Tablature Tuesday – A Pistol For Ringo
A Pistol For Ringo / Return of Ringo Soundtrack
Ennio Morricone’s theme for A Pistol For Ringo (1965) is one of my favorite pieces of spaghetti western music, and sets the standard for beautiful ballads that Morricone would score later on, like the operatic theme from Once Upon a Time in the West (the song I plan to have played at my funeral).
e|------------------------| B|-------12-------12------| G|-----11--11--------11---| D|------------------------| A|--10---------10---------| E|------------------------|
From Kristopher Spencer’s Film and Television Scores, 1950-1979: A Critical Survey by Genre:
The theme for the first Ringo movie is lush, dreamy and sentimental. A reverberating electric guitar, and then a string section, carries the haunting melody, while Cantori Moderni provides and intermittent but uplifting countermelody. The overall effect is mesmerizing. This is probably the first Morricone theme to warrant the description of drop-dead-beautiful. “Angel Face” reprises the melody, adding an English lyric by Gino Paolo and a clear, strong vocal by Maurizio Graf.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S9pIYfQ5FQ
There’s an excellent compilation of instrumental music called For a Few Guitars More: A Tribute to Morricone’s Spaghetti Western Themes, which features an equally haunting version of the song by the Bambi Molesters. Take a listen below, and buy the album for a number of other great Morricone covers.
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For a few guitars more is an amazing compilation. I was blessed to be part of it. The collection of artists is great and some of the performances are mind-blowing. Hard to get for a reasonable price in the US. Thanks for keeping the spirit alive. Bernard
* I think I’ll take a Pistol for Ringo as an instro
Hi Bernard! I really enjoyed the experimental version of “As a Judgement” that you guys do on the album. Every bit as raucous and raw as the original!
This site is actually usually about spy films (scores included), but I decided to try something different for the week of Halloween. I wish someone would do as good a tribute to John Barry as you guys did for Ennio Morricone.
Thanks for reading!
Cool month, I always love the Man With a Harmonica, for some reason it makes think I’m a cowboy strutting through the swinging doors of a saloon into the town and looking for a fight.
For my funeral, which wont happen as I’m immortal, I’m having Insomnia by Faithless and Angel by Massive Attack
I have always intended to have Ennio Morricone’s ‘Ecstasy of Gold’ played at my funeral…