(scroll way down for a link to a sheet music version)

Walking the Cow (zack26)

This is the long-winded overly-anal version – but I feel it’s a song worth getting right.  I have a couple of different guitar versions I’ll be posting in the near future.  This one attempts to get as close to the original as possible.  Email me with any questions about this one.

This songs sounds in C# on Hi, HowAreYou but I’m 99.9% certain he played it in C and it’s just another one of those tape speed things.  On Frankenstein Love he plays it in C as well.

Piano Chords (I tried to get a close to DJ’s voicings as possible)
LH = left hand; RH = right hand; notes in chords are listed low to high

C   LH: c/g; RH: c/e/g
C6   LH: c/a; RH: c/e/a
F   LH: f/c; RH: f/a/c
F6   LH: f/d; RH: f/a/d
FM7   LH: f/c; RH: f/a/c/e
Dm   LH: d/a; RH: d/f/a
Dm7   LH: d/a; RH: d/f/a/c
Am   LH: a; RH: c/e/a
Em   LH: e; RH: b/e/g
G   LH: g/d; RH: g/b/d

Most all chords are played in eighth notes.

The “lucky stars” rhythm is played by breaking up the three note chords in the right hand into 1 lower note and two upper notes.  For instance, the C6 chord on the word “eyes” has c/e/a in the right hand.  Instead of just playing those three notes together, break up the chord into c (thumb) and e/a.  The C chord would be divided in the same way: c and e/g.  The organ lick goes

     | 1        2   +     3    +     4    +   |  1        2    +   3    +     4    +   |
RH:  e/a     c  e/a         c     e/a   c    e/g     c  e/g         c     e/g   c   
LH:   c/a————————–    c/g——————————-

etc.


Walking The Cow

| 1   2   3   4   | 1   2   3   4   | repeat
  C                   C6


C             C6
Try to remember
             C                               C6                     
But my feelings can’t know for sure
   F                     F6
I try to reach out
             C6      C
But it’s gone

           FM7             C6     C       C6      C
Lucky stars in your eyes


      1     2     3    4  | 1    2  3  4  | 1   2  3  4  | 1    2  3  4  |
RH: f/a/e———–  f/a/d——– f/a/c——–f/a/b——–
LH: f/c————– f/d———- f/c———-f/b——–         
                    I   am  walking  the cow

C6    C      C6     C

Dm        Dm7                  Am    Em
I really don’t know how I came here
Dm                                     Am7    Em
I really don’t know why I’m staying here
          Dm7
Oh oh oh oh oh
           G             (into solo)
I am walking the cow

Solo

     | 1   2   3   4   | 1   2   3   4   | 1    2   3    4    | 1   2    3   4   |
RH:  g   e g   e g e   g   a g   a g a  g e g e g e g e    g a g a g a g a
LH:  c/g———–  c/a———–c/g————–c/a————-

     | 1   2   3   4   | 1   2   3   4   | 1    2   3    4    | 1   2    3   4   |
RH:  f                     a            c a   e               f g    f         c a g e
LH:  f/c————-f/d———— f/e————– f/f————–    

     | 1   2    3   4   | 1    2   3    4   | 1    2   3    4    | 1   2    3   4   |
RH:  g    e g e g e g  g a g a g a g a   g e g e g e g e   g a g a g a g a
LH:  c/g————-c/a———— c/g————c/a————-

     | 1   2   3   4    | 1   2   3   4   | 1    2   3    4   | 1   2    3   4   |
RH: c             c a g  f              g a  e               f g   f          c        
LH: f/c————–f/d———— f/e———— f/f————–

     | 1    2   3    4   | 1   2    3   4   | 1    2   3    4   | 1   2    3   4   |
RH:   g e g e g e g e  g a g a g a g a  g e g e g e g e   g a g a g a g a
LH:  c/g————- c/a———–  c/g———     c/a————-

C     C6      C     C6

C                       C6
Try to point my finger
             C                          C6
But the wind is blowing me around
      F         F6
In circles
C6        C
Circles

           FM7             C6     C       C6      C
Lucky stars in your eyes

      1     2     3    4  | 1    2  3  4  | 1   2  3  4  | 1    2  3  4  |
RH: f/a/e———–  f/a/d——– f/a/c——–f/a/b——–
LH: f/c————– f/d———- f/c———-f/b——–         
                    I   am  walking  the cow

C6    C      C6    C

Dm                                  Am       Em
I really don’t know what I have to fear
Dm                                  Am      Em 
I really don’t know why I have to care
          Dm          Dm7
Oh oh oh oh oh
          G               C     C6     C    C6    C    C6
I am walking the cow

          FM7    C6      FM7    C6        FM7    C6
Lucky stars 


FM7           C6 (melody on last chord:  c-b-g-e-f-g)

Sheet music version (breadbox)

… Well, maybe someday.

In the meantime, here’s a minor contribution from me. I took the detailed notes on “Walking the Cow” by zack26 and turned it into bonafide sheet music. You can download it here:

http://www.muppetlabs.com/~breadbox/music/Daniel_Johnston-Walking_the_Cow.pdf

There’s nothing important in there that isn’t already in zack26’s original notes, but as a piano player I find it much easier to follow in this form. Maybe someone else here will as well.

I did my best to follow zack’s instructions, but I have to admit to having a tin ear, so there may still be some minor mistake in there. I would welcome corrections. (The sheet music was created using a program called GNU LilyPond, so it’s generally very easy to make changes.)

Enjoy, and thanks to zack26 and everyone else for sharing in this thread.