Leo Kottke - Why Ask Why

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From JARRELLJ@N4.OPNAV.NAVY.MIL  Wed Aug 23 10:51:22 1995
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Date: Wed, 23 Aug 95 13:45:02 EST
From: "JARRELL_JIM" 
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To: dgaudet@math.ubc.ca
Return-Receipt-To: JARRELLJ@N4.OPNAV.NAVY.MIL
Subject: TAB:LeoKottke"Why_ask_Why"
Status: RO

Dean....my first attempt at an OLGA posting.  Am somewhat confused about who all
to send it to so also sent to guitar@nevada.edu, Rich Kucera and Mike Porter.  
Mike has sent me a couple of mails and has been real helpful...enjoy 
Canada...watch out for the bears and wolves...Sincerely, Jim Jarrell

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\par As a new guy on the net, and a bonefide Leo Kottke nut,
\par my first tab submitted to OLGA is one of Leo's more obscure
\par tunes, "Why Ask Why?" from "Dreams and all that Stuff". Six
\par \pard string, standard tuning, "Why ask Why?" is a classic example of Leo's occasional foray into the sublime (ie. Muzak or "elevator music"). 
\par \pard 
\par While not a Kottke original, I have no clue who composed
\par \pard 
the piece.  It kind of  fits along the pattern of other "old standards" Leo has "covered" over the years, the most recent being "Twilight Time" and "Wonderland by Night" from "Peculiaroso". "Why ask Why?" is a little less tongue in cheek and has, as most 
old standards, a very pretty melody which is probably what draws Leo to these tunes to begin with.
\par \pard  
\par The biggest problem I have with Leo's cover is the piano
\par banging out the melody in the background. Unfortunately
\par he has always had a tendancy to add too many "bells and
\par whistles" to his productions vice solo guitar. An attempt to
\par find commercial success I suppose but sure wish he'd stick
\par \pard to pure, unadulterated solo guitar......that's his audience in my humble opinion. His recent excursions into spoken word,"Rap"tunes, really turn me off but what do I know...:)
\par \pard 
\par \pard Regardless of aforementioned criticisms, I've been a long time Kottke fan and had the rare opportunity to talk with Leo and his wife Mary for about twenty minutes on the floor of the Taylor guitar factory in San Diego in Dec 95.  We covered a
 number of issues but I'll save that for another time if anybodys interested.......time I get on with the program here right!?  :)
\par \pard   
\par \pard \page   
\par \pard 
\par 
\par                      "Why ask Why"
\par                           composer: unknown
\par                           arrangement: Leo Kottke
\par                           From: "Dreams and all that Stuff"
\par                           Tab:  Jim Jarrell
\par Standard tuning
\par Capo II (or there abouts)
\par 
\par a = arppegio
\par v = vibrato
\par 
\par Note:  As a "registered musical idiot", no time values
\par per measure are provided. I break up measures in a
\par \pard hap-hazard manner.....ie. you gotta hear the tune!  A straight forward tune, Leo's stuff doesn't get any easier
\par \pard than this. Reasonably slow tempo with lots of 
\par feeling....play it like a "lounge lizard" would!
\par 
\par 
\par Section I
\par 
\par 
\par  Em(?)                   G
\par e|-----------------------|---------------------|
\par B|-----------------------|----------------0----|
\par G|-----------------------|--------0-----2-2-2--|
\par D|-----0--4----4-------4-|--------0-----0---0--|
\par A|--2-----2--2---2---2---|------2---2----------|
\par E|--------0--------0-----|-2-3--------3--------|
\par           a
\par 
\par first two notes in above measure are "whole notes",
\par \pard then the pace picks up to say what? quarter notes?
\par \pard 
\par  Am                             Cmaj7
\par |------------------------------|-----------------|
\par |--------------0-------0-0-----|-----------------|
\par |------2-2-------2-----2-2-----|-----0-------0---|
\par |----2-2-2---2-------2-------2-|-1-2-2---2-------|
\par |--0-------0-------0-------0---|-------3-------3-|
\par |------------------------------|-----3-----3-----|
\par 
\par \pard   
\par 
\par 
\par \pard  G                  Am              D(1st ending)
\par |------------------|---------------|-------------|
\par |------0-------0---|-----1---------|-------3-----|
\par |----0-0-------0---|---0-2-2---2---|-0-0---2-----|
\par |--4-------0-------|-4-------2-----|-----4-0-----|
\par |--------2-------2-|-----0-------0-|-------------|
\par |------3-----3-----|---------------|-------------|
\par                          a                 a
\par 
\par  D(2nd ending)
\par |--------------|
\par |--------3-----|
