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Country Blues => Country Blues Lyrics => Topic started by: uncle bud on April 04, 2005, 06:27:57 PM
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JohnM's Henry Thomas thread had me starting to figure out some Henry Thomas I've been meaning to get to for awhile. First up was Bob McKinney. Below are what I make of the lyrics. I'm wondering if the last two verses are actually " I'm looking for that bully laid me down" or "bullet laid me down". The obvious Bully of the Town structure makes me think the former, but I swear I hear bullet on occasion.
https://youtu.be/t5YJqDKnq5I
Bob McKinney - Henry Thomas
Went down Johnson Street, Bob McKinney come passin' by
Goin' on down that Johnson Street make trouble in their lives
Wasn't he bad, yes, wasn't he bad
Bobby said to Marg'et "come to me I said
If you don't come in a hurry, I'll put a thirty-eight through your head"
Wasn't he bad, yes, wasn't he bad
Bobby said to Ben Ferris "I'm bound to take your life
You caused trouble 'tween me and my wife"
Wasn't he bad, yes, wasn't he bad
Bobby said to the high sherriff, "Do you think I'm going to run?
If I had another load, me and you have some fun"
Wasn't he bad, yes, wasn't he bad
Oh my babe, take me back
How in the world, oh, take me back
One of these mornings won't be long
You goin' call me, I'll be gone
She turned around two or three times
Beg my babe take me back
Take me back, take me back
Beg my babe take me back
Oh make me a pallet on your floor
Hey make me one pallet on your floor
Oh make ... a pallet on your floor
Wont you make it so your man'll never know
Yeah, make it so your man never know
Hey, make it so your man never know
Ah make a pallet on your...
Wont you make it so your man never know
Yes I'm looking for that bully laid me down
Hey I'm looking for that bully laid me down
I'm looking for that bully and that bully can't be...
Yes I'm looking for that bully laid me down
Yeah I'm looking for that bully laid me down
Hey I'm looking for that bully laid me down
I'm looking for that bully, and... bully can't be found
Yes I'm looking for that bully laid me down
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You did a better job then I?ve been able to do. I don't think I can be very helpful - I've always heard them both too.
I love the way he takes pieces of one song and uses them in others. I'm not just referring to the ubiquitous ?lay me out a pallet on your floor? words either - which as a traveling musician was probably as much a request to the audience as a part of the song. I really enjoy the way he uses that same couplet, lyrics and melody, in the middle part of ?Bob McKinney? as at the end of Bull Doze Blues.
Have you deciphered ?Honey, won?t you allow me one more chance??
I?ve got bits and pieces of the first half, but there are some words I just can get.
Thanks for the post! Any words by Henery Thomas are always welcome to me!
KC
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Looks good to me UB. I think it's Bully - bullet really does not work contextually.
Bobby said to Ben Fears??
I hear Ben Ferris.
Great tune.
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Thanks. Ferris works for me. On reflection, I think the reason I'm hearing bullet (and KC is as well) is that Henry Thomas is actually saying the word "that" on occasion and clipping it: "bully that laid me down" becomes "bully't laid me down".
KC, I'm posting what I have for "Honey Won't You Allow..." in a separate thread. It's harder to decipher than this one!
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KC King was asking about this one in the Bob McKinney thread. It's another great Henry Thomas tune (some people may recall Bob Dylan doing a version of it early in his career). This one is trickier to decipher, with numerous wild guesses on my part, so any help much appreciated. These are some pretty great 'in the doghouse' lyrics notwithstanding the gaps and errors.
https://youtu.be/eOu8jadZ8gg
Honey Won't You Allow Me One More Chance - Henry Thomas
I went home last night, the moon was shinin' bright
Ragg'd?? and feelin' guilty 'bout my head??
Well I rapped on the door,? I heard my baby roar
"Honey I'm gone to bed"
"Get up and let me in ??? ??? ??? stand??? (a wonder that I still stand??)
You know you haven't treated me right
I paid all this rent, you haven't got a cent
You have to ?? you home tonight"
Honey allow me a-one more chance, I only will treat you right
Honey won't you allow me a-one more chance, I won't stay out all night
Honey won't you allow me a-one more chance, I'll take you to the ball in France
One kind of favor I'll ask of you, just allow me just a-one more chance
Well then this ??? ?? letted me in I set down beside of her bed
Says "honey dear, you have some beer?" she shook her head and said,
"Well wonder, wonder, you better not cut your finger? (figure?)
You know you haven't treated me right
I paid all this rent, you haven't got a cent
You have to ?? you home tonight"
Honey allow me a-one more chance, I only will treat you right
Honey won't you allow me a?one more chance, I won't stay out all night
Honey won't you allow me a?one more chance, I'll take you to the ball in France
Just one kind of favor I'll ask of you, just allow me just one more chance
Well, Honey allow me a?one more chance, I only will treat you right
Honey won't you allow me a-one more chance, I won't stay out all night
Honey won't you allow me a-one more chance, I'll take you to the ball in France
Just one kind of favor I'll ask of you, just allow me just one more chance
Yes, these blues, I don't know, keep on chasin' me
Don't let me fall I've got no one at all, I'm cryin' at your door
Well it tain't use you cryin' at all, I've got the chance that you ever had
I ain't gone once, I don't know, just allow just a-one more chance
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I figured I'd temporarily delurk to throw in some suggestions, it's not often you get to discuss henry thomas.
The "Ragg'd" line I always heard as "drunk and feeling dizzy 'bout my head". The "a wonder I still stand" line sounds right, I thought it was "a wonder I can stand", same thing. For the last line of the first two verses, I use "You have to find a new home tonight" - I'm pretty sure that's not right but it fits the song anyway. And the last line of the song I hear "one" instead of "once", no big difference.?
That's all I got though, the rest of the ??'s I'm just as clueless on, so I'm hoping you guys can crack this one. One of many great Henry Thomas tunes to play and sing (with the wrong lyrics).
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Welcome ajd!
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I'll have to listen to this when I get home, but from memory, the last line -- You have to ?? you home tonight -- is "You have to hunt you a new home tonight"
Chris
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Here's my take on some of those lines -- I hereby nominate Henry Thomas for the Charlie Poole mumbling award. I honestly think he doesn't know the lyrics to the song and makes some of them up as he goes. I've tried several times to find this number or a related on in old sheet music on the web but have come up empty -- if anyone ever finds a lead on it post it please.
Anyway:
Ragg'd?? and feelin' guilty 'bout my head??
I hear:
Wrecked and feelin' dizzy 'bout my head (he could be saying drunk, but it sounds like "wrecked" to me)
"Get up and let me in ----- stand?
I hear (with some imagination):
Get up and let me in, I wasn't out till 10 -- or I wasn't after 10
You have to ?? you home tonight
You have to hunt you a new home tonight
Well then this ?? letted me in I set down beside of her bed
Says "honey dear, you have some beer?" she shook her head and said,
"Well wonder, wonder, you better not cut your finger? (figure?)
First line -- no idea -- Third line:
Well it weren't no wonder, you been a-cuttin' a figure (i.e. he's been out gay cattin', as Papa Charlie would say)
Yes, these blues, I don't know, keep on chasin' me
Don't let me fall I've got no one at all, I'm cryin' at your door
Well it tain't use you cryin' at all, I've got the chance that you ever had
I ain't gone once, I don't know, just allow just a-one more chance
First line -- he says chancin', not chasin', whatever that's supposed to mean
Second line -- Don't let me fall, I've got no dough
Third -- Well it tain't no use you cryin', doll ...
Fourth -- I ain't got one, ...
This last verse is what leads me to think he's forgotten the words. At least he also didn't record "Monkey on a String."
Chris
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So combining y'alls with what I got and trying again and again:
Honey Won't You Allow Me One More Chance - Henry Thomas
I went home last night, the moon was shinin' bright
Rakin? feelin? dizzy ?bout my head
Well, I rapped on the door; I heard my baby roar
?Honey, I?m going to bed?
?Get up and let me in; a wonder I still stand?
?You know you haven?t treated me right
I paid all this rent; you haven?t got a cent
You have to hunt you a new home tonight?
Honey allow me a one more chance
I ought?a well?ve treated you right
Honey won?t you allow me a one more chance
I won?t stay out all night
Honey won?t you allow me a one more chance
I?ll take you to the ball 'n France
A one kind favor I ask of you
Jus? allow me just a one more chance
Well then this 'bimbim' let-a me in, I set down beside of her bed
Says "honey dear, do you have some beer?" she shook her head and said
?Well it weren't no wonder, you been a-cuttin' a figure
You know you haven't treated me right
I paid all this rent; you haven?t got a cent
You have to hunt you a new home tonight?
Honey allow me a one more chance
I ought?a well?ve treated you right
Honey won?t you allow me a one more chance
I won?t stay out all night
Honey won?t you allow me a one more chance
I?ll take you to the ball 'n France
just a one kind favor I ask of you
Jus? allow me a one more chance
Honey allow me a one more chance
I ought?a well?ve a treated you right
Honey won?t you allow me a one more chance
I won?t stay out all night
Honey won?t you allow me a one more chance
I?ll take you to the ball 'n France
just a one kind favor I ask of you
Jus? allow me just a one more chance
"Yes, these blues, I don't know, keep on chancin' me
Don't let me fall, I've got no dough, 'ver cryin' at your door"
"Well it tain't use you cryin' 'tall, I've got the chance that you ever had"
"I ain't gone one, I don't know, just allow me just a one more chance"
Thank Uncle Bud and everyone!
KC
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Wow! The collective ear of Weenie Campbell is an amazing thing!
KC and I think one of the reasons Henry Thomas is sooo undecipherable on this particular song is 'cause, portraying the hapless character in the song, he's doing a good job of pretending to be DRUNK.
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Hi,
Great work on these lyrics. Does the second line of the first verse make any more sense as "reckon" rather than "wreckin'"?
All best,
Johnm
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Well hmm. KC and I were just talking about that very lyric.
Seemed like achin' at first, but I sort of hear rakin'...
I don't know if that was usage of raking was common, but raking can mean tilting or tipping (like a ship does, or, perhaps, a drunk guy's head feels like). A rake is also a dissolute, debauched man, but I was thinking more about the tilting meaning.
Also, what about that word that really sounds more like "benben" (or bembem) than baby? "Well then this benben let me in, I set down aside of her bed..." Hmm. I dunno.
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Emma, I hear benben as well. Whatever that means!
