still not an easy piece to play. Many of the necessary techniques are actually classical guitar techniques. If you can play classical guitar, this is the one for you, but you won’t need my instructions. If you are not a classical guitarist, I recommend my fingerstyle arrangement. It’s much easier, and frankly, I think it sounds better.
Please note that the chords called for in the tab are for finger position only, not for strumming. Perhaps the best example of this is the initial G7 chord. Actually, the chord played is a G, since the #1 string is not played. You could play it as a G-shape if you wanted to, but your fingers would not be in the right position to fret the following melody notes. Putting your fingers in the G7 shape fixes the problem. But if you strum the full G7 chord, it will sound wrong. This piece is intended as an instrumental solo. It would be hard to play in Eb major, as it is written in the Children’s Songbook. You’d have to transpose it, which I did.
You may also notice that most of the D7 chords include the open A string, a departure from the usual practice. Normally, the bass note of this chord is the open D string, and the A string is not used. Technically, this chord should be called D7/A. For simplicity, since all the D7 chords are played this way, and the only difference is the open A string, I have labeled them all D7, and show the change in the chord diagram at the end. This does not matter in the second, harder version, as the Drop D tuning there makes the extreme bass D note available. I had thought to include Drop D tuning in this version as well, but it seemed an unnecessary complication.
This song is not in the public domain. The copyright is owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and is used by permission. Please abide their use restrictions, and use this only for non-commercial, church or personal use.
The second version is an exact transcription of the piano music published in the Children’s Songbook, transposed to the key of G, using the transposing engine found in the Church’s interactive music player at lds.org. Unlike most piano pieces, this song is doesn’t sound bad as a guitar piece. There are two musical “parts”, which on the piano are right hand and left hand, making it easy to keep them separate. On the guitar, this does not work out quite so well. I have italicized the “left hand” part, and specified “Drop D” tuning (lower the bass E string to D) to aid the guitarist, but it’s still not an easy piece to play. Many of the necessary techniques are actually classical guitar techniques. If you can play classical guitar, this is the one for you, but you won’t need my instructions. If you are not a classical guitarist, I recommend my fingerstyle arrangement. It’s much easier, and frankly, I think it sounds better.
Please note that the chords called for in the tab are for finger position only, not for strumming. Perhaps the best example of this is the initial G7 chord. Actually, the chord played is a G, since the #1 string is not played. You could play it as a G-shape if you wanted to, but your fingers would not be in the right position to fret the following melody notes. Putting your fingers in the G7 shape fixes the problem. But if you strum the full G7 chord, it will sound wrong. This piece is intended as an instrumental solo. It would be hard to play in Eb major, as it is written in the Children’s Songbook. You’d have to transpose it, which I did.
You may also notice that most of the D7 chords include the open A string, a departure from the usual practice. Normally, the bass note of this chord is the open D string, and the A string is not used. Technically, this chord should be called D7/A. For simplicity, since all the D7 chords are played this way, and the only difference is the open A string, I have labeled them all D7, and show the change in the chord diagram at the end. This does not matter in the second, harder version, as the Drop D tuning there makes the extreme bass D note available. I had thought to include Drop D tuning in this version as well, but it seemed an unnecessary complication.
This song is not in the public domain. The copyright is owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and is used by permission. Please abide their use restrictions, and use this only for non-commercial, church or personal use.
Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful
Finally, after weeks of arranging, I’ve got this song right. I wanted to get it posted well before Christmas, but it just needed more work. Merry Christmas, anyway.
Don’t feel bad if you have trouble with the semi-pattern picking. Most (but not all) of the melody notes are fretted with the little finger of the left hand. Like most fingerstyle guitar, the LEFT index finger frets in the first space, the middle in the second space, and the ring finger in the third space. Hence, the little finger is left free for fretting other notes, but sometimes this is not handy, and you have to release the chord, so you can use one of the other fingers for melody notes, hammer-ons, or slides.
