Topic: Buddy Boy Hawkins lyrics

[David Kaatz]

The first line, I hear "Now this here's "A Rag" I'm playing--sure is my rag
The last line, I don't hear the word "What". Just "You call that, Jackson A rag"

Great playing on this.

[eric]

Buddy Boy Hawkins is just great. John, I can't recall anyone else doing that rag blues progression in Spanish (How Come Mama Blues).

[Johnm]

Thanks very much for the help, Dave, your first correction is right on, and I've made the change. I must have had a vapor lock to miss that when I was entering the words! I do think he sneaks in a "what" at the front end of that last line, because he pronounces "you" as "chew", which is how you would pronounce it if it was preceded by "what".

I couldn't agree more, Dave and Eric, that is really great playing by Buddy Boy Hawkins on both those tunes, and really original, too. Quite different from the way the Delta players played in Spanish. I think that the cuts by other players that are closest to Buddy Boy Hawkins' approach in Spanish are the two Marshall Owens cuts and William Harris' "Keep Your Man Out of Birmingham", which I've been meaning to transcribe.

All best,
Johnm

[dj]

I was surprised to find in DG&R that the title, as recorded, is actually "A Rag Blues", and not "A Rag", as Buddy Boy announced it.

Buddy Boy probably called it "A Rag", but record companies would routinely add descriptive words to the title so potential purchasers would have some idea of what records might interest them.  "Blues", "Fox-Trot", "Waltz", and the like were common additions. 

[Stuart]

He was a great player, that's for sure. I remember when I got Yazoo-1010 back in the day. One of the first things that struck me about "A Rag," aside from it being a tour de force, was that it was the source for some of the parts of John Fahey's "Lion." I guess if you're going to copy, you might as well copy from one of the best.

FYI:

[Johnm]

I never heard that Fahey piece before, Stuart, but you're right, up to the harmonics it's a complete cop from A rag.
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

You make a good point with regard to the title, dj. Unless you make the title ""A" Rag", naming a tune"A Rag" would seem pretty darn blah, encouraging a response like, "So which one is it?"

[MarkC]

Not lyric related, but a belated comment on “How Come Mama Blues.” I just listened and noticed that the song structure is pretty much the same as Broonzy’s “Skoodle Do Do.” One’s in Spanish, one’s in standard (I think - I don’t have a guitar with me). Not sure who recorded their’s first.

[Johnm]

Hi Mark,
That's a good point about the shared chord progression, but I suspect neither one is the first appearance of that progression which was pretty common in raggy Pop music of that era. What is really rare is someone playing it in Spanish tuning, as Buddy Boy Hawkins did--I can't think of anybody else who did that.
All best,
Johnm

[MarkC]

Hi John -

I should’ve made it clearer that I think one song begat the other. The melody and the short breaks (the first ones start at around 0:23 - 0:25 seconds in both songs) are very similar. Broonzy plays single string lines in those breaks, and Hawkins does a sort of stop time.

[Johnm]

Hi Mark,
I'm dubious that one song derives from the other. It was a convention to play stop-time on the third four-bar phrase of a 16-bar (18 bars with the tag) raggy progression like this. Blind Boy Fuller did it countless times. And Papa Charlie Jackson, who preceded both Broonzy and Buddy Boy Hawkins in making records did it. Characteristically, it's the only place in the form where the lyrics change from one pass through the form to the next, and the stop time accentuates the lyric there.
All best,
Johnm

[MarkC]

Thanks for that info John.

[banjochris]

I was away from the computer this weekend, John – I have a few suggestions for "How Come Mama" –

2.3 ...you HURT ME kissin', said...

3.3 ...like you did BROWNSKIN little woman...

5.3 ...you have to make the WINTER on your BVDs

Chris

[banjochris]

And a few on "A Rag" – I could have sworn we all talked about a transcription of this tune years ago but I can't find it on the site.

Now this here's "A Rag" I'm playin'--sure is my rag.
Now this here's "A Rag" I'm playin'--THIS HERE is my rag. (he runs the SH at the end of this and beginning of here together)

after all, you oughta make us play this here rag
I'M THE ONLY MAN THAT CAN play this here rag

That would make all the girls feel good.
HERE WHAT make all the girls feel good.

"Chock-house" is great! That's always been a difficult line to parse.

Chris

[Johnm]

Thanks for your suggestions and help, Chris. I re-listened to "A Rag" and agree with all your suggested changes and have made them. I'm hearing some things differently after re-listening to "How Come Mama Blues":

   3.3 You know you HUGGED AND KISSED HIM, . . . .  I'm actually pretty sure of this one now

   6.3 needs, 'TIL you have to make the winter, ONE OF YOUR D-BVDs

I think he mis-speaks on BVDs and inserts that extra D sound at the front end of it before he pronounces the word as he intended. See what you think.
all best,
John