"Cannons in the Rain” is – surprise - from “Cannons in the Rain”, RCA

Cannons in the Rain

Written by John Stewart

'Cannons in the Rain' is – surprise - from “Cannons in the Rain”, RCA (1973), re-released as CD by Bear Family Records (1990) together with “Wingless Angels”, RCA (1975); two lps on one CD. The song is also on “John Stewart and Buffy Ford Live at the Turf Inn, Scotland”, Folk Era, 1996, and on the live double CD “Front Row Music – Before the War”, Neon Dreams, 2001. The version on “Cannons” is the one you´ll find below, but, ladies and gentlemen, we give you three choices this time.

Charlie Woodward and I exchanged versions. Both are good. They are different. There is a reason: Charlie went for those distinctive melody notes, I went for the bass line. Charlie came up with a “compromise version”, you´ll find it immediately below. Some might find it easier to play the song in A minor.

(Gm) (C7/G) (F) (Am7) (Dm) (Dm/C)

(Gm) How could you (C7/G)go, Virginia,

(F) And (Am7)play that drifter's (Dm)game?(Dm/C)

(Gm) He sold to (C7/G)you the thunder

(F) Were (Am7)cannons in the (Dm)rain. (G7) (F)

And all his (G7)Holy (C)Roads (Am)

(F) Were (E7)sidetracks just the (Am)same. (F)(G)

(Cj7) Still you (F) believe the thun(Em)der (Am7)

(F) Are (G)cannons in the (Cj7)rain, (Am)

(F) Are (G)cannons in the (C)rain. (A7) (D)

(Gm) Your Don Qui(C7/G)xote's windmills

(F) Were (Am7)giants in his (Dm)eyes. (Dm/C)

(Gm) To see things as they(C7/G) really are,

(F) It can (Am7))only make you (Dm)wise. (G7) (F)

And all his (G7)Holy (C)Roads (Am)

(F) Were (E7)sidetracks just the (Am)same, (F)(G)

(Cj7) Still you (F) be(C)lieve the thun(Em)der (Am7)

(F) Are (G)cannons in the (Cj7)rain, (Am)

(F) Are (G)cannons in the (C)rain. (A7) (D)

(Gm) (C7/G) (F) (Am7) (Dm) (Dm/C)

(Gm) (C7/G) (F) (Am7) (Dm) (G) (F)

And all his (G7)Holy (C)Roads (Am)

(F) Were (E7)sidetracks just the (Am)same, (F)(G)

(Cj7) Still you (F) be(C)lieve the thun(Em)der (Am7)

(F) Are (G)cannons in the(Cj7)rain, (Am)

(F) Are (G)cannons in the (C)rain. (F) (Cj7)

Charlie Woodward´s compromise version. This is the way I play it, I take the low road…The melody is echoed in the bass notes

Bb/D

E--1----------------

B-------------3-----

G-------------3-----

D-------------------

A-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

E-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

(Bb/D) (C/E) (F) (C/E) (Dm) (Dm/C)

(Bb/D)How could you (C/E)go, Virginia,

(F) And (C/E)play that drifter's (Dm)game? (Dm/C)

(Bb/D) He sold to (C/E)you the thunder

(F)Were (C/E)cannons in the (F)rain. (G) (F)

And all his (G)Ho(F)ly (C)Roads (Am)

(F) Were (E7)sidetracks just the (Am)same, (F)(G)

(F) Are (G)cannons in the (Cj7)rain, (Am7)

(F) Are (G)cannons in the (C)rain. (A7) (D)

(Bb/D) Your Don Qui(C/E)xote's windmills

(F) Were (C/E)giants in his (Dm)eyes. (Dm/C)

(Bb/D) To see things as they(C/E) really are,

(F) It can (C/E)only make you (F)wise. (G) (F)

And all his (G)Ho(F)ly (C)roads (Am)

(F) Were (E7)sidetracks just the (Am)same, (F)(G)

(F) Are (G)cannons in the (Cj7)rain, (Am7)

(F) Are (G)cannons in the (C)rain. (A7) (D)

(Bb/D) (C/E) (F) (C/E) (Dm) (Dm/C)

(Bb/D) (C/E) (F) (C/E) (F) (G) (F)

And all his (G)Ho(F)ly (C)Roads (Am)

(F) Were (E7)sidetracks just the (Am)same, (F)(G)

(F) Are (G)cannons in the(Cj7)rain, (Am7)

(F) Are (G)cannons in the (C)rain. (F) (Cj7)

janhauenstein@gmx.de with some chords stolen from Charlie Woodward´s version.

Here is Charlie´s version, with capo 3rd you can go for those distinctive melody notes in the intro and the instrumental verse. For me, this might be a bit difficult to play, I´d probably transpose to C and capo up at 5th fret. Charlie takes the high road…

A7/E

E------------------

B------2nd---------

G------------------

D------2nd---------

A------------------

E xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Dj9/A

E------------------

B------2nd---------

G------2nd---------

D------------------

A------------------

E xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

This is pretty much the “Cannons” version (C. W.)

Capo 3rd

Intro

(These are the basic finger positions to use while playing the melody line on the bottom two strings.)

(G/E) (A7/E) (D) (Bm) (A)

(G/E) (A7/E) (D) (Bm) (A) (Em)

How could you go, (A7/E) Virginia (D)

And (Dj9/A)play that drifter’s (Bm)game (A)

(Em) He sold to you the (A7/E) thunder (D)

Was (Dj9/A)cannons in the (Bm)rain (E7) (D)

And all his (E7)Holy (A)Roads (F#m) (D)

Were (C#7)sidetracks just the (F#m)same (D) (E) (Aj7)

Still you (D)believe the (C#m)thunder (F#m) (D)

Are (E)cannons in the (Aj7)rain (F#m) (D)

Are (E)cannons in the (A)rain (F#7) (B) (Em)

Your Don Quixote’s (A7/E)windmills (D)

Were (Dj9/A)giants in his (Bm)eyes (A) (Em)

To see things as they(A7/E) really are (D)

It can (Dj9/A)only make you (Bm)wise (E7) (D)

And all his (E7)Holy (Aj7)Roads (F#m) (D)

Were (C#7)sidetracks just the (F#m)same (D) (E) (Aj7)

Still you (D)believe the (C#m)thunder (F#m) (D)

Are (E7)cannons in the (Aj7)rain (F#m) (D)

(E7)Cannons in the (A)rain (F#7) (B) (B7)

Repeat intro, (E7) (D)

And all his (E7)Holy (Amaj7)Roads (F#m) (D)

Were (C#7)sidetracks just the (F#m)same (D) (E) (Aj7)

Still you (D)believe the (C#m)thunder (F#m) (D)

Are (E7)cannons in the (Aj7)rain (F#m) (D)

Are (E7)cannons in the (A)rain (D) (E) (Aj7)

Charlie Woodward