New song I've just written for Emperor Norton.

Leaving Tonight Sept2013

Early practice of song Pretty Boy with Emperor Norton - Claire and Jenny (vocals) Liam (uke) Nic (guitar).

PRETTY BOY (by nic rigby) Guitar DADGAD tuning

INTRO 

C   >  D riff     C   >  D riff              

VERSE 1

C   >  D riff     C   >  D riff              C   >  D riff                C   >  D riff
I want you to keep me awake, by being in my bed, and not just in my head
C   >  D riff     C   >  D riff              C   >  D riff                C   >  D riff
In my mind you’re driving me blind as I try to get some sleep
D/G riff
I’m in over my head, my thoughts were never deep
D/G riff                                       G
And your photograph I keep, always close, so close to me
       A                                      G                            A     
But it’s you that I need here,        to set my spirits free

CHORUS

C                                D                          C                                D
Pretty boy, won’t you fly away with me, Pretty boy won’t you lie awake with me,
C                                D                          C                                D
Pretty boy, pretty boy                        Pretty boy, pretty boy

D/G riff        D/G riff    G     A    G     A    

VERSE 2

C   >  D riff     C   >  D riff              C   >  D riff                C   >  D riff
If I speak freely, will my world explode, if you say no, you’re not for me
C   >  D riff     C   >  D riff              C   >  D riff                C   >  D riff
If you analyse me, will you spot the flaws in my… personality
D/G riff
Too many compromises, too many pointless lies,

D/G riff                                       G
I’d never be more paranoid, if I had an army of spies
       A                                                G                            A                                    
I know I’m not so wise, but can string some words together, more than your 
G
usual type

CHORUS

D/G riff        D/G riff    G     A    G     A    G

C   >  D riff     C   >  D riff              C   >  D riff                C   >  D riff
I want you to keep me awake, by being in my bed, and not just in my head

Instrumental: C   >  D riff     C   >  D riff              C   >  D riff              C   >  D riff

D/G riff        D/G riff    G     A    G     A    

CHORUS x 2

Pretty_Boy_Sept2013

Little Emperor Norton practice of The Great Jazz Bridge Disaster (Predictive Text) Music: Liam Words: Nic 

Performed by Claire (vocals), Liam (uke) and Nic (bass)

The Great Jazz Bridge Disaster (Predictive Text)
(Liam Capper-Starr/Nic Rigby)

CHORUS

Predictive text… Said all I wanted was sex

But all I wanted to do… Was have a go on your sax

And see which way the wind blew


VERSE 1

I’m the kind of woman, who wears my heart on my sleeve

I’ve been stung by love too many times, but so want to believe

Are you gonna slice my heart in two? Or are you one of the good guys?

I guess I’ll have to learn to love the twinkle in your eyes.


CHORUS

Predictive text… Said all I wanted was sex

But all I wanted to do… Was have a toot on your sax

And see which way the wind blew

VERSE 2

You talked the evening out, attempting to explain

The finer points of jazz and the love of John Coltrane

We drank so very much, we talked so very long

I never even got to hear your fabled… bedtime song


BRIDGE

Note for note, and line by line,

No metronome can judge our time

Kiss by kiss, and heart to heart

No chords will drag

Our love apart


CHORUS

Predictive text… Said all I wanted was sex

But all I wanted to do… Was have a blow on your sax

And see which way the wind blew

Text_Sept2013

A little rehearsal by Emperor Norton of A Little Knowledge: Claire (vocals) Liam (bass guitar) Nic (guitar) Jenny (uke).

A LITTLE KNOWLEDGE (nic rigby)
VERSE 1
G
Adam said to Eve: “Don’t tell me the ending”
A
Eve said: “He’s a ghost, it’s really not worth watching.
C                          D
“Turn the TV off, let’s do something.”
G                                                          A
Adam said: “Eve you’ve ruined it all.  What were you thinking?
                      C                                D  
“You know a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.”

