Topic: Dock Boggs Lyrics

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Dock recorded "Calvary" on February 10, 1968, according to the notes accompanying the invaluable 2-CD set, "Dock Boggs-His Folkway Years-1963--1968", the source of all the lyrics transcribed in this thread thus far.  Dock backed himself out of the f#CGAD that he used for a lot of his darkest-sounding material.  He learned this song, along with many others, from his brother-in-law, Lee Hunsucker, who evidently found it in a Holiness songbook.  If you are drawn to darker religious material, as I am on occasion, you should seek this rendition out; it's an amazing set of words, and Dock's setting of the melody and delivery of them could not be bettered.  I've always held "Frankie Silvers" in the very highest regard for its lyrics, and "Calvary" is every bit as strong as that song, in the way it tells its story, and in the impeccable craft with which it was put together.



There's a hill, lone and gray, in the land far away
In the country beyond the blue sea
Where beneath that fresh sky, went the man, forth to die
For the world, and for you and for me

REFRAIN: Oh, it's bow down, my heart, and the teardrops will start
When in memory of the gray hill, I see
For it was there on that site, Jesus suffered and died
To redeem a poor sinner like me

Behold, faint on the road, 'neath the world's heavy load
Comes a thorn-crowned man on the way
With a cross he is bowed, but still on through the crowd
He's ascending that hill, lone and gray

Hark, I hear the dull blow of the hammer swung low
They are nailing my Lord to the tree
And the cross, they up-raise, while the multitude gaze
On the best Lamb of dark Calvary

REFRAIN: Oh, it's bow down, my heart, and the teardrops will start
When in memory of the gray hill, I see
For it was there on that site, Jesus suffered and died
To redeem a poor sinner like me

How they mocked him in death, to his last laboring breath
While his friends sadly wept over the way
But though lonely and faint, still no word of complaint
Fell from him on the hill of Calv'ry

Then the darkness came down, and the rocks went around
And a cry pierced the sad, leaden air
'Twas the voice of our King, who received death's dark sting
All to save us from endless despair

Let the sun hide His face, let the earth reel a space
Over men who their Saviour have slain
But behold, from the sod, comes a blessed Lamb of God
Who was slain, but has risen again

REFRAIN: Oh, it's bow down, my heart, and the teardrops will start
When in memory of the gray hill, I see
For it was there on that site, Jesus suffered and died
To redeem a poor sinner like me

Edited, 9/19 to pick up corrections from uncle bud
Edited 9/20 to pick up correction from dj

All best,
Johnm

[uncle bud]

Hi John - I agree, Dock nails this one, and the lyrics are masterful.

I'd say he sings Calvary though, not Calgary. Dark a place as that is.

[Johnm]

Doh, thanks for the catch, Andrew.  I'm blazing new trails in how to screw up.
All best,
Johnm

[dj]

Hi, John. 

I think the third line in the first verse is "Where beneath that fresh sky, WENT the man, forth to die".

[Johnm]

Thanks for the help, dj.  That makes much more sense.  I will make the change.
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Dock Boggs recorded "Cuba" on July 26, 1966, accompanying himself out of a variant of D tuning, f#DEAD.  Hearing how beautifully he played this song makes me think of the advantages when tuning to an open chord, of tuning the string where the third of the chord will be fingered short of the major third.  That way, you'll have to finger the major third to play it, have the opportunity to hammer into the third, pull off from it, etc.   If the major third is an open string, you can't inflect it.  In this instance, Dock had to raise his third string, E, up to F# to get his major third, so he got lots of hammers that way.  Bukka White operated in a similar manner, playing in cross-note, a minor tuning, to sound in major--he was constantly fretting and hammering into that major third.
Dock pronounces "Cuba" "Cuby" through-out the song.  Is it talking about the Spanish-American War?  That's the only reason I can think of for someone to be taken away to Cuba.  This same melody was used by The Teneva Ramblers on their recording of "If I Die A Railroad Man", which also had a verse very similar to Dock's third verse.



