Forum - Banjo Ben Clark

Bill Monroe For Breakfast Break Questions

#1

Question for the Group, I have been learning the Bag-O-Licks and I would like to apply them to a song I am learning. I’d like to create a break for Bill Monroe For Breakfast by Tom T Hall. My question is twofold… First, Should I create the break using the Verse or the Chorus? Secondly, it uses an E7. Can I substitute an “E” instead in this instance?

Here is the chording for it…
BILL MONROE FOR BREAKFAST TOM T. HALL
(A) When I was just a little boy, we (D) lived down on a (A) farm
Seven miles from nowhere and a hundred miles from (E7) harm
We (A) made our livin’ from the dirt, if (D) anything would Agrow
And we got our country music from a (E7) big old radio (A). And;
CHORUS
We had (D) Bill Monroe for breakfast ev’ry (A) day
Then we’d head out to the fields, a-hoein’ corn and mowin’ (E7) hay
Aw! (A) mama loved his singin’, daddy (D) loved to hear him (A) play
And we had Bill Monroe for (E7) breakfast ev’ry (A) day.
Thanks!
Mark Porter

#2

Sounds like they use the chorus for the break on the recording.

Generally speaking…yes you can substitute a straight V chord for the V7 in a song like this…it’s a taste thing…

#3

Hi I am no expert on this and if I am wrong someone will surely correct me.

In the Bag-O-Licks lesson Ben is playing in the Key of G.

G being the I chord or root, C being the IV chord, D being the V chord and D7 being the V7 chord

If you place a capo on the second fret and retune your 5th string to A. Using the same chord shapes as G you’ll be playing in the key of A.

A being the I chord, D being the IV chord, E being the V chord and E7 is the V7 chord just like your D7 in open G just moved up 2 frets. Can you substitute E for E7 ? Yes you can so long as it sounds right.

Incidentally I do it all the time because I love the fuller sound of the Major Chord .

#4

He’s on mando for this one.

#5

Perhaps this will help, @Mark1

#6

Ben, thank you very much! That is awesome!

1 Like
#7

Dah! Really ???

Don’t confuse me. I thought this was a BANJO website.