CHORUS
Em                                 C
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing
Em                                                                C
To the CLOWN with a CROWN who thinks he’s the king
C                            D                           G      
A little knowledge… is a dangerous thing

VERSE 2
G
Pandora said to Zeus: “What’s in the box?
A
“Not just your Y-Fronts or your smelly socks.
C                                        D
“Come on Zeus, what you hiding?”
G
Zeus said: “You might get more than you bargained for.
A                                                       C                                 D
“Pandora remember my warning, a little knowledge is a dangerous 
G
thing.”
CHORUS
BRIDGE
Bm                   G                   Bm                       G     
They say ignorance is bliss, what if I’d never known you
Bm                    G                                       G   
What of the joy I’d have missed, and the pain when it was all 
A
through

CHORUS (INSTRUMENTAL)

VERSE 3
G
I said to you: “Let’s go for a drink. 
A
“Maybe a meal, what you think?”
C                                  D 
We’ll be best buddies, friends never ending.
G                                                      A
But one day I opened up my heart, what was I thinking
                     C                        D                       G 
You know, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

CHORUS THEN ALTERNATIVE CHORUS
Bm                                 G
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing
Bm                                                                G
To the CLOWN with a CROWN who thinks he’s the king
G                            A                          D 
A little knowledge… is a dangerous thing
G                            A                       D
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing

Little_Knowledge_Sept2013 Mixdown

HoldMe1

Bottle of Wine

To see you smile

A March practice of a little Emperor Norton song Don't Drive Me Down with Alice on vocals and uke and Nic on guitar

DON’T DRIVE ME DOWN (by Nic Rigby)

INTRO:
C/// Cmajor9/// Am/// Am/// C/// Cmajor9/// Am/// Am/// F/// F/// G/// 
G/// G7/// G7/// 

VERSE 1
C///                   G///           Am///            F///
First day, weeks, with you and me, we spent in drunken ecstasy

C///             G///          C///            G///
Lightly fried in summer skies, dancing in each others eyes

C///            G///            Am///            F///
Wild, exploring all our senses, kept the days in present tenses

C///              G///          F///           F///   G///G///G7///G7///
There was no need for pretence, then the mountain top descent

BRIDGE
Fmajor7/// Fmajor7///      C/// C///  Em7/// Em7///    Am///Am///    
Was there something that I meant to do, were you too dense to see through

Fmajor7/// Fmajor7///   C/// C///  Em7/// Em7///    Am///Am///Am///Am///    
Something I meant to say to you, I never meant to hurt you

CHORUS
C///C///   Cmajor9/// Cmajor9///   Am/// Am/// Am/// Am/// 
Don’t     drive me                down            

C///C///   Cmajor9/// Cmajor9///   Am/// Am/// Am/// Am///
Don’t      drive me                down               

F/// F/// F/// F/// G/// G/// G7/// G7///
             La, la,la
VERSE 2
C///                   G///           Am///            F///
Oh, such a gin-soaked paradise, a price we paid but it was nice,

C///             G///          C///            G///
Caught you getting in routines, with lightly dusted movie queens

C///                   G///           Am///            F///
We didn’t have the strength to break, but each “time out” was a mistake

C///              G///          F///           F///   G///G///G7///G7///
We were hanging on to nothing, dead and buried in the coffin

BRIDGE
Fmajor7/// Fmajor7///    C/// C///  Em7/// Em7///    Am///Am///    
Was there something that I meant to do, were you too dense to see through

Fmajor7/// Fmajor7///   C/// C///  Em7/// Em7///    Am///Am///Am///Am///    
Something I meant to say to you, I never meant to hurt you

CHORUS
C///C///   Cmajor9/// Cmajor9///   Am/// Am/// Am/// Am/// 
Don’t     drive me                down            

C///C///   Cmajor9/// Cmajor9///   Am/// Am/// Am/// Am///
Don’t      drive me                down               

F/// F/// F/// F/// G/// G/// G7/// G7///
             La, la,la

VERSE 3
C///                   G///           Am///            F///
Down to our last dirty liqueur, our attempt to kill or be cured

C///             G///          C///            G///
Savage rows grew ever longer,  You blinked first, my will was stronger

C///                   G///           Am///            F///
Strong, we barely had a chance, a crazy game, a fine romance,

C///                    G///          F///           F///   G///G/// 
And now there’s nothing left at all, I never pick up when you call