Take me over to Cuby, I cross the waters o'er
Take me away to Cuby, you'll never see me any more

If I go to Cuby, I cross the waters wide
If I go to Cuby, I'll marry me another bride

Railroad is finished, the cars on the track
Take me away to Cuby, they'll never bring me back

Engineer blows the whistle, the fireman rings the bell
Brakeman takes up tickets, conductor's drunk as

All best,
Johnm   

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Dock recorded his version of "Country Blues" that is on the Smithsonian-Folkways set on June 26, 1963, with his banjo tuned f#CGAD.  The song was originally called "Hustling Gamblers" according to the liner notes to the set, but it is conceded that Dock added some verses and came up with his own accompaniment. 
If there has ever been a blues song recorded with better lyrics, I've yet to hear it.  I particularly like the use of the adjective "sorry" as it appears in the fourth verse--not to mean "penitent" or "rueful", but rather to mean "contemptible".



Come all you good-time people, while I have money to spend
Tomorrow might be Monday, and I neither have a dollar nor a friend

When I had plenty of money, good people, my friends were all standing around
Just as soon as my pocketbook was empty, not a friend on earth to be found

I've gambled all over Kentucky, good people, I've gambled part of the way through Spain
Goin' back to old Virginia, for to gamble my last card game

Last time I seen my little woman, good people, she had a wine glass in her hand
She's a-drinking down her troubles with a low-down sorry man

I wrote my woman a letter, good people, I told her I was in jail
She wrote me back an answer, saying, "Honey, I'm-a come to go your bail."

All around this old jailhouse is hanted, good people, forty dollars won't pay my fine
Corn whiskey has surrounded my body, poor boy, pretty women is a-troubling my mind

Boys, if you don't quit your drinking, some time you'll be just like me
A-workin' out your living in the state penitentiary

Oh, my Daddy taught me a-plenty, good people, and my Mama she told me more
If I ever didn't quit my rowdy way, that I have trouble at my door

In the bottom of the whiskey glass, the lurking devil dwells
It burns your breast to drink it, boys, it'll send your soul to hell

Go dig a hole in the meadow, good people, go dig a hole in the ground
Come around all you good people, and see this poor rounder go down

When I am dead and buried and my pale face turned to the sun
You can come around and mourn, little woman, and think the way you have done

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Dock Boggs recorded his version of "Wise County Jail" that appears on the Smithsonian-Folkways set on June 4, 1964, accompanying himself out of C with his banjo tuned gCGBD, and backed by Mike Seeger on guitar.  The song is a sort of book-ended 8-bar chorus blues, a la
   |    I    |    I    |   V    |    V    |

   |    V    |   V    |    I    |    I    |

with a little "dwell" at the end of the form, before the next verse.  My friend Alan Senauke recorded a real nice version of the song a few years back on his "Wooden Man" CD, which also features Suzy and Eric Thompson, Jody Stecher, Kate Brislin, Bill Evans, and other Bay Area Old-Time/Bluegrass luminaries.



Wash up your face, boys, comb up your head
Now get ready for your coffee and bread
REFRAIN:  Hard times in the Wise County Jail
That's hard times, I know

Piece of cold meat and cold corn bread
It's so cold it's heavy as lead
REFRAIN:  Hard times in the Wise County Jail
That's hard times, I know

A year in jail is so complete
About one half enough to eat
REFRAIN:  Hard times in the Wise County Jail
That's hard times, I know

Almost makes my stomach ache
When the bring the potatoes in the old tin plate
REFRAIN:  It's hard times in the Wise County Jail
Hard times, I know

Here in jail, it is so nice
Amongst the dirt and the body lice
REFRAIN:  Hard times in the Wise County Jail
That's hard times, I know

Wise County Jail, no jail at all
The chinches and bugs are walkin' the wall
REFRAIN:  Hard times in the Wise County Jail
That's hard times, I know

Almost brings me to my knees
When I hear that jailer ring them keys
REFRAIN:  It's hard times in the Wise County Jail
Hard times, I know

Officers 'round Norton's a dirty old crew
They'll arrest a poor man, they'll look him plumb through
His pockets they'll pick, his clothes they'll sell
For twenty-five cents, they'd send him to hell
REFRAIN:  It's hard times, the Wise County Jail
That's hard times, I know

Edited 9/26 to pick up corrections from Gumbo and banjochris

All best,
John

 

[Gumbo]

This is perhaps my favourite of Dock's Folkways set.

got a couple of catches here

1.1 Wash up your face, boys, ...

I think Dock is singing "That's Hard times" where you have "It's Hard times", John.

