So you’re probably tired of me talking about blues rhythm elements as puzzle pieces… but in case you’ve missed my rants on the subject before check this out…
It’s Albert King doing “The Sky Is Crying.” A famous Elmore James tune and this is a really awesome version of it.
HERE’S THE THING – listen very carefully at 1:48 into the video, right as he starts “I saw my baby early one morning” verse and see if you recognize what he plays over the I and IV chords there:
Now granted, it’s a LOT slower… but it’s none other than the famous “Tore Down” Rhythm that you’ve likely learned before, and is in your Blues Guitar Unleashed course (along with some variations).
Plus, if you listen to a lot of the licks and phrases that are used either in the fills between the vocals, or in the solos, you’ll hear The Albert King Lick, or some variation of it, and you’ll hear a ton of other licks found in the How To Solo Like Albert King courses.
You might have to listen a few times to hear all the things, but that’s the point. Take your time with it and feel free to come back often 🙂
I’m really into his stuff right now and I hope you love it too.
76 replies to "The Sky Is Tore Down…"
No pick!
Great sound without a pick!
I see he pulls his bends. In the early 1970’s, my bass player, who loved Paul McCartney, had a left-hand Violin bass. He Played Guitar just like Fredie. He played upside down cords. The band was the New York Dolls.
He never used a pick, just his fingers. GREAT SONG.
Quite a bit of the 4-note solo as well.
Thanks Griff—Great stuff!
Hi griff brilliant to see how h masters his instrument and noting he sings phrasing then plays the melody progression then sings melody progression thanku
Absolutely brilliant from Albert. That cat was the best.
Thanks
Hey Griff, Thank you very much for sharing this fantastic video of Albert King, he clearly showed that he has the blues in his soul & portrayed it on his guitar as though the guitar was telling the story. Made the hairs on my arm stand up, very moving with the blues feeling. Yep saw the Tore Down short & sweet. It must be slightly harder for a Left Hander playing a Right Hand guitar upside down, but not for AK.
Thanks and Happy holidays.
Michael-Sydney-Australia
Hey Grif, great lesson I rate myself somewhere between a beginner and intermediate guitar player. This was a great lesson for me. It allowed me to practice my bends an pull offs. It is a catchy tune it covers the whole fret board and helped a lot with my timing. It also kept my interest level up. This is the type of music I’m into. Thanks happy holidays.
That was pure wicked and out of sight. Man the cat was the best.
Loved it! , I never tire of your comments mate , always good and well received
True this is awesome, this guitare is from deep inside i like it
Hi Griff,
This is a pretty good slow blues version, but I would encourage all musos to do yourself a favour and check out tedeshi trucks version live at albert hall for a magnificent guitar players experience, guaranteed
kind regards
Dave
Thanks for this Griff. Albert is probably my favourite King. I did just about catch the “Tore Down” rhythm.
It made me think about all the other great versions of this song, going right back to Elmore James. There is a vocal version by Etta James that really does send shivers down your spine. But the thing that immediately strikes you is just how different each version is – in the hands of a real artist, just how creative the blues can be.
Ya done it again Griff, another great video/lesson, ever time I open my mail the first thing I look for is your name. looking forward for more.
been a fan and student for about 3 yrs. now never bored or disappointed.
thanks
Kenneth.
Also at 5:05, more in-depth.
Thanks Griff for a predictably excellent video clip.
Have you considered compiling and selling us students a ‘call and response’ ‘licks’ video?
