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  #1  
Old 11-25-2012, 12:44 PM
1camper 1camper is offline
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Default John Hiatt fans?

Hi guitar folk,

I'm brand new to this forum and I'm interested in figuring out some of John's latest stuff or anything off of Delbert McClinton's "Acquired Taste", I'm just a strummer/singer so just the chord progressions would be helpful.. any other Hiatt/McClinton fans out there?

Thanks in advance!
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Old 11-25-2012, 04:54 PM
kerrinsdad kerrinsdad is offline
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First of all, welcome to the AGF!
you will find many great folks and much good info here....
try this as a starting point
http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/searc...lue=john+hiatt

I am also a huge Hiatt fan and I go here for a starting point quite frequently. Good luck.
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Old 11-25-2012, 07:46 PM
1camper 1camper is offline
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Thanks, I should've been more specific, this is one I'd like to learn:

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=UL7Xc...%3DUL7XcfhRrBQ


I think I saw "Adios to California" but not much of the new stuff. Also want to learn "Wood Chipper" a perfect Hiatt song, imho.. I just learned "When we ran", I do like the old stuff. He's just about my favorite singer/songwriter.
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Old 11-26-2012, 08:51 PM
jseth jseth is offline
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Another Hiatt fan... have loved his songs since the mid-70's, when a lady singer/guitarist friend would do his tunes with her band... The first 2 songs of his that I ever heard were "One More Time" and "Heavy Tears", both from his pre-sobriety days...

I still do "One More Time", occasionally, when I perform... it's a good, uptempo tune that revolves around a nicely voiced E major chord, at least the way I do it!

Haven't heard anything from his last couple records, though... although, for me, his benchmark record was "Bring the Family", with Ry Cooder, Nick Lowe and Jim Keltner...

In any case, John's tunes aren't usually all that complex; he has the knack for writing fairly simple songs that stick in my head! Just try sitting down with a recording of the tune and piece it together, the old fashioned way... start by figuring out the key it's in, then move on to the chords... always helps me to write the lyrics down, longhand... usually, by the time I've actually learned the song, I REALLY KNOW IT! Good luck with it, and thanks for keeping a songwriter's work alive and "out there"...

Welcome to the Forum, 1camper, and it's nice to know there are more Hiatt fans aboard!!!

play on...................................>

John Seth Sherman
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Old 11-28-2012, 07:43 PM
1camper 1camper is offline
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Thanks John! I think the Ry Cooder record was "Little Village", is was also the name of the band at the time. Good stuff. I dont think I've heard either of the tunes you mentioned. I learned one called "A Crazy Girl is Hard to Find" from that era.

The last few records have been outstanding. I can't find the song to post but here are the words to "Woodchipper". It's a murder ballad in the "LA County" tradition but written from the perspective of the murdered, after the fact. It has everything a great Hiatt song should have. Tragedy, irony, comedy..

"
Well, I'm from the Midwest I know enough to cut a path Around a wood chipper

And be careful Of any conversation A man starts by callin' you skipper

'Cause there ain't no ocean 'round here Though a lotta little lakes where you could disappear I wonder what the fish are bitin' on today, Jimmy

She told me not To follow her down here Said he was crazy about her

I guess I didn't know What that meant Just knew I couldn't do without her

Then I seen 'em through the window sash He had a Forty four pistol and a bag of cash And she was foldin' some kinda pretty note paper into her breast pocket

What some people won't do, to break up a happy home What some people won't do, to break up a happy home

Well, I got the picture A temporary love shack In the middle of no place

They were plannin' On usin' that cash To get away bold-faced

Now how long did they think they could stay The troopers and the Marshall's surely on their way I ran through the yard and I banged my knee on his wood chipper [ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsfreak.com/j/john+hiatt/

wood+chipper_21044388.html ] I was screamin' like a baby She appeared at the window He opened the door

And when I looked up He said "Skipper What're you doin' here for"

One bullet to the head Before I hit the ground I was dead I guess I'm tellin' you this before you go fishin' now, Jimmy

What some people won't do, break up a happy home What some people won't do, break up a happy home What some people won't do, to break up a happy home What some people won't do, to break up a happy home

Never found my body But they killed 'em in a shoot out Five miles down the road

They found that note paper In her breast pocket Thought it was somethin' written in code

But it was part of a letter set I'd got her for Christmas ten years ago I'd bet She used to just use the paper for her grocery list (And it read)

Eggs Hamburger meat Bread Funyuns Orange drink Toilet paper Tidy Bowl Pickles Little Debbie Snack Cakes

What some people won't do, break up a happy home What some people won't do, to break up a happy home What some people won't do, to break up a happy home What some people won't do, break up a happy home"
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Old 11-28-2012, 07:49 PM
1camper 1camper is offline
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Oh you're right, Cooder did both records.. I had to look it up. It's real hard for me to pick a favorite record. But I love the fact that his songs are simple and fun to play. Lyrics are great too.
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Old 12-01-2012, 07:00 PM
Laughingboy68 Laughingboy68 is offline
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I don't find Hiatt tunes to be simple. It's one of his special talents to make songs that appear simple but have cool twists in melody, rhythm and harmony.

Even a simple song like Cry Love, which if memory serves just repeats 4 chords for verse and chorus, has great rhythmic twists and turns.

My favourite albums are Bring the Family (with Cooder, Lowe and Keltner) and Slow Turning (with Sonny Landreth).

I used to play at least half a dozen Hiatt tunes in open E (Memphis in the Meantime, Have a Little Faith, Learning How to Love You, Thing Called Love, Tennessee Plates...) I know J.H. doesn't play in that tuning but I'm pretty sure Landreth used to use it quite a bit. Had the pleasure of meeting Sonny at a show at the Rock 'n' Bowl in New Orleans a while ago and he was the most gracious, down-to-earth and genuinely sweet guy. Not to mention an absolute monster on stage.

Mike
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