I have not included all the chords that would be needed to strum the song as an accompaniment to singers. The chords called out in the tablature are only for finger position. Quite often, the following chord is only represented by a single melody note, or can easily be “faked” without changing the basic position of the chord being held. In these cases, I have left out the chord symbol. If you want to know all the chords used in this song, I recommend doing an Internet search for oh come all ye faithful/chords. The chords shown in the chord chart at the end of the tab really only show the chord shapes used in this arrangement.
There are three verses to this song, and they are all different, with two key changes. I’ll be playing it, as written, for my ward’s Christmas party this week. But you need not learn all three verses. If you can find one of the three that you like, you can simply repeat that one twice. The first verse is almost all chords, and would go well as an accompaniment to singers, though the key of C is a bit low for most vocalists. Verse two is in D, and may be easier for a singer, but the verse is tabbed for fingerstyle guitar. Verse Three is in C again, AND is mostly fingerstyle.
The chords in the first two lines are all strummed, and the other notes can be played easily with the thumb, giving this verse a distinctive, soft sound. It’s also really easy to play that way. The third line and the chorus contain a lot of pattern picks that are better done as finger-picking, (using “free strokes” for you classical guitarists). I like to play this section and the second verse near the bridge, for a twangy, “classical” sound. It wouldn’t hurt to use your fingernails, if you’ve got ’em.
To make finger-picking easier, remember to use your right ring finger to pluck the notes on the #1 string (high e). Use your RIGHT middle finger to pluck notes on the #2 (B) string, and the RIGHT index finger for notes on the #3 (G) string. The RIGHT thumb plucks the bass strings. In the last measure before the Chorus, you’ll have to strum the two bass strings to play them both with the thumb.
The first measure of the chorus introduces a riff that sounds like it is repeated throughout the song. Though there are many similar measures throughout the song, there are no actual repetitions. Fortunately, they are not at all hard to do, and they all sound great.
In the second line of the chorus, watch out for the glissando (slide) on the third (G) string. Use the LEFT middle finger to make the slide. Timing is critical, and to sound good, you must hit the tenth fret exactly, without overshooting or undershooting. Hold that note (F) with a bit of vibrato if necessary.
In the second and third lines of the second verse, pay special attention to the tab. The notes aren’t always what you would expect. Sometimes they change slightly, for example from a D to a C# and back, in order to conform to the melody, even though the chord names do not change. If something sounds wrong to you, you may be missing a slight change in the notes shown in the tab.
There’s another glissando in the second line of the second chorus. Again, accuracy is super important. Hold the final G of the slide with vibrato if needed.
The third verse contains chords designed to add a “full” sound to the music: six-string chords such as the barre chords GIII and FI and the non-barre chord C/G. If you’ve come this far, please don’t skip them. They are there to prepare the audience for the finale, and paradoxically, they may also make the music easier to play on the guitar. Remember, chords with the strum marking are to be strummed. All others are to be pinched.
Slow almost to half-speed for the final line. The glissando in the second measure is exactly like the one in the first verse. Hold the final C/G chord as long as you can, preferably for the full eight counts. This is hard to do if you are playing an acoustic guitar, but do your best. It’ll sound wonderful, a real crowd pleaser.
About the song:
This song was originally written in Latin, under the title Adeste Fideles, which could be translated as, “Approach, faithful ones.” The author and composer are uncertain, but the earliest extant copies from the 1700s were all signed by John Francis Wade, an English Catholic hymnist, and it is most commonly attributed to him.
Latin puns and other internal evidence in the lyrics have led many to conclude that the hymn was originally composed in celebration of the birth of Charles Edward Stuart, the Jacobite pretender to the crown of England, known to history as Bonny Prince Charlie. His cause was defeated when the Jacobite rising of 1745 was crushed, but the song lives on. It is a perennial favorite in most Catholic countries and virtually all English speaking ones. (See the Wikipedia articles Adeste Fideles, John Francis Wade, and Bonny Prince Charlie for more details.)
