Ukulele: How To Play Old Joe Clark

NOTICE: My uke is tuned in banjo tuning low to high: G C E G
How to play Old Joe Clark on the ukulele
"Old Joe Clark" is a US folk song, a mountain ballad that was popular among soldiers from eastern Kentucky during World War I and afterwards.[1] Its lyrics refer to a real person named Joseph Clark, a Kentucky mountaineer who was born in 1839 and murdered in 1885. The "playful and sometimes outlandish verses" have led to the conjecture that it first spread as a children's song and via play parties.[3] There are about 90 stanzas in various versions of the song.The tune is based on an A major scale in the Mixolydian mode, but moreover has definite hints of a complete blues scale, namely, the flatted 3rd and 5th.
Although "Old Joe Clark" may have originated in the 19th century, no printed records are known from before 1900. An early version was printed in 1918, as sung in Virginia at that time.
"Old Joe Clark" has been described as "one of the most widely known of all Southern fiddle tunes [as of the late 20th century. ... It] has, to a degree, become part of the [United States] national repertory. One may hear it in bluegrass jam sessions, old-time fiddle sessions, and country dances throughout the United States.
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[@manpreetparmar5801]

Your awesome!! The instructions are super convenient to learn as well, thanks 🙏

[@Guitarlessonsbybrian]

thank you Manpreat! your encouragement is what keeps me coming back to do more! 😊

[@ruthmitchell6016]

Let us all know the next time you are playing at a restaurant...Love your music choices...

[@Guitarlessonsbybrian]

thanks Elaine. I will be at Chachi’s on Valentine’s Day if the weathers good.

[@ruthmitchell6016]

That's in Kingwood..right...

[@toniw350]

As much as I watch this video I don’t see your fingers touching the “A” string. Please help me understand. Could whoever had put the music sheet up at the top put the notes opposite? In other words the diagram has the “G” string at the top instead of the “A” string. Thanks.

[@Guitarlessonsbybrian]

Hi Toni, My uke is tuned in banjo tuning, meaning the 1st sting is tuned a whole tone down to G, not A. But, I am playing the 1st string as the tab says. I see what you are saying though. It is hard to tell if the melody is on the 1 or 2 string. But, the tab is correct. I am playing the 1st string. (also, my 4 string is a low G not a high G, but that does not matter). I will add it is in banjo tuning to the description to avoid confusion. I hope this helps. Thanks for visiting! th-cam.com/play/PLBk59bSIhKO1ClfpRPQqhndDisL5Tl9e5.html

[@toniw350]

Thanks. That makes a lot of sense.

[@Guitarlessonsbybrian]

@@toniw350 jam on!

[@toniw350]

OMG!! Got the tuning and I am starting to put it together. Got to work with your strum and timing for finger changes. But I wanted to thank, you! Love this old song, and now understanding changing the tuning down to G it work.

[@Guitarlessonsbybrian]

@@toniw350 I am glad you like it. I used the tuning on several of my videos.
The cool thing about it is, you are going to be able to play 5 string banjo. The fifth string on the banjo is just a drone most of the time.
Not only that, you’ll be at home with Dobro also. The Dobro is like having the first three strings two times, for example: dobro low to high GBD GBD. The Dobro is like having the first three strings of Ukulele twice, if that makes sense.
Not only that, it is also the first 4 strings of guitar in Spanish tuning also known as open G tuning. Spanish tuning on guitar is from low to high DGDGBD.
Jam on!