Also, I'm thinking that in the chorus he's singing a very garbled "always," as in:
Honey allow me a one more chance
I always will treat you right
Chris, in Paul Oliver's section of the New Blackwell Guide to Recorded Blues, he notes that this song is a "coon song of 1897 written by the gifted, if perplexing black composer Irving Jones." I tried some searching online and came up with nothing on this song as a Jones composition. Perhaps some music library searches...
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Wreckin? feelin? dizzy ?bout my head
As in Uncle Bud's original post, I hear "Ragged" here instead of Wreckin' -- which to me makes perfect sense since "ragged" is exactly how I feel when I've had a bit much to drink.
I?ll take you to the ball and France
Nobody's questioned the meaning of this line, but I'm wondering if it might be
I'll take you to the ball in France
Seems to make more sense, particularly if there was a local town called France. Also, I know we're trying to rhyme with chance, but I really don't hear anything more than FRAN in any of the three occurrences of this line.
Also, I'm thinking that in the chorus he's singing a very garbled "always," as in:
Honey allow me a one more chance
I always will treat you right
I hear "I oughta well've" (where well've is pronounced "well uf"). Definitely one too many syllables for "I always will." There would also be an extra syllable after treat, so treated fits better than treat.
Well then this baby let me in, I set down beside of her bed
I agree with comments this doesn't sound like baby -- I'm thinking "bim-bim" and thinking it might be a colloquial or slang expression for a "bimbo".
However there is a syllable after "let" and before "me" that hasn't been accounted for -- the best I can figure, it is either "let-a me in" or "letted me in". Definitely one more syllable than "let me in".
Yes, these blues, I don't know, keep on chancin' be
......
I think it's- keep on chancing to be- in the fourth line from the end
I don't know about "keep on chancin' be" either, but there are not enough syllables for "chancing to be" -- I'm wondering if it isn't
Yes, these blues I don't know, keep on chancin' ME.
Me seems to fit better than be.
Anyway, that's my take on a few areas of this song. Otherwise, sounds pretty solid to me.
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I made some of the changes people have suggested, in the post that I did of the whole song above.
I don't think it's ragged because the vowel in definitely a long 'a' pronounced like the letters a-e. Someone might pronounce ragged that way but only in upper Wisconsin ;) but not Texas.
I put in quotations to show the change of speaker like:
(him) "Yes, these blues, I don't know, keep on chancin' me
Don't let me fall, I've got no dough, 'ver cryin' at your door"
(her)"Well it tain't use you cryin' 'tall, I've got the chance that you ever had"
(him) "I ain't gone one, I don't know, just allow me just a one more chance"
Thanks for all the help!
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Long time since I heard this song, but I always thought the line went "Get up and let me in, I won't ask again"
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I don't think it's ragged because the vowel in definitely a long 'a' pronounced like the letters a-e. Someone might pronounce ragged that way but only in upper Wisconsin ;) but not Texas.
One of the many fascinating things about life - different folks hear the same thing differently. I've listened to that word litterally hundreds of times over and over, and I would make exactly the opposite remark -- it is definitely NOT a long 'a' (and in 'Angel' or 'rage' or 'rake'), but it does sound exactly like the a in 'rag' or 'gag' or 'lag' to me.
As for how a Texan would pronounce "ragged", it sounds to me exactly how I remember Lyndon Johnson talking, less so like Barbara Jordan, and not at all like George Bush (of course, Bush went north to college, so who knows who he really speaks like now). And friends I've have from Texas have accents all over the board. In any case, I doubt that many folks today pronounce words like Henry Thomas or his generation of Texas blacks would have.
In the end, you can sing "Rakin'" and I can sing "Ragged" and there's a good chance we're both wrong :-).
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One of the many fascinating things about life - different folks hear the same thing differently.
Too true. I keep listening to that line over and over too, and I keep hearing "drunk 'n feelin' dizzy, drunk 'n feelin' dizzy, drunk 'n feelin' dizzy...". I'm probably using my imagination on this, letting the context influence me and hearing what I want to hear, but it sounds to me like "du-RUNK" where the 'd' is slurred and soft (like it was hiccupped, if that makes sense), and I don't hear a distinct 'n' before the 'k' either which hurts my case too.
But after the 'k' I really think it's an 'n' and not a 'd', so I'd put my vote towards something ending in 'n' (wreckin', rakin', drunk 'n). I'd feel better if there were other examples of him saying 'dr' the same way elsewhere, but the other times the 'd' is pronounced, so my only defense here is maybe he's slurring the word intentionally to seem drunk like Emma Lee said (except this isn't the only song of his that's impossible to figure out).? Most of the rest of the blanks have been filled in nicely though, thanks all.
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Yep I got to admit if we all just sing it like Henry - it ain't really gonna mater ;D
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Being a newcomer to these parts I was interested to read the discussion surrounding Bob McKinney by Henry Thomas. I realise this is all water under the bridge (and will probably bore folk hereabouts to tears) but I can't resist posting the lyric transcription and associated notes that Mack McCormick wrote in the fascinating 10 page booklet sewn into the gatefold of the 1974 Herwin double LP, the complete recorded works of Henry Thomas:
BOB McKINNEY
Went down Johnson Street, Bob McKinney come passing by
Going on down that Johnson Street, make trouble in that Line(1)
Wasn't he bad? Yes, Wasn't he bad?
Bobby said to Margaret, "Come to me I said,
If you don't come in a hurry, I'll put a .38 through your head."
Wasn't he bad? Yes, wasn't he bad?
Bobby said to Ben Ferris, "I'm bound to take your life,
You caused trouble between me and my wife."
Wasn't he bad? Yes, wasn't he bad?
Bobby says to the High Sheriff, "Needn't think I'm gonna run,
If I had another load, me and you'd have some fun."
Wasn't he bad? Yes, wasn't he bad?
Oh my babe, take me back.
How in the world, Lord, take me back.
Monday morning, won't be long.
You gonna call me, I'll be gone.
She turned around, two or three times.
Make my bed and take me back.
Take me back (2)
Make my bed and take me back
Oh, make me a pallet on your floor.
Hey, make me one pallet on your floor.
Oh make (me a) pallet on your floor.
Won't you make it so your man never know.
Hey, make it so your man never know. (2)
Ah make a pallet on your -
Won't you make it so your man never know.
Yes, I'm looking for that bully laid me down.
Hey, I'm looking for that bully laid me down.
I'm looking for that bully, that bully, can't be -
Yes, I'm looking for that bully laid me down. (3)
I'm looking for that bully, that bully can't be found.
I'm looking for that bully laid me down.
(1) Line = row of taverns, barbershops, pool halls, etc.
Composite. Bob McKinney places-itself in St. Louis through the mention of Johnson Street. Although a case could be made for New Orleans, which also has an important street by this name, St. Louis figures in much of the balladry that grew out of the 1890s and the vital social background for this has been described by Arna Bontemps and Jack Conroy in Anyplace But Here: "There was hardship and want in the St. Louis of 1893. There was also crime and depravity. The Cleveland panic had done its worth among Negroes; they were leaving the South in endless streams, and St. Louis was drawing more than its share of the migrants. The overcrowding which resulted produced intolerable conditions. Sitting space in pool halls became a real luxury. Thousands of vagrants slept on the cobblestones of the levee. Police brutality reached a point seldom equalled. Officers of the law carried night sticks a yard long and learned to hurl them at the feet of fleeing migrants in such a way as to trip them up when they tried to run...out of their brushes with the law grew such popular songs as Brady, He's Dead and Gone and Looking for the Bully."
The recovery of an unknown or previously unidentified Negro ballad is an event of significance considering the slim number of these songs which have survived. Unfortunately, heretofore Bob McKinney has been casually dismissed as merely a variation of Duncan and Brady or of Stackolee. All have much in common, but each tells a separate and distinct story.
A chief requirement of the narrative ballad is that it be brief. Bob McKinney is so brief as, on first hearing, to appear incomplete. However the entire story is here, either stated directly or implicit in the four tersely described scenes as Bob McKinney (1) swaggers down Johnson Street, (2) bullies Margaret, (3) Shoots Ben Ferris, and (4) has a final encounter with the High Sheriff. Nothing more need be said. The outcome is left to the imagination and Henry Thomas drifts into a potpourri of blues and songs favored by the wandering people who congregated in St. Louis.
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Thanks for the background on Bob McKinney, Bunker Hill. Indeed, fascinating stuff. Has there been any other recorded occurrence of the Bob McKinney story? Given how Henry Thomas material pops up elsewhere in other guises, one would think aspects of this song would as well, but I can't think of any. (Obviously am referring to the Bob McKinney section only and not the other familiar material.)
I love the economy of the story, nasty and to the point.
Also, thanks for clarifying the second line of the song, "make trouble in that Line".
A belated welcome to WeenieCampbell as well!
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Thanks for the background on Bob McKinney, Bunker Hill.? Indeed, fascinating stuff. Has there been any other recorded? occurrence of the Bob McKinney story? Given how Henry Thomas material pops up elsewhere in other guises, one would think aspects of this song would as well, but I can't think of any. (Obviously am referring to the Bob McKinney section only and not the other familiar material.)
I love the economy of the story, nasty and to the point.
Also, thanks for clarifying the second line of the song, "make trouble in that Line".
I personally don't know of a recorded occurrence of the Bob McKinney story but that doesn't mean much. The song certainly doesn't seem to have been collected? by the like of Odum & Johnson, Newman Ivey White, Dorothy Scarborough and John Harrington Cox circa 1910-1919 or appear in their respective books published in the mid-20s.
McCormick's general? observation on Thomas's material being that he absorbed what he heard as he roamed around Texas, the South or wherever and came up with composite, half remembered, concatenated songs which he later recorded. The songs collected by the foregoing folklorists would tend to add weight to his observation.
I'm no expert all I know is that the Henry Thomas Origin compilation was one of the first blues records I purchased cheap in 1963 and it got played incessantly.? :)
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Hi all, Can anybody help me out with the lyrics to ? Bull Doze Blues?? This is my first attempt at transcribing. I know it needs work, but I make out the second or fifth verses. Thanks, Charlie
https://youtu.be/DTi6Z6qALwY
I?m going away and
I won?t be long.
I?m going away and
I won?t be long.
I?m going away and
I won?t be long.
Break
Yes, soon as __________(?)
Yes, soon as __________(?)
Yes, soon as __________(?)
Break
I?ll shake your hand and
tell your papa goodbye.
I?ll shake your hand and
tell your mama goodbye.
I?ll shake your hand and
tell your papa goodbye.
Break
I?m going back to Tennessee.
I?m going back to (live-in?) Tennessee
I?m going back _______ Tennessee.
I?m going back _______ Tennessee.
Break
This verse just eludes me.
