FOUR THOUSAND YEARS AGO
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Time signature: 2/4
Tempo: lively |
Perhaps Lyrics by Harry C. Clyde
and Music by H. C. Verner Main source for this page is Carson J. Robison's "Mountain Ballads" (1930) |
UNDER CONSTRUCTION: The accordion notation, youTube keys & Guitar chords to be checked.
Accordion Notation
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Beats per bar = 2
Beat symbol = Colon ( : ) or equivalent |
Either row (high) = Buttons 5 - 7
Inner row (low) = Buttons 2 - 4 plus o3* |
Verse 1 (of 4+)
"5 "5 | ;6 "6 .3 .6 | .7* .6 .6 .5* | ::6~ | ~:
"2 "2 | ;3 "3 .3 .3 | .3* .3 .3 .o3* | ::3~ | ~:
I was born a-bout four thou-sand years a - go___,
.5 .5 | ;6 "6 .6 .6 | .7 .7 .7* .6 | ::7*~ | ~:
.2 .2 | ;3 "3 .3 .3 | .4 .4 .3* .3 | ::3*~ | ~:
And there's noth-ing in this world that I don't know___.
.5 .5 | ;6 "6 .6 .6 | .7 .7 .7* .6 | .5* .5* .5* .5* | .6 .6
.2 .2 | ;3 "3 .3 .3 | .4 .4 .3* .3 | .o3* .o3* .o3* .o3* | .3 .3
I saw old King Phar-aoh's daught-er find-ing Mos - es on the wa - ter,
.6* .6 | ;7* "7* .6 .6 | .6 .6* .5* .5 | ::6~ | ~;
.2* .3 | ;3* "3* .3 .3 | .3 .2* .o3* .2 | ::3~ | ~;
I can whip the guy who says it is - n't so___.
Chorus
:5 "5 | .:6 "6 "6 | "7* "6 "6 "5* "7* "6 "6 "5* | ;6
:2 "2 | .:3 "3 "3 | "3* "3 "3 "o3* "3* "3 "3 "o3* | ;3
For you know I'm a ver - y high-ly ed - u - cat - ed man,
"6 .7* .7* | .7* .7* .6* .6 | .6 .5* :5~ | ~:
"3 .3* .3* | .3* .3* .2* .3 | .3 .o3* :2~ | ~:
To keep my brains with-in my head I plan__.
.5 .5 | ;6 "6 .6 .6 | :7 .7* .6 | .5* .5* .5* .5* | :6 .6*
.2 .2 | ;3 "3 .3 .3 | :4 .3* .3 | .o3* .o3* .o3* .o3* | :3 .2*
For I've been on earth so long That I used to sing a song___
.6 | ;7* "7* .7* .7 | .7* .6* .5* .5 | ::6~ | ~.:
.3 | ;3* "3* .3* .4 | .3* .2* .o3* .2 | ::3~ | ~.:
While A - bra - ham and Is-aac rushed the can___.
"5 "5 | ;6 "6 .3 .6 | .7* .6 .6 .5* | ::6~ | ~:
"2 "2 | ;3 "3 .3 .3 | .3* .3 .3 .o3* | ::3~ | ~:
I was born a-bout four thou-sand years a - go___,
.5 .5 | ;6 "6 .6 .6 | .7 .7 .7* .6 | ::7*~ | ~:
.2 .2 | ;3 "3 .3 .3 | .4 .4 .3* .3 | ::3*~ | ~:
And there's noth-ing in this world that I don't know___.
.5 .5 | ;6 "6 .6 .6 | .7 .7 .7* .6 | .5* .5* .5* .5* | .6 .6
.2 .2 | ;3 "3 .3 .3 | .4 .4 .3* .3 | .o3* .o3* .o3* .o3* | .3 .3
I saw old King Phar-aoh's daught-er find-ing Mos - es on the wa - ter,
.6* .6 | ;7* "7* .6 .6 | .6 .6* .5* .5 | ::6~ | ~;
.2* .3 | ;3* "3* .3 .3 | .3 .2* .o3* .2 | ::3~ | ~;
I can whip the guy who says it is - n't so___.
Chorus
:5 "5 | .:6 "6 "6 | "7* "6 "6 "5* "7* "6 "6 "5* | ;6
:2 "2 | .:3 "3 "3 | "3* "3 "3 "o3* "3* "3 "3 "o3* | ;3
For you know I'm a ver - y high-ly ed - u - cat - ed man,
"6 .7* .7* | .7* .7* .6* .6 | .6 .5* :5~ | ~:
"3 .3* .3* | .3* .3* .2* .3 | .3 .o3* :2~ | ~:
To keep my brains with-in my head I plan__.
.5 .5 | ;6 "6 .6 .6 | :7 .7* .6 | .5* .5* .5* .5* | :6 .6*
.2 .2 | ;3 "3 .3 .3 | :4 .3* .3 | .o3* .o3* .o3* .o3* | :3 .2*
For I've been on earth so long That I used to sing a song___
.6 | ;7* "7* .7* .7 | .7* .6* .5* .5 | ::6~ | ~.:
.3 | ;3* "3* .3* .4 | .3* .2* .o3* .2 | ::3~ | ~.:
While A - bra - ham and Is-aac rushed the can___.
