Topic: Ninety Nine Blues - Blind Joe Reynolds

[uncle bud]

In several moments of procrastination, I took a stab at transcribing the lyrics for Ninety Nine Blues. Blind Joe Reynolds recorded this in November 1929 and played out of C position, showing the influence of Blind Lemon Jefferson, but definitely getting his own idiosyncratic sound going. Would love some help on the stuff in square brackets, and anything else. Joe blows the tag line in the second verse and stops to correct himself. Interestingly, he does the same in "Third Street Woman Blues", where he begins to sing, "Don't like my..." then reminds himself the verse should be about chicken by saying "Chicken", going on to sing "Had so much of chicken till I heard 'em clucking in my sleep".

Ninety Nine Blues - Blind Joe Reynolds

I got ninety-nine women, cravin' nineteen more
I got ninety-nine women, cravin' nineteen more
And if I [get them hundred], boys, I'm gonna let these nineteen go

I got a big fat mama, meat shakin' on her bone
I got a big fat mama, the meat shakin' on her bone
And every time I quiver -- Every time she quiver, small woman lose her home

Lord, I'm goin' away, mama, wear you off my mind
Lord, I'm goin' away, mama, just to wear you off my mind
Because you keep me worried and bothered all the time

SOLO

(Lord have mercy)

Oh when you feel tomorrow, like I feel today
If I feel tomorrow, huh, mama, like I feel today
I'm gonna drink corn liquor just to drive these blues away

Well let me tell you boys what these women will do
Let me tell you boys what these old women will do
They will get your money and leave [a ?? cup] to you

Oh tell me mama, what's the matter now
Oh tell me mama, tell me what's the matter now
For the blues I've got, the blues [like] ninety-nine

Yeah my woman got something called a stingaree
Yeah my woman got something that the men call a stingaree
At four o'clock every morning she turns it loose on me

[beljum]

Thanks for the introduction to Blind Joe Reynolds.

Dont know if this is much help for the lyrics.

I'm sort of hearing  "They will get your money leave an I could care cup to you"

Something about "care cup" though.

[banjochris]

UB: I think you're right on all the bracketed bits except 1.1 and 1.2, which I think are
1.1, 1.2 CRAVIN' nineteen more

and 5.3, which I can't get either, but I offer this suggestion for further listening. What if it's
"They will get your money, leave, and XXXXX'll come to you" -- maybe?
Chris

[uncle bud]

Thanks fellas. Chris, CRAVIN' sounds good to me.

Verse 5 is still fairly mysterious. Here's my latest extremely tentative take:

They will get your money AN' LEAVE A NATURAL CHILD COME to you.   Child being sung more like chell. Still really guessing though.

[banjochris]

I was hearing "natural" in there too, but yeah, that's a toughie. I'll try it again in a day or two.