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My band will be learning "Ferry Cross The Mersey" by Gerry & The Pacemakers this week. I'ver always liked that song. My other guitarist says the verses go from E to Bm. I say it's E to D. Anyone know for sure? I actually emailed Gerry himself to see if I could get a response. I'd appreciate any help I can get here too.

What i found here (warning: too many popping up windows with advertisement):
Ferry Across The Mersey
Gerry & The Pacemakers
E B
Life goes on day after day
E B
Hearts torn in every way
-------------------------------------------------------------
E Ab
So ferry 'cross the Mersey
A B
'cause this land's the place I love
E
and here I'll stay
-------------------------------------------------------------
E B
People they rush everywhere
E B
Each with their own secret care
-------------------------------------------------------------
E Ab
So ferry 'cross the Mersey
A B
and always take me there
E
The place I love
------------------------------------------------------------
F# E
People around every corner
F# E
They seem to smile and say
F# Ab
We don't care what your name is boy
A B
We'll never turn you away
------------------------------------------------------------
E B
So I'll continue to say
E B
Here I always will stay
E Ab
So ferry 'cross the Mersey
A B
'cause this land's the place I love
------------------------------------------------------------
E B (to end)
and here I'll stay
and here I'll stay
Here I'll stay

And here's the other one, but frankly i doubt it's correct.
(and personally, i thought it was E to F... i mean F which looks like a E moved up a fret but without barre... but i must say, i am really lousy at music theory, and not much better at practice... EDIT: oops, i mean a G, moved up three frets, but what could i know?!)

The verses are most definitely E-D. A cool mixolydian vibe.

Chorus is E - G#m - F#m - B7.

Yep! I'm with you, JB.

I agree. JB has it right. E to Bm is not even close sorry to say.

For the verse, I've always hit the open low E string, the E barred on the 7th fret (like an open A), the removed the fingers that make up the "open A" factor so that you have a barre straight across the 7th fret (that would be the D-ish chord) and backstroke on the high E string.

It's simpler than I've made it sound!

I cannot believe that I did not take notice of this discussion before.

I arranged for Ferry Cross The Mersey at our jam session today and in preparation reviewed by notes and noted the chord pattern in the verse shifting from E to Bm7. After playing it, I then listened to the original recording and found that the chord Bm was incorrect.

At our session today we decided that D major was closer to the truth. Is was surprised that this song was already discussed here. I agree completely that the E to D is the chord change along with the guitar riff.

I have been playing this song incorrectly for more than 40 years! Well better late than never. Now, what else have I been playing incorrectly?

I've been playing it as Mr. Juden describes, since 1964 or '65, or whenever it first came out. Upstroke on the two high strings of "D" at the end of each two-chord phrase for that little extra bit of tang.

admin wrote:I cannot believe that I did not take notice of this discussion before.

I arranged for Ferry Cross The Mersey at our jam session today and in preparation reviewed by notes and noted the chord pattern in the verse shifting from E to Bm7. After playing it, I then listened to the original recording and found that the chord Bm was incorrect.

At our session today we decided that D major was closer to the truth. Is was surprised that this song was already discussed here. I agree completely that the E to D is the chord change along with the guitar riff.

I have been playing this song incorrectly for more than 40 years! Well better late than never. Now, what else have I been playing incorrectly?

Well Peter, it's actually not that far off - in fact, it's not wrong.

The notes of a D chord are D - F# - A.
The notes of a Bm7 chord are B - D - F# - A.

The kicker is what note the bassist is playing - it's gotta be a D, making the chord Bm7/D, or Bm7 first inversion.

So, you can keep on playing it the way you've been playing it - just make sure that the bass player is going E - D, not E - B.

sloop_john_b wrote:

admin wrote:

So, you can keep on playing it the way you've been playing it - just make sure that the bass player is going E - D, not E - B.

Yep, gotta keep those pesky bass players in line ya know.

I don't know the song, but if it's DF#AB I might call it D6, a contemporary piece of nomenclature.

jdogric12aolcom wrote:I don't know the song

Here you go:

jdogric12aolcom wrote:I don't know the song, but if it's DF#AB I might call it D6, a contemporary piece of nomenclature.

Or is that F# minor aug 5 add 11? I'm so confused.....

ha ha - you'll be sorry you asked!

aug 5 of F# would be C##, not D. D is a m6 of F#, and like the add 11 (B) has no function in this example, so... no, it's not. Sick of me yet?

And yes, double sharps are real...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accidental_(music)

jdogric12aolcom wrote:aug 5 of F# would be C##, not D. D is a m6 of F#, and like the add 11 (B) has no function in this example, so... no, it's not. Sick of me yet?