Break
Yes, baby don?t be shaking
Look what a fool I?ve been.
Baby, don?t be shaking, look
what a fool I?ve been.
Baby, don?t be shaking, look
what a fool I?ve been.
Break
Oh my babe, take me back.
I am lonesome (?), take me back.
(I find it amazing that Henry Thomas just changes the song for this last verse)
Break
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Hi all, Can anybody help me out with the lyrics to ? Bull Doze Blues??? This is my first attempt at transcribing.? I know it needs work, but I make out the second or fifth verses. Thanks, Charlie
Here's a scan from the booklet by Mack McCormick which accompanied the 1974 double Herwin album Complete Recorded Works. I haven't got time to double check against listening. It is followed by McCormick's research of the tern bulldoze:
I'm going away, babe, and it won't be long.
I'm going away and it won't be long. (2)
Just as sure as that train leaves out of that Mobile yard. (3)
Come shake your hand, tell your papa goodbye. (3)
I'm going back to Tennessee. I'm going back to Memphis, Tennessee.
I'm going back, Memphis, Tennessee. I'm going where I never get bulldozed.
I'm going where I never get the bulldoze. I'm going where I never get bulldozed.
If you don't believe I'm sinking, look what a hole I'm in. (2)
If you don't believe I'm sinking, look what a fool I've been.
Oh, my babe, take me back. How in the world, Lord, take me back.
Blues. The entry in the Oxford English Dictionary for the word "bulldoze" is illuminating: "1876 American Newspr., If a negro is invited to join it (a society called 'The Stop'), and refuses, he is taken to the woods and whipped. This whipping is called a 'bull-doze', or doze fit for a bull. The application of the bull-doze was for the purpose of making Tilden voters; hence we hear of the 'bull-dozed' parishes. 1880 C. B. Berry Other Side 155 They..pull him out of bed with a revolver to his head...that's called 'bull-dosing' a man. 1881 Sat. Rev. 9 July 40/2 A 'bull-dose' means a large efficient dose of any sort of medicine or punishment. Ibid. To 'bull-dose' a negro in the Southern States means to flog him to death, or nearly to death."
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Thanks for the lyrics. I will listen again, with the Mack McCormick's transcription. Now I have to learn how to sing and play the Henry Thomas song at the same time. Its such as wistful and beautiful melody. Cheers, Charlie R.
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Bunker:
I'm betting Bob was running around in East Texas, which was Henry Thomas' stomping grounds. From what I've read, he speant most of his time around Big Sandy, Grand Saline and Gladewater. I live East of there and have always been inordinately interested in him. I've recorded Bob McKinney on my CD "Out of the Past." It's at www.stevehowell.ws. Long live Henry Thomas's memory.
Best,
Steve
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I've tried transcribing this Henry Thomas song, and what a mess it is in parts, so all help welcome. Thomas's version is itself a bit of a mess in that it's at least three songs in one, but it all adds up to a great 3 minutes IMO. The first section has similarities with Honey Won't You Allow Me One More Chance, but is a version of an Irving Jones song called Let Me Bring My Clothes Back Home (according to Paul Oliver in Songsters and Saints) which is itself a response to a popular Jones song called Takes Your Clothes and Go, a song about a woman who has thrown her husband out.
https://youtu.be/7VmdmR3GoOk
The original has the lines:
His wife said, "Honey, I'm tired of coon
I goin' to pass for white."
Which leads Oliver to transcribe Henry Thomas's less objectionable version as:
My wife said ?Honey, I?m done with beans
I?m gonna pass for green"
I'm not so sure of that myself. I actually hear something like "pass the train". I'm also not convinced of the start of the first line in the Oliver transcription, "Albert turn round, packed his trunk and go" but have no other proposals yet.
I don't know where the middle section comes from (the "Down to church..." section), and can't find anyone who's attempted a transcription yet, probably for good reason! It's tough slogging. I can't find my copy of Tony Russell's Blacks, Whites and Blues right now to see if maybe he has something to say about this song.
The next section of Thomas's Arkansas is based on the song The State of Arkansas, which exists in many versions and comes out of the white minstrel tradition according to Oliver. Thomas's version seems closely linked to Uncle Dave Macon's song Uncle Dave?s Travels Part 1: Misery in Arkansas. Elsewhere on Weenie, John Miller has noted the similarity to Kelly Harrell's My Name is John Johanna, which itself is a version of State of Arkansas as far as I can tell. Some will also notice hints of the song Diamond Joe.
Thomas ends his weird hodge-podge with a Travelin' Man verse for good measure.
I think it all adds up to a crazy masterpiece. Here's the entire transcription with many holes to fill in.
Arkansas ? Henry Thomas
Oh Roberta (turn) round, "pack your trunk and go"
Yes, he came back home last night
My wife said ?Honey, I?m done with beans
I?m gonna [pass the train]? *
Oh my little honey, don't you make me go
I'll get a job if you allow me sure
All crapshooters, I will shun
Good little baby, just let me work
When you buy chicken, all I want is the bone
When you buy beer, I?ll be satisfied with foam
I?ll work both night and day
I?ll be careful what I say
Honey (What?) please, let me bring my clothes back home
Down the track this mornin? she did stroll
Well a accident, her foot got caught in a hole
I?m goin? to tell you the truth
A natural that poor man
Night is young, dresses turn, the railroad track is run??
I?m going to buy ?em all
Cigarettes and chewing tobacco as I can??
And ???? the road with a?? [heavy poor man]?
I am a rambler and gambling man, I?ve gambled in many towns
I?ve rambled this wide world over, I rambled this world around
I had my ups and downs through life and bitter times I saw
But I never knew what misery was till I [left old] Arkansas**
I started out one morning to meet the early train
He said, "You better work with me, I have some land to drain
I?ll give you fifty cents a day, your washing, board and all
And you should be a different man for the state of old Arkansas"
I worked six months for the rascal, [Joe Heron] was his name***
He fed me old corn dodger, it was hard as any rock
My tooth?s all got loosened, and my knee-bone ?gin to raw [and the depot can?t be found??]****
That was the kind of hash I got for the state of old Arkansas
Travellin? man, I?ve traveled all around this world
Travellin? man, I?ve traveled from land to land
Travellin? man, I?ve traveled all around this world
Well it tain?t no use ridin? on through ?cause I?ve traveled this land
* as noted above, Paul Oliver has this as "pass for green"
** Oliver has this as the much more sensible "Till I lit on old Arkansas", since Arkansas is the scene of the misery related. But I swear Thomas sings "left old Arkansas" - perhaps not paying attention much to the words?
*** Oliver has "Johanna", a link to the John Johanna songs. A reference I just found on the net refers to the Mack McCormick transcription in the vinyl Herwin Henry Thomas set as having this as "Joe Herrin".
**** Oliver's version is first, what I'm sort of hearing is second, in brackets. The Dave Macon version has this line as "my knees began to knock", i.e. he's weak from starvation.
[edited to add: I've added a file for those who don't have the song]
[edited transcription above to incorporate some changes from Mack McCormick transcription]
As a bonus, here is a version of Dave Macon's Misery in Arkansas I found on the net at http://departments.umw.edu/hipr/www/206/songtext/uncle_dave_macon.txt
Misery in Arkansas
[spoken] Now good people, I'm a-singing this song especially for
my old school mate-friend, Joe Morris of Nashville, Tennessee.
One of the leading clothing men. He's a man who'll address you
at the door and he'll dress you up before you go out.
I'm just from Nobletown, I've travelled this wild world round,
I've have the ups and downs through life,
And better days I've saw,
I never knowd what misery was, till I come to old Arkansas.
I landed in the Spring, one sultry afternoon,
Up stepped a walking skeleton, and handed me his paw,
Invited me to his hotel, the best in Arkansas.
I followed my conductor unto his dwelling place,
And poverty did picture in his melacholy face,
His bread was corn dodger, his beef I couldn't chaw,
That was the kind of hash I got in the State of Arkansas.
I started out next morning to catch the early train,
He said, "You'd better work for me, I have some land to drain.
I'll give you fifty cents a day, your board and wash and all.
Indeed you'll be a different man, when you leave old Arkansas."
I worked six months for the son-of-a-gun, Jess Harrold was his
name,
He stood six feet two-and-a-half, as tall as any crane,
His hair hung down in ringlets all round a lantern jaw,
Indeed he was a photograph for the gents of Arkansas.
He fed me on corn dodgers as hard as any rock,
My teeth began to loosen, and my knees began to knock,
I got so think on sassafrass tea, I could hide behind a straw,
Indeed, I was a different man when I left old Arkansas.
If ever I see this land again I'll hand to you my paw,
Oh, it will be through a telescope from here to old Arkansas.
I'm just from Nobletown, I've travelled this wild world round,
I've have the ups and downs through life,
And better days I've saw,
I never knowd what misery was, till I come to old Arkansas.
[attachment deleted by admin]
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Oh Lordy UB you did choose a good ?un there to take on didn?t you? :)
Here?s the way Mack McCormick tackled it in 1974 his booklet to Herwin LP209. Reviewers at the time had a go at suggesting a variety of alternative hearings but...
Oh Roberta (turns) round, "Pack your trunk and go ?
Yes, he came back home last night."
My wife said, "Honey, I'm done with beans -
I'm gonna (catch) a passenger train."
Oh, my little honey don't you make me go
I get a job, if you allow me, sure.
All crapshooters, I will shun
Good little baby just let me work
When you fry chicken all I want is the bone
When you buy beer I be satisfied with the foam.
I'll work both night and day. I'll be careful what I say.
Honey, "What!"
"Please let me bring my clothes back home"
Down the track this morning she did stroll.
Well, a accident; her foot got caught in a hole.
I'm gonna tell you the truth; a natural, (poor man?)
Night is young, dresses turn
The railroad track is run
I'm gonna buy them all
Cigarettes, chewing tobacco - and try again.
I'd like you to know how satan does every poor man.
I am a rambling gambling man
I gambled in many towns.
I rambled this wide world over
I rambled this world around
I had my ups and downs through life
And bitter times I saw.
But never knew what misery was
Till I lit on old Arhansas
I started out one morning, to meet that early train
He said, "You better work with me
I have some land to drain
I'll give you fifty cents a day; your washing, board and all
And you shall be a different man
In the State of Old Arkansas."
I worhed six months for the rascal
Joe Herrin was his name
He fed me old corn-dodgers, they was hard as any roch
My tooth is all got loosened, and my hnees begin to hnoch
That was the hind of hash I got
In the State of Arhansas
Traveling man, I've traveled all around this world
Traveling man, I'll travel from land to land
Traveling man, I'll travel all around this world
Well, it taint no use, writing no news
I'm a traveling man.