Don’t feel bad if you have trouble with the semi-pattern picking. Most (but not all) of the melody notes are fretted with the little finger of the left hand. Like most fingerstyle guitar, the LEFT index finger frets in the first space, the middle in the second space, and the ring finger in the third space. Hence, the little finger is left free for fretting other notes, but sometimes this is not handy, and you have to release the chord, so you can use one of the other fingers for melody notes, hammer-ons, or slides.
I have not included all the chords that would be needed to strum the song as an accompaniment to singers. The chords called out in the tablature are only for finger position. Quite often, the following chord is only represented by a single melody note, or can easily be “faked” without changing the basic position of the chord being held. In these cases, I have left out the chord symbol. If you want to know all the chords used in this song, I recommend doing an Internet search for oh come all ye faithful/chords. The chords shown in the chord chart at the end of the tab really only show the chord shapes used in this arrangement.
There are three verses to this song, and they are all different, with two key changes. I’ll be playing it, as written, for my ward’s Christmas party this week. But you need not learn all three verses. If you can find one of the three that you like, you can simply repeat that one twice. The first verse is almost all chords, and would go well as an accompaniment to singers, though the key of C is a bit low for most vocalists. Verse two is in D, and may be easier for a singer, but the verse is tabbed for fingerstyle guitar. Verse Three is in C again, AND is mostly fingerstyle.
The chords in the first two lines are all strummed, and the other notes can be played easily with the thumb, giving this verse a distinctive, soft sound. It’s also really easy to play that way. The third line and the chorus contain a lot of pattern picks that are better done as finger-picking, (using “free strokes” for you classical guitarists). I like to play this section and the second verse near the bridge, for a twangy, “classical” sound. It wouldn’t hurt to use your fingernails, if you’ve got ’em.
To make finger-picking easier, remember to use your right ring finger to pluck the notes on the #1 string (high e). Use your RIGHT middle finger to pluck notes on the #2 (B) string, and the RIGHT index finger for notes on the #3 (G) string. The RIGHT thumb plucks the bass strings. In the last measure before the Chorus, you’ll have to strum the two bass strings to play them both with the thumb.
The first measure of the chorus introduces a riff that sounds like it is repeated throughout the song. Though there are many similar measures throughout the song, there are no actual repetitions. Fortunately, they are not at all hard to do, and they all sound great.
In the second line of the chorus, watch out for the glissando (slide) on the third (G) string. Use the LEFT middle finger to make the slide. Timing is critical, and to sound good, you must hit the tenth fret exactly, without overshooting or undershooting. Hold that note (F) with a bit of vibrato if necessary.
In the second and third lines of the second verse, pay special attention to the tab. The notes aren’t always what you would expect. Sometimes they change slightly, for example from a D to a C# and back, in order to conform to the melody, even though the chord names do not change. If something sounds wrong to you, you may be missing a slight change in the notes shown in the tab.
There’s another glissando in the second line of the second chorus. Again, accuracy is super important. Hold the final G of the slide with vibrato if needed.
The third verse contains chords designed to add a “full” sound to the music: six-string chords such as the barre chords GIII and FI and the non-barre chord C/G. If you’ve come this far, please don’t skip them. They are there to prepare the audience for the finale, and paradoxically, they may also make the music easier to play on the guitar. Remember, chords with the strum marking are to be strummed. All others are to be pinched.
Slow almost to half-speed for the final line. The glissando in the second measure is exactly like the one in the first verse. Hold the final C/G chord as long as you can, preferably for the full eight counts. This is hard to do if you are playing an acoustic guitar, but do your best. It’ll sound wonderful, a real crowd pleaser.
About the song:
This song was originally written in Latin, under the title Adeste Fideles, which could be translated as, “Approach, faithful ones.” The author and composer are uncertain, but the earliest extant copies from the 1700s were all signed by John Francis Wade, an English Catholic hymnist, and it is most commonly attributed to him.
