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I first heard this week’s song “Been All Around This World” (a.k.a. “Hang Me, Oh Hang Me”) off the Highwoods String Band album “Feed Your Babies Onions”.
If you’re not familiar with the legendary Highwoods, that needs to change. Everything they ever did is top notch, and Doug Dorschug’s vocal on this particular number is no exception.
It’s not entirely clear where this song originated. Sources (by that I mean Google) indicate the first recorded version was by Grandpa Jones in 1946, though it wasn’t an original composition.
The song also hit [semi] mainstream popularity once it became a staple of Grateful Dead performances.
It’s a terribly fun one to sing and perform. When else do you get the opportunity to sing while imagining your imminent demise from the gallows?
Been All Around This World
aDADE tuning, Brainjo level 3
Notes on the Tab
In the tab above, you’ll note I’ve tabbed out both a “lead break” (something to play in between verses) and the “vocal backup” (what I play while I’m singing).
For more on reading tabs in general, check out this complete guide to reading banjo tabs.
PRIOR SONG OF THE WEEK EPISODES
- Episode 1: “Ain’t Gonna Work Tomorrow”
- Episode 2: “Gumtree Canoe”
- Episode 3: “Crawdad Hole”
- Episode 4: “Oh Susanna”
- Episode 5: “Freight Train”
- Episode 6: “Grandfather’s Clock”
- Episode 7: “Hop High Lulu”
Level 2 arrangements and video demos for the Tune (and Song!) of the Week tunes are now available as part of the Breakthrough Banjo course. Learn more about it here.
View the Brainjo Course Catalog
