Soldier's Joy

Music:  Traditional American

 

This Civil War tune dates from 1864.  There are several versions where people have added lyrics, but the sheer joy of the tune is enough to me.  I have included three tabs below so you can pick one to your liking.  Jay Buckey also has arrangements on his site jaybuckey.com.

 

1.  Soldier's Joy Guitar Tab by Ken Brooks

[www.strumhollow.com/tab/soliders-joy/soldiers-joy-guitar.htm]

 

Tuning : F# B E A C# F#       Time Signature: 4/4

 

  |       |       |       |          |       |       |       |        

|----------------------------------||---------------------------------|

|----------------------------------|*---------------------------------|

|-------------------------0---2----||0---------------0----------------|

|----------------------------------||--------2---------------2--------|

|----------------------------------|*---------------------------------|

|----------------------------------||---------------------------------|

 

  |       |       |       |          |       |       |       |        

|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|

|-----------------1----------------|----------------------------------|

|-0-------2---------------0---2----|-0---------------0----------------|

|----------------------------------|---------2---------------2--------|

|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|

|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|

 

  |       |       |       |          |       |       |       |        

|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|

|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|

|-------------------------0---2----|-0---------------0----------------|

|-0-------0---2---0----------------|---------2---------------2--------|

|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|

|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|

 

  |       |       |       |          |       |       |       |        

|----------------------------------|-0-------0-----------0-----------||

|-----------------1-------3--------|-----------------3-------3-------||

|-0-------2------------------------|---------------------------------||

|----------------------------------|---------------------------------||

|----------------------------------|---------------------------------||

|----------------------------------|---------------------------------||

 

>1|       |       |       |        >2|       |       |       |         

|---------------------------------||----------------------------------|

|-1-------1---1---1---------------*|-1-------1---1---1----------------|

|-------------------------0---2---||-------------------------0--------|

|---------------------------------||----------------------------------|

|---------------------------------*|----------------------------------|

|---------------------------------||----------------------------------|

 

  |       |       |       |          |       |       |       |        

||--------0-------3-------0--------|-------------0---1---0------------|

|*1--------------------------------|-3-------3---------------3--------|

||---------------------------------|----------------------------------|

||---------------------------------|----------------------------------|

|*---------------------------------|----------------------------------|

||---------------------------------|----------------------------------|

 

  |       |       |       |          |       |       |       |        

|-0-------0---1---3-------0--------|----------------------------------|

|-----3----------------------------|-3-------0------------------------|

|----------------------------------|-----------------0----------------|

|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|

|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|

|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|

 

  |       |       |       |          |       |       |       |        

|---------0-------3-------0--------|-------------0---1---0------------|

|-1--------------------------------|-3-------3---------------3--------|

|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|

|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|

|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|

|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|

 

  |       |       |       |        >1|       |       |       |        

|-0-------0-----------0-----------||---------------------------------||

|-----------------3-------3-------||-1-------1---1---1---------------*|

|---------------------------------||-------------------------0-------||

|---------------------------------||---------------------------------||

|---------------------------------||---------------------------------*|

|---------------------------------||---------------------------------||

 

>2|       |       |       |        

|----------------------------------|

|-1--------------------------------|

|---------0------------------------|

|----------------------------------|

|-----------------3----------------|

|----------------------------------|

 

 

 

2.  Soldier's Joy Guitar Tab by Mike Wright

[www.raccoonbend.com/flatpick/tablature/soldier1.html]

 

This is what I think of as the basic version of the song, using arpeggios in measures 1, 3, and 5 of Part A.

 

Lots of folks play this in D without a capo, but I play it with C fingering, with the capo on the 2nd fret. This makes the arpeggios a bit harder, but it makes the rest of the tune easier.