Latin puns and other internal evidence in the lyrics have led many to conclude that the hymn was originally composed in celebration of the birth of Charles Edward Stuart, the Jacobite pretender to the crown of England, known to history as Bonny Prince Charlie. His cause was defeated when the Jacobite rising of 1745 was crushed, but the song lives on. It is a perennial favorite in most Catholic countries and virtually all English speaking ones. (See the Wikipedia articles Adeste Fideles, John Francis Wade, and Bonny Prince Charlie for more details.)
America the Beautiful (Oh, beautiful for spacious skies)
Last week I was invited to my grand-kids’ elementary school for their annual, Veterans’ Day assembly. When the whole school stood and sang this song, it brought tears to my eyes, especially when they sang the third verse:
Oh, beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved,
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine,
Till all success be nobleness,
And ev'ry gain divine.
When I returned from my military service, I was greeted with rotten tomatoes and curses, and it was fifteen years before anyone ever thanked me for risking my life for my country. These kids served me breakfast, plied me with questions, and treated me like a hero. Thank you so much, American Preparatory Academy!
I thought this would be a hard song to arrange for the guitar, but it turns out to be one of the easiest. There are only five chords (two are very easy), and while there are three barre chords, they are all the same barred-E chord shape. They are played exactly the same, just at different frets. So this is really only a three-chord song.
There are a few slides, including one whole-chord slide, and a few pull-offs. But there are no difficult techniques or hard chord changes, as long as you can do the barre chords. If you have not yet learned barre chords, this is the perfect song for learning them! Only one new chord shape to learn, and you get three chords for the “price” of one. (Actually, you get more than three, as the barred-E chord shape is commonly used to play F, F#, G, G#, A, Bb, B, and C, plus other chords even higher up the fretboard, if you have an electric guitar.)
I left out the counting numbers. They are more confusing than helpful in this song, and besides, everybody already knows it. If for some reason you don’t know how it goes, you can find dozens of versions recorded on the Internet. I had thought to write a bit about the song’s origins, but the Wikipedia article found HERE says it all. This song is in the public domain.
Oh, beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved,
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine,
Till all success be nobleness,
And ev'ry gain divine.
When I returned from my military service, I was greeted with rotten tomatoes and curses, and it was fifteen years before anyone ever thanked me for risking my life for my country. These kids served me breakfast, plied me with questions, and treated me like a hero. Thank you so much, American Preparatory Academy!
I thought this would be a hard song to arrange for the guitar, but it turns out to be one of the easiest. There are only five chords (two are very easy), and while there are three barre chords, they are all the same barred-E chord shape. They are played exactly the same, just at different frets. So this is really only a three-chord song.
There are a few slides, including one whole-chord slide, and a few pull-offs. But there are no difficult techniques or hard chord changes, as long as you can do the barre chords. If you have not yet learned barre chords, this is the perfect song for learning them! Only one new chord shape to learn, and you get three chords for the “price” of one. (Actually, you get more than three, as the barred-E chord shape is commonly used to play F, F#, G, G#, A, Bb, B, and C, plus other chords even higher up the fretboard, if you have an electric guitar.)
I left out the counting numbers. They are more confusing than helpful in this song, and besides, everybody already knows it. If for some reason you don’t know how it goes, you can find dozens of versions recorded on the Internet. I had thought to write a bit about the song’s origins, but the Wikipedia article found HERE says it all. This song is in the public domain.
Welcome, Welcome, Sabbath Morning
The name of Ebenezer Beesley, the composer of this hymn, may seem familiar to you. If so, it’s probably because he composed the tunes to many other hymns in the LDS hymnal, including:
#5 High on the Mountain Top
#16 What Glorious Scenes Mine Eyes Behold
#32 The Happy Day at Last Has Come
#76 God of Our Fathers, We Come Unto Thee
#77 Great Is the Lord
#156 Sing We Now at Parting
#232 Kind Words Are Sweet Tones of the Heart
#177 Tis Sweet to Sing the Matchless Love
#185 Reverently and Meekly Now
#232 Let Us Oft Speak Kind Words
#280 Welcome, Welcome, Sabbath Morning
#282 We Meet Again in Sabbath School
He has more tunes in the current LDS hymnal than any other composer except for Evan Stephens, and also composed others that were included in previous editions of the hymnal, but are not used in the current edition.
