Cattle in the Cane Key?

[Mr. Jelly]

I am embarrassed to ask about this but here goes. Cattle in the Cane is a fiddle tune that the A section is said to be in the key of A. But in my rudimentary knowledge of theory the song structure doesn't fit the key of A. I can play it solo and it works but it bugs me when I go to expand on it. Like I don't trust what's going on. The B section makes sense but the A section keeps me guessing so I thought I'd ask.

A / A / G / G
A / A / G / E-A


https://www.flatpick.com/category_s/2127.htm

Thanks

[Earl49]

A large majority of the time (~97%) the chord that a song resolves to at the end of a verse or chorus is the "key". In your example, I would call it the key of A because of the E-A finish. But this song uses G as a borrowed chord - not really in the key of A.

Another classic example is "Rocky Top". In the key of G, it uses an F chord in the chorus ("home sweet home...") which is "borrowed" from another key and not normally part of G sequences -- aka G-C-D. Make sense? Full disclosure: I am unburdened by formal music education and learned on the streets.

[L20A]

The Fiddle and Mandolin players, play the song in the Key of A but Guitar Players capo up 2 and play G position chords.
The G-2 position is now playing in the key of A.
Is this what you are asking?

[OKCtodd71]

I can neither hear nor read the words "Cattle in the Cane" without thinking of Norman Blake's take on it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5mKo0aZ0wY

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by Mr. Jelly

I am embarrassed to ask about this but here goes. Cattle in the Cane is a fiddle tune that the A section is said to be in the key of A. But in my rudimentary knowledge of theory the song structure doesn't fit the key of A. I can play it solo and it works but it bugs me when I go to expand on it. Like I don't trust what's going on. The B section makes sense but the A section keeps me guessing so I thought I'd ask.

A / A / G / G
A / A / G / E-A


https://www.flatpick.com/category_s/2127.htm

Thanks

The technical term you want is "mixolydian mode". Mixolydian is "the major scale with flat 7", and is extremely common in folk music, especially of British or Irish origin, which is course where most US folk music comes from. It's common in rock too.

If the E chord was major, then that would make it "mode mixture", but that chord is quick and there is no G# in the melody at that point.