Comments

Dueling Banjos

Hi, I was just wondering if anyone knows where I can find the dueling banjos tune, otherwise known as battling banjos.
Or more simply, "That tune from deliverance" Any help would be appreciated

# Posted on May 3rd 2007 by Joneser

Re: Dueling Banjos

Pedant mode on.
The title is really "Duelling Banjo" because there is only one banjo.The earliest recording I have of the tune is on The Dillard's album "Back Porch Bluegrass" under the title "Duellin' Banjo" and it's a duel between the mandolin and the banjo.I've never heard a recording of it with two banjos,so how did it acquire the name?
Helpful mode on.
http://www.guitaretab.com/d/deliverance/24195.htmlhttp://www.cowboylyrics.com/tabs/traditional/dueling-banjos-1420.html
http://www.banjohangout.org/tab/browse.asp?m=byletter&v=D
http://www.911tabs.com/link/?246891

# Posted on May 3rd 2007 by dafydd

Re: Dueling Banjos

Or you could learn it be ear from this, Joneser:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=esl2NNOtHQE

# Posted on May 3rd 2007 by Ptarmigan

Re: Dueling Banjos

I think it was originally “Feudin’ Banjos” composed by Arthur Smith and performed on banjo by Don Reno (awesome player) in the 50s. You're right though, dafydd, it's usually performed as a duel between one banjo and one guitar!

# Posted on May 3rd 2007 by fidkid

Re: Dueling Banjos

Try this:

X:1
T:Doolin Banjos
M:2/4
K:G
Bc|"G" d2B2 c2A2 | B2G2 A3 z | B2Bd A2B2 |
G2B2 A2 z G| G2G2 A2B2 | G2 G,2 A,2 B,2 |
"C"C2 Ec egGe|gAdg dGed|"G" G2gG dgGd |gGdg e2 d2|
"D"d2 cd gddg| cdcd gddg|"G" GdgB ABgB|G4 z4|

....................G
E----------|--------------------|--------------------|-------------------------|
A----2-3--|---5--2--3--0---|--2----------0-----|-----------2----0---2--|
D----------|-------------------|------5-------------|--5-----5---------------|
G----------|-------------------|---------------------|-------------------------|

E-|---------------------|----------------------|--------------------|
A-|-----2-----0--------|-----------0---2----|--------------------|
D-|-5--------------5---|---5---5------------|---5---------------|
G-|---------------------|----------------------|---------0--2--4--|

........C......................................................................G
E-|-------------0---3----0---|---3------3-------0-----|------------3------------3--------|---3-------3-------0----------|
A-|----------3----------------|------0-5-------5----5--|----------------------5--------5--|---------5----------------5----|
D-|-------2-----------5------|--------------5-----------|---5----------5------------5------|-----5-------------------------|
G-|-5-------------------------|---------------------------|------------------------------------|--------------------------------|

...D............................................................................G
E-|----------------3------3--|---------------3-----3-|-------3------------3----|------------------|
A-|---5----3-5-----5-5-----|---3-5-3-5----5-5---|----5---2----0-2---2--|------------------|
D-|---------------------------|-------------------------|-5-----------------------|---5---------------|
G-|---------------------------|-------------------------|--------------------------|------------------|

# Posted on May 3rd 2007 by fidkid

Re: Dueling Banjos

Thanks alot guys, its true that all trad players are helpful
(urban myth?)

# Posted on May 3rd 2007 by Joneser

Re: Dueling Banjos

Don Reno's sons form the nucleus of festival stalwarts "Hayseed Dixie" and you can see them playing "Feudin' Banjos" more-or-less as she was written with a bit of extra va-va-voom at a festival or pub near you any given summer

# Posted on May 4th 2007 by Bren

Re: Dueling Banjos

I recommended "Deliverance" to a fellow musician who hadn't seen it, when it was going to be on tv.
Nearly freaked him out when I saw him next, and played the opening riff. Not everyone enjoys the film, or being reminded of its images.

# Posted on May 4th 2007 by Guernsey Pete

Re: Dueling Banjos

I played in bluegrass bands for 10 years back during the 70's revival. I liked many of the instrumentals, especially the old Appalachian tunes (most of which began life in Scotland or Ireland). But I never could get my heart wrapped around the genre's peculiar mix of bible-baptismal gospel and followed-her-little-footprints-through-the-snow-and-slit-my-sweetie's-throat-down-by-the-river ballads.

# Posted on May 4th 2007 by Will Harmon

Re: Dueling Banjos

I read somewhere that the tune was originally called
"Mocking Banjos". My favorite version ever of this tune is by
a bluegrass-leaning group known as the
Kruger Brothers, from Switzerland. In concert, the brothers play banjo and guitar and do things with this tune that I never would have imagined. I don't know if there are any recordings or videos of them doing this tune, but it would be a great find.

# Posted on May 4th 2007 by halfwaythere

Re: Dueling Banjos

Here´s one: http://youtube.com/watch?v=HA5xPMOZjKw

# Posted on May 4th 2007 by Björn

Re: Dueling Banjos

I tracked down the original and it is one banjo and one guitar,I know they were rednecks but why on earth did they call it "Feudin' Banjos" Surely they must have noticed?

# Posted on May 4th 2007 by dafydd

Re: Dueling Banjos

well, "Feudin' Pluckers" would've been a DJ's nightmare

# Posted on May 4th 2007 by Bren

Re: Dueling Banjos

Good one.

# Posted on May 4th 2007 by dafydd

Re: Dueling Banjos

-Every time I see that title a curiosity arises as to whether they're a matched set of dueling banjos, inlaid with filigree and ivory.

-O.K., Here's the rules: Stand back to back, take ten paces, turn around -and strum!

# Posted on May 5th 2007 by pubpersona

Re: Dueling Banjos

http://homepages.nildram.co.uk/~blagger/the_duel.html

# Posted on May 5th 2007 by Clear Drops

Re: Dueling Banjos

Yee haaaaaaaaaaaa!

# Posted on May 5th 2007 by Clear Drops

Re: Dueling Banjos

just never ask a bluegrass player to play this. you're likely to get the banjo swung at you.

# Posted on May 5th 2007 by alyssak

Re: Dueling Banjos

Yearh, if you play banjo "Play duelling banjos."
If you play fiddle "Play the devil went down to Georgia."
Yuk!

# Posted on May 6th 2007 by Clear Drops

Re: rapid response

well,you could adopt the rk response when muppets bark out their requests and it goes like this:

'feck off,i'm not a feckin' jukebox'

except it was n't the feck word.

# Posted on May 6th 2007 by biggus dave