Annotation:Greasy String (2)

---

X:1 T:Greasy String [2] S:Ernie Carpenter M:C| L:1/8 R:Reel N:AEae tuning (fiddle) D: F:https://www.slippery-hill.com/recording/greasy-string Z:Transcribed by Andrew Kuntz K:Amix |:[A,2E2]-|[A,2E2]aa a3f|e[c2e2]c[c2e2]([ce](3d/c/B/)|[A2A2][A2a2] [A3b3]b|[A2f2][A4e4][ce]-| [ee]a2 a3f|e[c2e2]c[c2e2][cf]f|e2cB AcBA|(F[A2A2])A [A2A2]:| |:[A,2E2]-|[E2A2] AA [ce]B[ce]c|e2[E4c4][E2A2]-|[E2B2][EB][Ec] [EB][EA][EA][EB]|c2[B4e4][A,2E2]-| [E2A2] [EA][EA] ([EB][Ec])[ce][ce]|e2[A4c4][Af][Af]| [A2e2][Ac][AB] AcBA|F[A2A2]A [A2A2]:||

---

GREASY STRING [2]. American, Reel (cut time). A Major (Jarrell): A Mixolydian (Carpenter). AEae tuning (fiddle). ABB (Jarrell): AABB (Carpenter). Mt. Airy, North Carolina, fiddler Tommy Jarrell [1] (1901-1985) sang a verse with "mash down harder on that greasy string." The high part of the tune is related to "Shoot that Turkey Buzzard," while the low part closely resembles "Cripple Creek." Jarrell learned the tune from his Uncle Charlie Jarrell, though he was the only one Tommy remembers playing it (Tommy's version is very similar to Taylor Kimble's). Words are sometimes sung to the tune (by Jarrell, among others):

Run little feet, stop and sing,
Mash down harder on the greasy string

Jay bird whistles and the cat bird sings
Mash down harder on the greasy string.

My old lady is mad at me,
'Cause I won't drink ginger tea;
She is good, she is bad,
She gives me the devil when she gets mad.