Ode to Billie Joe - fingerstyle guitar groove

Always loved this song by Bobbie Gentry (from 1967). This arrangement is in drop-D tuning, the "feel" turned out similar to what I did on "Man of Constant Sorrow".

Free tab at http://www.tallstrom.com

Played on the Loef "Augusta".

If anyone´s wondering what I´ve been up to, I´m working on getting a new acoustic album out... Feel free to sign up for the newsletter at http://tallstrom.com and be the first to know when it´s available. :)

Thanks for watching!
(And look out for my guitar faces, oh my)
Martin

Category:

Music

Tags:

• 60´s
• acoustic
• ode
• to
• billie
• billy
• joe
• blues
• bobbie
• gentry
• fingerstyle
• folk
• guitar
• martin
• tallstrom
• groove

[blueswater4]

Whats the tuning for this one my friend?

[pinofluvius]

Hi, the tuning is drop-D, the 6th string tuned down a whole step.

[syncopater999]

Much as I admire Chet's electric version here on youtube I prefer the directness and funkier groove of your more sparse acoustic version. Chet's version was very much of its time.

[pinofluvius]

Thanks! I heard the song again by chance and pretty quickly found this way of playing it, it´s in the original key. I could have done more with it, like you say - for example to raise the melody line an octave the 3rd verse or so. However, I mostly wanted to get it out of my system while I was "in the groove" :)

[quincy451]

great arrangement...I remember looking at the sheet music for this..over 20 years ago. It suggested a much busier arrangement. Which didn't work all that well. I tried it at the time. At that time I got a texas instrumetns 99/4a to play this song...a feet back then. But yes the arrangement I was working with was way too busy. This is much better.

[pinofluvius]

Thanks, well I wanted to keep it simple like the original vocals, although Bobbie of course had the great lyric story for diversity...

[stawney]

I don't think it is possible not to like your stuff :)

[hyackje]

thankyou good sound

[tonyjack0]

Great style and feel. Well done man!

[lmcjhut]

Pure pleasure. Love the rhythm and the way you keep the time and form in your head through it all and keep us on track. I just have to learn your version!

[taxisteve929]

Amazing and beautiful!! Great job!!!

[sfmonkeyc]

Great job! This is very much like Bobby Gentry's version without the strings. But you really caputured the remarkable beauty and distinctive groove of this song.

[thewolfe54]

ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS !!!!!!!!!!!!

[zaplane]

That's so nice to listen and it seems you're palying it so easily...

Your videos make me motivated to practice even more the guitar.

Thanks also for your sharing.

Talent and generosity... you're great (it's not the same for my english speaking)

[scismgenie]

@quincy451 Wow Ti 99/4a used to have one of those....Basic/Basic.

[DavidCKendall]

X- L- NT!....ya killed me....

[rhinowwj]

Oh man, I dig. Thanks.

[Leojk87]

BJ Armstrong :D