Composite. This selection shifters through three or four songs, all doubtless well know at the time. A Georgia version of Baby, Let Me Bring My Clothes Bach Home appeared in the Journal of American Folk-Lore, July September, 1911, p. 281, and a New Orleans version is in Coffee in the Gourd, p. 61 (Austin, 1923). In both of these the departing wife decides "to pass for white."
Versions of The State of Arkansas are plentiful. See the references in Malcolm Laws, Native American Balladry. Early recordings run to over a dozen, including those by Uncle Dave Macon (available on Decca 4760) and The Golden Melody Boys (available on Historical 2433-2). Traveling Man is equally well known with recordings by Coley Jones, Virgil Childers, Luke Jordan, Dock Walsh and Jim Jackson (this last available on Collector's Classics 3).
Henry Thomas' role here seems to be that of an editor, deftly bringing together a sequence of comic songs to describe an odyssey - from the breakup of a home to trials of a wandering laborer.
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Thanks BH. I was feeling masochistic. ;) I've incorporated many of Mack McCormick's lines, particularly that middle section. Some stuff I just don't agree with, and I'd be curious to hear from others.
-Not sure about "passenger train"
-I hear "buy chicken" not fry though either would do.
-I don't hear "and try again" after the chewing tobacco
-and I really don't hear "I'd like you to know how satan does every poor man".
Some other minor differences and still one or two blank spots and some question marks. I still hear "left old Arkansas" but this would obviously been an error on Thomas's part.
(your scanner software seems to have subbed 'h's for k's.)
Speaking of Mack McCormick and his notes to the LP there is a section from them that was reprinted in Martin Scorcese Presents The Blues, the companion book to the tv series. It's a story I don't think I'd heard before, certainly didn't remember it if I did, and imagine I would have since it's told in such vivid detail. Apparently in 1949, McCormack saw and then spent some time with a tall old black hobo with a guitar on the streets of Houston who told him of riding trains and sleeping under bridges. "many of his teeth were missing and it was difficult to understand what he said." (Tell me about it!) He was wearing three overcoats, and McCormick has a vague recollection of the man claiming to have made records. He played a bit for McCormick but his guitar was out of tune, the strings were old, and the man was obviously past his prime as a performer, though some people passing by tossed him some coins.
McCormick writes, "Over the years a number of things have come to suggest that the man on the street was in fact 'Ragtime Texas' Henry Thomas...." The old man favoured D position songs, and used a capo up high, from 3 to seven frets, and would have been of the same age and time period as Thomas. McCormick later says:
"For me, the question of who it was that I stopped on the street that day in 1949 has never been answered to complete satisfaction. It cannot be settled, although the doubt has diminished - though not ended - since seeing copies of the original advertisements for his records 'John Henry' and 'Texas Easy Street Blues,' which appeared in black newspapers when the records were first released. One of these advertisements contains a mottled photograph and the other a line drawing of a figure with the same physique and that egg-shaped head I first saw near Houston's Union Station."
Quite a tantalizing thought. In 1949, McCormick would not have heard Thomas's recordings yet, since the first ones he heard were on the Harry Smith Anthology. Imagine having encountered Henry Thomas.
The entire story by McCormick is definitely worth reading.
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(your scanner software seems to have subbed 'h's for k's.)
Oops sorry about that. About a decade ago I OCR'd the entire 20,000 (yep, 20,000) word booklet and when extracting that segment completely forgot I'd never checked it for anomalies. My original intention was to do so as an when there was a requirement to reproduce elements of it. That good intention got forgotten last night when performing the copy and paste to the topic.
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Bunker Hill, since you scanned the entire booklet:
Ken Romanowski, in his notes to Document CD 5160, Georgia Blues & Gospel discussing Lil' McClintock's "Don't Think I'm Santa Claus", cites McCormick's essay. Specifically, he quotes a few sentences and summarizes McCormick's discussion of "rags", i.e. verses of songs "patched together" to make one performance. Both "Don't Think I'm Santa Claus" and "Arkansas" are examples of this meaning of "rag". Might you be able to post the section of McCormick's essay that discusses "rags"?
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Uncle Bud, I hope you don't mind my hijacking your thread just a little. Bunker Hill replied directly to me with the section of Mack McCormick's notes to Herwin 209 that deals with "rags". I think it's an interesting description of what Henry Thomas is doing in "Arkansas" and which you'll find popping up very occasionally in the work of other African-American artists in the pre-WWII period. Here it is:
Polished perhaps for just such encounters, the most intriguing aspect of
Henry Thomas' songlore is what were known as "rags" That is, pieces of songs
patched together, compressed into anthologies with an almost Joycean
flavor.(16) He worked on the assumption that his audience knew in full such
standard songs as Let Me Bring My Clothes Back Home and The State of
Arkansas and Traveling Man and thus he was free to merge them into a
patchwork medley that may follow a subtle chain of association (not always
apparent unless the listener is equally familiar with the songs quoted and
alluded to).
One of these "rags" follows a gambling motif. Using a wisp of an old
Kentucky horse race ballad Run Mollie Run for its title, it repeats the
lines "She learned me how to deal those cards, 'Hold that jack and trey!'"
and thrice alludes to the final stanza of a ballad, well known in Texas,
where a young man en route from the Dallas jail to the state prison at
Huntsville confesses to a life of sin and ends his songs with the moral
preachment:
Come all you drinking gamblers, take warning now from me,
And never drink rye whiskey while walking on the street;
The juries they are plenty, the judge is standing there,
They'll take you down to Huntsville to wear the ball and chain. 17
Footnote
16. Another example of such "rags" is Lil McClintock's Don't You Think I'm
Santa Claus recorded in 1930 which is a composite of four songs published in
the 1904-05 period. See the article by Richard Raichelson in JEMF Quarterly,
No. 19 (Autumn, 1970). The recording is available on CBS 52796. The term
"rags" in the sense in which it is used here is distinct from, but has a
close relationship with, the word "ragtime" that designated the popular
music and a formal style of the 1890s. Both terms allude to music which is
patched together from pieces of different colors and textures.
17. Otis Glover (Blind Boy), When I Was A Small Boy, Phamous 101: the
matrix number of this obscure recording (ACA 1395) indicates it was produced
in Houston, c. 1950. Versions of this ballad appear in a number of standard
reference books, often under the title The Dallas County Jail. See a partial
listing in Malcomb Laws, Native American Balladry (Philadelphia, 1950) which
catalogs it as E 17. An early recording is The Sporting Cowboy by Watts and
Wilson on Paramount 3006.
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I?ve been thinking about Henry Thomas a lot these days. His song Arkansas has always been one of my favorites. It has everything from ramblin? to gamblin? and even a little moonshinin?! It is however garbled in a few places so I believe a closer listening should be given to this song. I think Uncle buds transcription is pretty close but if I might be so bold I would like to offer my interpretations of Arkansas.
The third and fourth line of the first verse I believe are closer to the original song thematically than Oliver?s transcription in that it still contains a racial over tone. I think Thomas shows a keen wit in his word choice to say, ?my wife said ?honey I?m done with beans/ I?m gonna pass for CREAM? Logically it makes sense to keep his metaphors straight. I think it would be awkward to finish with ?pass the train? or ?Pass for green?. Phonetically I hear a voiceless velar stop rather than voiceless alveolar stop. [k] rather than[t].
The sixth line might be a stretch in my reading but I think it shows us another example of just how funny Thomas could be. As he is pleading with his wife to stay the singer claims he will straiten up but when he offers his plan to get a job he tells her that he will become a gambler and a moonshiner! ?I?ll crapshoot yes I will SHINE/good little baby just let me work? Obviously his wife was not impressed?
In the fifth line of the second verse I think what Thomas is saying is ?night is young/ dresses turn/ the railroad track is ROUND? Sometimes I swear though that I hear him say ?nice girl (but) dresses turn/ that railroad track is round.?
The last line of the second verse is a mouthful but I am quite sure he says, ?a NATURAL ROVER that'a HEAVY POOR MAN.?
In the second line of the fifth verse I hear Thomas say ?he fed me ON corn dodger, it was hard as any RUNG? Rung as a noun like the bit in a horses mouth. He seems to end the word with a nasal veral stop! [N] as in (ruNG). I agree though that rock is likely what he is singing.
Finally when I sing this song I sing ?well it t?aint no use writtin? no news on a travelin? man?
Well I hope that this was helpful. Nice to meet you folks! This seems to be a very informative board. I have been combing the old threads for the past few days!
Arkansas
Oh Roberta round, "pack your trunk and go"
Yes, he came back home last night
My wife said ?Honey, I?m done with beans
I?m gonna pass for cream.?
Oh my little honey, don't you make me go
I'll get a job if you allow me sure
I?ll crapshoot yes I will shine
Good little baby, just let me work
When you buy chicken, all I want is the bone
When you buy beer, be satisfied with foam
I?ll work both night and day
I?ll be careful what I say
Honey (What?) please, let me bring my clothes back home
Down the track this mornin? she did stroll
Well a accident, her foot got caught in a hole
I?m goin? to tell you the truth
A natural that poor man
Nice girl (but) dresses turn that railroad track is round
I?m going to buy ?em all
Cigarettes and chewing tobacco that I can
A natural rover that a? heavy poor man
I am a ramblin? gamblin? man, I?ve gambled in many town
I?ve rambled this wide world over, I rambled this wide world around
I had my ups and downs through life and bitter times I saw
But I never knew what misery was till I left old Arkansas
I started out one morning to meet the early train
He said, "You better work with me, I have some land to drain
I?ll give you fifty cents a day, your washing, board and all
And if you?ll be a different man for the sake of old Arkansas
I worked six months for the rascal, Joe Heron was his name
He fed me on corn dodger, it was hard as any rung
My tooth?s all got loosened, And my/the (***************)
That was the kind of hash I got for the state of old Arkansas
Travellin? man, I?ve traveled all around this world
Travellin? man, I?ve traveled from land to land
Travellin? man, I?ve traveled all around this world
Well it t?ain?t no use ridin? on through ?cause I?ve traveled this land
Be well,
-Daniel
By the by, anyone care to tackle Jonah In The Wilderness?
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Welcome Daniel, glad you found us!
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Daniel, welcome, interesting input to the HT Arkansas lyrics elsewhere on WC.
As you raised the subject of Jonah In The Wilderness your mission, should you choose to accept, it is to see what you can make of Mack McCormick's transcription as given in the booklet to the Herwin LP. have fun! :)
https://youtu.be/iUp-KUETdKY
chorus: Hey, Jonah, Hallelujah!