I WILL DEFINITELY PURCHASE IT!
thanks Grif that helps a lot you just made it so now there is a lot of songs that I know but did not know same just slower its the feal of blues thanks
Another great observation Griff. Albert was one of the three kings. We have heard of three kings before right! What is interesting is that Albert made reference to the great Elmore James and how this was his ‘take’ on that tune. If ten people sat down to write a letter on the same subject or play the same tune they would all put their spin on it. There is no better / great about it, just different. Your previous video of Eric Clapton and Joe Bonamassa had a person comment that Joe took Eric down the road. That means nothing at all. Both players are different and were not duelling, much as the person might have thought. We all could list many people that influence our like of a form of music. Someone the other day quoted R L Burnside another Roy Buchanan. The list would be endless truth be known. I dislike when someone maligns the playing prowess of the likes of Eric Clapton – not that he is God you understand; contary to some people beliefs but he should be acknowledged for his stance in the world of Blues. Let us embrace the musicality of all great players and not get bogged down thinking one is better than another all the time. Joe Bonamassa is noted for referring to Eric Clapton as a major influence in his life both from his John Mayll and the Bluesbreaksers days and his time with Cream. On another note Griff you are the man finding and sharing this video with us all.
Thank Mr. Hamlin!
What a great way to start my morning off. Some Smoking Albert King with an insightful lesson on rythym placement to boot!
Griff,
I read somewhere one time if you want to write well you need to read well, or words meaning the same. I’m going to apply that philosophy to playing guitar. If you want to play well then you need to listen well.
I get excited every time I see an email from you. Thanks for the pointers you give us!
Old School and Still Rockin’
I play the studio version of this that SRV does and if you listen to texas flood you will here the exact same licks almost to a “T”. Other songs have the exact same licks but in a different key. I have noticed this a lot in studying SRV’s style of play.
I never thought of it before but, upside down might be a better way to mute unwanted string noise. Because he spends so much of his time on the high-side, his fingers naturally rest on the strings underneath and he gets more power into down-stroking the high-strings which articulates them more while avoiding the low-strings, altogether, with his thumb picking.
That must be a very difficult technique to master, much less to teach.
I’d like to see an upside down video of his right hand, in particular.
Ànd applying greater force pulling those high strings down rather than trying to push them up like “normal”.
Really cool… Got to try to get this down.
Cheers Griff
Notice he’s playing the rhythms that you showed to us in the lesson you sent
Prior to this one
Thanks Griff, You have given us guys and gals so many gems. I always look forward to seeing your emails in my inbox. Teaching us, giving us so many tools, you’re a great guy.
Thank’s Griff that made my day HappyHoilday to you and your family
His soul sparkles
Great selection Griff! I am a long time Albert King listener and never heard him throw that in before. The clip sent shivers up and down my spine, powerful medicine. The A.K. sound is very unique. You don’t need to get all of his records. He plays almost the same solo in every slow song. That said, the sound is deceivingly simple to the ear and nearly impossible to replicate. Phrasing and pitch of the bends is precise and critical. You gotta count out loud. I have heard many players try to play A.K on stage, including me, and nothing disappoints like a bad A.K. impression to those who know the sound. But I am not giving up! My goal is to get 36 bars of A.K. down rock solid, just enough to blow the socks of a jam one night. If I can do that I will die happy!
Sounds like some “stomy slide” in there as well.
LOVE the pipe too! 🙂
just not my cup of tea.
Never saw him hit a bad note – only on video now. Saw him near the end when he toured with SRV in the 80’s. Stevie was gyrating in the wings while AK was playing his set. Thanks for the “Tore down” hint.
Man, this guy is great! What rhythm! I’m a BGU beginner, but think I noticed the ‘Tore Down’ rhythm. Especially noticed his somewhat unusual up-side-down guitar playing. Could listen to this all night!
Once again, thnx Griff!
Love it too.thanks griff.
Sounds to me like he is doubling the bass line at that point. Is that the Tore down rhythm?
Also @tommy: SRV better? Oh, please…
Stevie ray Vaughn did this song alot better
Hi griff yes what a superb bluesman great flurries of notes incidentally. Is the guitar a flying V. Looks like it lovely tone if I may say Clapton personified not there is a copy in it just. True from the heart blues hi mike Abeyta. Did. You see him ? Thanks for lightning. Mike.really brilliant enjoyed seeing Sam so much tremendous. Stylist all the best mike Edward bargery
I can remember sitting in my college dorm in 69 and this “weird” guy Bruce said ” you need to here this”. Whoa! I was blown away! It gets better all the time.
