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Big Bad Bill (WORD)
Big Bad Bill (PDF)
I've created this songsheet based on, but not exactly the same as, the 1982 Van Halen cover version. You can play in the same key as the Van Halen recording, but I've changed it up slightly for the BUG Jam, for example, leaving out a couple of instrumentals. These 1920's songs are a great way to learn new chords and are so much fun to play! Try playing your [B7] and [C7] chords in the bar chord inversion shown, so that you can slide easily between them.
The song became a vocal hit for Margaret Young in 1924 accompanied by Rube Bloom, and an instrumental hit for the Don Clark Orchestra. The song has also been recorded by Ernest Hare (1924), Billy Murray (1924), Clementine Smith (1924), Emmett Miller (1929), Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra (1940), Peggy Lee (1962), Merle Haggard (1973), Ry Cooder (1978), Leon Redbone (1978), Van Halen (1982) and others and has been a popular song in barbershop quartet and chorus competitions.
A story about the Van Halen 1982 recording of "Big Bad Bill" for their Diver Down album: Jan Van Halen, father to Eddie and Alex, was invited to join the band and play clarinet on "Big Bad Bill" during the Diver Down recording sessions. He struggled with nerves, and kept screwing up, resulting in the need for additional takes. Finally Jan Van Halen said, "Guys, I can't do this because I keep making mistakes 'cuz I'm too nervous and it doesn't sound good!" His son, Eddie stopped and said "Dad...the mistakes are what make the music good and real!"