Hey, Jonah, preaching in that wilderness
Preaching in that wilderness, preaching in that wilderness
Go down yonder to the bottom of the ship
See can you find the ? Christian
Go yonder to the bottom now
See can you find the ? Christian
Sure to come after, so say the Lord
Could not find the ? Christian
Go yonder to the elder I saw
See can you find the ? Christian
Sure to come after, so say the Lord
Could not find the ? Christian
Chorus
Lord told Jonah, said to go and preach
Jonah declared that he would not go
Hid himself in the bottom of the ship
Searched that ship from bottom to top
Had Brother Jonah sent overboard
Cast the bird and dropped the seed
Dropped the seed, along came the root
From the root is that strong vine
From the vine is that strong shade
Under that shade brother Jonah laid
Walked right up to the Mansion room
Entitled to the throne that Jonah sat on
When I get to heaven, I will sit and tell
I've escaped both death and hell
Chorus
Ship rocked from shore to shore
Ship rocked from shore to shore
God declared that the ship went wrong
Jonah started leaving there one night
Chorus
God told Noah to go build an Ark
God told Noah to go build an Ark
Declared to God that he would not build
Rained forty days and forty nights
Chorus
Narrative Gospel Song.
An essential preamble to following this difficult song is an acquaintance with the book of Jonah and recognition that in a folk religion, Christian symbols mix readily with stories of Old Testament prophets. Thus, the reluctant prophet Jonah may also be described as an unfaithful or backsliding Christian.
The first stanza concerns the efforts of the seamen to search their ship for the cause of the tempest that had come upon them (see Jonah 1:4-7) Jonah is found, and tells the seamen that he "fled from the presence of the Lord," urging that they cast him overboard. Henry Thomas, consistent with his principal of avoiding the obvious, skips the most familiar part of the story where a "great fish" swallows Jonah and three days later vomits him out on dry land.
The song then leaps to the book's final chapter and the episode of the gourd vine growing over Jonah's head to afford him shade. In the popular belief that surrounds the Biblical story, the role of the gourd vine is entirely different. In the Bible, the vine provides the example for a parable about mercy, but in oral tradition it comes along to form a cross over Jonah's head. Hear for example Rich Amerson's narrative (on Folkways FE 4418):
Well the water whale come along swallowed him whole!
Reeling and Hocking of the ship so long!
Then he puked Brother Jonah on dry land!
Reeling and Hocking of the ship so long!
Then the gourd vine growed over Jonah's head!
Reeling and Hocking of the ship so long!
Then the inch worm come along - cut it down!
Reeling and Hocking of the ship so long!
That made a cross over Jonah's head!
Reeling and Hocking of the ship so long!
spoken: Then Jonah got up and - then he went to preaching
Other versions of the story and other interpretations of these parables are scattered through many recordings such as those by Louis Armstrong, Uncle Dave Macon, Rev. J. C. Burnett & Congregation, Marshall Smith & John Marlor, Norfolk Jubilee Quartet and Rev. F. W. McGee (this last available on Roots 304). The chorus of Henry Thomas' version is from the well-circulated Preaching in the Wilderness which typically strings together narrative verses dealing with various prophets who failed to heed the Lord's instructions. Somewhat unjustly, Noah is often included among the reluctant ones, as is the case here.
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See can you find the ? Christian
"Sturdy, true-hearted Christian" - from memory, though.
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Hi Daniel, and welcome to WeenieCampbell! Thanks for the suggestions on Arkansas. I am intrigued by a number of them and need to listen carefully some more first before commenting. Tough call on a lot of them! BTW, I checked out your myspace page. Really enjoyed the tunes.
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Well, this is as a far as I could get with Jonah In The Wilderness. There are still a few holes but it is getting closer!
Thank you Frankie for the sturdy true-hearted Christian suggestion, as that seems to fit quite nicely! (Seriously, that line has driven me crazy for years!)
Hey, Jonah, Hallelujah!
Hey, Jonah, preaching in that wilderness
Preaching in that wilderness, preaching in that wilderness
Go down yonder (sit/said???) the bottom of the ship
Seek and you?ll find the sturdy, true-hearted Christian
Go yonder to the power of God
Seek and you?ll find the sturdy, true-hearted Christian
Sure to come back, so say the Lord
Could not find the sturdy, true-hearted Christian
Go yonder to the elder I saw. (Oh yonder to the hills I stole???)
Seek and you?ll find the sturdy, true-hearted Christian
Show the commandment, so did say the Lord
Could not find the sturdy, true-hearted Christian
Chorus
Lord told Jonah, said to go out and preach
Jonah declared that he would not go
Hid his self in the bottom of the ship
Searched that ship from bottom to top
(a hail???) Brother Jonah sent overboard
at last come the bird that dropped the seed
Dropped the seed that sprung the root
From the root there sprung the vine
From the vine that sprung the shade
Under that shade brother Jonah was laid
Walked right up to the Mansion room
(try the shoes that Jonah tried on????)
When I get up to heaven, I will sit and tell
I've escaped both death and hell (a well a??)
Chorus
Ship was rocked from shore to shore
Ship was rocked from the door to door
God declared that the ship went wrong
Jonah gotta leave (it/us) in there
Chorus
God told Noah to go build an Ark
God told Noah go to build the Ark
Declared to God that he would not build
(Rained) forty days and forty nights
Chorus
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Hello Everyone!
I?ve read a lot about the Herwin release of Thomas?s material. Is it worth owning? Is it possible to find the written material that accompanies this set elsewhere? Does anyone have it in PDF?
All the best,
Daniel
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Hi Daniel,
I believe that Nick Perls bought the Herwin re-issue of Henry Thomas and the Gus Cannon Herwin re-issue, as well, outright from Bernie Klatzko, so that the early Yazoo LP versions of these two sets include the notes from the Herwin re-issue. In the case of the Henry Thomas Yazoo re-issue, there are additional notes by Stephen Calt, but you do get the Herwin notes that were written by Mack McCormack, too. The Yazoo Henry Thomas album in the vinyl format is probably easier to find than the original Herwin issue at this point.
All best,
Johnm
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Does the Yazoo release include the picture in the upper right?
Does anyone know who is in the picture?
It seems as though the Herwin release is full of photos that
I have never seen!
(https://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmyspace-683.vo.llnwd.net%2F01283%2F38%2F66%2F1283596683_l.jpg&hash=1cf004357d30c9233392dd5b031cbda6cfd5afea)
Thanks for the info!
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You make a good point, Daniel, the Yazoo release did not include the photos that you show in your scan of the Herwin release's innards. You probably should hold out for that if you can find it. Even when they were in business I always found Herwin albums terribly hard to find, even harder to find then Mamlish and that's going some. For some reason, I think they are easier to find in England.
All best,
Johnm
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Does the Yazoo release include the picture in the upper right?
Does anyone kno who is in the picture?
Only what McCormick tells us in the note underneath the photo, he's not even reference in the booklet. Had the Oliver/McCormick Texas book ever come to fruition I'm sure we'd have found out all about Prentiss Mayfield of Shreveport and how he came to know HT. But as it didn't, well...:(
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Hi all,
Working on the same theory as with the Furry Lewis thread, I have merged all the threads dealing with the lyrics to different Henry Thomas songs. For ease of following the discussions, I have kept the titles as originally posted. The songs currently spoken of in the thread are "Bob McKinney", "Honey, Won't You Allow Me One More Chance", "Bulldoze Blues", "Arkansas", and "Jonah In The Wilderness".
All best,
Johnm
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I've tried transcribing this Henry Thomas song, and what a mess it is in parts, so all help welcome. Thomas's version is itself a bit of a mess in that it's at least three songs in one, but it all adds up to a great 3 minutes IMO. The first section has similarities with Honey Won't You Allow Me One More Chance, but is a version of an Irving Jones song called Let Me Bring My Clothes Back Home (according to Paul Oliver in Songsters and Saints) which is itself a response to a popular Jones song called Takes Your Clothes and Go, a song about a woman who has thrown her husband out.
The original has the lines:
His wife said, "Honey, I'm tired of coon
I goin' to pass for white."
Which leads Oliver to transcribe Henry Thomas's less objectionable version as:
My wife said ?Honey, I?m done with beans
I?m gonna pass for green"
I'm not so sure of that myself. I actually hear something like "pass the train". I'm also not convinced of the start of the first line in the Oliver transcription, "Albert turn round, packed his trunk and go" but have no other proposals yet.
I don't know where the middle section comes from (the "Down to church..." section), and can't find anyone who's attempted a transcription yet, probably for good reason! It's tough slogging. I can't find my copy of Tony Russell's Blacks, Whites and Blues right now to see if maybe he has something to say about this song.
The next section of Thomas's Arkansas is based on the song The State of Arkansas, which exists in many versions and comes out of the white minstrel tradition according to Oliver. Thomas's version seems closely linked to Uncle Dave Macon's song Uncle Dave?s Travels Part 1: Misery in Arkansas. Elsewhere on Weenie, John Miller has noted the similarity to Kelly Harrell's My Name is John Johanna, which itself is a version of State of Arkansas as far as I can tell. Some will also notice hints of the song Diamond Joe.
Thomas ends his weird hodge-podge with a Travelin' Man verse for good measure.
I think it all adds up to a crazy masterpiece. Here's the entire transcription with many holes to fill in.
Arkansas ? Henry Thomas
Oh Roberta (turn) round, "pack your trunk and go"
Yes, he came back home last night
My wife said ?Honey, I?m done with beans
I?m gonna [pass the train]? *
Oh my little honey, don't you make me go
I'll get a job if you allow me sure
All crapshooters, I will shun
Good little baby, just let me work
When you buy chicken, all I want is the bone
When you buy beer, I?ll be satisfied with foam
I?ll work both night and day
I?ll be careful what I say
Honey (What?) please, let me bring my clothes back home
Down the track this mornin? she did stroll
Well a accident, her foot got caught in a hole
I?m goin? to tell you the truth
A natural that poor man
Night is young, dresses turn, the railroad track is run??
I?m going to buy ?em all
Cigarettes and chewing tobacco as I can??
And ???? the road with a?? [heavy poor man]?