“Welcome, Welcome, Sabbath Morning” is a sprightly tune, and sounds good played fast, as just an instrumental melody, without any chording at all, but I have included one G7 and one G chord, just for variety. They are so simple, and so standard, that I haven’t even included chord charts. If you are such a rank beginner that you do not know how to play these chords, you probably should not be starting with this hymn. It’s not really a simple song. It’s full of hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides. You could certainly play it without those techniques, but it wouldn’t sound nearly as good. Using ligado techniques of various sorts as well as normal, stacatto notes adds a subtle kind of interest to the song that you cannot get from a piano. I haven’t tried it, but I suspect it would sound good as a duet with a violin or viola.
If you are a newcomer to finger-picking, the simplicity of this song may tempt you to try it, despite the use of slightly advanced techniques. Go ahead! None of the techniques in this song are especially difficult, even if you are trying them for the first time. Here are some tips to make it even easier:
With a few exceptions detailed below, always fret all notes in the first space with the index finger, those in the second space with the middle finger, and those in the third space with the ring finger. This allows you to change from one note to the next quickly, without moving the hand.
The exceptions are several notes in the fourth and fifth spaces:
In the second line, the double pull-off 5-3-0 requires you to move your hand up the neck, so you can fret the fifth space with your ring finger, while simultaneously fretting the same string in the third space with the index finger. This allows for an extremely fast double pull-off. While your index finger is still at the third fret, play the 3-0 pull-off on the next string with the index finger, then move it back to normal position for the rest of the line.
At the end of the first measure in line three, move your hand to make the slide with your strongest finger, which for most guitarists is the middle finger. The next two notes are on open strings, giving you plenty of time to move your hand back into the normal ("first") position.
In the next measure, you can either move your hand again, then move it back quickly, or, if your hand will stretch, you can fret it with the pinkie, without moving your hand. Try it both ways, and do it the way that works best for you.
The first two measures of the next line are played exactly the same as line three, but in the third measure, you will need to reposition your hand to fret the slide, so you might as well play the whole measure that way. The double slide, down-and-up, is not nearly as hard as it looks. The only tricky part is hitting the right fret. It’s fast, and it’s easy to slide too far unintentionally. The solution is to practice. A lot.
The last two lines are played exactly like the first two, except one octave lower, and the final chord is a G, instead of a G7. Playing the same notes an octave lower does require different fingering on the fretboard, but the techniques are the same as in the rest of the song. You will probably notice that it’s easier to hit the G chord from the lower notes, since the first and second fingers are already positioned near the 5th string. If this seems like a lot of extra work, you can simply play the last two lines exactly like the first two, only adding the chord at the end. The notes will not be wrong, but it’ll sound a bit funny, as your brain will expect the lower notes. That’s all there is to it!
If you’ve never done them before, hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides may seem daunting to you. They need not. The hammer-on is indicated by two notes connected with an underscore, when the second note is higher in pitch than the first note. Perform it by playing the string normally, as indicated in the tab, then hammering down on the string in the indicated space with the tip of the proper finger: --0__2--. This creates a sound that makes the two notes seem to be tied together. Ligado is the Spanish word for “tied”, and is used in guitar music to indicate connected notes like these. Hammer-ons are also often indicated in tablature by the letter h before the note: --0--h2--.
Pull-offs are even easier. They are indicated with an underscore, like the hammer-on, but the second note is lower than the first. Sometimes they are indicated with a p before the note. You simply play the note as indicated, then, without pausing, pluck the string with the same finger of the left hand that is holding the note: --2__0--. This also causes the notes to sound connected, so is also called a ligado.
