Banana Boat Song (Day-O)

by Harry Belafonte · posted by Billy_Idle

How hard is it?

Listen to the song— a recording linked by the tab’s author

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How to read this tab — notation key

+: Blow note
−: Draw note
b or ': Half-step bend
bb or '': Two half-step bend
bbb or ''': Three half-step bend
(###): Chord — relevant hole numbers in parentheses
< or *: Push the button in (chromatic harmonica)

Full reference and posting tips in the tab guide.

Tab

Banana Boat Song (Day-O) / Harry Belafonte

Tabbed for C Chromatic (Key of C) for easier play

Tabs for the key of F# also included so you can Play Along With The Song!



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Banana Boat Song (Day-O)


(Key of C)

* Notes in (parens) indicate triplet timing


Day--O   Day-----O
8    7   -8 -7 7 6

Daylight come and me wanna go home
5   5     6    6  6  -5 -5  5  6 7

Day, me say day, me say day, me say
8    7   8 (-8   7  -8) (-7  -6  -7)

Day, Me say day, me say  Day----O
(7   6   7) (-6  -5  -6) 6 5 -3 3

Daylight come and me wanna go home
5   5     6    6  6  -5 -5 -5  5


Work all night on a drink of rum
6     7    6   7  7   6   7   8

Daylight come and me wanna go home
6    6    7    7  7  -6 -6 -6  7 

Stack banana til de morning come
6     7  6 7  7  7   6  7    8  

Daylight come and me wanna go home
5   5     6    6  6  -5 -5 -5  5


Come Mister tally man, tally me banana
6    7  7   6  6   7   -6 -6 -6 -5 -4 3

Daylight come and me wanna go home
6    6    7    7  7  -6 -6 -6  7 

Come Mister tally man, tally me banana
6    7  7   6  6   7   -6 -6 -6 -5 -4 3

Daylight come and me wanna go home
5   5     6    6  6  -5 -5 -5  5


Six foot, seven foot, eight foot bunch
6    7    6  6    7    6     7    8

Daylight come and me wanna go home
6    6    7    7  7  -6 -6 -6  7 

Six foot, seven foot, eight foot bunch
6    7    6  6    7    6     7    8

Daylight come and me wanna go home
5   5     6    6  6  -5 -5 -5  5


Day, me say Day-----O
8    7   8  -8 -7 7 6

Daylight come and me wanna go home
6    6    7    7  7  -6 -6 -6  7

Day, me say day, me say day, me say
8    7   8 (-8   7  -8) (-7  -6  -7)

Day, Me say day, me say  Day----O
(7   6   7) (-6  -5  -6) 6 5 -3 3

Daylight come and me wanna go home
5   5     6    6  6  -5 -5 -5  5


A beautiful bunch o' ripe banana
Daylight come and me wan' go home
Hide the deadly black tarantula
Daylight come and me wanna go home


_________________________________


(Key of F#) For playing along with the video


Day--O   Day-----O
-6* 5*   6* -5* 4* -3*

Daylight come and me wanna go home
-2* -2*  -3* -3* -3* 3* 3* -2* -3* 4*

Day, me say day, me say day, me say
-6*  5* -6* (6* 5* 6*) (-5* -4 -5*)

Day, Me say day, me say  Day----O
(4* -3* 4*) (-4 3* -4) -3* -2* -1* 1*

Daylight come and me wanna go home
-2* -2*   -3* -3* -3* 3* 3* 3* -2*


Work all night on a drink of rum
-3*   4*  -3*  4* 4* -3*  4* -6*

Daylight come and me wanna go home
-3* -3*   4*  4*  4* -4 -4 -4  4* 

Stack banana til de morning come
-3*  4* -3* 4* 4* 4* -3* 4*  -6*  

Daylight come and me wanna go home
-2* -2*  -3*  -3* -3* 3* 3* 3* -2*


Come Mister tally man, tally me banana
-3*  4* 4* -3* -3* 4*  -4 -4 -4 3* 2* 1*

Daylight come and me wanna go home
-3* -3*   4*  4*  4* -4 -4 -4  4* 

Come Mister tally man, tally me banana
-3*  4*  4* -3* -3* 4* -4 -4 -4 3* 2* 1*

Daylight come and me wanna go home
-2* -2*  -3*  -3* -3* 3* 3* 3* -2*


Six foot, seven foot, eight foot bunch
-3*  4*  -3* -3* 4*    -3*   4*   -6*

Daylight come and me wanna go home
-3* -3*   4*  4*  4* -4 -4 -4  4* 

Six foot, seven foot, eight foot bunch
-3*  4*  -3* -3* 4*    -3*   4*   -6*

Daylight come and me wanna go home
-2* -2*  -3*  -3* -3* 3* 3* 3* -2*


Day, me say Day-----O
-6*  5* -6* 6* -5* 4* -3*

Daylight come and me wanna go home
-3* -3*   4*  4*  4* -4 -4 -4  4*

Day, me say day, me say day, me say
-6*  5* -6* (6* 5* 6*) (-5* -4 -5*)

Day, Me say day, me say  Day----O
(4* -3*  4*) (-4 3* -4) -3* -2* -1* 1*

Daylight come and me wanna go home
-2* -2*  -3*  -3* -3* 3* 3* 3* -2*


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