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Geeshie Wiley's Last Kind Words

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Rivers:
Thought I'd transfer this over from the old Yahoo site in case we lose all our hard work in some server upgrade. Feel free to start arguing all over again  :P

Dixon & Godrich entry for session is:

Geeshie Wiley, v; acc. prob. own g.
Grafton, Wis. c.March 1930

L-257-4 Last Kind Words Blues  Paramount 12951
L-261-1 Skinny Leg Blues Paramount 12951
Matrices L-258 to L-260 inclusive are untraced.

Work in progress, phrases in doubt are *asterisked*.
Possible alternatives at end.

The last kind words I heared my daddy say
Lord, the last kind words I heared my daddy say
 
If I die, if I die in the German war
I want you to send my body, send it to my mother'n law
 
If I get killed, if I get killed, please don't bury my soul
I cry just leave me out, let the buzzards eat me whole
 
When you see me comin' look 'cross the rich man's field
If I don't bring you flour I'll bring you *bolted meal*
 
I went to the depot, I looked up at the sun
Cried, some train don't come, Lord, be some walkin' done
 
My mama told me, just before she died
Lord, *sister*, daughter, don't you be so wild
 
The Mississippi river, you know it's deep and wide
I can stand right here, see my *face* from the other side
 
What you do to me baby it never gets outta me
*I may not see you after* cross' the deep blue sea

Alternative theories:
 
bolted meal: broken dreams; Bolton meal, beaujolais  :)
sister: sit there
face: babe
I may not see you after: Ah, mean iron steamer have to

PattonsDaimon:
Hi Rivers.  Nice transcription.  A while back I did this for another thread.  Let's see what we think....

http://www.guitarseminars.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/001898.html

Rivers:
Hi PD, and a big welcome to the list. [edite: oh wait, you've been here for a while. Welcome anyway!]

It was a collaborative effort, several of us were listening to it for a couple of weeks  :o The three transcriptions are pretty close. The phrases in question remain:

"I'll bring you (bolted meal?)"
"Lord (sister, daughter?)"
"Looked up at the sun (or sign)"

And that last line is very intriguing, I still like the "mean iron steamer" for poetic imagery but was outvoted.

Slack:

--- Quote ---And that last line is very intriguing, I still like the "mean iron steamer" for poetic imagery but was outvoted.
--- End quote ---

You were extremely lucky you were not placed in a straight jacket and carted away.

What could be more poetic than looking across the mississippi and seeing your own face? ... ooooh! gives me goose bumps.

 :P

mr mando:
I hear "If I don't bring you flowers I'll bring you beaujolais". I like the guitar arrangement so much!

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