Another way to connect two notes is to slide from one note to the next without lifting the finger off the string. This is called a slide, or glissando, and is indicated in my tabs with a slash. A forward slash / indicates you are sliding up the neck (toward the body of the guitar) A back slash \ means you are sliding down the neck (away from the body of the guitar). “Up” and “down” in this sense refer to whether the next note is higher or lower in pitch, and have nothing to do with which part of the guitar is physically higher or lower. Slides look like this in the tab: --4-/-5-- and --4-\-2--.
If you are a real beginner, practice this song slowly, until you can play it smoothly all the way through, then gradually increase the pace. Otherwise, you’ll end up playing parts of it faster than others, and the habit will be really hard to break.
This is one of the very few hymns in the LDS hymnal that is NOT easier to play in C (on the guitar), so I have transposed it to the key of G. You can use a capo at the fifth fret, to play this song in the key of C, as it was written in the hymnal, if you wish. Unless you are playing with another instrument or a singer, I cannot imagine why you would want to do so.
Welcome, Welcome, Sabbath Morning is in the public domain.
#5 High on the Mountain Top
#16 What Glorious Scenes Mine Eyes Behold
#32 The Happy Day at Last Has Come
#76 God of Our Fathers, We Come Unto Thee
#77 Great Is the Lord
#156 Sing We Now at Parting
#232 Kind Words Are Sweet Tones of the Heart
#177 Tis Sweet to Sing the Matchless Love
#185 Reverently and Meekly Now
#232 Let Us Oft Speak Kind Words
#280 Welcome, Welcome, Sabbath Morning
#282 We Meet Again in Sabbath School
He has more tunes in the current LDS hymnal than any other composer except for Evan Stephens, and also composed others that were included in previous editions of the hymnal, but are not used in the current edition.
“Welcome, Welcome, Sabbath Morning” is a sprightly tune, and sounds good played fast, as just an instrumental melody, without any chording at all, but I have included one G7 and one G chord, just for variety. They are so simple, and so standard, that I haven’t even included chord charts. If you are such a rank beginner that you do not know how to play these chords, you probably should not be starting with this hymn. It’s not really a simple song. It’s full of hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides. You could certainly play it without those techniques, but it wouldn’t sound nearly as good. Using ligado techniques of various sorts as well as normal, stacatto notes adds a subtle kind of interest to the song that you cannot get from a piano. I haven’t tried it, but I suspect it would sound good as a duet with a violin or viola.
If you are a newcomer to finger-picking, the simplicity of this song may tempt you to try it, despite the use of slightly advanced techniques. Go ahead! None of the techniques in this song are especially difficult, even if you are trying them for the first time. Here are some tips to make it even easier:
With a few exceptions detailed below, always fret all notes in the first space with the index finger, those in the second space with the middle finger, and those in the third space with the ring finger. This allows you to change from one note to the next quickly, without moving the hand.
The exceptions are several notes in the fourth and fifth spaces:
In the second line, the double pull-off 5-3-0 requires you to move your hand up the neck, so you can fret the fifth space with your ring finger, while simultaneously fretting the same string in the third space with the index finger. This allows for an extremely fast double pull-off. While your index finger is still at the third fret, play the 3-0 pull-off on the next string with the index finger, then move it back to normal position for the rest of the line.
At the end of the first measure in line three, move your hand to make the slide with your strongest finger, which for most guitarists is the middle finger. The next two notes are on open strings, giving you plenty of time to move your hand back into the normal ("first") position.
In the next measure, you can either move your hand again, then move it back quickly, or, if your hand will stretch, you can fret it with the pinkie, without moving your hand. Try it both ways, and do it the way that works best for you.
The first two measures of the next line are played exactly the same as line three, but in the third measure, you will need to reposition your hand to fret the slide, so you might as well play the whole measure that way. The double slide, down-and-up, is not nearly as hard as it looks. The only tricky part is hitting the right fret. It’s fast, and it’s easy to slide too far unintentionally. The solution is to practice. A lot.