 

Capo on 2 - Medium speed

 

Pick-up measure

  N/C

  |   |   |   |

|-----------------|

|-------------1---|

|---------------2-|

|-----------------|

|-----------------|

|-----------------|

 

Part A                                                  G7(A7)

  C(D)                                                 h_

1 |   |   |   |   2 |   |   |   |   3 |   |   |   |   4 |   |   |   |

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----1---1---1---|-----------------|-------------1---|

|*0-------0-------|-0-------------2-|-0-------0-------|---------------2-|

|*--2---2---2---2-|-----------------|---2---2---2---2-|23---0---0-------|

|-----3-------3---|-----------------|-----3-------3---|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

 

                                                      _1________________

  C(D)                                                  G7(A7)  C(D)

5 |   |   |   |   6 |   |   |   |   7 |   |   |   |   8 |   |   |   |

|-----------------|-----------------|-0-3-0-----1-0---|---0-------------|

|-----------------|-----1---1---1-3-|-------1-3-----3-|-1---3-0-1---1---|

|-0-------0-------|-0---------------|-----------------|---------------2*|

|---2---2---2---2-|-----------------|-----------------|----------------*|

|-----3-------3---|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

 

_2________________

  G7(A7)  C(D)

16|   |   |   |

|---0-------------|

|-1---3-0-1-------|

|-----------------|

|-----------------|

|-----------------|

|-----------------|

 

Part B

  C(D)              F(G)              C(D)              G7(A7)

17|   |   |   |  18 |   |   |   |  19 |   |   |   |  20 |   |   |   |

|-0---0-1-3-5-3-0-|-------0-1-3-1---|-0---0-1-3-5-3-0-|---0-------------|

|-----------------|-3-1-3---------3-|---3-------------|-3---3-1-0-------|

|*----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------2-0---|

|*----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

 

                                                      

  C(D)              F(G)              C(D)    G7(A7)    C(D)

21|   |   |   |  22 |   |   |   |  23 |   |   |   |  24 |   |   |   |

|-0---0-1-3-5-3-0-|-------0-1-3-1---|-0-----0---------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-3-1-3---------3-|---3-1---3-1-0-3-|-1---------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---2-0----------*|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------2--------*|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------3-------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

 

 

====================

== TABLATURE KEY  ==

====================

____________________

         h_

---------23--------   Sixteenth-note hammer-on

 

 

3.  Soldier's Joy Guitar Tab by Joe Carr/Bo Parker

[arranged by Joe Carr, tabbed by Bo Parker]

 

Pick-up measures

  N/C

  |   |   |   |

|-------------3---|

|-------------0---|

|-----------------|

|-----------------|

|-----------------|

|-----------------|

 

  |   |   |   |     |   |   |   |     |   |   |   |     |   |   |   |

|-3---3-3-3---3-3-|-3---3-3-3---3---|-3---3-3-3---3-3-|-3---3-3-3-------|

|/1---1-1-1---1-1-|-1---1-1-1---0---|/1---1-1-1---1-1-|-1---1-1-1-------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------------0-2-|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

 

Part A

  C                                                     G

1 |   |   |   |   2 |   |   |   |   3 |   |   |   |   4 |   |   |   |

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-1-------1-------|-------0-1-------|-1-------1-------|-----------------|

|-0-------0-------|-0-1-2-------0-2-|-0-------0-------|-------------0-2-|

|-----2-------2---|-----------------|-----2-------2---|-0---------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

 

  C       C9/E      F       F#dim     G7                        C

5 |   |   |   |   6 |   |   |   |   7 |   |   |   |   8 |   |   |   |

|-----------------|-----------------|-0-3-2-3-1-0---1-|-0---------------|

|-1-------1-------|-------0-1-0-1-3-|-------------3---|---1-3-0-1-------|

|-0-------0-------|-0-1-2-----------|-----------------|-------------0-2-|

|-----2-------2---|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

 

  C                                                     G

9 |   |   |   |  10 |   |   |   |  11 |   |   |   |  12 |   |   |   |

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-1-------1-------|-------0-1-------|-1-------1-------|-----------------|

|-0-------0-------|-0-1-2-------0-2-|-0-------0-------|-------------0-2-|

|-----2-------2---|-----------------|-----2-------2---|-0---------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----3-----------|

 

 

 

