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Bill Bailey

Words and Music by Hughie Cannon - 1902

Verse:
Dm	-	-	-
-	-	-	-
C	-	F	-             A
Dm	-	-	-
-	-	-	-
C7	-	F	-
Chorus:
F	-	-	-
-	-	C7	-
-	-	-	-
-	-	F	-
-	-	-	-
-	F7	Bb	-
-	G7                  Bdim	F	D7
G7	C7	F              C7	F  (C7 to chorus)

8-beat intro.  Play 4-beats for each cell, reading from left to right.

The melody of the song "Bourbon Street Parade" can be played along with the chorus of "Bill Bailey".

Click here and listen to both songs played together in the key of F

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Verse:

On one sum -mer's day Sun was shin -ing fine,

The la -dy love of old Bill Bailey was hang -ing clother on de line

In her back yard, and weep -ing hard;

She mar -ried a B. and O. brake -man, Dat took and throw'd her down,

Bel -ler -ing like a prune fed calf, wid a big gang hang -ing 'round;

And to dat crowd, She yelled out loud:

 

Chorus:

"Won't you come home, Bill Bail-ey?" Won't you come home?"

She moans the whole day long.

"I'll do the cook-ing, dar-ling, I'll pay the rent.

I know I've done you wrong.

Mem-ber that rain -y eve that I drove you out

With noth-ing but a fine tooth comb?

I know I'm to blame. Well ain't that a shame?

Bill Bail-ey, won't you please come home?"

_______

 

Watch Jim and the WineLand Banjo Band play "Bill Bailey" (click here,Youtube video)

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Trivia:

Here are some songs that have the same 32-bar chord progression as Bill Bailey:

Amapola, Beer Barrell Polka, Hindustan, Just Because, Mexicali Rose,

Moonlight and Roses, Over the Waves, Tiger Rag ("hold that tiger" strain),

Under the Double Eagle, Walk Right Back, Washington and Lee Swing.
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Arranged by Jim Bottorff

 

This Chord Chart may not appear correctly with some browsers.  It should be viewed with a full size window.  

The chord names should appear in single rows except at the Repeat/End.   Let me know of any problems.

email: jbott@ix.netcom.com