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A Riff in Time

from Worth the Wait by Gregg Cagno

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about

An ode to the folk process, dedicated to Pete Seeger.
(Live @ Godfrey Daniels, Bethlehem, PA 2/27/03, recording by Otto Bost)

lyrics

(CHORUS)
FOR YEARS THIS RIFF’S BEEN ROLLIN AROUND
BEEN ON STAGE IN MANY A TOWN
CHARMED THE LADIES DOWN IN NEW ORLEANS
FUNKED ‘EM UP IN ASTORIA QUEENS
THERE’S GOOD REASON WHY IT’S FAMILIAR TO YOU
CAUSE ONE THING THIS RIFF ISN’T IS NEW

WHEN BLIND LEMON JEFFERSON WASN’T LOOKIN’
A YOUNG ROBERT JOHNSON UP AND TOOK IT
HOWLIN’ WOLF HEARD HIM TRY IT DOWN AT GERDE’S
JAMMIN IN THE CORNER, GETTING DOWN AND DIRTY
LATER THAT NIGHT JELLY ROLL GOT AHOLD
STANDIN AT WOLF’S WINDOW LISTENIN’ IN THE COLD

HUDDY LEDBETTER PICKED IT UP IN THE JOINT
OFF A KID FROM JERSEY WHO DIDN’T GET THE POINT
ON A RAILROAD IN THIS LAND HUDDY TAUGHT WOODY
HE HACKED THROUGH & SPREAD IT FAST AS HE COULD-Y
PETE SEEGER EVEN PLUNKED IT OUT ON THE BANJO
& GOT B.B. KING UP AND STARTED ON THE MOJO

CHORUS

DYLAN COPPED IT OFF A BUDDY HOLLY DEMO
WHICH WOUND UP IN THE HANDS OF McCARTNEY & LENNON
GEORGE TAUGHT ‘EM HOW TO PLAY IT & CALLED ‘EM BOTH WANKERS
THEN TRIED IT ON THE SITAR AND TAUGHT RAVI SHANKAR
RAVI BROKE IT OUT SHOWIN’ OFF FOR BONNIE RAITT
WHO PLAYED IT AT THE WHISKEY IN FRONT OF TOM WAITS

CHORUS

TRADITION PASSED ALONG
WITH NO ONE KEEPING SCORE
BUT IF IT SOUNDS THAT GOOD
GOOD CHANCE THAT IT’S BEEN DONE BEFORE

MADE IT’S WAY THROUGH THE LATE NIGHT SCENES
CAMPFIRE CIRCLES AND OPEN MIC DREAMS
TRADITIONAL RIFFAGE CARRIED THROUGH TIME
BY STUDIOUS GUITAR PICKERS HITTING REWIND
I HEARD IT FIRST IN THE STEAMROLLER BLUES
I SWIPED IT RIGHT UP NOW I’M GIVIN’ IT TO YOU

CHORUS

© 2014 Gregg Cagno, ℗ Greggnotes Music ASCAP

credits

from Worth the Wait, released July 9, 2014
Dobro: Jimmy Heffernan
Vocals & Guitar: Gregg Cagno

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all rights reserved

tags

about

Gregg Cagno Winston Salem, North Carolina

With laid-back soul and an open-tuned mind and guitar, Gregg Cagno is a journeyman acoustic troubadour. Cagno can deliver deep-muscle-groove, fluid and creative finger-style and just about everything in between.

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