Old Joe Clark - trad.

[mgwaters]

Old Joe Clark (A) by Traditional

 

[pdxdjazz]

Old Joe Clark (alt)

Thanks for posting.

Some bluegrassers play it with alternate chords:
Old Joe Clark (A) - Traditional


)BOB

 

[Billgrass]

Old Joe Clark w/ G in B-part

Old Joe Clark - Traditional

 

[GlasgowBrian]

Old Joe Clark (As Sung)

In the key of Am, the E chord just doesn't sound right to me, anywhere for the non-instrumental, old time, song versions I've heard. It seems mostly Am and modal G, plus one D chord I've put in the 2nd half of the 3rd bar for variety. What does anyone else think?
Sorry, guys, I don't know how to post my chords from my iPad. Where's the Paste window?

 

[GlasgowBrian]

Old Joe Clark (As Sung) - Traditional

Well, I've pasted my chords for Old Joe Clark. Hope it works.

 

[GlasgowBrian]

Sorry for my A chord mistake posted before - it should be A major. I now know why I was fooled into thinking the A chord was minor. It's the G note which gives the tune it's minor feel, which is there because the tune uses the mixolydian mode. The A major chord fits this scale as well as the G chord. The E major chord does not fit into this scale, and that must be why it sounds wrong to me. Will post corrected song.

 

[GlasgowBrian]

Here's the tune with corrected A chords:
Old Joe Clark (As Sung) - Traditional

 

[GlasgowBrian]

OK, I'll admit it. The D chord doesn't fit either - just leave it out, or use another G there instead.

 

[GlasgowBrian]

Oh well, I've given in to the E chord in the 4th bar of the verse - nearly everyone uses it. But everywhere else, the G chord seems to fit the tune better. The Iron Ridge band on YouTube play a nice clean version.