The last two lines are played exactly like the first two, except one octave lower, and the final chord is a G, instead of a G7. Playing the same notes an octave lower does require different fingering on the fretboard, but the techniques are the same as in the rest of the song. You will probably notice that it’s easier to hit the G chord from the lower notes, since the first and second fingers are already positioned near the 5th string. If this seems like a lot of extra work, you can simply play the last two lines exactly like the first two, only adding the chord at the end. The notes will not be wrong, but it’ll sound a bit funny, as your brain will expect the lower notes. That’s all there is to it!
If you’ve never done them before, hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides may seem daunting to you. They need not. The hammer-on is indicated by two notes connected with an underscore, when the second note is higher in pitch than the first note. Perform it by playing the string normally, as indicated in the tab, then hammering down on the string in the indicated space with the tip of the proper finger: --0__2--. This creates a sound that makes the two notes seem to be tied together. Ligado is the Spanish word for “tied”, and is used in guitar music to indicate connected notes like these. Hammer-ons are also often indicated in tablature by the letter h before the note: --0--h2--.
Pull-offs are even easier. They are indicated with an underscore, like the hammer-on, but the second note is lower than the first. Sometimes they are indicated with a p before the note. You simply play the note as indicated, then, without pausing, pluck the string with the same finger of the left hand that is holding the note: --2__0--. This also causes the notes to sound connected, so is also called a ligado.
Another way to connect two notes is to slide from one note to the next without lifting the finger off the string. This is called a slide, or glissando, and is indicated in my tabs with a slash. A forward slash / indicates you are sliding up the neck (toward the body of the guitar) A back slash \ means you are sliding down the neck (away from the body of the guitar). “Up” and “down” in this sense refer to whether the next note is higher or lower in pitch, and have nothing to do with which part of the guitar is physically higher or lower. Slides look like this in the tab: --4-/-5-- and --4-\-2--.
If you are a real beginner, practice this song slowly, until you can play it smoothly all the way through, then gradually increase the pace. Otherwise, you’ll end up playing parts of it faster than others, and the habit will be really hard to break.
This is one of the very few hymns in the LDS hymnal that is NOT easier to play in C (on the guitar), so I have transposed it to the key of G. You can use a capo at the fifth fret, to play this song in the key of C, as it was written in the hymnal, if you wish. Unless you are playing with another instrument or a singer, I cannot imagine why you would want to do so.
Welcome, Welcome, Sabbath Morning is in the public domain.
Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel
“Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel” was written and composed by Will L. Thompson, the same Southern Baptist composer who wrote the famous hymn, “Softly and Tenderly Jesus is Calling”. It was first included in the Latter-Day Saint hymnal, Songs of Zion, published by the Northern States Mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in 1908. Latter-Day Saints musicians may be interested to know that the first line was changed, from “The world has need of Christian men...” to “willing men...”. At that time, it was not considered unusual for local missions or other units of the Church to produce their own hymnals. I have been unable to learn the exact year of the song's composition or its publication history, though it appears to have been first published as a Southern Baptist hymn about the same time that it appeared in Songs of Zion.
The title comes (originally) from one of Aesop’s Fables, “The Tale of Hercules and the Wagoner”. The tale goes as follows (spelling modernized):
A wagoner was once driving a heavy load along a very muddy way. At last he came to a part of the road where the wheels sank half-way into the mire, and the more the horses pulled, the deeper sank the wheels. So the wagoner threw down his whip, and knelt down and prayed to Hercules the Strong:
"O Hercules, help me in this my hour of distress."
But Hercules appeared to him, and said, "Tut, man, don't sprawl there. Get up and put your shoulder to the wheel."
The gods help them that help themselves.
