Below are the chord substitutions that I use to play the 1849 Stephen Foster (pictured above) folk song Oh, Susanna. I play the song in a moderate 4/4 tempo. This arrangement is a good example of substituting a standard (I-VIm-II7-V7) progression variation for a folk (I-V) progression. You've got to check out the James Taylor version of this song. The chord fingerings I use (in a Standard tuning) are as follows: C = x32010; Am7 = x02010; D7/F# = 2x021x; G = 32300x; F = 133211; and Fmaj7 = 1x2210.
Verse
| C / / / | Am7 / / / | D7/F# / / / | G7 / / / |
| C / / / | Am7 / / / | D7/F# / G7 / | C / / / |
| C / / / | Am7 / / / | D7/F# / / / | G7 / / / |
| C / / / | Am7 / / / | D7/F# / G7 / | C / / / |
Chorus
| F / / / | Fmaj7 / / / | C / Am7 / | D7/F# / G7 / |
| C / / / | Am7 / / / | D7/F# / G7 / | C / / / |
Lyrics
Verse:
C G7
For I came from Alabama with my banjo on my knee
C G7 C
I'm going to Lou'siana my true love for to see
C
It rained all night the day I left the weather it
G7
was dry
C G7
The sun so hot I froze to death Susanna don't you
C
cry
Chorus:
F C G7
Oh Susanna oh don't you cry for me
C G7 C
For I come from Alabama with my banjo on my knee
Additional Verse Lyrics:
I had a dream the other night when ev'rything was still
I thought I saw Susanna a-coming down the hill
The buckwheat cake was in her mouth the tear was in her eye
Says I I'm coming from the South Susanna don't you cry
I soon will be in New Orleans and then I look all around
And when I find Susanna I will fall upon the ground
But when I do not find her this boy will surely die
And when I'm dead and buried Susanna don't you cry
If you want to learn more, check out our Chord Substitution page.