  C       C9/E      F       F#dim     G7                        C

13|   |   |   |  14 |   |   |   |  15 |   |   |   |  16 |   |   |   |

|-----------------|-----------------|-0-3-2-3-1-0---1-|-0---------------|

|-1-------1-------|-------0-1-0-1-3-|-------------3---|---1-3-0-1-----0-|

|-0-------0-------|-0-1-2-----------|-----------------|-------------2---|

|-----2-------2---|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

 

Part B

  C       C9/E      F       F#dim     C                 G7

17|   |   |   |  18 |   |   |   |  19 |   |   |   |  20 |   |   |   |

|---------3-5-3-0-|-------0-1-3-1-0-|-----0-1-3---0-3-|-1-0-------------|

|-1-3/5-----------|-3-2-3-----------|-1-3-------------|-----3-1-0-1-3-0-|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

 

  C       C9/E      F       F#dim     G7                C

21|   |   |   |  22 |   |   |   |  23 |   |   |   |  24 |   |   |   |

|---------3-5-3-0-|-------0-1-3-1-3-|-0-3-2-3-1-0---1-|-0---------------|

|-1-3/5-----------|-3-2-3-----------|-------------3---|---1-3-0-1-----0-|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------------2---|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

 

  C       C9/E      F       F#dim     C                 G7

25|   |   |   |  26 |   |   |   |  27 |   |   |   |  28 |   |   |   |

|---------3-5-3-0-|-------0-1-3-1-0-|-----0-1-3---0-3-|-1-0-------------|

|-1-3/5-----------|-3-2-3-----------|-1-3-------------|-----3-1-0-1-3-0-|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

 

  C       C9/E      F       F#dim     G7                C

29|   |   |   |  30 |   |   |   |  31 |   |   |   |  32 |   |   |   |

|---------3-5-3-0-|-------0-1-3-1-3-|-0-3-2-3-1-0---1-|-0---------------|

|-1-3/5-----------|-3-2-3-----------|-------------3---|---1-3-0-1-------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------------0-2-|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

 

Part A variation

  C                                                     G

33|   |   |   |  34 |   |   |   |  35 |   |   |   |  36 |   |   |   |

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-------0-1-0-1---|-----------------|-----------------|

|-0---------------|-0-1-2---------2-|-0-2-0-----------|-0-2-0-------0-2-|

|---2-0-----0-1-2-|-----------------|-------3-2-0---2-|-------2-0-------|

|-------2-3-------|-----------------|-------------3---|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

 

  C       C9/E      F       F#dim     G7                        C

37|   |   |   |  38 |   |   |   |  39 |   |   |   |  40 |   |   |   |

|-----------------|-----------------|-0-3-2-3-1-0---1-|-0---------------|

|-----------------|-------0-1-0-1-3-|-------------3---|---1-3-0-1-------|

|-0---------------|-0-1-2-----------|-----------------|-------------0-2-|

|---2-0-----0-1-2-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-------2-3-------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

 

  C                                                     G

41|   |   |   |  42 |   |   |   |  43 |   |   |   |  44 |   |   |   |

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-------0-1-0-1---|-----------------|-----------------|

|-0---------------|-0-1-2---------2-|-0-2-0-----------|-0-2-0-------0-2-|

|---2-0-----0-1-2-|-----------------|-------3-2-0---2-|-------2-0-------|

|-------2-3-------|-----------------|-------------3---|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

 

  C       C9/E      F       F#dim     G7                        C

45|   |   |   |  46 |   |   |   |  47 |   |   |   |  48 |   |   |   |

|-----------------|-----------------|-0-3-2-3-1-0---1-|-0---------------|

|-----------------|-------0-1-0-1-3-|-------------3---|---1-3-0-1-------|

|-0---------------|-0-1-2-----------|-----------------|-----------------|

|---2-0-----0-1-2-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-------2-3-------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

 

Ending

  N/C

  |   |   |   |     |   |   |   |     |   |   |   |     |   |   |   |

|---0-------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-1---3-1---0-1---|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|---------2-----2-|-0---------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|---2-0-----------|---2-0-----------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-------2-3-------|-3-----3-0-------|-----2---3-------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-------------3---|-----------------|

 

 

Play A, B, A variation, B, Ending.

 

 




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