The Erie Canal (hi-lo)

by New York work song (circa 1820) · posted by WaltP

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How to read this tab — notation key

+: Blow note
−: Draw note
b or ': Half-step bend
bb or '': Two half-step bend
bbb or ''': Three half-step bend
(###): Chord — relevant hole numbers in parentheses
< or *: Push the button in (chromatic harmonica)

Full reference and posting tips in the tab guide.

Tab

THE ERIE CANAL hi-lo
New York work song circa 1820
Key: Em

 5   -3”-3” 4     4   -4  -4  5
 8   -6 -6  7     7   -8  -8  8
I’ve got a mule, her name is Sal

 5   5     5   -3”-3  4 -3” -3 -3”
 8   8     8   -6 -7  7 -6  -7 -6
Fif-teen miles on the E-rie Ca-nal

  5   5  -3”  -3”  4   4
  8   8  -6   -6   7   7
She’s a good hard work-er

 4  4  -4   -4   5
 7  7  -8   -8   8
And a real good pal

 5   5     5   -3”-3  4 -3” -3 -3”
 8   8     8   -6 -7  7 -6  -7 -6
Fif-teen miles on the E-rie Ca-nal

  5      6    5     6  5  6   5  -4
  8      9    8     9  8  9   8  -8
We’ve hauled some barg-es in our day

  5     4    5  -3    5    4  -3
  8     7    8  -7    8    7  -7
Filled with lum-ber, coal and hay

 5   -3” -3”4    4    -4    4 -4  5
 8   -6  -6 7    7    -8    7 -8  8
From Buf-fa-lo we’re start-ing a trip

 5    5 -4  5   -3”-3  4 -3” -3   -3”
 8    8 -8  8   -6 -7  7 -6  -7   -6
And it’s a slow but a ver-y good ship

 3   5    5     5   -4  5  4  -4
 6   8    8     8   -8  8  7  -8
Hey low bridge, ev-‘ry bod-y down

 5    5       4  -4  5  4   -4 -3 4
 8    8       7  -8  8  7   -8 -7 7
Low bridge, we’re a-com-in’ to a town

 5    -5   6   5    6    5    -5   -5
 8    -9   9   8    9    8    -9   -9 
And you’ll al-ways know your neigh-bor

  -4   6   5    6    5   -5
  -8   9   8    9    8   -9
You’ll al-ways know your pal

-5   -5   5  -4  5  4 -5  5
-9   -9   8  -8  8  7 -9  8
If you’ve ev-er nav-i-gat-ed

-5 -4  5  4  -4  4
-9 -8  8  7  -8  7
On the E-rie Ca-nal

Play on a harmonica— watch which holes to blow & draw, with sound