Pop A Top

[ye olde fretmonkey]

Any of y'all studied on Alan Jackson's 'Under The Influence' CD much?

I'm having a real hard time figuring out how Brent Mason modulates from G up to A in that solo. It's like he's descending and ascending at the same time.

[Hucklebilly]

Our band started playing that tune recently and I figured out the solo using Amazing Slowdowner. Great solo! In fact, there was a thread a while back and someone even posted some tab.

I fudge a little on that modulation. I play the two consecutive four note clusters in G out of a seventh position C shape, and then catch the ninth fret bar for the to E which sets you up for the closing lick that resolves to the A. On the record Brent Mason catches the E arpeggio back at the fourth fret, but I'm too slow to make that jump, and it sounds OK the way I do it. (Such laziness is one of the many reasons I don't play like Brent Mason!)

[daves561]

Originally Posted by ye olde fretmonkey

I'm having a real hard time figuring out how Brent Mason modulates from G up to A in that solo. It's like he's descending and ascending at the same time.

I have the full tab for the solo, but it's not in Finale, so I need to reformat first. I can post the modulation bit. The important thing to see is that there's an E snuck in between the G and the A to help with the modulation. So the final chords are D-G-E-A. It's just V-I in G, followed by V-I in A. Classical folks call this a "sequential modulation" because you repeat a certain sequential idea in different keys. Alternatively, you could see the E as a "pivot" chord: 6 in the key of G, and V in the key A. Classical folks call this a "common-chord" modulation.

But we're not classical folks. Here's the tab:

-7^3-----7^3-----3/4-0------------------------------
-----3-------3---------0----------------------------
-------4-------4---------2-0^1----------------------
-------------------------------2-0---------2--------
-----------------------------------2-0-------3\2-0--
---------------------------------------3/4----------

So the first two cascades are a G major arpeggio. The third cascade is an E major arpeggio. But notice they have the same shape. It just might not look like that because of the open strings.

Brent uses this E lick a ton. Wade Hayes's "Don't Stop" comes to mind, but there are a zillion others. Thinking in shapes like this, Brent probably just thought to move it up three frets to get the first part of the lick over the G.

Dave

[ye olde fretmonkey]

It's the 'common chord' in the modulation that about always throws off a band, and especially a bass player. I've fallen ass-backwards into making it work while soloing in my relatively caveman style.

[tdowns]

daves561,
Nice job on the transcription. That is exactly how I play it except I don't use open notes between the bars |---| below. I believe that your tab is most likely correct. I just seem to find it easier to block those notes playing it the "hard" way. But that's probably just me.

-7^3-----7^3-----3/4-------------------------------- 
-----3-------3------|5------------------------------ 
-------4-------4-------4|2-0^1---------------------- 
-------------------------------2-0---------2-------- 
-----------------------------------2-0-------3\2-0-- 
---------------------------------------3/4----------

fret monkey,
I think of the modulation pivot as the V chord for the "new" chord.

Great post. That is one of my favorite CDs of all time, and it certainly showcases Brent's talents and diversity in tone.

[daves561]

Originally Posted by tdowns

daves561,
Nice job on the transcription. That is exactly how I play it except I don't use open notes between the bars |---| below.

I went round and round on that one. I did find a lot of evidence in other solos he's played that lead me to the open string solution. However, what works for one player doesn't necessarily translate for the rest of us!

Tone-wise, this is a really nice change from the usual. I think this was played using a Hamer (!).

Dave

[ye olde fretmonkey]

Thanks guys, between the tab and the Amazing Slowdowner I got in the ballpark, at least.

That 7 to 3 fret reach is a tough one to pull off, but it's an awful pretty sounding line.

[Hucklebilly]

Man you guys must have bigger hands than I do! Instead of the fret 3 to fret 7 seven reach i play the cascade part with my second finger rooted on the 2nd string 8th fret and the lick just rolls right of the fingers. I don't know how Brent Mason plays it, but it sure seems easier this way to me. In fact, you could hammer on the 2nd string from fret 8 to 9 instead of the 1st string fret 3 to 4 and carry on with the ending.



p.s. Terry, I love your Roy Nichols DVD! I've learned some great stuff off of it.

[ye olde fretmonkey]

Umm yeah, after working with it for awhile I am definitely finding it easier to play the cascade off of 1st string/7 fret B and 2nd string/8 fret G rather than that 7 fret/3 fret reach.

Again, thanks y'all.