I am a rambler and gambling man, I?ve gambled in many towns
I?ve rambled this wide world over, I rambled this world around
I had my ups and downs through life and bitter times I saw
But I never knew what misery was till I [left old] Arkansas**
I started out one morning to meet the early train
He said, "You better work with me, I have some land to drain
I?ll give you fifty cents a day, your washing, board and all
And you should be a different man for the state of old Arkansas"
I worked six months for the rascal, [Joe Heron] was his name***
He fed me old corn dodger, it was hard as any rock
My tooth?s all got loosened, and my knee-bone ?gin to raw [and the depot can?t be found??]****
That was the kind of hash I got for the state of old Arkansas
Travellin? man, I?ve traveled all around this world
Travellin? man, I?ve traveled from land to land
Travellin? man, I?ve traveled all around this world
Well it tain?t no use ridin? on through ?cause I?ve traveled this land
* as noted above, Paul Oliver has this as "pass for green"
** Oliver has this as the much more sensible "Till I lit on old Arkansas", since Arkansas is the scene of the misery related. But I swear Thomas sings "left old Arkansas" - perhaps not paying attention much to the words?
*** Oliver has "Johanna", a link to the John Johanna songs. A reference I just found on the net refers to the Mack McCormick transcription in the vinyl Herwin Henry Thomas set as having this as "Joe Herrin".
**** Oliver's version is first, what I'm sort of hearing is second, in brackets. The Dave Macon version has this line as "my knees began to knock", i.e. he's weak from starvation.
[edited to add: I've added a file for those who don't have the song]
[edited transcription above to incorporate some changes from Mack McCormick transcription]
As a bonus, here is a version of Dave Macon's Misery in Arkansas I found on the net at http://departments.umw.edu/hipr/www/206/songtext/uncle_dave_macon.txt
Misery in Arkansas
[spoken] Now good people, I'm a-singing this song especially for
my old school mate-friend, Joe Morris of Nashville, Tennessee.
One of the leading clothing men. He's a man who'll address you
at the door and he'll dress you up before you go out.
I'm just from Nobletown, I've travelled this wild world round,
I've have the ups and downs through life,
And better days I've saw,
I never knowd what misery was, till I come to old Arkansas.
I landed in the Spring, one sultry afternoon,
Up stepped a walking skeleton, and handed me his paw,
Invited me to his hotel, the best in Arkansas.
I followed my conductor unto his dwelling place,
And poverty did picture in his melacholy face,
His bread was corn dodger, his beef I couldn't chaw,
That was the kind of hash I got in the State of Arkansas.
I started out next morning to catch the early train,
He said, "You'd better work for me, I have some land to drain.
I'll give you fifty cents a day, your board and wash and all.
Indeed you'll be a different man, when you leave old Arkansas."
I worked six months for the son-of-a-gun, Jess Harrold was his
name,
He stood six feet two-and-a-half, as tall as any crane,
His hair hung down in ringlets all round a lantern jaw,
Indeed he was a photograph for the gents of Arkansas.
He fed me on corn dodgers as hard as any rock,
My teeth began to loosen, and my knees began to knock,
I got so think on sassafrass tea, I could hide behind a straw,
Indeed, I was a different man when I left old Arkansas.
If ever I see this land again I'll hand to you my paw,
Oh, it will be through a telescope from here to old Arkansas.
I'm just from Nobletown, I've travelled this wild world round,
I've have the ups and downs through life,
And better days I've saw,
I never knowd what misery was, till I come to old Arkansas.
I was searching the Weenie Campbell forums with regarding the translation of Henry Thomas lyrics when I stumbled upon this thread. Kelly Harrell also had a version of Arkansas entitled My Name Is John Jo Hannah . Harrell's version, recorded in 1927, was included on Harry Smith's Anthology of American Folk Music which happens to be his best song ever. Most of my transcription is correct:
JOHN JO HANNAH
My name is John Jo Hannah
I came from Buffalo Town
For nine long years I've rambled
This wide, wide world around
Through up and down in misery
And some good days I saw
But I never knew what misery was until I went to Arkansas
I went up to the Station
To the Operator to buy
I told him my situation
And where I wanted to ride
He said, "Hand me down five dollars Lad"
A ticket you shall draw
To land you safe by Railway in the State of Arkansas
I rode up to the Station
A chance to meet a friend
Allan Catcher was his name
Although they called him Cain
His hair hung down in rat-tails
Below his under-jaw
He said he, "'Run' the best hotel in the State of Arkansas"
I followed my companion
To his respected place
Saw pity & starvation
Was pictured on his face
His bread was old corn-dodgers
His beef I could not chaw
He charged me fifty cents a day in the State of Arkansas
(Whistling)
I got up that next morning
To catch that early train
He said, "Don't be in a hurry lad
I have some land to drain."
You'll get your fifty cents a day
& all that you can chaw
You'll find yourself a different lad when you leave ol' Arkansas
I worked six weeks for Son-of-a-Gun
Alan Catcher was his name
He stood seven feet, two inches
As tall as any crane
I got so thin on sassafrass tea
I could hide behind a straw
You'll bet I was a different lad when I left ol' Arkansas
Fare well you ol' corn rabbits
I'll show you dodger pills
Back away you ol' walking skeletons
You old fat back heels
If you ever see my face again
I will hand you down my paw
I will be looking through a telescope from home to Arkansas
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Uncle Dave Macon also recorded a version of this with a different melody as Uncle Dave's Travels - Part 1.
Chris
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hello friend,
there's a really cool song on old crow medicine show's first cd, 'o.c.m.s' (produced by david rawlings, of gillian welch fame) called 'trials & troubles'.
the lyrics are a little murky in a couple of spots, but here is how it starts;
"down the track this mornin' she did stroll
with a (maxi pad, & her foot got caught in a hole?)
i am gonna tell you the truth
(a dier's touch & coal hand)
how you cry every time the southern makes it's run
i am going to buy 'em all
cigarettes & chewing tobacco when i can
trials & troubles are heavy for a man"
now the henry thomas verse goes..
"down the track this morning she did stroll
with an accident, & her foot got caught in a hole
i am going to tell you the truth
(a natural, that coal man)
(night is gone & places time the red track is run)
i am going to buy 'em all
cigarettes & chewing tobacco that i can
a (natural) & troubles are heavy for a man"
oh so very similar.... the lyrics in parenthesis are my phonetic approximations of what is being sung.
the 'trials & troubles' song on the old crow album is written by secor/watson (band members). they seem to be really good about giving credit where credit is due on traditional numbers, so this ones origins are a bit of a mystery to me still. perhaps there is an old song called that? or perhaps the henry thomas tune was their source, & they built upon that. i know this doesn't shed much more light on your search, but maybe it will point you in a right direction.
good luck,
chris
**on further listening to the old crow song, they are more than likely singing "accident" & not "maxi pad" - but that's how i've always heard it, & damnit! i still like it that way ;D
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I"m still new here but I was wondering if there is a thread for the chords that go along with any of these songs. I become a bigger Henry Thomas fan with every listen. There is so much going on in such a simple format its easy to miss until you break it down. Is there anything on the site similar in concept to the level of analysis performed on the work of Charley Patton and Robert Johnson?
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Hey Jay,
Welcome to Weenie Campbell!
Don't know that you'll find much in depth about RJ here, been done too many other places. Patton fer sure! But notice the Tags at the bottom of the page? Click on Henry Thomas and you'll get a list of all the threads about HT And you should find a recent thread about his playing behind his quills as well as some discussion of other songs. You might prod UB and Johnm who have both hinted at doing more in depth study on their own.
You can also access a list of all Tags at the top of every Forum page and we also have a decent search function.
Enjoy!
Wax
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Hi Jay - Welcome to WeenieCampbell. I don't know that I've personally done anything really in depth on Henry Thomas yet aside from figuring out some general tendencies for his songs in D position and songs in C position (which admittedly covers a lot of his recorded output) and playing a couple things. I agree, it's simple sounding stuff that's not so simple at times. He does tend to stick - most of the time - to the basic three chords though and his variations on them (like the open high E string whenever he plays an F chord in the key of C). And as discussed elsewhere on Weenie recently, he had a tendency to use the V in the bass on the I chord in those keys.
Was there a particular song you were thinking of? As Wax suggests, you may find the tags useful, especially those pointing to JohnM's analysis of some Henry Thomas material in some more general threads on blues forms and phrasing, but feel free to ask any questions. Always happy to discuss Henry Thomas.
UB
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The lyrics for the pertinent part of the OCMS "Trials and Troubles" are:
Down the track this morning she did stroll
In an accident her foot got caught in a hole
I?m going to tell you the truth
Die for a touch of that cold hand
I?d be crying every time the Southern makes it?s run
I?m going to buy them all
Cigarettes and chewing tobacco when I can
Trials and troubles are heavy for me
Ragtime Texas sings something close to this, but the final lines of the verse and chorus sound rather different and I can't make them out at all.
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The only place to find Henry Thomas lyrics on the internet. Amazing. Here is what I have so far on Fox and the Hounds, been trying to decipher this bad boy for years. A lot of the stuff I can't figure out is repeated in verses 2 and 3.
https://youtu.be/NwqogSuDdio
oh liza
im going away
im going away
yes it is
't'aint no use
oh yes it's
what ill do
got no one
dont want you (to?)
goodbye
fare you well
liza
liza
liza
look down the road
look down the road
my man?
he gonna come
other side
look back behind
salty dog
- bound?
- -
be on the move?
oh mama
oh mama
i've been gone
16 years
ill be home
some these days
if i live
dont get killed?
look down the road
____ man
he gonna come
he gonna come
look back behind
salty dog
---- bound
catch---
be----
P.S. Here is what I hear in Jonah in the Wilderness (Henry Thomas):
hey jonah, hallelujah
hey jonah, preachin in that wilderness
preachin in that wilderness
preachin in that wilderness
go down yonder search the bottom of the ship
seek and you'll find the sturdy good-hearted christian
oh yonder to the power of God
seek and you'll find the sturdy good-hearted christian
surely come back, so say the lord
could not find the sturdy good-hearted christian
oh yonder to the hills i saw
seek and you'll find the sturdy good-hearted christian
Show the commandment, so did say the Lord
could not find the sturdy good-hearted christian
hey jonah, hallelujah
hey jonah, preachin in that wilderness, preachin in that wilderness
lord told jonah said to go and preach
jonah declared that he would not go
hid his-self in the bottom of the ship
search that ship from bottom to top
a hail brother jonah sent overboard
at last come a bird that dropped the seed
drop the seed that sprung the roots
from the root that sprung the vine
from the vine that sprung the shade
under that shade brother jonah layed
i walked right up into mary's room
to try the shoes that jonah tried on
when we get to heaven
i will sit and tell
i've escaped old death in heaven
hey jonah, hallelujah
hey jonah, preachin in that wilderness, preachin in that wilderness
ship was rocked from shore to shore
ship was rocked from the door to door
God declared that the ship went wrong
jonah gotta leave that livin land
hey jonah, hallelujah
hey jonah, preachin in that wilderness
god told noah go to build an ark
god told noah go to build an ark
declared to God that he would not build
hundred-40 days and 40 nights
hey jonah, hallelujah
hey jonah, preachin in that wilderness
hey jonah, hallelujah
hey jonah, preachin in that wilderness
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Welcome BlindWillie -- glad you found us, this is the only place you find alot of stuff on the internet. ;)
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FWIW here's Mack McCormick's take on ther lyric from his booklet to the 1974 Herwin double LP.