\par |--0-----2-----|
\par |----2-4-0-----|
\par |--------------|
\par |--------------|
\par          a  
\par 
\par Section II
\par 
\par  C          G        D
\par |-------------------|-------------------|
\par |------1---0-0------|-------0-1-0---0---|
\par |------0---0-0---0--|-----0-------2-----|
\par |---0----0------0---|---0---------------|
\par |-4----3------------|-------------------|
\par |------------3------|-2-----------------|
\par   v    a     a             that's right..
\par                            no bass notes!
\par 
\par first three notes in first measure above are
\par whole notes
\par 
\par  Am
\par |----------------------------------|
\par |----------------------------------|
\par |--2------------------2-------2----|
\par |--2--2---2--2----2-----2---2---2--|
\par |--0----0----0--0---0-----0--------|
\par |------------0---------------------|
\par    a         a
\par 
\par \pard 
\par 
\par  Cmaj7                 G
\par \pard |--------------------|------------------|
\par |--------------------|------------0-----|
\par |-------0---0--------|------0---0-0---0-|
\par |--1-2--2---2--4---2-|-1-2--0---0-----0-|
\par |---------3----------|--------2---------|
\par |-------3--------3---|------3-------3---|
\par 
\par 
\par  Am                     D
\par |---------------------------|
\par |-------1-----1-0-------3---|
\par |----0--2-----2-2---2---2---|
\par |--4-------2----------4-----|
\par |-------0---------0-----0---|
\par |---------------------------|
\par         a               a    
\par 
\par Section III 
\par 
\par Uh,oh...change in key! Hate it when that happens! :)
\par Same tune as sections I and II. Not alot of time spent
\par trying to tab last two sections...only a sketch. Sections
\par I and II can stand alone as a complete tune however.
\par 
\par 
\par  F#m                      A
\par 
\par |------------------------|----------------------|
\par |------------------------|------------------2---|
\par |--------1----1-----1----|---------2--2---4---2-|
\par |-----2------------------|-------2----------2---|
\par |--4--------4-----4------|----0-------0---------|
\par |--------2------2------2-|--4-------------------|
\par 
\par first 2 notes in both measures above are whole notes
\par \pard 
\par \page 
\par \pard  Bm
\par |---------------------------------|
\par |---------------------------------|
\par |--4-----4-4------4-------4-4-----|
\par |------4--------4-------4-----4---|
\par |----2--------2-------2---------2-|
\par |--2-------2--------2-------2-----|
\par 
\par 
\par         D                 A 
\par 
\par |-------------------|-----------------|
\par |-------------------|---------2-------|
\par |-------2---2-1-----|-----2-----4---2-|
\par |--3-4----0-------4-|-3-4---2---------|
\par |-------0-------0---|-----0-------0---|
\par |-------------------|-----------------|
\par 
\par 
\par  Bm                    E
\par 
\par |---------------------|--------------0--|
\par |-------3---3-2-------|------------0----|
\par |--1-2------------4---|--1-1-----1------|
\par |---------4---------4-|--------2--------|
\par |-------2-------2-----|------2----------|
\par |---------------------|----0---------0--|
\par 
\par         D           A
\par     
\par |----------------|-------------------------|
\par |-------3--------|--2--2-----2--3--2-------|
\par |-------2-----2--|---------2----------4--2-|
\par |--1-2-----0-----|-------2-----------------|
\par |----------------|-----0--------0----------|
\par |-------2--------|-------------------------|
\par 
\par \pard 
\par \page 
\par 
\par \pard |--------------------|
\par |--------------------|
\par \pard |--4--------------4--|   From here return back to middle 
\par |------4--4----4-----|   of section
\par \pard |----2-------2-------|
\par |--2------2----------|
\par 
\par Any corrections, comments etc. most welcome. I've
\par got several other Kottke's not currently in OLGA.
\par Some are only partially complete,half-baked,
\par need lots of assembly but are ball park and 
\par a few others are reasonably close. If this one
\par passes ya'lls "hello test" I'll submit
\par tabs for "Cripple Creek", "Watermelon" (amazed
\par those two aren't in OLGA),"Available Space", "Train
\par and the Gate", "Always","Part Two","Tenn Toad",
\par "Little Martha"(Leo's, not Duane's),"Ark Greyhounds"
\par (I need help for the latter!!) plus some Ackerman,
\par Peter Lang (for you old timers) and a real close
\par Rick Ruskin "Here Comes the Sun". Somebody send me
\par a mail and let me know if they're interested.......
\par 
\par      Jim Jarrell  work: JarrellJ@N4.OPNAV.NAVY.MIL
\par                   home: KQTJ46A@prodigy.com        
\par 
\par |
\par \pard {\f3\fs16 
\par }}