This song is not difficult to play for anyone who doesn’t mind a few barre chords and ligados. Intermediate level guitarists should have no trouble with it. You will, however, need a guitar that allows you to perform a double hammer-on. There are a few places where you hammer-on a note, then hammer-on a higher note on the same string. If you’ve never done this before, don’t worry; it’s not nearly as hard as it looks, as long as your guitar can sustain that second note long enough for the second hammer-on to work. If your guitar won’t do this, try putting higher tension strings on it. You’ll be amazed at the difference that can make. Of course, there’s hardly a guitar in existence that cannot benefit from new strings!
You may find the FV chord difficult if you are not used to it. It’s just a C-shape chord, barred at the 5th fret, and is basic to many styles of music. If you don’t know it, this is an excellent opportunity to learn it. You can’t follow the melody of this song without it.
Another place you may want to practice is the slide on the first string, in the third measure of the next to last line, where you are holding a CIII chord, and have to slide from G to F on the first string. The trick is that you don’t actually have to hold the barre in the 3rd space; you have enough time to release the barre and fret the G note with the tip of your index finger, making the slide much easier.
The only relatively quick chord change needed is in the next measure, in the transition from C to G7addD. This is only a problem if you play this chord as a normal G7, then add the D a moment later. Trust me, you will not have time to do it this way. But if you learn the chord, as a chord, and play it all at once, you’ll have enough time. Once again, the “trick” is lots of practice.
The last line is a recap of the previous line. This is not according to the hymnal, nor does it match the original hymn in the Southern Baptist hymnal. It’s an addition I put in, just ‘cause it sounds better to my mind. Leave it out if you don’t like it. Or, you can leave it in, and leave out the previous line. They are not the same.
This song is in the public domain.
The title comes (originally) from one of Aesop’s Fables, “The Tale of Hercules and the Wagoner”. The tale goes as follows (spelling modernized):
A wagoner was once driving a heavy load along a very muddy way. At last he came to a part of the road where the wheels sank half-way into the mire, and the more the horses pulled, the deeper sank the wheels. So the wagoner threw down his whip, and knelt down and prayed to Hercules the Strong:
"O Hercules, help me in this my hour of distress."
But Hercules appeared to him, and said, "Tut, man, don't sprawl there. Get up and put your shoulder to the wheel."
The gods help them that help themselves.
This song is not difficult to play for anyone who doesn’t mind a few barre chords and ligados. Intermediate level guitarists should have no trouble with it. You will, however, need a guitar that allows you to perform a double hammer-on. There are a few places where you hammer-on a note, then hammer-on a higher note on the same string. If you’ve never done this before, don’t worry; it’s not nearly as hard as it looks, as long as your guitar can sustain that second note long enough for the second hammer-on to work. If your guitar won’t do this, try putting higher tension strings on it. You’ll be amazed at the difference that can make. Of course, there’s hardly a guitar in existence that cannot benefit from new strings!
You may find the FV chord difficult if you are not used to it. It’s just a C-shape chord, barred at the 5th fret, and is basic to many styles of music. If you don’t know it, this is an excellent opportunity to learn it. You can’t follow the melody of this song without it.
Another place you may want to practice is the slide on the first string, in the third measure of the next to last line, where you are holding a CIII chord, and have to slide from G to F on the first string. The trick is that you don’t actually have to hold the barre in the 3rd space; you have enough time to release the barre and fret the G note with the tip of your index finger, making the slide much easier.
The only relatively quick chord change needed is in the next measure, in the transition from C to G7addD. This is only a problem if you play this chord as a normal G7, then add the D a moment later. Trust me, you will not have time to do it this way. But if you learn the chord, as a chord, and play it all at once, you’ll have enough time. Once again, the “trick” is lots of practice.
The last line is a recap of the previous line. This is not according to the hymnal, nor does it match the original hymn in the Southern Baptist hymnal. It’s an addition I put in, just ‘cause it sounds better to my mind. Leave it out if you don’t like it. Or, you can leave it in, and leave out the previous line. They are not the same.
This song is in the public domain.
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