Oh Liza, I'm going away
I'm going away Yes I is, t?aint no use
Now ? what'l I do?
Got no woman, don't want you, goodbye
Fare you well, Liza
Liza, Liza
Look down the road, look down the road
Possum man, big old gun
On his side, look like mine
Salty dog, let's get some
Catch it soon, you oughta go
Well mama, well mama
I've been gone sixteen years
I'll be home some of these days
If I live, don't get killed
Look down the road
Possum man, big old gun
Big old gun, look like mine
Salty dog, let's get some
Catch it soon, you oughta go.
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Check out the "Bob McKinney" version by the Haints. http://www.thehaints.com/music.html
They are an old-tyme string band out of BC Canada. Unfortunately track 14 is not on sample so ya would have to buy the CD, which is well worth it, but track 4, Milwaukee Blues, is on sample (the whole song) so you can get an idea of what they offer. Pharis Romero has an unbelievably beautiful voice. I saw them live at a house concert and they are the nicest folks you could meet. And Erynn Marshall's fiddle playing is a treat all by itself. Also Jason Romero plays some of the most tasteful banjo I've heard in a long time. (This from a bluegrass jammer who thinks that hell is where everybody is issued a banjo >:D)
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Was listening to this footstomper today. Here's the lyrics. I'm having trouble with the last verse if you know what he's saying! Mack McCormick's notes have the line as "She went down to the bottom field, did not go to stay", but I don't really hear that myself.
https://youtu.be/VruDQl3ZTmM
Run Mollie Run - Henry Thomas
Run Mollie run (3)
Let us have some fun
Liza was a gambler, learned me how to steal
Learned me how to deal those cards, to hold that jack a trey
Run Mollie run (3)
Let us have some fun
Music in the kitchen, music in the hall
If you can't come Saturday night, you need not come at all
Run Mollie run (3)
Let us have some fun
Whoa Liza, poor girl
Whoa Liza Jane
Whoa Liza, poor girl
Died on the train
Miss Liza was a gambler, she learned me how to steal
She learned me how to deal those cards, to hold that jack a trey
Run Mollie run (3)
Let us have some fun
I went down to Huntsville, I did not go to stay
Just got there in the good old time to wear them ball and chain
Run Mollie run (3)
Let us have some fun
Cherry, cherry, cherry like a rose
How I love that pretty yellow gal
God almighty knows
Run Mollie run (3)
Let us have some fun
Poor Liza
Poor Liza Jane
Poor Liza, poor girl
Died on the train
I went down to Huntsville, did not go to stay
Just got there to do old time, to wear them ball and chain
Run Mollie run (3)
Let us have some fun
Miss Liza was a gambler, she learned me how to steal
She learned me how to deal those cards, a-hold that jack a trey
Run Mollie run (3)
Let us have some fun
She went down to [bottom of the street], did not go to stay
She just got there to do old time, to wear that rollin' ball
Run Mollie run (3)
Let us have some fun
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Mack McCormick's transcription in the booklet to the Herwin LP gives it as:
She went down to the bottom field, did not go to stay
She just got there in the good old time to wear that rollin' ball
Run, Mollie, run
Run, Mollie, run (2)
Let us have some fun.
He also footnotes the line "She learned me how to deal those cards, a-hold that jack a trey" as:
A dealer who holds out a jack and three seriously reduces his opponent's chances of laying down a sequence in Coon Can or similar games.
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Yup, the Herwin notes were the McCormick transcription I was referring to, but I am still not really hearing "bottom field". His notes don't describe what is meant by "bottom field" or refer to a verse from one of the song precedents either.
I may now be hearing "She went down in the bottom and she did not go to stay".
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Yup, the Herwin notes were the McCormick transcription I was referring to, but I am still not really hearing "bottom field". His notes don't describe what is meant by "bottom field" or refer to a verse from one of the song precedents either.
I may now be hearing "She went down in the bottom and she did not go to stay".
I was just looking at the map and is it possible that if Henry went down to Huntsville then Molly might have gone to Pulaski (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulaski,_Tennessee), and, it being the birthplace of the Klu Klux Klan, she might not go to stay.
Of course that puts the song on the Tennessee/Alabama border rather than Texas, but Henry wasn't a stay at home kind of guy by all accounts, and he would only have to cross Louisiana and Mississippi to get from Huntsville, Tx to Huntsville AL. So really i'm just throwing this up to see if it lands - give it a listen and see if you can hear it.
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Any help with the lyrics to Henry Thomas' "Don't Ease Me In" would be much appreciated! Here's what I've got so far:
https://youtu.be/FjfRAiYO-yo
Don?t Ease Me In -Henry Thomas
Chorus: Don?t ease, dontcha ease , dontcha ease me in
Been all night coming home, Don?t ease me in (leave me here)
Sometimes I walk, and sometimes I talk
I never get drunk, great god, til the ????
Cho
I did (whipped? hit?) my girl, a-with a single tree
She hide ???? sweet mama , watch on me????
Cho
I got a girl, she's little and short.
She leave here walkin', lovin' babe, talkin' true love talk.
Cho
I was standin' on the corner, talkin' to my brown,
I turned around, sweet mama, I was workhouse bound.
Cho
Sez I?ve got a girl, and she working hard
She had a dress she wear sweet love (??), says it's pink and blue.
She bring me coffee, and she bring me tea
She bring me everything ?cept the jailhouse key
Cho
Got the Texas blues, I got the Texas blues
It?s all night long coming home, don?t ease me in
Said I looked down Main, old Elem there too
And all the women comin? down the lane
Got them Texas blues
[attachment deleted by admin]
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Thanks so much to those who replied - and sent the Herwin LP liner notes which have lyrics and much more. I don't have time right now but will post my revised lyrics later today. THANK YOU Stuart and Andrew.
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This is such a beautiful piece of singing, I could listen to it over and over again forever. Here's what I've got, still a few little words that I can't quite make out. Also, I'm still on the fence between "Cunningham" and "coming home" but I'm leaning more and more towards "Cunningham". I'll add the section from the Herwin liner notes that talks about that. Thanks to all who helped,
Suzy
Don?t Ease Me In
Chorus: Don?t ease, dontcha ease , (ah) dontcha ease me in
Been all night coming home (here?) (Cunningham), Don?t ease me in (leave me here)
Sometimes I walk, and sometimes I talk
I never get drunk, great god, til my bluebirds talk.
Cho
I beat my girl, a-with a single tree
She heist up the window, sweet mama hollered ?watch over me?
Cho
I got a girl, she's little and short.
She leave here walkin', lovin' babe, talkin' true love talk.
Cho
I was standin' on the corner, talkin' to my brown,
I turned around, sweet mama, I was workhouse bound.
Cho
Sez I?ve got a girl, and she working hard
She had a dress she wear sweet mama, says it's pink and blue.
She bring me coffee, and she bring me tea
She bring me everything ?cept the jailhouse key
Cho
Got the Texas blues, I got the Texas blues
It?s all night long coming home (Cunningham?), don?t ease me in
Sez I looked down Main, old Elem there too
And (Said?) all the women comin? down Main
Had them Texas blues
From the liner notes by Mack McCormick (what year???):
The parents of this song can still be heard in the flat fields along the Brazos River where the farms of the state prison system lie, some of them crowded now by the sprawling edge of Houston suburbs. Young convicts turn out to work the fields by hand labor methods that exist practically no where else and to learn the redundant song phrases "Don't ease me in" and "All night long" with the multiple meanings that gave them special significance in prisons where women never came and where the lights in the dormitories were never turned out. Curiously they sing also about a man they know nothing about . A century ago a businessman named Cunningham leased convicts from the state prison to work the sugar cane fields along the Brazos. His name became immutably fixed in the prison song tradition, surviving in songs through generations of convict song leaders, and even cropping up on recorded blues derived from the prison tradition. Aside from this instance provided by Henry Thomas there is Smokey Hogg's 1952 Penitentiary Blues with its dialogue between mother and convict song:
My mama called me -
I answered "Ma'am"
"You tired of rolling -
For Cunningham?"
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From the liner notes by Mack McCormick (what year???):
"Notes and Song Annotation (c) 1974, Mack McCormick" is what it says on my copy.
And whilst I think of it let's not forget Stefan's wondrous discography http://www.wirz.de/music/thomhfrm.htm (http://www.wirz.de/music/thomhfrm.htm)
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Leadbelly used Cunningham in the chorus for some versions of Whoa Back Buck where he wanted to avoid singing "goddamn", as he did on other versions.
Whoa, buck an? gee, by the lamb
Who made the back band, whoa, Cunningham.
Henry Thomas sounds like he sings Cummingham most of the time.
For Don't Ease Me In, I would say the second line of the chorus starts "IT'S all night, Cunningham...". In the version of the song Thomas does as Don't Leave Me Here, he sings "It's all night long".
I'm not hearing the "bluebirds talk" in verse 1. Not sure what it is but I hear "sober" in there - "till my sober [??]"
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I'm pretty sure the "bluebirds" line in verse 1 is:
I never get drunk, great God, TELL MY SOBER THOUGHTS.
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Re. the concurrence with Leadbelly, the weeniepedia link to the lyrics is at http://weeniecampbell.com/wiki/index.php?title=Ox_Drivin%27_Blues (http://weeniecampbell.com/wiki/index.php?title=Ox_Drivin%27_Blues)
That's great info on Cunningham, I was wondering about him since he popped up in this thread. Clearly an infamous character to have gone down in folklore like that. I've added an annotation to the Leadbelly lyric. Reminds me of Joe Brown using convict labor for his coal mines, cf. Julius Daniel, 99 Year Blues and Jessie Fuller's Beat It On Down The Line.
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Here's my revised version, incorporating the various suggestions. I'm not positive about "sober thoughts" but it totally works. A singletree is a wood bar that's part of a plow, which I didn't know til today although I always wondered about the MJB song.
Don't Ease Me In - Henry Thomas
Don?t ease, dontcha ease , a- dontcha ease me in
It?s all night Cunningham, Don?t ease me in
(Note: only the first verse goes ?It?s all night Cunningham?; the chorus (and all subsequent iterations) goes ?It?s all night long Cunningham?)