From JARRELLJ@N4.OPNAV.NAVY.MIL  Mon Sep 11 10:55:08 1995
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Date: Mon, 11 Sep 95 12:49:51 EST
From: "JARRELL_JIM" 
Encoding: 37 Text, 211 Text
Message-Id: 
To: dgaudet@math.ubc.ca
Return-Receipt-To: JARRELLJ@N4.OPNAV.NAVY.MIL
Subject: TAB:LeoKottke"Why_Ask_Why"txt.format
Status: RO

Dean....
   Was on travel last week.  Late getting back to you, but thanks for the 
response (to my submission of Watermelon and Tenn Toad).

Here's "Why ask Why" in text format.  Will send text format of "Little
Martha" right behind it.

Looking forward to updates to Taxco Steps....your current tab in OLGA is 
kicking my butt!! :)  just can't get second section down....as you say, and
point is well taken, "some assembly required"...in fact, I find that I 
don't really play some of my own tabs the way I write them down.  I write
down what I hear but end up putting my own spin to the tune, particualarly
in the syncopation.....years ago used to be a "nut" for trying to learn
tunes "note for note".....guess I've mellowed in my old age!

Don Ross?? Ummm...never heard of him....fingerstyle instrumentalist?  How 
about Phil Heywood, ever hear of him? Only one tape I'm aware of, "Some
Summer Day" (avail from Elderly records).   His tape is superb!

Re. tunings for Sleepwalk and Dream Dream....one of those issues where I
probably could tab 'em out if I knew tuning.....too lazy to go through
experimentation to find tuning...there's only about 3 choices...D G or C.
Don't think Kottke plays any slide in other than those 3 tunings...with
couple exceptions......
Speaking of which....re. your comments on your "Skinflint" tab.  I had been
playing it for several years and had tab "sketched out" (middle section is
tough!).  I figured out it was in C from a video tape I have of Kottke 
playing it as the closing number on an "Austin City Limits" show.  His 
unaccompanied version on the show is, well, a "showstopper" and FAR 
exceeds recording.  Recording pales in comparison......Alas, while your
tab is real, real close, there's some nuances missing that you would have
immediately picked up on had you seen it on tape.  Maybe one of these days
I can make a copy of the tape and send it to you.

Getting long winded here......am working on putting some more tabs into
my computer......great way to spend late sunday afternooon while watching
NFL on the tube....     Sincerely,  Jim

As a new guy on the net, and a bonefide Leo Kottke nut,
my first tab submitted to OLGA is one of Leo's more obscure
tunes, "Why Ask Why?" from "Dreams and all that Stuff". Six
string, standard tuning, "Why ask Why?" is a classic example 
of Leo's occasional foray into the sublime (ie. Muzak or
"elevator music").

While not a Kottke original, I have no clue who composed
the piece.  It kind of  fits along the pattern of other
"old standards" Leo has "covered" over the years, the most
recent being "Twilight Time" and "Wonderland by Night" from 
"Peculiaroso". "Why ask Why?" is a little less tongue in cheek
and has, as most old standards, a very pretty melody which
is probably what draws Leo to these tunes to begin with.
 
The biggest problem I have with Leo's cover is the piano
banging out the melody in the background. Unfortunately
he has always had a tendancy to add too many "bells and
whistles" to his productions vice solo guitar. An attempt to
find commercial success I suppose but sure wish he'd stick
to pure, unadulterated solo guitar......that's his audience 
in my humble opinion. His recent excursions into spoken word,
"Rap"tunes, really turn me off but what do I know...:)

Regardless of aforementioned criticisms, I've been a long 
time Kottke fan and had the rare opportunity to talk with
Leo and his wife Mary for about twenty minutes on the floor of
theTaylor guitar factory in San Diego in Dec 95.