[banjochris]

John -- the first line of the last verse is:

"Officers 'round Norton are a dirty old crew" or "they're a dirty old crew," can't remember that bit, but it definitely starts that way.


By the way, someone has helpfully typed out the transcription of Dock's interview record out on this site; I recommend reading it for anyone who's interested in Dock or his music, especially if you don't have the interview album (which really is all interviews, the only music on it is about 30 seconds of "Turkey in the Straw." The part under #13 gives what's probably some background for "Wise County Jail."

http://www.angelfire.com/folk/longtimecoming/dockboggs/interview_excerpts.html

Chris

[Johnm]

Thanks for the catches, Gumbo.  I transcribed "boys" but didn't enter it, and missed those "that's" altogether.  In the refrains of verses four, seven and eight he starts with "it's", but he always starts the last line with "that's", as you noted.
Thanks for the fix on that last verse, Chris, and the link to the interviews.  I need to get caught up on them.  I made all the changes you guys came up with.
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Dock Boggs recorded "Prayer of a Miner's Child" on July 26, 1966, accompanying himself out of f#DGAD tuning.  The CD's liner notes say this about the source of the song's lyrics:
   "From a poem printed in the UMWA Journal, written by a teen-ager, Shirley Hill or Dragerton, Utah, in the mid 1960s.  After reading the poem, Dock wrote Hill asking for and receiving permission to make it into a song."

Dock used the same melody as he sang for "Danville Girl" to set the poem, and puts a characteristic little tail, trailing upward a minor third on the word that concludes the first half of the first line of each verse.  He accords a lot of solo space for the banjo in his performance.



He's just an old coal miner, Lord, that's all he's ever been
He's worked his life away in the mines with all the other men

SOLO

So keep him safe and be with him, when he goes in that mine
And also help him stay away from the unemployment line

SOLO

Stay by his side in all he does, he's a-gettin' tired, You know
His hair, it changed its color fast, and his age is begin to show

SOLO

I know someday he'll leave this earth, and I will stay behind
But when he leaves, I hope it's not caused by that old coal mine

SOLO

I want the very best for him, I don't want him to be sad
Because, Dear Lord, I think you know, this coal miner is my Dad

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Dock's version of "Sugar Baby" on the Smithsonian-Folkways set was recorded on June 4, 1964, with Mike Seeger backing him on guitar.  Dock gets a striking sound on the tune by using a banjo tuned gDGCD, a tuning usually used to play G modal or pentatonic tunes, to play in D.  The melody uses a D pentatonic scale based off of the VI note of an F pentatonic scale, resulting in the so-called "blues scale" off of D:  D-F-G-A-C.  Dock's right hand for this tune combines picking with an down-picking stroke that has the same rhythmic feel as frailing.  Mike Seeger's back-up playing is a model of consistency; he plays the song as a one-chorder, in D major, hitting a little ascending bass run in the only place the song could be construed as going to a V chord.

The structure of the tune is very fluid, allowing for variable verse lengths.  The song has elsewhere been recorded as "Red Rocking Chair" and "Red Apple Juice".  Kilby Snow did a related song, "Troubles", in which he harmonized the strong emphasis on the VI note from the relative major key with a IV chord, avoiding the minor sound altogether.  In the next-to-last verse, the song shifts narrative voice, going to the departing spouse's voice, before returning to the singer's voice for the last verse.



Got no sugar baby now, I've got no honey baby now
Done all I can do to see peace with you
I can't get along this-a-way, I can't make a living this-a-way

Oh, I've got no sugar baby now, I've got no honey baby now
Done all I can do, said all I can say
I can't make a living this-a-way, I can't get along this-a-way
I've got no honey baby now, I've got no sugar baby now

Got no use for the red rockin' chair
I've got no sugar baby now, I've got no honey baby now

Laid her in the shade, give here every dime I made
What more could a poor boy do, what more could a poor boy do?

