BLACKADDER
HARMONICA TABLATURE
by Suta Amasha
I. ABOUT BLACKADDER
One of my favourite situational comedy TV show, for me it is one of the funniest British comedies ever made. There have been four series of this historical comedy, all set in different periods of British history. The core of each episode revolves around the interaction of three main characters, Black Adder himself (played by Rowan Atkinson), his servant Baldrick (Tony Robinson) and a third participant who varied from one series to another.
The first series of Blackadder and in my opinion the best (The other series were good but I think this was the best of a great lot) especially The Black Adder the first series of Blackadder episode 4 THE QUEEN OF SPAIN’S BEARD. With Miriam Margoolyes as Princess Maria ( The Spanish Infanta ), Edmund is to be married to the Spanish Infanta, and tries everything to stop the wedding, absolutely funny episode. For any of you who haven`t watched this TV series, then go find it in your local video shop or renting video shop, You`ll never be sorry to buy and watch all the series.
Note :
- I also heard rumor that Black adder could be coming back ( BlackAdder goes Fifth ) not sure if this is true but it would be great.
- Oh yeah can anyone tell me why did Prince Harry always yell out to the messenger (cast by David Runn, correct me if I`m wrong ) each time they met?
II. TABLATURE
Blackadder has the same melody troughout the series, but it`s played roughly the style of the period in which it is set. The melody have different kind of lyrics in each episode, so I decided to make the tablature just for the opening theme. It`s quite short but kind of difficulty to play with your harp. First of all you should have to mastered note bending on hole 2 and 3 for diatonic harp. It used bending hole 2 from G down to F and hole 3 hole 3 from B down to Bb and A. For chromatic harp, there are two note to slide in ( side button ),i.e : hole 5 ( exhale & inhale ) slide in notes and hole 3( exhale ) slide in notes.
BLACKADDER THEME
By Howard Goodall
DIATONIC HARMONICA TABLATURE
Key : C
Difficulty : Hard
# Note System Explained #
( _ ) Quick draw and bend note, extremely fast ‘run’ of sliding notes
3 blow on hole 3 ( exhale )
-3 draw on hole 3 ( inhale )
3* bend on hole 3
Note:Bend notes explained ( Harp key : C )
3* bending hole 3 from B down to Bb
3** bending hole 3 from B down to A
3*** bending hole 3 from B to Ab
4 2** 1 2** 1 2** 3** -3
-2 3* -2 3* 3** -2 2** ( 2** -2 2** -2 2** -2 2** -2 2** -2 2** -2 2** ) 2
1 2** 1 2** 1 2** 3** -3 -2 3* 3** -2 2** 2** 1 2** -2 2** -2 4 4
4 3** 4 4 -2 4 3* 3** -2 2** 4 4 4 3** 4 4 2** 2** -2 3** 3* 4 4
CHROMATIC HARMONICA TABLATURE
Key : C
Difficulty : Medium
# Note System Explained #
( _ ) extremely fast ‘run’ of sliding notes.
3 blow on hole 3 ( Exhale )
-3 draw on hole 3 ( inhale )
3< blow on hole 3 and press side button
-3< draw on hole 3 and press side button
6 -3 2 -3 2 -3 5< -5<
-4 -5 -4 -5 5< -4 -3 ( -3-4-3-4-3-4-3-4-3-4-3-4 ) 3<
2 -3 2 -3 2 -3 5< -5< -4 -5 5< -4 -3 -3 2 -3 -4 -3 -4 6 6
6 5< 6 6 -4 6 -5 5< -4 -3 6 6 6 5< 6 6 -3 -3 -4 5< -5 6 6
These are some of ending theme lyric :
THE BLACK ADDER (episodes 1-5)
The sound of hoof beats ‘cross the glade.
Good folk, lock up your son and daughter.
Beware the deadly flashing blade,
Unless you want to end up shorter.
Black Adder, Black Adder. He rides a pitch black steed.
Black Adder, Black Adder. He’s very bad indeed.
Black. His gloves of finest mole.
Black. His codpiece made of metal.
His horse is blacker than a hole.
His pot is blacker than his kettle.
Black Adder, Black Adder. With many an cunning plan.
Black Adder, Black Adder. You horrid little man!
THE BLACK ADDER :The Black Seal (episode 6)
So now the wage of sin is paid.
The blade is stopped, the black stead grazes.
The only sound across the glade
Is Edmund pushing up the daisies.
Black Adder, Black Adder, a shame about the plan.
Black Adder, Black Adder. Farewell, you horrid man.
BLACK ADDER II
Bells
Lord Flashheart tweaked the Adder’s beard.
From now he always shall be single.
To fall in love with boys is weird,
Especially boys without a dingle.
Black Adder, Black Adder. His taste is rather odd.
Black Adder, Black Adder, the randy little sod.
Head
His great-grandfather was a king,
Although for only thirty seconds.
When put in charge of beheading,
He felt that fame and glory beckoned.
Black Adder, Black Adder. No such blooming luck.
Black Adder, Black Adder, Elizabethan shmuck.
Black Adder, Black Adder. Nothing goes as planned.
Black Adder, Black Adder. Life deals him a bum hand
Lord Flashheart, Lord Flashheart, I wish you were the star.
Lord Flashheart, Lord Flashheart, you’re sexier by far
Potato
Sir Francis and Sir Walter had
Discovered new worlds and new nations.
And though Black Adder thought them mad,
He tried his hand at navigation.
Black Adder, Black Adder. He saw the ocean’s foam.
Black Adder, Black Adder. He should have stayed at home.
Black Adder, Black Adder. He heard the new world’s call.
Black Adder, Black Adder. He discovered bugger-all
Beer
Black Adder couldn’t hold his beer.
The art of boozing he’s not mastered.
And I, your merry balladeer,
Am also well and truly plastered.
Black Adder, Black Adder, a bit like Robin Hood.
Black Adder, Black Adder, but nothing like as good.
Black Ad-hic, Black Adder. I thought that he had died.
Black Adder, Black Adder. Our writers must have lied.
Money
Take heed the moral of this tale:
Be not a borrower or lender.
And if your finances do fail,
Make sure your banker’s not a bender.
Black Adder, Black Adder. He trusted in the church.
Black Adder, Black Adder. It left him in the lurch.
Black Adder, Black Adder. His life was almost done.
Black Adder, Black Adder. Who gives a toss? No one.
Chains
Beware all ye who lust for fame.
The path of life is most uncertain.
Prince Ludwig thought he’d won the game.
But now the Kraut’s gone for a burton.
Black Adder, Black Adder. He beat the Hun by luck.
Black Adder, Black Adder. He’s smarter than a duck.
Lord Melchitt, Lord Melchitt, intelligent and deep.
Lord Melchitt, Lord Melchitt, a shame about the sheep.
III. COPYRIGHT
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Baldrick:
Hear the words I sing,
War’s a horrid thing,
But still I sing, sing, sing,
Ding a ling a ling.
- Goodbyeee
