Topic: Kid Prince Moore Lyrics

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Kid Prince Moore was a Carolinian who recorded in the mid to late 1930s.  I first heard him on the old Yazoo anthology "Ten Years of Black Country Religion".  He accompanied himself out of C position in standard tuning for "Sign of Judgement", and delivered a really pretty, serene sort of rendition.This song sounds like one Libba Cotten might have played.



REFRAIN: Yes, sign of judgement
Yes, sign of judgement
Yes, sign of judgement
Time ain't long

REFRAIN: Oh yes, sign of judgement
Yes, sign of judgement
Yes, sign of judgement
Time ain't long

I don't like old Satan
None of his tempting charms
Cheat you out of your Jesus, now,
And roll you in his arms

REFRAIN: Yes, yes, yes, sign of judgement
Yes, sign of judgement
Yes, sign of judgement
Time ain't long

REFRAIN: Oh yes, sign of judgement
Yes, sign of judgement
Yes, sign of judgement
Time ain't long

SOLO

REFRAIN: Yes, sign of judgement
Yes, sign of judgement
Yes, sign of judgement
Time ain't long

REFRAIN: Oh yes, sign of judgement
Yes, sign of judgement
Yes, sign of judgement
Time ain't long

I don't like old Satan
Nothing he say or do
Tell one lie to hide his faults and
Tell two to make it true

REFRAIN: Yes, yes, yes, sign of judgement
Yes, sign of judgement
Yes, sign of judgement
Time ain't long

SOLO

REFRAIN: Yes, sign of judgement
Yes, sign of judgement
Yes, sign of judgement
Time ain't long

REFRAIN: Oh yes, sign of judgement
Yes, sign of judgement
Yes, sign of judgement
Time ain't long

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
The other Kid Prince Moore cut on "Ten Years of Black Country Religion" was "Church Bells".  It's a beautiful song with an unusual phrasing scheme--I know of no other song phrased the same way.  Moore backed himself out of C position in standard tuning for "Church Bells" and delivered a wonderful soulful vocal.  Ari Eisinger did a very fine version of "Church Bells" on his "That'll Never Happen No More" CD from a few years back, with a terrific guitar accompaniment of his own.



Don't you hear, church bells a-toning?
Don't you hear, church bells a-toning?
Don't you hear, church bells a-toning?
Don't you hear, church bells a-toning?
Lord, I know my time ain't long

Don't you hear, preacher preaching?
Don't you hear, preacher preaching?
Don't you hear, preacher preaching?
Oh, don't you hear the preacher preaching?
Lord, I know my time ain't long

SOLO

Don't you see, hearse wheel a-rolling?
Don't you see, the hearse wheel a-rolling?
Don't you see, hearse wheel a-rolling?
Don't you see, the hearse wheel a-rolling?
Lord, I know my time ain't long

Hearse wheel a-rolling somebody to the graveyard
Hearse wheel a-rolling somebody to the graveyard
Hearse wheel a-rolling somebody to the graveyard
Hearse wheel a-solling somebody to the graveyard
Lord, I know my time ain't long

Can't you see, time is changing?
Can't you see, time is changing?
Can't you see, time is changing?
Can't you see, time is changing?
Lord, I know my time ain't long

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Kid Prince Moore took a side-step with "Bite Back Blues", a song with a very different sound than the rest of his repertoire.  The vocal has a very strong Lemon Jefferson influence, and his guitar part, played out of A position in standard tuning is reminiscent of several Texas tunes as well as one by Edward Thompson.  Indeed, Moore does one of the best jobs ever working Lemon's side of the street, vocally; what he sings over his IV chords especially speaks to many, many hours spent listening to Lemon's records.  Moore's guitar work  is more strongly characterized than his playing on most of his songs, and his lyrics are unusually strong as well.  Sometimes you just are surprised by what you hear.  Here is the song:



Mmmmm, do you all know who I really may be?
Do you all know who I really may be?
If you hold your seat, you will soon see

I'm Reverend Bite-'Em-in-the-Back, from that old tore-down shack
I'm Reverend Bite-'Em-in-the-Back, from that old tore-down shack
Everybody look at me and grin, 'cause I ain't nobody's friend

SOLO (Spoken: Play it a while, boy!)

When I start to bitin', ain't no use to grieve
When I start to bitin', ain't no use to grieve
I'm gon' bite you like that snake bit poor Adam, oh, 'bouts his Eve

Ain't no use to holl'in' 'bout my teeth ain't sharp
I say, ain't no use to holl'in' 'bout my teeth ain't sharp
I'm gon' make your lady play a little tune like little David played on his harp

SOLO (Spoken: Those who bite, shall be bit.  Gimme mine.  While you bite me, big boy, somebody's layin' you out.)

Fair brown, fair brown, what's on your mind?
Fair brown, fair brown, what' on your weary mind?
You keep me worried, bothered 'most all the time

SOLO

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Kid Prince Moore backed himself out of C position in standard tuning for his recording of "South Bound Blues".  His timing reminds me of Frank Hutchison's, in that it is crooked, but nonetheless sounds as though it felt perfectly natural to Moore, which is all that matters in a solo recording.  Here is the song:



INTRO

I'm leavin' the North, babe, you know, I'm southern bound
I'm leavin' the North, babe, you know, I'm southern bound
I'm tired of hangin' 'round here, baby, let you dog your daddy 'round

You call me in the morning, you call your daddy late at night
You call me in the morning, call your daddy late at night
You say you want me to stay, baby, but you won't treat your daddy right

SOLO (Spoken: Ah, play it, boy!)