G7///G7///

BRIDGE
Fmajor7/// Fmajor7///   C/// C///  Em7/// Em7///    Am///Am///    
Was there something I that meant to do, were you too dense to see through

Fmajor7/// Fmajor7///   C/// C///  Em7/// Em7///    Am///Am///Am///Am///    
Something I meant to say to you, I never meant to hurt you

CHORUS

C///C///   Cmajor9/// Cmajor9///   Am/// Am/// Am/// Am/// 
Don’t     drive me                down            

C///C///   Cmajor9/// Cmajor9///   Am/// Am/// Am/// Am///
Don’t      drive me                down               

F/// F/// F/// F/// G/// G/// G7/// G7/// C.
             La, la,la


Dontdrivemedown2015

A March early run through of new song The Happiest Man in the World (by Nic Rigby and Alice Mills), lyrics inspired by comment from legendary Johnny Steinberg after songwriting week. Hope you like.

The Happiest Man in the World (by nic rigby and alice mills) 3/4
INTRO: G// C// G// G// G// C// G// G// G//
VERSE 1
      G//         G//         C//         G//
I can picture him now, in the Old Dun and Cow
       C//       C//       D//   D//
By the castle on Ferryboat Lane
       C//         D//        G//       Em//
With a smile and a song, he’d right any wrong
    C//          C//      D//    D//
And help to make good any pain
VERSE 2
  G//          G//       C//    G//
Never seen him down, not even a frown
  C//         C//             D//   D//
He’s the happiest gent we all know
 C//      D//              G//         Em//
Sixty odd years, he’d been sipping the beers
    C//        D//        G//    G//
And bringing a joy to all souls
CHORUS 1
C//           C//          D//             D//
He’d play his squeeze box, all through the night
   G//       G//     Em// Em//
In kind of a drunken whirl
        C//         D//         G//         Em//
And the folk in the bar, they’d all raise a jar
       C//      D//        Em//   C//      C//      D//     G//G//G//G//
To the happiest man in the world……. The happiest man in the world.
VERSE 3

Helped those in dark places, and lit up sad faces,
He’d whisk them to far away lands
In ballads and stories, he’d crown them in glory
Finding time to tie up loose ends
VERSE 4
And though he was old, the tall tales he told
Seemed as vibrant as any I know
Though his bones sometimes ached, he’d not take a break
Til the landlady said: Time to go
CHORUS 1
C//           C//          D//             D//
He’d play his squeeze box, all through the night
   G//       G//     Em// Em//
In kind of a drunken whirl
        C//         D//         G//         Em//
And the folk in the bar, they’d all raise a jar
       C//      D//        Em//   C//      C//      D//     G//G//G//G//
To the happiest man in the world……. The happiest man in the world.
INSTRUMENTAL: C// D// G// Em// C// D// Em// C// C// D// G///
VERSE 5
They found him collapsed, on the castle steps
His concertina by his side
The landlady Bess, called for drinks on the house
Then retired to the backroom and cried
VERSE 6
Tightly held in his hand, a photo was found
Of a young lady from long ago
Faded now the print, showed the wicked glint
In the eyes of his sweetest rose
CHORUS 2
He was barely, 18 years of age
When he fell for the prettiest girl
Both sides of the Tyne, she made his world shine
The happiest man in the world……. The happiest man in the world.
VERSE 7
A letter from her, found in his bedroom drawer
She told him that she could not stay
The ink smudged with tears, wept down the years
For the one who had gone far away
VERSE 8
There was nothing to do, cos she’d found someone new
And you can’t solve the puzzle of love
But in so many songs, he’d sung for so long
There was only one girl he’d think of
CHORUS 1

Happiestman

An Emperor Norton practice of a cover of a Don't Let Us Get Sick by the wonderful Warren Zevon. Alice (vocals, ukulele), Nic (guitar).

Dontletusbesick

An eclectic mix of musical styles with original songs and the occasional cover. A new Norwich-based band made up of Claire, Jenny, Liam, Neil and Nic, featuring guitar, ukuleles, mandolin, bass and occasionally piano accordion. Influences include country, jazz, folk and singer-songwriter stuff.

EmperorNorton