After playing with it for many years, I came up with a few subtle twists to make it "More Byrds".
A very cool intro, featuring a nice harmony guitar line from Crosby, the last part of the intro on the 12 string is actually quite tricky, unless your especially good with "pull-offs". All on the D string, goes G F# E D D. This is quite a bit tougher that what it sounds like on the record, mainly because pull-offs are VERY DIFFICULT on a 12 string Guitar!!
Interestingly, Roger does NOT do this last part of the riff on the outro, but rather Chris is the star here, closing the tune with a nice slide up on the Bass from the tonic to the 3rd-D to F#
OK- during the verse, what I've always done, is go from a straight D chord, to the "McGuinn/Poison" C.
What's a McGuinn/Poison C???
It looks like this:
X32020.
Looking like a "Shrunken G chord", this is a C add D, and the reason for the goofy moniker is because there are always two songs that come to mind when I think of this chord: "Chimes of freedom", and "Give me something to believe in" by Brett Michaels.
Stephanie is now shaking her head in disgust and shame.
This is a prevalent chord in BOTH folk and rock music, and is a conerstone chord in these two songs:
"I'm your captain"-Grand Funk
"Waiting on a friend"-Stones
It also sounds WONDERFUL in the Tim Hardin/Bobby Darrin classic: "If I were a carpenter".
Well; after playing with TWTAAH, I decided to take it even a step further. Let's take a piece of the first verse:
"Well, if you think she's everything you could want"
Try this: XX0232 X30020 X30010 XX0232
This second chord now is STILL a C add D, but now the D is more dominant by having your D string OPEN. After that, and right before you resolve back to the D chord, is the 4th chord pictured; kind of a "Broken C".
THESE TWO MIDDLE CHORDS ARE LIKE PLAYING BANJO CHORDS ON A 12 STRING GUITAR, and if you have your Crosby play a "Straight C" during this part, the counterpoint will be nothing short of delightful, and add to the "Effervescence" of Gene's wonderful tune.
And of course, obviously, play with your suspended 2nd's and 4th's during all the "D" ,"A", & "C" chord sections. You'll hear it plain as day by listening to the recording.
Also; turn off the right side, and you'll get just David & Chris, which is real helpful in learning the respective parts.
Actually, I think Crosby plays some pretty lackluster guitar on this song; a bit sloppy, "Bashing", "Twonky", etc.
The track would have sounded nicer, and Gene's point put across better, if the Crosby part was played more fluidly, and not quite so "Jerky & Staccato".
At the end, on the left channel, you can hear David crank up the volume right before his outro line. A real testament to the lack of tracks available in thos days!!
At the same time, I think a big part of The Byrds sound was the fact that they played all together when they recorded their wonderful songs.
And as always, a great rule of thumb; when Roger would play the sus4, David would usually drop to a sus2. This is all over "All I really want to do", "The bells of Rhymney", etc.
Now, UNLIKE THE POST I MADE ABOUT KEEPING YOUR HILLMAN "RIDING THE A" DURING THE OUTRO OF "I'LL FEEL A WHOLE LOT BETTER", MAKE SURE CHRIS' PART DOES DROP TO A C DURING THE VERSE HERE.
Otherwise it will be "TOO Raga", and sound like "Tomorrow never knows"!!!
Enjoy; I think you'll find that these subtle chord variations will really make the tune take off.
Christian
"The Walrus was Crosby"
