Lately I’ve been trying to figure out quite a lot of songs on the harmonica. These are the ones I’ve transcribed so far. 1 means blow the first hole; *1 means suck that hole. %1 means suck it and bend it. These are my interpretations only, and I’m not really one of the world’s greatest musicians so don’t be surprised if some of this stuff is totally wrong. For the most part these are based purely on a song’s vocal line.
White Cockade
(aka Blue Cockade)
traditional
4 4 5 6 6 6*5 5 4 *5 *5 5 *4 4 It's true my love's enlisted, and he wears a white cockade 4 4 5 6 6 6 *5 5 6 *6 6 *5 5 6 He is a handsome young man, likewise a roving blade 4 4 5 6 6 6 *5 5 6 *6 6 *5 *4 5 He is a handsome young man, most right to serve the king *5 *5 6 6 (6 6 *5 5 *4 4 Oh my very (oh my-y ve-ery) *5 5 *6*6 (*4 *4 4 *3 3 Oh my very (oh my-y ve-ery) 5 6 6 *5 5 4 *5 *5 5 *4 4 Heart is breaking, all for the loss of him
Greenland Whale Fisheries
traditional
3 4 4 3 4 *4 5 *4 4 They took us jolly sail-o-or lads *4 5 *5 5 *4 4 *4 A--a-fishing fo-or a whale 5 *5 6 5 *4 4 5 *5 5 *4 4 *3 3 On the fourth day of August in eighteen-sixty-fo-our 4 *4 5 4 *3 *4 4 Bound for Greenland we set sail
Holy Ground
traditional
4 *4 5 6 6 5 *4 4*4 4 Fare thee well me lovely Dinah *4 5 6 6 5 *4 4 A thousand times adieu 5 *5 6 *6 *7 7 *7 We are saying goodbye to the holy ground *6 6 5 4 5 *4 And the girls we all love true 4 *4 5 6 6 5 *4 4 *4 4 We will sail the salt seas o-o-ver 5 6 *6 *7 7 *7 And then return to sho-ore *7 7 *7 *6 6 *6 6 5 But still we live in hopes to see *4 5 6 6 5 *4 4 The holy ground once more.
Tongue Tasters
4 *4 4 5 5 4 4 3 I saw you necking with a boy, 4 *4 4 6 6 6 *6 6 5 I saw you necking with a bo-oy. 6 6 *6 6 5 Under the streetlights! 4 *4 4 5 4 3 I hope his tongue tastes nice. 4 *4 4 5 5 5 4 I hope his tongue taste ni-ice.
Grey Funnel Line
4 4 6 6 5 5 *4 4 5 Don't mind the rain or the ro-olling sea 4 4 6 6 5 4 *4 5 *4 The weary night never worries me 4 4 4 6 6 5 5 *4 4 5 But the hardest time in a sa-ailor's day *4 4 *3 3 3 3 *3 4 4 Is to watch the sun as it dies away. *4 4 *3 3 4 *4 5 5 *4 4 Here's one more day on the Grey Funnel Line.
Nobody Knows
traditional
5 3 *3 4 *4 5 5 *4 5 Nobody knows the trouble I've seen 5 3 *3 4 *4 4 *3 3 Nobody knows my so-or-row. 5 3 *3 4 *4 5 5 *4 5 Nobody knows the trouble I've seen 5 4 5 *4 4 *3 3 Glory Hallelu-u-jah.
Oh! Get Me Away from Here, I’m Dying
6 5 *5 6*5 5 *4 4 *4 5 Oh! Get me away from here, I'm dying. 4 *4 5 *4 4 5 *3 4 Play me a song to set me free; *34 4 3 4 4 3 *3 4 4 *4 *4 5 5 *5 6 Nobody writes them like they used to, so it may as well be me 5 *5 6 *5 5 *4 4 *4 5 Here on my own now after hours 4 *4 5 *4 4 5 4 *4 Here on my own now on a bus *34 4 3 4 4 3 *3 4 4 *4 *4 5 5 *5 6 Think of it this way: You could either be successful or be us 6 6 *5 5 *5 *5 6 With our winning smiles, and u-us 6 6 6 *5 5 *5 6 With our catchy tunes, oh us 6 6 6 *5 5 *5 *5 6 6 *5 5 *5 *5 5 *4 4 Now we're photogenic you know we don't stand a cha-ance.
Nice Time
3 4 *4 5 *5 6 5 4 Long time, we no have no nice time 5 *4 4 %3 *5 5 *4 4 *4 5 Do you dood-n-doo yeah think about that? 3 4 *4 5 *5 6 5 4 Long time, we no have no nice time 5 *4 4 %3 *5 5 *4 4 *4 4 Do you dood-n-doo yeah think about that? 4 4 *4 5 *4 5 4 3 This is my hea-art to rock you steady 4 4 *6 6 4*4 5 4 3 I'll bring you love any time you're ready. *5 *5 *5 5 5 *4 *4 4 5 5 This little heart in me just won't let me be! *5 *5 5 5 5 *4 *4 *4 5 *5 I'm just rocking now. Won't you rock with me? 3 4 *4 5 *5 6 5 4 Long time, we no have no nice time 5 *4 4 %3 *5 5 *4 4 *4 4 Do you dood-n-doo yeah think about that?
Mingulay Boat Song
3 *3 4 4 6 5 5 *4 4 What care we tho' white the Minch is 5 *4 4 *4 *4 4 5 *4 4 *3 3 What care we for wind and weather? 3 *3 4 4 6 5 5 *4 4 Let her go boys, every inch is 5 *4 4 *4 *4 4 5*4*34 Wearing homeward to Mingulay!