Roseville Fair - Alt

artist:Bill Stains

, writer:Bill Staines

Chords:

 {t:Roseville Fair - Alt}
{artist: Bill Staines}
{key: C}
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2MezRRs-OQ But in B
{c: An alternative version from Bill Elms - more gender neutral}
Intro: (as verse)

Oh the night was [C] clear / / / [C] / and the [F] stars were [C] shining
[C] / And the moon came [Dm] up / / / [G] / so quiet in the [C] sky / / /
[C] And all the people gathered [C] round / / / [C] / and the [F] band was [C] tuning
[C] / I can hear them [Dm] now / / / [G] / playing "Coming Through the[C] Rye"

[C] / She was dressed in [C] blue / / / [C] and she [F] looked so [C] lovely
[C] / Just a gentle [Dm] flower / / / [G] / of a small town [C] girl
[C] And he took her [C] hand / / / [C] and they [F] stepped to the [C] music
[C] / With a single [Dm] smile / / / [G] / she became his [C] world

[C] / And they danced all [F] night / / / [Dm] / to the fiddle and the [C] banjo
[Am] / Their drifting [Dm] tunes / / / [G] / seemed to fill the [C] air [C]
So long a-[F]go / / / [Dm] but they still re-[C]member
[Am] When they fell in [Dm] love / / / [G] / at the Roseville [C] Fair

Instrumental break (verse)

[C] Now they courted well / / / [C] / and they [F] courted [C] dearly
[C] / And they'd rock for [Dm] hours / / / [G] on the front-porch [C] chair / / /
[C] Then a year went [C] by / / / [C] / from the [F] time that he [C] met her
And he made her [Dm] his / / / [G] / at the Roseville [C] Fair

[C] / And they danced all [F] night / / / [Dm] / to the fiddle and the [C] banjo
[Am] / Their drifting [Dm] tunes / / / [G] / seemed to fill the [C] air
So long a-[F]go / / / [Dm] but they still re-[C]member
[Am] When they fell in [Dm] love / / / [G] / at the Roseville [C] Fair

Instrumental break (verse)

[C] / So here's a [F] song / / / [Dm] / for all of the [C] lovers
[Am] / And here's a [Dm] tune / / / [G] / that they can [C] share
May they dance all [F] night / / / [Dm] / to the fiddle and the [C] banjo
[Am] / The way we [Dm] did / / / [G] / at the Roseville [C] Fair
[Am] / The way we [Dm] did / / / [G] / at the Roseville [C] Fair [F] [C]

Song Info

Title: Roseville Fair - Alt

Artist: Bill Stains

Writer: Bill Staines

Song Types: Country

Key: C

Info: From Bill Elms: The Bill Staines version is, of course, written from a first person perspective (which is fine to sing if you're a man!) but i wanted to make it gender neutral so I looked at the Nanci Griffith version. I put it in the key of C (I think she does it in Bb) and added a second instrumental break based on the verse melody. I took liberties with the end of the song by reverting to the 1st person (plural!) to try to give it universal relevance.

The chord changes in the chorus (F to Dm and C to Am) are added to echo the bass runs which Bill Staines certainly plays and maybe Nanci does too. Obviously, bass runs, as such, are tricky(!) on the uke but if there's a guitarist or a bass player about, the ukes can follow the same harmonies.

Bill Staines sang his own song Roseville Fair in 1979 on his album The Whistle of the Jay.

Bill Staines (born February 6, 1947 in Medford, Massachusetts) is an American folk musician and singer-songwriter from New Hampshire, who writes and performs songs about a wide array of topics. He has also written and recorded children's songs.

Raised in Lexington, Massachusetts, Staines began his professional career in the early 1960s in the Cambridge area. He began touring nationwide a few years later. In 1975 he won the National Yodeling Championship at the Kerrville Folk Festival. He performs about 200 times a year and has appeared on A Prairie Home Companion, Mountain Stage, and The Good Evening Show.

Staines's songs include "Bridges", "Crossing the Water", "Sweet Wyoming Home", "The Roseville Fair", "A Place in the Choir", "Child of Mine", and "River".

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Roseville Fair - Alt

artist:Bill Stains

, writer:Bill Staines

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Song Info

Alts - Is barre easier?

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