Topic: K. C. Douglas Lyrics

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I just found this a capella version of "Casey Jones", sung by K. C. Douglas, who was born in Mississippi, but relocated to California as a young adult and lived the rest of his life there, I believe.  I've never heard the song done with this melody before, and K. C. Douglas sings it with such a snappy rhythm.



Casey Jones said before he died
Two more trains that he wanted to ride
The fireman asked him what could that be
He said, "The Southern Pacific and the Santa Fe,
Santa Fe, oh the Santa Fe, Southern Pacific and the Santa Fe."

The oldest boy come runnin' home from school
He was hollerin' and cryin' like a doggone fool
"Hush your mouth, and don't you come here with that.
You got another daddy on the same track,
On the same track, you got another daddy on the same track."

Casey Jones' wife, she got the news
She was settin' on the bed, bucklin' up her shoes
Told the children to "Hush your cryin',
You got another daddy on the same line,
On the same line, you got another daddy on the same line."

Casey Jones said before he died,
Fix the train so the bums couldn't ride
They ride a'tall, they had to ride the rods
Trust their lives in the hands of God
Hands of God, in the hands of God, trust their lives in the hands of God

Old big engine with the star-lit face
Come on around about the lonesome place
The whistle blowed and the bell, it rung
He's a good engineerman but he's dead and gone
He's dead and gone, he's a good engineerman but he's dead and gone

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
K. C. Douglas was a transplanted Mississippian who lived most of his adult life in California. He recorded two albums that came out on Prestige-Bluesville, the recording of which was supervised by Chris Strachwitz. "Hen House Blues" comes from "K. C.'s Blues". K. C. Douglas accompanied himself out of E position in standard tuning, his favorite playing position, for the song. The song's subject, infidelity among chickens, is an unusual one for a lyric. Here is "Hen House Blues":



INTRO SOLO 

Says he looked at that old red hen, and her comb was turning red
Ooooh, he looked at that old red hen, and I do swear her comb was turning red
Yes, he flew up on the fence, and these are the words he said

He walked down into the hen house yard, he could hear that old hen cluckin' to herself
Oooooh, he walked down to the hen house yard, and he could hear that old hen cluckin' to herself
He knows she had a little company, but when he got there, they just had left

He flew up in the hen house window, and he could see where they'd been havin' a little fun
Ooooh, he flew up in the hen house window, and he could see where they'd been havin' a little fun
He knew, right then and there, that little red rooster was not his son

SOLO

He flopped his wings, as if he was gon' fly away
Oooh, he flopped his wings, as if he was gon' fly away
Yes, he got so mad, he forgot to crow for day

CODA

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
"Wake Up, Workin' Woman" also comes from the "K. C.'s Blues" CD. For the song, K. C. Douglas accompanied himself out of A position in standard tuning, doing a Lemon Jefferson-influenced accompaniment. Its sympathetic stance towards a working woman is quite unusual for a male blues singer. In fact, I'm hard put to think of another song that expresses such a sentiment. Here is "Wake Up, Workin' Woman":



INTRO SOLO

Wake up, workin' woman, take it easy while you can
Wake up, workin' woman, take it easy while you can
You got a house full of chillun, take you a no-good lazy man

You work hard all day, come home and work all night
You work hard all day, come home and work all night
If you buy you a dress, he will swear you ain't treatin' him right

Don't give him your money, stop lettin' him have his way
Don't give him your money, stop lettin' him have his way
Make him pay your bills and hear what he have to say

SOLO

You don't need no man, he ain't kind and kind
You don't need no man, he ain't nice and kind
You don't need no man and he tryin' to drag you down

CODA

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
K. C. Douglas accompanied himself out of E position in standard tuning for "Meanest Woman", which is essentially a cover of Ishmon Bracey's "Saturday Blues", a song also covered by another transplanted Mississippian, Shirley Griffith, who ended up in Indianapolis. K. C. was an excellent lyricist, and adds some verses to the song that I've not heard in any other versions of it. Here is "Meanest Woman":



INTRO SOLO

Now if you want your woman, look like the rest, buy that powder, they call it "Skin Success", if you,
Want your woman, look just like the rest, yes,
Buy that powder, call it "Skin Success"

Well, ain't no tellin' what, she might do, she might cut you and she might shoot you too, well then,
Ain't no tellin', what that woman might do, yes,
She might cut you, she might shoot you, too

She's the meanest little woman that I, ever seen, ask for water and she'll give you gasoline, she's the,
Meanest woman, that I ever seen, yes,
Ask for water, give me gasoline

SOLO

She's a, mean little woman, don't treat her wrong, she will fight you, sure as you, sure as you been born, she's a,
Mean little woman, don't you treat her wrong, yes,
She will fight you, just as sure as you born

She will, hang you, boy, pass by door, she will hang you by your, two big toes, she will,
Hang you, boy, passin' by her door, yes,
She will hang you, by your two big toes

VAMP AND CODA

Edited 12/10 to pick up corrections from Blues Vintage

All best,
Johnm
 
 
 

[Blues Vintage]

1.2 Want your woman, look just like the rest, just, yes

5.2 Hang you, boy, passin' by her door, yes,

[Johnm]

Thanks for the help, Blues Vintage. I re-listened and made both changes you suggested.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
K. C. Douglas was back in E position in standard tuning for "K. C.'s Doctor Blues". Once again, he has some great lyrics. K. C.'s doctor certainly doesn't pull any punches in his diagnosis. Here is "K. C.'s Doctor Blues":



INTRO SOLO

Yes, I went down to the doctor, "Doctor, won't you ease my pain?"
You know, I went down to the doctor, "Doctor, won't you ease my pain?"
"Yes, you got a broken heart, K. C., and a absence on your brain."

"If you want to get well, you better start you a brand new life.
If you want to get well, you better start you a brand new life.
You lead a no-good woman, you're around here, callin' her your wife."

"She won't make you happy, and you can't live your life at ease.
She won't make you happy, and you can't live your life at ease.
Yes, she's eatin' steak and rice, boy, and feedin' you on black-eyed peas."

SOLO

"You get down on your knees, and ask forgiveness for your sin.
Oooh, get down on your knee, and ask forgiveness for your sin.
You go down to the undertaker, boy, and asked him to be your friend."

CODA

Edited 12/11 to pick up correction from Blues Vintage

All best,
Johnm


 

 

[Blues Vintage]

Could be a typo in 1.2 - "to"

[Johnm]

You're right, Blues Vintage, thanks for the catch.