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Steely Dan Database: transcriptions of "Black cow"

Steely Dan Database

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Transcriptions of

Black cow

View the lyrics Play the MIDI file
	

          Black Cow - Steely Dan
        --------------------------


                From the album AJA
        
                Arranged by Howard Wright (Howard@jmdl.com)
                Helped with lyrics by Richard Kunert



I went through this file recently and made a few small changes.
In particular, the A7#5 chord ("you were high") and the Csus2/Eb
("they saw your face") sound right now. What I had previously
(A7#9 and Bb/Eb) were close, but not quite right ...


VERSE 1:
---------

       C9                                         
In the corner of my eye  I saw you in Rudy's,  you were very high


A7#5     C/D                  E7#9                    Csus2/Eb
You were high       it was a  crying  disgrace   (They saw your face)


       C9                            
On the counter  by your  keys  was  a book of numbers and your remedies


A7#5     C/D               E7#9
One of these   surely will  screen out the sorrow


    Csus2/Eb           D/E  
But where are you tomorrow 



N.B You can think of the Csus2/Eb chord (x6553x) as an Ebmaj6/7 if you prefer.



CHORUS:
--------

        Amaj7                   G/A                       C/D (2)        Amaj7
I can't cry anymore   while you run  around    (while you run around)


Gmaj7   F#m7                  E6      Eb7#9             D/E (2)   Asus2/C#
Break away      just when it seems so clear  that it's  over      now


           F#m7 (2) E     Dmaj7          C/D (2)                  Eb/F
Drink your big      black cow    and get out of here




VERSE 2 
--------

Bb9    B9   C9
  Down  to Green street there you go....

(The rest of the chords are the same as for verse 1)

....lookin' so outrageous and they tell you so
You should know how all the pro's play the game
(You change your name)
Like a ganster on the run
You will stagger homeward to your precious one
I'm the one who must make everything right
Talk it out till daylight



CHORUS 2
---------

(same chords as before)

I don't care anymore why you run around   (why you run around)
Break away, just when it seems so clear that it's over now
Drink your big black cow and get out of here



INSTRUMENTAL BIT :
-------------------

 G9                            A9   

 Eb/Bb  D6/9    Bb7sus4
 
 D9                            E9

 Bb/F  G/A (2)  Eb/F           D/E



LAST CHORUS
------------
This last chorus is the same as the others except for the last bit which goes :


           F#m7 (2) E     Dmaj7          Amaj7             G/A             
Drink your big      black cow    and get out of here


C/D (2)      Amaj7    Gmaj13

Amaj7 (2)  G/A      C/D (2)     Amaj7 (2)   Gmaj13    (Repeat this line to fade)




Chord shapes :
--------------

Don't be put off beacause there are a lot of shapes - there are some unusual
chords, but quite a few are really duplicates (e.g Bb9,B9,C9) and some chords
have two shapes to choose from (C/D,D/E)

*** Note for convenience I've written a for 10 and b for 11 ***


EADGBE     EADGBE     EADGBE     EADGBE     EADGBE     EADGBE     EADGBE
8X878X     5x566x     X5555X     07678X     X6553X     X7X775     5X665X

 C9         A7#5       C/D        E7#9     Csus2/Eb     D/E        Amaj7
 

EADGBE     EADGBE     EADGBE     EADGBE     EADGBE     EADGBE     EADGBE
5X543X     X5X553     3X443X     242222     X7665X     X6567X     x7777x

 G/A       C/D (2)     Gmaj7      F#m7        E6       Eb7#9       D/E (2)


EADGBE     EADGBE     EADGBE     EADGBE     EADGBE     EADGBE     EADGBE
x4x455     x9b9a9     x79997     x57675     x8x886     6x656x     7x767x

Asus2/C#   F#m7 (2)     E         Dmaj7      Eb/F       Bb9         B9


EADGBE     EADGBE     EADGBE     EADGBE     EADGBE     EADGBE     EADGBE
3x323x     5x545x     6xx88x     x5445x     6x68xx     x5455x     x7677x 

 G9         A9         Eb/Bb      D6/9      Bb7sus4     D9         E9 


EADGBE     EADGBE     EADGBE     EADGBE  
X8Xaxa     x0x7x7     3x4455     x07654     

 Bb/F      G/A (2)    Gmaj13     Amaj7 (2)



If I left any chord shapes out let me know.

Hope you enjoy it!

Howard


	
	

Authors

Person Music Lyrics
View the picture Donald Fagen Yes Yes
View the picture Walter Becker Yes Yes

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