Boat on A River by Styx

[Ron Cox]

Can anybody point me in the direction of a TAB or failing that, the notation for Boat on The River by Styx? It's one of the songs that inspired me to learn Mandolin, and I hadn't thought about it in a while until my 15yo daughter pulled up a YouTube Video the other day of Styx from the 80's. Wasn't a live video, and the music had to be the studio track. My ear isn't good enough to sound it out, so I'd like to use the TAB to get to learn it.

Thanks in Advance and Cheers

[Ron Cox]

Never Mind. I think the one in the resources section is it. Have to put it into my Tab program to see what it sounds like.

[Pasha Alden]

I have started playing this song. It needs more work. mandolins absolutely beautiful. It is in G mineur, and I start higher up the fret board with a few double stops to play that very opening. Still master ing the middle lick, a beautiful solo. The chords come easily enough. I think all of us mando players who love that song need to come together and play the different parts in that song. I wondered if only a mandolin was used? Perhaps also a guitar and mandola?
Though also working on the multiple tremolos in the song. I have not tab, only have perfect pitch. If you wish I will try and assist with my ear of thread.

[Ron Cox]

That group is my all time favorite group. What I thought was a tuba in the song, was actually a stand-up bass (Chuck Panozzo) Guitar (James Young) Accordion (Dennis DeYoung) Percussion (John Panozzo) and the Mandolin and Vocals are by Tommy Shaw. Tommy Shaw is an incredible Guitar player as well as song writer. The band was only reasonably well known until they met Tommy (whose first love I believe was Mandolin). Then the band really gelled. 7th album, July 7th 1977 was their first gold album.

Boat on a River was on their album Cornerstone. Probably their most popular album, though everyone only remembers "Babe" and Mr. Roboto.

I think I memorized all their albums. Saw them last year and got to go backstage. Wicked cool experience.


I got the chords mostly down (just going from one to another I'm still working on). I've seen a couple of YouTube Vids including the official one (though) you can't really get what he's doing. The others are almost painful to watch.

[Barry Wilson]

I play that one in my sets. It is the song that made me want to start mandolin. It actually sounds cool on OM too. I do a downward run through the 4 sets of strings in the opening (one direction arpeggio? haha)

[Ron Cox]

Barry, do you have a tab of the mando solo?

[Barry Wilson]

I could do a video in slow for you if you would like? I learn everything by ear... took a while to get it

[Ron Cox]

That could work. I don't have consistent Internet access though and id like to download it.

I could write the tab from a slow motion video I think.

[Jan Viljoen]

Here are the chords and solo.

http://www.mandolincafe.com/tab/boatontheriver.txt

Enjoy!

[Pasha Alden]

Like Barry I learnt it by ear.

Also cannot follow the video, but I wish to thank
the person who told a little more about the instrumentalists playing in Styx. I always enjoyed their music and for me boat on a river was the absolute Styx classic. I love Babe, and can tolerate the plastic sound of Mister Robotto and the hard hitting vocals. However, for me it's Boat on a River, it wins hands down or is that string aplucked?

[Ron Cox]

I used to be the biggest fan. Had every album until Edge of the Century. Broke my heart when their bass player died.

The albums Corner Stone followed by Paradise Theater were, together, the definition of the band (IMHO). They were never quite as powerful after that.

The story of how Tommy Shaw came to the band is the stuff of legend. Apparently he was working at a place called Steve's Guitars when he was discovered at age 17. He replaced a guy name John Crewleski(sp) on the album Crystal Ball. No big hits but a fantastic album in it's own right. Tommy's voice is still as clear as back then. Wished he would've pulled out the mandolin in concert. Been digging around looking for that album. Need to load it up on the ipod and play tye snot out of that song.

[Pasha Alden]

I am going to look for those albums, but I agree, really definitive work on the albums you mention. Have heard them at the houses of friends, never owned them. However, I intend to do something about it. Solid gold music!