"Why ask Why"
                          composer: unknown
                          arrangement: Leo Kottke
                          From: "Dreams and all that Stuff"
                          Tab:  Jim Jarrell
Standard tuning
Capo II (or there abouts)

a = arppegio
v = vibrato

Note:  As a "registered musical idiot", no time values
per measure are provided. I break up measures in a
hap-hazard manner.....ie. you gotta hear the tune!
A straight forward tune, Leo's stuff doesn't get any easier
than this. Reasonably slow tempo with lots of 
feeling....play it like a "lounge lizard" would!

Section I

Em(?)                   G
e|-----------------------|---------------------|
B|-----------------------|----------------0----|
G|-----------------------|--------0-----2-2-2--|
D|-----0--4----4-------4-|--------0-----0---0--|
A|--2-----2--2---2---2---|------2---2----------|
E|--------0--------0-----|-2-3--------3--------|
          a

first two notes in above measure are "whole notes",
then the pace picks up to say what? quarter notes?

Am                             Cmaj7
|------------------------------|-----------------|
|--------------0-------0-0-----|-----------------|
|------2-2-------2-----2-2-----|-----0-------0---|
|----2-2-2---2-------2-------2-|-1-2-2---2-------|
|--0-------0-------0-------0---|-------3-------3-|
|------------------------------|-----3-----3-----|



G                  Am              D(1st ending)
|------------------|---------------|-------------|
|------0-------0---|-----1---------|-------3-----|
|----0-0-------0---|---0-2-2---2---|-0-0---2-----|
|--4-------0-------|-4-------2-----|-----4-0-----|
|--------2-------2-|-----0-------0-|-------------|
|------3-----3-----|---------------|-------------|
                         a                 a

D(2nd ending)
|--------------|
|--------3-----|
|--0-----2-----|
|----2-4-0-----|
|--------------|
|--------------|
         a

Section II

C          G        D
|-------------------|-------------------|
|------1---0-0------|-------0-1-0---0---|
|------0---0-0---0--|-----0-------2-----|
|---0----0------0---|---0---------------|
|-4----3------------|-------------------|
|------------3------|-2-----------------|
  v    a     a             that's right..
                           no bass notes!

first three notes in first measure above are
whole notes

Am
|----------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|
|--2------------------2-------2----|
|--2--2---2--2----2-----2---2---2--|
|--0----0----0--0---0-----0--------|
|------------0---------------------|
   a         a



Cmaj7                 G
|--------------------|------------------|
|--------------------|------------0-----|
|-------0---0--------|------0---0-0---0-|
|--1-2--2---2--4---2-|-1-2--0---0-----0-|
|---------3----------|--------2---------|
|-------3--------3---|------3-------3---|

Am                     D
|---------------------------|
|-------1-----1-0-------3---|
|----0--2-----2-2---2---2---|
|--4-------2----------4-----|
|-------0---------0-----0---|
|---------------------------|
        a               a

Section III

Uh,oh...change in key! Hate it when that happens! :)
Same tune as sections I and II. Not alot of time spent
trying to tab last two sections...only a sketch. Sections
I and II can stand alone as a complete tune however.

F#m                      A

|------------------------|----------------------|
|------------------------|------------------2---|
|--------1----1-----1----|---------2--2---4---2-|
|-----2------------------|-------2----------2---|
|--4--------4-----4------|----0-------0---------|
|--------2------2------2-|--4-------------------|

first 2 notes in both measures above are whole notes

Bm
|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|
|--4-----4-4------4-------4-4-----|
|------4--------4-------4-----4---|
|----2--------2-------2---------2-|
|--2-------2--------2-------2-----|

D                 A

|-------------------|-----------------|
|-------------------|---------2-------|
|-------2---2-1-----|-----2-----4---2-|
|--3-4----0-------4-|-3-4---2---------|
|-------0-------0---|-----0-------0---|
|-------------------|-----------------|

Bm                    E

|---------------------|--------------0--|
|-------3---3-2-------|------------0----|
|--1-2------------4---|--1-1-----1------|
|---------4---------4-|--------2--------|
|-------2-------2-----|------2----------|
|---------------------|----0---------0--|

D           A
    
|----------------|-------------------------|
|-------3--------|--2--2-----2--3--2-------|
|-------2-----2--|---------2----------4--2-|
|--1-2-----0-----|-------2-----------------|
|----------------|-----0--------0----------|
|-------2--------|-------------------------|



|--------------------|
|--------------------|
|--4--------------4--|   From here return back to middle 
|------4--4----4-----|   of section
|----2-------2-------|
|--2------2----------|

Any corrections, comments etc. most welcome.

Jim Jarrell  work: JarrellJ@N4.OPNAV.NAVY.MIL
 |