Embedded youTube VIDEOS
There are a large number of verses for this song, but most use the same melody, more or less, as given above. There are some differences in lyrics, rhythm and tempo among the various youTube performances, with no two exactly alike or identical to what is given on this page. Most use four to six verses, with chorus.
Here are 12 videos in various keys (tentatively): Ab=2 A=1 Bb=1 C=1
D=1 F=1 F#=2 G=3
There are a large number of verses for this song, but most use the same melody, more or less, as given above. There are some differences in lyrics, rhythm and tempo among the various youTube performances, with no two exactly alike or identical to what is given on this page. Most use four to six verses, with chorus.
Here are 12 videos in various keys (tentatively): Ab=2 A=1 Bb=1 C=1
D=1 F=1 F#=2 G=3
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Key: G
Singers: Lester McFarland, and Robert Gardner Posted by: geofbrit59 |
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Key: G ?
Group: The Carter Family Posted by: Tom Page |
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Key: D ?
Group & Singer: ? Posted by: Charleston Bluegrass Performed at the Shade Tree Apartments Grand Opening at John's Island, South Carolina. |
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Key: F# (Gb) ?
Group: Gentry Brothers Posted by: randomandrare Recorded in 1927 |
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Key: G ?
Singer: Otto Gray Group: The Oklahoma Cowboys Posted by: Patrick Marchal |
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Key: G ?
Singer: Doc Watson Posted by: Roko Johin Recorded in 1964 |
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Key: Ab ?
Group: The Hoosier Hot Shots Posted by: Robert Wirth Recorded in 1934 |
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Key: Bb
Singer: Norman Blake Posted by: lanubeblanca |
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Key: C
Singer: Anthony (Tony) Archibald (singing verses only, no chorus) Posted by: threelegsoman It may be noted that Tony's chord arrangement is not quite the same as given on this page (below the embedded videos). The melody is also slighly different. |
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Key: Ab ?
Singer: Elvis Presley Posted by: Biribosque |
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Key: A ?
Singer: Lauren Levy (singing verses only; no chorus) Posted by: Lily Gist |
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Key: F?
Singer: Sawyer Frye (singing verses only; no chorus) Posted by: sfvideos |
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Guitar Chord Notation
Source: Carson J. Robinson's "World's Greatest Collection of Mountain Ballads & Old Time Songs" (1930)
Finger key of G melodies & chords with capo at fret = Key of sound: 1 = Ab 2=A 3=Bb 4=B 5=C
Finger key of C melodies & chords with capo at fret = Key of sound: 1 = Db 2=D 3=Eb 4=E 5=F
Finger key of G melodies & chords with capo at fret = Key of sound: 1 = Ab 2=A 3=Bb 4=B 5=C
Finger key of C melodies & chords with capo at fret = Key of sound: 1 = Db 2=D 3=Eb 4=E 5=F
1. G C G
C F C
I was born about four thousand years a-go,
D7
G7
And there's nothing in this world that I don't know.
G G7 C
C C7 F
I saw old King Pharaoh's daughter Find-ing Moses on the water,
D7 G
G7 C
I can whip the guy who says it isn't so.
2. G C G
C F C
I saw Satan when he searched the garden o'er.
D7
G7
I saw Eve and Adam driven from the door.
G G7 C
C C7 F
While the ap-ple they were eating, From the bushes I was peeping.
D7 G
G7 C
I can prove that I'm the man that ate the core.
Chorus: G C G
C F C
For you know I'm a ver-y highly educated man.
G
C
To keep my brains within my head I plan.
G7 G
C7 C
For I've been on earth so long That I used to sing a song
D G
G C
While Abraham and Isaac rushed the can.
3. G C G
C F C
I saw Noah when he built the famous ark.
D7
G7
I sneaked into it one night when it was dark.
G G7 C
C C7 F
I saw Jon-ah ate by the whale, And I pulled the lion's tail,
D7 G
G7 C
And I crossed the land of Canaan on a lark.
4. G C G
C F C
Queen Elizabeth fell dead in love with me.
D7
G7
We were married in Milwaukee secret-ly;
G G7 C
C C7 F
Oh I schemed around and shook her, And I went with Gen'ral Hooker
D7 G
G7 C
To fight mosquitoes down in Tennessee.
Chorus
Background Materials, Information & Links
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Lyrics:
(Source - Carson Jay Robinson's Mountain Ballads, 1930) |
1. I was born about four thousand years ago,
And there's nothing in this world that I don't know. I saw old King Pharaoh's daughter Finding Moses on the water, I can whip the guy who says it isn't so. 2. I saw Noah when he built the famous ark. I sneaked into it one night when it was dark. I saw Jonah swallowed by whale, And I pulled the lion's tail, And I crossed the land of Canaan on a lark. Chorus: For you know I'm a very highly educated man. To keep my brains within my head I plan. For I've been on earth so long That I used to sing a song While Abraham and Isaac rushed the can. 3. I saw Satan when he searched the garden o'er. I saw Eve and Adam driven from the door. While the apple they were eating, From the bushes I was peeping. I can prove that I'm the man that ate the core. 4. Queen Elizabeth fell dead in love with me. We were married in Milwaukee secretly; Oh I schemed around and shook her, And I went with Gen'ral Hooker To fight mosquitoes down in Tennessee. Chorus There are many many other verses, many of which are used in the embedded videos above. |