[blue water girl]

I hope ya'll don't mind because this has nothing to do with how to play Pop a Top, but whenever Brent and I hear that song or someone talks about the song we start laughing. A few years ago when Zoe was in preschool at a church preschool that is very conservative, one of the little girls in her class mentioned that her grandfather was Jim Ed Brown (who is the original artist of this song). The preschool teacher suggested that sometime she bring her granddaddy to class so he could perhaps sing them a song. She also asked Zoe if her daddy (Brent) could also come in and do something for the class and then all the children could ask questions. When the day arrived Jim Ed went first before Brent and Brent sat with the teacher. He sat down with his guitar and all the children sat on the floor in front of him all excited to hear his song, and of all the ones he could have chosen to sing to them, he chose Pop a Top. I'm sure you are all aware that it is a pretty blatant drinking song. The teacher's eyes got as huge as saucers and Brent couldn't do anything but look down at the floor the entire time because Jim Ed was just oblivious to the fact that he was singing what the preschool considered extremely inappropriate for their students. The children were very quiet during the song..........and Brent collapses in laughter any time he tells the story.

[maestrovert]

i can just see it.....
what did Brent play ? kinda a hard act to follow huh ?
;-)

[tellypicker]

....that is a great story on so many levels....

[DAK]

That's a great story, Julie. I'm really surprised Jim Ed didn't do something from his days with his sisters. The Browns had a few big pop hits in the late fifties, with appeal to all ages. "The Three Bells" would have been much more appropriate for a church pre-school gathering. In fact, he could have persuaded the kids to help out by singing the "bong bong bong bong" parts.

[Bender]

Originally Posted by DAK

In fact, he could have persuaded the kids to help out by singing the "bong bong bong bong" parts.

I don't think it would have been appropriate to sing about those either. :)

[blue water girl]

Originally Posted by maestrovert

i can just see it.....
what did Brent play ? kinda a hard act to follow huh ?
;-)

He played First Rule of Thumb on his acoustic because he wouldn't have to bring any amps or pedals and he thought some of the preschoolers might recognize it as the Country Time Lemonade commercial music. (Brent didn't write it to be a commercial, but Country Time liked it and used it for several years). The teacher just never did fully get over that - she was veeerrrry prim and proper - because a few days after she noticed that when they had playground time some of the little boys (they were 3 years old) had made a little makeshift bar and all of them were pretending to get liquored up and taking turns being bartender

[tellypicker]

yeppers, i spent a few too many years in overly conservative churches myself. i recognize the urge to get likkered up...

[ye olde fretmonkey]

Originally Posted by blue water girl

He played First Rule of Thumb on his acoustic because he wouldn't have to bring any amps or pedals and he thought some of the preschoolers might recognize it as the Country Time Lemonade commercial music. (Brent didn't write it to be a commercial, but Country Time liked it and used it for several years). The teacher just never did fully get over that - she was veeerrrry prim and proper - because a few days after she noticed that when they had playground time some of the little boys (they were 3 years old) had made a little makeshift bar and all of them were pretending to get liquored up and taking turns being bartender

Holy cow, that's even funnier!!

Now I'LL be thinking about that anecdote every time I play it!!

[maestrovert]

man o man, that's TOO funny.....

[DAK]

Bender wrote:

I don't think it would have been appropriate to sing about those either.

Very good. That never even crossed my mind... 'til now. Maybe he should've done their version of "Scarlet Ribbons."

[Nashville Tele Player]

I played guitar for Jim Ed from 1970 to 1976. I remember sometime around 1973-74 we were booked in Memphis in a local ball park. It turned out to be a gospel marathon show. All of the Gospel heavey weights were there. We finally went on in the early evening and Jim Ed was worried to death we were going to be booed off the stage. We did our regular show and the people loved him. We never could figure out who's idea it was to book one country act on a major gospel show. Now that's tension.

[DAK]

did you get to play on Jim Ed's recording of "Morning?" I had the pleasure of playing it on the radio many times; that intro sounded so good coming out of a station jingle. It remains one of my favorite records from the early seventies.

[Nashville Tele Player]

DAK, yes I played accoustic guitar on the Morning album and several other albums including Southern Lovin', Evening. I can't remember all the singles from those records, it's been a long time. I was pre Helen Corneilus. The Cates Sisters were with us. I ended up marrying Marcy Cates in 1976. We are still together. Thanks for asking. Earl Erb

[Dave Brophy]

Speaking of "not the greatest song choice for the occasion"...a buddy of mine was on the road in the early 70's with a guy who was a sort of Jamaican Tom Jones.He'd sing popular tunes of the day set to calypso/rock arrangements.One time,they had a show at a big penitentiary.My friend said that a few minutes into the set,he looked around a little bit at his surroundings.As he gazed at several hundred men in prison uniforms staring at the band,he realized that the song they were playing was "Love The One You're With."

[DAK]

Nashville Tele Player wrote:

I can't remember all the singles from those records, it's been a long time.

Earl, the only one I remember was "Angel's Sunday." RCA's Essential Jim Ed and the Browns CD includes "Southern Lovin'" and a few others that came out pre-Helen. Think it'll be one of my commute CDs today. (Only 25 miles to work... 24 of which are freeway... but it's L.A. freeway, so it can take as long as an hour and a half. Gives you lots of CD time.)

[Tele-Whacker]

Thanks B.W.G. !! That is a classic story for sure on ole J.E.B.

A few months ago I was playing guitar on a mostly gospel venue, and when it was my turn to sing