Done all I could do, I've said all I could say
I will send you to your Mama next payday
I'll send you to your Mama next payday
I got no sugar baby now, I got no honey baby now

Who'll rock the cradle, who'll sing the song?
Who'll rock the cradle when I'm gone, who'll rock the cradle when I'm gone?

I'll rock the cradle, I'll sing the song
I'll rock the cradle when you're gone
Got no sugar baby now, I've got no honey baby now

All best,
Johnm
 

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Dock's version of "Wild Bill Jones" on the Smithsonian-Folkways set was recorded on December 14, 1963.  He plays the song there out of gDGBD tuning.  The liner notes say that Dock learned the song before he was able to play, from his older brother.
The song's melody derives from a G major pentatonic scale, G-A-B-D-E, but it runs the scale from V to V, so that it ends up spanning the octave from D to D:  D-E-G-A-B-D.  Every melodic phrase concludes on the E note, so whether you consider that note the VI of the parent major scale, G, or the II note of the re-configured pentatonic scale off of D, you find yourself ending phrases on a note that has an odd, inconclusive, unresolved quality. 
One thing that is striking about a lot of Dock's renditions is their compression, in the sense that they go so far in such a brief period of time.  "Wild Bill Jones" clocks in at just over 2:00, around 2:07, but it creates a universe in that span.  Another feature that stands out in a number of the songs is how non-psychological they are; murders are described, as in this instance, by the murderer, in a very "just the facts, ma'am" sort of way without getting into motivations, feelings in the aftermath of the murder, etc.  The first line of the third full verse is unforgettable in that regard.  Dock interrupts his singing of the second verse, halfway through, first to finish the verse instrumentally, and then follow up with a little instrumental interlude that he plays a few times in the course of the rendition, finally returning to deliver the second line of the verse.  I hear him singing "stroyed" (pronounced more like "storoyed"), as a shortened version of "destroyed" in that verse.  I think Dock pronounces what was "moan" in the original lyric, at the end of the first line of the third verse, as though it were spelled "mourn".  The final line strikes a note of "Come and get me" bravado.



I was out a-walking around one night, and I met with old Wild Bill Jones
He was walking, he was talking with the girl I loved, and I bid him for to leave her alone

He says, "Young man, I am twenty-two, too old for to be controlled."

I drew a revolver from my side and I 'stroyed one poor boy's soul

He rambled and he scrambled all on the ground, and he gave one deathly moan
He looked in the face of his darling true love, say, "Oh darling, you are left alone."

My money's in my pockets and my pistols in my hands, look for the man that made old Wild Bill stand

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Dock recorded his version of "Loving Nancy" on the Smithsonian-Folkways set on February 10, 1968.  He played it in D our of his f#CGAD tuning.  According to the liner notes, he was given the text to the song by a neighbor lady, Ms. Holbrook, around 1929.
The song is a version of a family of songs that usually have names like "The Wagoner's Lad" (as recorded by Buell Kazee) or "My Horses Ain't Hungry".  The format of the song is for the lad to talk of leaving and his girlfriend to try to convince him to stay.  The version Dock recorded is unusual in having several of the verses split between the girl's entreaties to stay and the boy's determination to leave.  It seems likely Dock mixed up the pronoun opening the final verse, and that it should have started with "Your" rather than "My".  I'm not at all sure I have the opening phrase of the sixth verse right, and would appreciate correction/corroboration.



"Good morning, lovin' Nancy, we have met in due time.
I will ask you a question, I hope it's no crime."

"Come and set yourself beside me, so long as you stay."
"So fare you well, Nancy, I'm going away."

"Go put up your horses and feed them some hay."
"So fare you well, Nancy, I'll drive on my way."

"Your wagon's to grease, and your bills is to pay.
So come and sit down 'side me, so long as you stay."

"My wagon's well-greased and my whip's in my hand
So fare you well, Nancy, I'm leaving this land."

So where was I next morning, so soon as I rise
I'll cross in deep waters, with tears in my eyes

To think I must leave her, to see her no more
I left her grieving on the New River shore

Some says I am rude, some says I am rough
Some says I am guilty of many bad crimes

I can prove them all liars by the power above
I am guilty of nothing but innocently love

My Papa don't like me and this well I know
He says I'm not worthy to step in his door

Edited 9/30 to pick up corrections from banjochris

All best,
Johnm