[Barry Wilson]

One of the first songs I sang (I started as just a vocalist) was renegade. I was always a fan of the big orchestration and harmonies.. pieces of eight and the likes but boat on a river always made me think of those boats in venice and the likes with the guy steering from the back standing up...

[Pasha Alden]

Barry, I could not agree more. I loved boat on the river. It had that Mediterranean feel to it. I actually found the Cornerstone and Paradise Theatre albums. Wonderful stuff. Even found a live version of boat on a river, but not enough mandolin in that one.

[jefflester]

I used to be the biggest fan. Had every album until Edge of the Century. Broke my heart when their bass player died.

Bassist Chuck Panozzo is still alive, though he has HIV and does not perform full time. Drummer John Panozzo passed away in 1996.

[Ron Cox]

Sorry, the twins names always got me mixed up, though in the 70s they made themselves look totally different from each other (as my twin and I did).

There was a video (Caught in the Act I think) when they brought up his death. I hadn't known about his death and the realization that they would never get back together as the original band, plus the thought of how I would feel if my twin passed really floored me. We had grown apart some but now try to make time to get together as much as possible.

[Barry Wilson]

Sorry I haven't had time to do that video yet. I finally got a week off work and I was either out on the motorcycle or jamming (sometimes both).... picked up a solo gig last night and am doing another with a band so have a bit of prep but I go back to work for 6 days and could do the video at work. be a nice break from rehearsing and learning songs... the band is mostly original stuff and their keyboardist got turfed. I play keys on a midi guitar so get to step in... doing mando and acoustic guitar as well.

I went to a local open jam never been to. met a lot of older musicians and finally hooked up with a flatpicking guitarist. woohoo finally someone to play bluegrass with. I love rock and country but have really wanted to try some of the stuff I learned at the academy of bg

[Ron Cox]

No worries. I've been playing the tab from the forum. Pretty much got the chords down but the solo is kind of crushing my brain, don't know why. Dug my old CDs of Styx out (Missing a few, must have loaned them to my twin who never returned them). I have been listening to Pieces of Eight, Cornerstone and Paradise Theater over and over (and over).

When Boat on a River comes up, I just wonder what kind of Mandolin he was playing, and how they had it mic'd in the studio. The tone is a bit like an old bowlback (not like the A he "plays" in the video) and his sound is definitely different than what he pulls off on stage. I actually thought of detuning the courses slightly to try to create that sound. My cheap old flat-top Saga/Kentucky sounds closest to it (believe it or not). My Eastman and Washburn are a bit too "bluegrassy" to pull it off, but sound great in the chords.

I still can't find the melody anywhere, though I found a songbook on eBay for $26. I had that book back in the 80's and I'm hoping one of my brothers has it buried somewhere.

[gforeman]

I don't have my Mandolin yet...so here it is on Ukulele https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usM443JEJks

[Ron Cox]

Snazzy job there on the uke.

About where in Virginia do you hail from?

[gforeman]

Snazzy job there on the uke.

About where in Virginia do you hail from?

Northern part! Winchester.

[Ron Cox]

Winchester is a pretty place, but quite a haul. Though, worth the drive to see Picker's Supply.

So what Mando is waiting for you to take her home?

[John O'Brien]

New guy here! I'm also a big fan of Boat. One of my favorite Styx tracks. Tommy Shaw's 2011 solo grass record The Great Divide is fantastic. Love the track "Shadows In The Moonlight".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gre...my_Shaw_album)

[gforeman]

I did this rather quick last night, but if anyone is interested...http://www.gwfweb.com/guitars/mandol...r_mandolin.pdf

Let me know if I screwed it up somewhere

[Ron Cox]

Gary,

First off, I want to thank you for doing the PDF. It looks awesome on screen and sounds pretty good to me.

Would it be asking a lot (begs on hands and knees) if you could make the print a bit bigger and do the fretboards simple and black and white? I don't know how to do this myself, in any program. My old eyes and black and white printer aren't being kind to me.

Thanks for taking the time.