Yup, my band is doing this song so I’ve been lsitenimg to multuple renditions. That Tore Down rhythm didn’t escape me. I tried to throw it in in our own playing a few tines since I play the response part to the call/response with the singer on that one.
SWEET guitar playing! And one hell of a singer. Thanks for sharing. And, yeah, that Tore rhythm works all over!
Ahhhh … The ‘Tore Down’ Rhythm in slow blues … Very cool. Thanks for the video Tater !
A.B.
Thanks Griff for pointing out AK playing the tore down rhythm slow enough to play along! I enjoy every minute of AK licks with singing like. You also rock the blues! I have learned a tremendous amount of Hamlin Blues playing!
Always been a big fan of Albert King and his upside down playing is impressive, even if difficult to follow visually! Got lots of his stuff and like to play along with him as this style is magic.
Thanks for the post Griff, not seen this before.
All the best.
Phil – also in the UK!
YOU tell him that he’s holding it upside down!
Wow, how cool would it be to get Blues guitar lessons from a great Blues guitarist, who plays in a gigging blues band (with a horn section!), and can “tear down” the tweedlies and smooth slides and make it all understandable???
saw albert in Houston years ago and of course he was smokin ( both guitar and his pipe )don’t know if it was his his band or locals for backup I was very close being it was a small club. at one point he looked back at the bass player and someone else who seemed to be having their own discussion on stage. don’t know the exact words he gave but I know it was about stop foolin and play the music like it should be played. straighten up now and get together with me. man did he have a nasty look too. this wasn;t going to be just another town, just another gig, the people don’t really hear the slop you were doing .this is my name on this and it is going to be right.those guys snapped to and that was the end of their inattention.hard to believe he would smoke his pipe without losing a single lick. what a good show
Albert is the real KING of the blues. I`ve followed him for years.
Better phrasing than BB. I`ve never really considered BB to be the king of the blues.
Awesome stuff,as always, Thx Griff
Uh Griff there’s no mystery to this….Albert used the Tore down rhythm so he could smoke his pipe 😉
Clean, and mean! Love it! Is that a young Jeff Beck in the background soloing??? Looks like Albert mostly picks with his bare thumb… Been one of my favorite blues tunes, since I first heard it. Well, that’s my take… Griff, thanks for posting!
Like other’s have noticed:
http://youtu.be/B8Mj5ioPhxs?t=5m4s
Always been a big Albert King fan. I’ll need to listen again. Could not quite pick up the Tore Down rhythm. I always get hypnotized by the way he plays upside down. It makes me dyslexic. Doyle Bramhall does the same thing.
All the benign up we do he pulls down. Treble strings are on top bass strings on the bottom. Amazing.
Thanks Grff another great clip.
its only dominant for a few bars 1:45 or 1:48 or so.
tnx for that my man ,i play with my fingers also ,could never get used to a pick,but enjoyed that alot…. billy d
I’m trying to evaluate why Albert’s playing gets to me emotionally while the second guitarist didn’t. I can feel it, hear it, and see it but I can’t explain or understand it. The 2nd player fills his time with appropriate notes continuously, while Albert has such great quite time. Its more like a singer telling a story with pauses for thinking and breathing. Plus he puts in these tiny 3 note riffs in the middle of those quiet times. To me its like him saying “ya’ hear me?” or “you got it” or “damn”. The difference between the 2 players is palpable. Griff- I’d love to hear you comments on that. Maybe in your BGU blog.
This guy has a rich vocabulary of blues riffs and I think if myself, or anybody, feels like they are going stale with the ones we are already using we have a lot to draw from with this video. Very impressive playing and I
saw him with SRV several years ago and I was impressed then as well.
Thanks for this post Grif. I watched the You Tube video and liked it so much that I went to Amazon.com and bought Albert’s album Born Under A Bad Sign. Previously the only Albert King music in my collection was his Collab with SRV and The Best Of mp3’s that I DL’d. While I was buying that one I also bought a Freddie King CD too titled “Burglar”.
