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Guitar chord forum - chordie → Song requests → Struggling With a Jethro Tull Tune
I've been struggling trying to figure out a Tull tune, which was added as a "bonus track" to the "Heavy Horses" CD release. It's called "Living in These Hard Times", and is listed as Track #10 on the CD. The verses are okay, but the chorus is messing me up. Haven't found it on-line anywhere, but I'm hoping someone in the forum can help me along. Another striking thing about the song is just how relevant the lyrics are for today, let alone the 70's.
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QllVrxr3u_s
The structure of the song is unusual, so I'm not 100% sure what you mean by the chorus.
The opening verse is a (using 8 count) D-D-G-D-C-C-D-D pattern.
If by "chorus" you're referring to the part which runs from 0:25 to 0:36 (for example), then I hear Bb, Eb and Ab following the same pattern as the opening verse, i.e. something like:
Bb-Bb-Eb-Bb-Ab-Ab-Bb-Bb
Does that help?
Thanks, Astro ...
The "chorus" I would think is the section that repeats after each verse, beginning with "Well the fly's in the milk, the cat's in the stew ... etc." I had the main verse pretty much as you have, but was missing some of the flat structure you have. Yup .. Ian and the boys like to mix up the chords and time signatures, and the three Songs From the Wood, Heavy Horses, and Stormwatch albums are full of odd stuff. Thanks for giving it a listen and for your help ... much obliged!
Sorry I wasn't clear: I know what A chorus is. I just couldn't pick out THE chorus from this song because of its unusual structure. I guess I didn't listen far enough in to where I picked up on repeating lyrics.
I'll give it another listen and see what happens.
EDIT: Holy Moley! I can see why you're having trouble with it. The syncopated time signature is really messing with my ear. Let me study this one and see what I can come up with.
OK Funster, I think I got everything except the last chord. Try this:
(Between 0:49 – 1:03 in the video.)
Well the (F)fly's ... (C)milk ... (Bb)cat's ... (C)stew.
Another (F)bun . . . (C)oven (G7)oh ... do?
We'll (F)laugh ... (C)sing (Bb)and try to (C)bring
... (F)pound ... (C)pocket. Good (G)day to (C)you.
Oh these (?*)hard times.
* = I can hear the notes in the last chord but can't find it on the fretboard. Maybe somebody else can.
It's probably more complicated than that, but if you're playing solo, those will work as a fake. Good luck.
Wow ... nicely done ... many thanks!
You're right about the odd time signature, and it would be crazy trying to drum with it, I'm sure. There's a site that features pretty well every Tull tune (www.tullianos.com/tullguitarpage/menu) which is based out of Spain. Even they don't have this one licked yet, so you win a prize 
Thanks again.
sorry TF but if you listen to the tambourine in-stead of the drums you will see that it's actually in common time 4/4. i'd be more concerned about the key changes. the drum pattern is just a rhythm thing, ian anderson does it a lot.
i gave up trying to play jethro tull stuff years ago, i just sit back and enjoy it now....let the mysteries engulf me in a blissful funk of folk/rock euphoria.
Thanks, Phill ... I have hereby bared my soul to the fact that I don't play drums (hahaha). The key changes in much of Tull's music is what I like about it, i.e., it's interesting. They are - one could say - a group which have created their own niche.
I recall that they won a Grammy for best Heavy Metal Band one year, with Metallica also in the running!!! There were lots of puzzled looks connected to that strange incident. The following year, Metalllica won the award, and the person making the acceptance speech began by saying, "We're glad Jethro Tull didn't put out an album this past year." Everyone had lots of fun with it, and it goes to show that award placement isn't the well-defined process one might hope for.
your right, the beatles (back in the 60's) won all the awards, they were a great band, but individually they weren't the best that were around. george harrison won best guitarist for several years, when you had the likes of clapton and hendrix around.
ian anderson of tull would admit that they were a folk/rock band, not heavy metal. they probably got that label form using a heavily distorted rocky sounding guitar in their music. along with a flute and acoustic guitars! tull have always been known for their complex arrangements, how they remember all the changes is beyond me. and they are still touring...
they began life as a blues band. i have a DVD of their appearance at the isle of wight in 1970, and it's very bluesy. as you may have guessed, i'm a life-long tull fan, also beatle fan and yes too.
lost the plot now, what were we talking about?
Good stuff about Jethro Tull, Phill ...
Speaking of the blues background, their DVD from the 2003 Montreux Jazz Festival features two opening numbers with Ian playing some respectable harmonica on tunes from their earliest days. I've been a Tull fan since mid-teen (now 55), and love both Ian and Martin's guitar styles even though quite distinct. In various interviews, they've been joking about the Metallica award ever since it happened (late-70's, if memory serves). It's unfortunate that time and illness have taken their toll on Ian's vocal register (like it does with all of us!). His vocals on "Big Dipper" are especially expressive and enjoyable, and the "growl" he once had is sorely missed.
Is this even remotely related to what we were talking about?
Guitar chord forum - chordie → Song requests → Struggling With a Jethro Tull Tune
