I’m back after the longest break from making these videos that I have ever taken. I have never been so busy in my entire life. It was fun having some projects to work on, but I’m glad that everything has slowed down enough for me to get back to my first love.

The song is a request and as always, I am happy to oblige.

Have fun with Black Velvet Band and remember that the frailing banjo strum is “strike, bush-thumb, brush-thumb.”

Black Velvet Band (PDF)

BLACK VELVET BAND

In a [G]neat little [C]town they call [G]Belfast, apprenticed to [C]trade I was [D7]bound,

And [G]many an hour’s sweet [Em]happiness, have I [C]spent in that [D7]neat little [G]town.

A sad [C]misfortune came [G]over me, which caused me to [C]stray from the [D7]land,

Far [G]away from me friends and [Em]relations, [C]betrayed by the [D7]black velvet [G]band.

Her eyes they [C]shone like [G]diamonds, you’d think she was [C]queen of the [D7]land,

And her [G]hair hung over her [Em]shoulders, tied [C]up with a [D7]black velvet [G]band.

As I went strolling down Broadway not meaning to go very far
When I met with a fickle some damsel she was selling her trades at the bar
When a watch she took from her pocket and placed it right into my hand
And the law came in put me in prison, bad luck to her black velvet band.

Chorus

Next morning before judge and the jury, for trial I had to appear
The judge he says “Young fellow the case against you is quite clear.
And seven long years is your sentence, you’re going to Van Damien’s land
Far away from your friends and relations, Betrayed by the black velvet band.”

Chorus

So come all you jolly young fellows, a warning take by me,
When you are out on the liquor, me lads, beware of the pretty colleens.
They’ll feed you with strong drink, me lads,’till you are unable to stand,
And the very first thing that you know me lads, you’ve landed in Van Diemen’s Land.

My wife was kind enough to get me a third camera I wanted, so I thought I would try it out with an easy song to start off with. I’ll Tell Me Ma is great song to try on frailing banjo. I really feel that the song was perfectly made for playing frailing / clawhammer banjo. Try it out and have fun with it!

I’ll Tell Me Ma(PDF)

I’LL TELL ME MA

I’ll [G]tell me ma when I go home,

The [D7]boys won’t leave the [G]girls alone,

They pulled me hair and stole me comb,

But [D7]that’s alright ’till [G]I go home,

She is handsome [C]she is pretty,

[G]She is the belle of [D7]Belfast city,

[G]She is a courtin’ [C]one two three,

[G]Please won’t you [D7]tell me who is [G]she.

Albert Mooney says he loves her,
All the boys are fightin’ for her,
They knock at the door and they ring at the bell,
Saying Hello me true love, are you well?
Out she comes, white as snow,
Rings on her fingers, bells on her toes,
Ould Johnny Morrissey says she’ll die,
If she doesn’t get the fella with the rovin’ eye.

(Chorus)

Let the wind and the rain and the hail blow high,
And the snow come travellin’ through the sky,
She’s as sweet as apple pie,
She’ll get her own lad by and by.
When she gets a lad of her own,
She won’t tell her ma when she gets home.
Let them all come as they will,
For it’s Albert Mooney she loves still.