I gotta learn to stay away from Amazon cuz I also ended up buying a Kindle book version of Guitar Scales In Context:The Practical Reference Guide by Joseph Alexander & Pete Sklaroff. Now to get playing!!
Keep Rockin’
Steve Z.
left handed and upside down what a way to play. Must get a little confusing when playing little cords ,but, thats what he is doing around 1:43 I think . Not saying playing a full bar cord could be not be done ,but, no need for one any way. At that time 1:43 something does sound familiar . Takes Me a few xs listening to get it so I am off to listen again. I have played this song before with a pro somehow I was able to play along. I play so many sometimes it is hard to remember how to do again. I keep alot of notes it helps c ya B – )
no one seems to be id-ing the cords for the torn down rhythm . just throwing this in because i think that its a minor then major to minor again thang . God I miss the gibson 1959 SG with a bigsby sway bar. Its priceless now . Thats simular to the second guitar players guitar . Its not all theroy its about the magical journey to where you want to go . I have been more intrested with remembering where all the a notes are good place to start . do not forget the blue notes thats where the change happens minor to major [right boss] oh and the octive thang . get lost go up 3 frets or down 3 frets find home again . xtra added comment 12122015.
love that riff…can’t begin to name all the songs based around that pattern…everybody from Buddy Guy to JB…easy to see where SRV got some of his licks…later.
cowboy
Dear me Griff, Id forgotten he was left handed and I’d not seen this clip before.
Excellent
Richard S
Sweet! I will be tearing those licks down!
Many Thanks!
I love the fact that he does all this playing the guitar UPSIDE DOWN. Left handed player, right handed guitar. Love it
It’s amazing to watch him play upside down.
and that he has time between notes to puff his pipe… ah the slow blues ♪♫ rock on
It’s even more clear at about 4:50.
The pain of loss that you can’t undo, like death it won’t have mercy on you! I know it well this pain of Hell. It tears spirit from flesh and bone! I wait by day, I wait by night! For when it’s my turn to come on home.
I’ll be organized soon Griff just 3 deaths in 13 months has knocked me around. I love the music. It speaks to me. So won’t be long. Just touching base. I love the way they talk to each other in the language of music. That has always captured my attention and awe. Thanks for your enthusiasm.
regards to you and your wife,
Con (less of a mouthful than Cornelius)
Really nice track! And the Tore Down rhythm is even more obvious at about 5:04 into the song when Albert King is backing the other guy playing lead. Really sweet. Do you think smoking a pipe could help my playing? Probably not, but more practice time is a must. Thanks Griff.
Griff…… REALY enjoyed this….. Your course just came yesterday… Looking forward to getting started.
Lynn Parker
What a inspiration, had to play video again, lean back with eyes closed near ending. Thanks Griff.
WOW, have never checked out Albert King before. He is top shelf stuff. No plectrum, great work on his right hand(our left)with picking and no repetitive riffs just played it as he felt it. True blues and I’m going to listen to more.
As a bass player in my earlier life I would quite often would use that riff to warm up the band and as you say it works at all speeds.
Cheers
The first time I heard Albert King was in 1969 on a radio station in Houston. I don’t know the name of the song, but it had the line “Gonna call up China, see if my baby’s over there”. I loved his vocal emotion and leads that reflected his own anguish over “losing his baby”. Same thing on “The Sky is Cryin”. With all due respect to the 2nd guitar player because he was terrific, he was playing with his fingers. Albert was playing with his tortured heart and soul! And that, ladies and gentlemen, is what the blues is all about.
Thanks Griff !! Lots of good licks and riffs in the video. True Blues 🙂
Brilliant! Thanks Griff for all the help and tips.
Hey Griff many thanks for this one, I can’t believe that I’ve missed out on Albert King for 66 yrs.
I have been lazy of late, not playing, but I want to look out more of his stuff and dust of the fiddle,
And that basic riff sounded killer over the chords.
Happy Christmas from the UK
Phil
Gday griff, upside down cool , , manythanks. Enjoy your week.