Week 62: Pay Day



Mississippi John Hurt

The Song

Pay Day was one of John Hurt’s later songs, recorded in July 1964 and first appearing on his 1966 album ‘Today’. It is a great example of Hurt’s fantastic right hand technique.

The song is played in open E tuning, from fat to thin: E B E G# B E (either tune your guitar up, or tune it down to open D and use a capo on the second fret), and the main feature is the unfailing alternating bassline that propels the song throughout his entirety. Over the top of this rock solid foundation, John plays major scale melodies to accentuate the harmony inherent in the tuning.

John’s thumb alternates bassnotes on every beat, strumming two strings each time which gives the song a mellow feel. The melodies focus on the major scale tones – 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 6th – with some beautifully relaxed slides into the big chord tones. Behind his vocals he also riffs on the major scale to accentuate the notes he is singing.

There is no chorus in the song, just a verse progression which is improvised along similar lines each time, and in the second half he introduces an ‘interlude’ featuring a lovely little riff also in the major scale.

But the key to this song is the rock solid bassline. Practice alternating between the two E strings while you play the melody lines, then extend it to the half strum that John uses to play the bass. Keep it relaxed, though – John plays the bass with quite a soft hand. It is a very difficult song to play, and once you start getting it there is a tendency to play it faster than it is.



The Lyrics

Yeah, I did all I can do and I can't get along with you I'm gonna take you to your mama Pay day, pay day, pay day Well, the rabbit in a log, I ain't got no rabbit dog And I hate to see that rabbit get away Get away Baby, did all I can do and I can't get along with you I'm gonna take you to your mama Pay day Just about a week ago I stole some ham and eggs I'm gonna keep my skillet greasy if I can (goin' take care of her) If I can, if I can (You know what happened to me) Well, the hounds is on my track and the knapsack on my back I'm gonna make it to my shanty 'Fore day, 'fore day, 'fore day Baby, I did all I could do, an' I I'm gonna take you to your mama Pay day Interlude Well, and I ain't got no rabbit dog Lord I hate to see that rabbit get away Get away Interlude Baby, did all I can do and I can't get along with you I'm gon' Outro

The Intro



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The Progression



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The Interlude



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The Outro



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