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“He loved the women and he hated the law, and he just wouldn’t take nobody’s jaw.”
Yep.
We love to celebrate the outlaw. We love to watch movies, read books, and sing songs about them. Including this week’s song of the week about outlaw Otto Wood.
Just what is the fascination, anyhow?
Maybe it’s because we love rooting for the underdog. One man against the might of the government, who, using his guile and wits, comes out on top against all odds (it’s reported that Otto successfully managed no fewer than 14 jailbreaks)
Maybe it’s because, every once in a while, we like to imagine life in their shoes, living by our own code of ethics and virtues, unshackled from the conventions of culture or the laws of the land. (Otto was a moonshiner and a gambler).
Not that my fellow peace loving, law abiding banjo brethren would act upon such fantasies, of course…
Otto’s life ultimately ended in a blaze of glory, by way of a shootout following his final escape.
It was only a year later that the “Carolina Buddies” memorialized Otto in song.
Otto Wood
aDADE tuning, Brainjo level 3
Click here for a current list of all the clawhammer songs and tunes currently available inside of The Vault
Notes on the Tab
In this arrangement, I’ve tabbed out the part I play in the banjo “solo,” as well as the vocal backup I play on the banjo while singing.
Notes in parentheses are “skip” notes – to learn more about skips and syncopated skips, check out my video lesson on the subject.
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”
- Episode 8: “Been All Around This World”
- Episode 9: “I’ll Fly Away”
- Episode 10: “Leaving Home”
- Episode 11: “Poor Orphan Child”
- Episode 12: “Mr. Tambourine Man”
- Episode 13: “Swanee River”
- Episode 14: “Big Sciota”
- Episode 15: “Roll In My Sweet Baby’s Arms”
- Episode 16: “Darling Corey”
- Episode 17: “Battle Hymn of the Republic”
- Episode 18: “America the Beautiful”
- Episode 19: “Bury Me Beneath the Willow”
- Episode 20: “Way Out There”
- Episode 21: “New Slang”
- Episode 22: “I Saw the Light”
- Episode 23: “Amazing Grace”
- Episode 24: “Blowin’ in the Wind”
- Episode 25: “Yankee Doodle”
- Episode 26: “Budapest”
- Episode 27: “Wildwood Flower”
- Episode 28: “Paradise”
- Episode 29: “Mountain Dew”
- Episode 30: “Blue Tail Fly”
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.
View the Brainjo Course Catalog