I'm leavin' the North, babe, you know, I'm southern bound
I'm leavin' the North, baby, you know, I'm southern bound
Tired of hangin' 'round here, baby, let you dog your daddy 'round

That woman is too bad, you know that woman is too tight
That woman is too bad, you know that woman is too tight
She told me to my face she wasn't gonna treat me right

I'm leavin' the North, babe, you know, I'm southern bound
I'm leavin' the North, babe, you know, I'm southern bound
Tired of hangin' 'round here, baby, let you dog your daddy 'round

All best,
Johnm



 
 

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Kid Prince Moore recorded "Mississippi Water", accompanying himself out of C position in standard tuning, utilizing a melody similar to Blind Blake's "Georgia Bound" or Robert Johnson's "From Four Until Late".  His playing, though not exactly flashy, is extremely subtle and some of his unusual touches are hard to bring off as neatly as he did.  In the fourth verse, when he says "tangaree", did he mean "kangaroo"?  Who knows?  Here is "Mississippi Water":



INTRO

Mississippi water tastes like cherry wine
Mississippi water tastes like cherry wine
Going back to Mississippi, see that girl of mine

When I first met her, had no hair on her head at all
When I first met her, had no hair on her head at all
Every time she make me mad, I'd take my wig and let her head go bald

SOLO (Spoken: Play it a long time, boy)

Run here, mama, set down on my knee
Run here, mama, set down on my knee
I just want to tell you, how you mistreated me

I eat so much rabbit, I hop like a tangaree
Done eat so much rabbit, I hop like a tangaree
You ain't got no hoppers, baby, come hop on me

SOLO

Got a sweet woman, love her while you can
You got a sweet woman, love her while you can
'Cause your heart'll strike sorrow when I come back to town again

If that's your woman, pin her to your side
If that's your woman, pin her to your side
If she flags my train, I'm sure gon' let her ride

Mississippi water tastes like cherry wine
Mississippi water tastes like cherry wine
Going back to Mississippi, see that girl of mine

Edited 4/11 to pick up corrections from harry

All best,
Johnm

[Blues Vintage]

2.1-2.2 she had no hair on her head at all

4.3 come and hop on me

[Johnm]

Hi Harry,
I think he does actually sneak in "she" in both of those lines, but you're right about "and".  I'll delete that.  Thanks.
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

I was imagining the "she"s.  I'll make your correction, Harry.
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Kid Prince Moore played "Honey Dripping Blues" out of C position in standard tuning, probably his favorite playing position.  The song sounds like a re-working of "Yo Yo Blues", which was recorded by a couple of the Atlanta crew of musicians.  I think the sound of the beginning of the tagline of the fourth verse is right, but I'm not satisfied that it's right, because the sense of it is not apparent to me.  I'd appreciate help with that.  Here is "Honey Dripping Blues":



'T'ain't none of my business, but it sure ain't right
'T'ain't none of my business, but it sure ain't right
Take another man's woman, play honey drip all night

I'm a stranger, just come in your town
I'm a stranger, just come in your town
I want some honey drip, please don't turn me down

If I mistreat you, mama, sure don't mean no harm
Mistreat you, mama, sure don't mean no harm
I'm a honey drippin' papa, don't know right from wrong

SOLO

I got me a mama, she's so big and fat
I've got me a mama, she's so big and fat
She said, "Let's honey drip, Prince, 'cause I know it's tight like that."

Don't play honey drip, 'way down in the cell
Don't play honey drip, 'way down in the cell
She's a sweet lovin' mama, I know she gon' raise little hell

SOLO

Went up on the mountain, looked down in the deep blue sea
Went up on the mountain, looked down in the deep blue sea
Big fat woman, tried to flirt with me

If I could holler like that mountain jack
If I could holler like that mountain jack
I'd go up on the mountain, call my baby back

Edited 4/15 to pick up corrections from islandgal and harry

All best,
Johnm

[islandgal]

Hi John,

I'm pretty sure he's saying "She said let's honey drip Prince..."

Jean

[Blues Vintage]

I agree with Jean.

Also,

Don't play honey drip, 'way down in the field cell
Don't play honey drip, 'way down in the field cell
She's a sweet lovin' mama, I know she gonna gon' raise a little hell

[Johnm]

Thanks very much, Jean and Harry for the help.  I'm incorporating your changes.  Thanks!
All best,
Johnm

[Blues Vintage]

Pickin’ Low Cotton, Take 1


Kid Prince Moore – Vocals, Guitar

New York City, New York
April 8, 1936

I guess A position, standard tuning, somebody correct me if I’m wrong.





INTRO

Pickin’ low cotton, bendin’ my back all day
Pickin’ low cotton, bendin’ my back all day
When I come home, have somewhere for me to lay

Have my dinner ready, don’t let my coffee be cold
Have my dinner ready, don’t let my coffee cold
Don’t forget, mama, fix up my good jelly roll

SOLO

Every payday, mama, when I get my check
Every payday, mama, when I get my check
And I pay your bills, I’m all nervous {can’t rest}

Got a girl ‘cross town, she crocheted all the time
Got a girl ‘cross town, she crocheted all the time
Honey, if you don’t keep crochetin’, you sure gon’ lose your mind

Went to the station, set my suitcase down
Went to the station, set my suitcase down
Blues overtaken me, and the tears come rollin’ down

Low cotton and bills, eaten out all of my shoe
Low cotton and bills, eaten out all my shoe
That’s the reason why I got them, lowdown low cotton blues