Sometimes I walk, and sometime I talk
I never get drunk, great god, tell my sober thoughts
CHORUS: Don?t ease, dontcha ease , (ah) dontcha ease me in
It?s all night long, Cunningham, Don?t ease me in (leave me here)
I beat my girl, a-with a singletree
She heist up the window, sweet mama hollered ?watch o?er me?
CHORUS
I got a girl, she's little and short.
She leave here walkin', lo(v)in' babe, talkin' true love talk.
CHORUS
I was standin' on the corner, talkin' to my brown,
I turned around, sweet mama, I was workhouse bound.
CHORUS
Sez I?ve got a girl, and she working hard
She had a dress she wear sweet mama, says it's pink and blue.
She bring me coffee, and she bring me tea
She bring me everything ?cept the jailhouse key
CHORUS
Got the Texas blues, I got the Texas blues
It?s all night long Cunningham, don?t ease me in
Sez I looked down Main, old Elem then too
And all the women comin? down the Main, had them Texas blues.
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This verse:
I beat my girl, a-with a singletree
She heist up the window, sweet mama hollered ?watch o?er me?
Sounds to me like he says "sweet mama hauled her wash on me" -- like she threw a bucket on him after he hit her.
Chris
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Hi, Cleoma
I think you have it mostly right in yesterday's posting. It's "Cunningham" in the chorus, very clearly in the version I was listening to. Cunningham owned the largest sugar cane plantation in Texas, and made huge amounts of money leasing prisoners to work his land. He's mentioned briefly in David M. Oshinsky's "Worse Than Slavery: Parchman Farm and the Ordeal of Jim Crow Justice" (Free Press, 1996), which gives, in gruesome detail, the story of the continuation of slavery after the civil war.
I numbered the verses (but not the chorus) for the comments below:
1. I can't make out when he gets drunk. It sounds like "'til my bluebirds talk" to me, too, but that makes no sense. "Tell my sober thoughts" makes sense, but I can't make myself hear that. Maybe someone else has keener ears.
2. I hear "watch on me" rather than "watch over me." For those of you who did not grow up on a farm with draft horses, see http://www.pioneerequipment.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/W_clear_DTree.jpg (http://www.pioneerequipment.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/W_clear_DTree.jpg) , which shows two singletrees attached to a doubletree (also called "evener"). The hooks on the end of each singletree attach to tug chains which in turn attach to the horses' harnesses. You do not want to get beaten with a singletree.
8. I hear "Said, all the women comin' down Main" instead of "And all the women..."
Hope you have a great holiday season, and give our love to your husband, Joseph Falcon, too.
Lyle
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Hello
I have listened to the song. One verse starts I've got a girl .... . I can't hear she's little and short. I am not sure what it is though it could be 'in Illinois'. I guess it would be a town in Texas judging by the other comments.
also one other point
I heard: I never get drunk, thank god say my sober thoughts
Nice song.
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Now that we've mostly settled on the words, does anyone know what the phrase "don't ease me in" might mean? I know about the explanation that a "natural-born easeman" is a man who has the skill to ease right into a woman's life, and incidentally get her to take care of him so he doesn't have to work. But if that's the definition used here, why the negative? I assume Cunningham has no more to do with the question than he does in other songs where he appears for no apparent reason. I checked out Bartlett's 1898 Dictionary of Americanisms and Partridge's 1940s slang dictionary. I only have "A-C" of the Dictionary of American Regional English, and I'm too lazy to go to the library to look under "E," especially if everyone else knows what it means, and I'm the only ignorant one.
Lyle
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I find this explanation somewhat dubious, at least without further evidence, but for what it's worth, Stephen Calt in Barrelhouse Words defined it this way:
To entice or provoke one into playing the dozens by means of preliminary banter (Skip James [meaning his source was Skip]). This phrase is an extension of ease in, standard English meaning "to break in gently".
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I believe that is correct, it's the Dozens. Last verse, Little Hat Jones, Kentucky Blues:
Well I don't play the dozen and neither the ten
'Cus she keep on talkin' I'll ease ya in
Well you keep on talkin' 'till you make me mad
Well I tell you 'bout the mother that your father had
'Cus I don't play the dozen, I declare, man, and neither the ten
http://weeniecampbell.com/wiki/index.php?title=Kentucky_Blues (http://weeniecampbell.com/wiki/index.php?title=Kentucky_Blues)
See also this item, courtesy the tags index, where that phrase is discussed, along with everything else you always wanted to know about the dozens: http://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=2369.0 (http://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=2369.0)
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I vaguely remember something from the song "Old Jim Canaan" (where is that from??) about "if you don't play the dozens they will ease you in" (or something like that). Can someone else correct this citation?
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Robert Wilkins, Old Jim Canan's. You are dead right, and what a great number that is.
See the tag index for Jim: http://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?action=tags;tagid=825 (http://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?action=tags;tagid=825)
The first thread has a stab at the lyrics, here's the verse in question:
I'm goin' up town buy me coke and beer
Comin' back and tell you how these women is
They drink beer whiskey drink their coke and gin
When you don't play the dozens they will ease you in
The second contains an interesting post of an article from Bunker Hill providing some background on Jim Canan, aka Kinanne
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Ha! I went and listened to the song - you of course beat me to it. but I did enjoy listening - it is a great song. ;D
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Thanks Rivers and Cleoma. Those additional citations help me believe!
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Synchronicity, Elijah has a new book planned, The Dozens, A History of Rap's Mama
http://www.amazon.com/Dozens-History-Raps-Mama/dp/0199895406/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_7 (http://www.amazon.com/Dozens-History-Raps-Mama/dp/0199895406/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_7)
Looking forward to seeing him at PT this year.
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Synchronicity, Elijah has a new book planned, The Dozens, A History of Rap's Mama
Twenty years ago that photo was used in its entirety as cover of The Promised Land: The Great Black Migration And How it Changed America by Nicholas Lemann. However here it has been severely cropped, most importantly losing a further youngster to the right.
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Clicking on the Dozens tag below will neatly pull-together the tagged discussions on Cunningham, Jim Canan and also the Dozens.
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Rivers' "Little Hat" reference makes sense, especially since Henry Thomas and Little Hat are both products of Northeast Texas and would likely have used the phrase in the same way, even if it had variants elsewhere. I live in the same area and understand most early texas blues lyrics readily, but Henry Thomas often stumps me. I find it helpful to look to Leadbelly, Black Ace Turner, Little Hat Jones, and later artists T-Bone Walker, Floyd Dixon, Fats Washington and Freddie King, all from within 60 miles of where I sit. I often find common usage and pronunciation that may differ elsewhere.
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Hi all,
Another beautiful track included on the 2015 Blues Images Calendar CD is Henry Thomas's "Texas Easy Street Blues". There is a mystery concerning the guitar accompaniment to this song. Henry Thomas is capoed to the sixth fret (assuming he was tuned at concert pitch), playing out of E position in standard tuning, sounding in Bb. For the most part, his thumb lives on the open sixth string, pounding out a droning I note. From time to time, he hits a V note, located at the second fret of the fifth string. Occasionally, though, he hits a low V note, a fourth below the pitch of his open sixth string? How!?! Frank Basile pointed this out to me several years ago, and I couldn't hear it on the recordings I had at that time, but on this Tefteller version, I can hear it as plain as day, and it is right baffling. You can hear it at :44, 1:08, 1:25 and several other places deeper into the rendition. A seven-string guitar? I just don't know.
https://youtu.be/h1TQW--lcnU
Oh, mmmm, what's the matter now?
Tell me, mama, what's the matter now?
I'm goin' back to Texas, says, on Easy Street
When you see me comin', don't call my name
Says, when you see me comin', con't call my name
I'm goin' back to Texas, says, on Easy Street
Ohhhh, what's the matter now? (spoken: Ain't nothin' the matter)
Please tell me, what's the matter now? (spoken: Tell you wa'n't nothin' the matter)
I'm goin' back to Texas, I says, on Easy Street
Ohhhh, what's the matter now?
Tell me, mama, what's the matter now?
I'm goin' back to Texas, says, on Easy Street
When you see me comin', h'ist your window high
A-when you see me comin', h'ist your window high
'Cause I'm goin' back to Texas, says, on Easy Street
Ohhhh, what's the matter now?
Please tell me, what's the matter now?
I'm goin' back to Texas, says, on Easy Street
Got the Texas Blues, blue as I can be
I got the Texas Blues, just as blue as I can be
I'm goin' back to Texas, says, on Easy Street
Ohhh, what's the matter now?
Tell me, mama, oh what's the matter now?
Got a black mule, baby, kickin' in my stall
Ohhhh, 't's matter now?
Oooooo, what's the matter now?
I'm goin' back to Texas, says, on Easy Street
A-when you see me running, something's goin' on wrong
Well, when you see me running, something goin' on wrong
I'm goin' back to Texas, says, on Easy Street
All best,
Johnm
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Hi John,
This is completely far fetched and implausible but...
Could he have tuned the sixth string to the low V note, partially capoed strings 1-5 up the neck to wherever and then played the E chord similar to how one would in drop D with the thumb (or another finger) fretting the 6th string at the applicable fret?
Anyway, it would be a pretty convoluted way to do something.
Thanks,
Scott
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I don't know, Scott. I think the capos of that era were usually home-made--I remember a photo of Sleepy John Estes playing a guitar with a pencil used for a capo with a whomping big rubber band holding it in place. The kind of hi-tech mini or partial capos that can be found now didn't exist. The other problem is, even if that scenario played out, if he was holding down essentially a zero fret with his thumb at the sixth fret, he is simultaneously sliding up to the tenth fret on the first and third strings all throughout the piece. It just don't compute.
All best,
Johnm
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FWIW, I just recently read from Neil Harpe's Stellaguitars' fb-page, that Oscar Schmidt, along with some other early guitar companies produced 7-string guitars, probably to satisfy the need of the Russian immigrant customers of the period (a 7-string guitar is common in Russia).
They were apparently supposed to be tuned d-b-g-d-b-g-d, but of course, anyone might just tune as he/her pleases.
I have no exact knowledge of the producing time periods, and how they would fit Henry Thomas' recording dates, but at least, it's a possibility.
Cheers
Pan
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Occasionally, though, he hits a low V note, a fourth below the pitch of his open sixth string? How!?! Frank Basile pointed this out to me several years ago, and I couldn't hear it on the recordings I had at that time, but on this Tefteller version, I can hear it as plain as day, and it is right baffling. You can hear it at :44, 1:08, 1:25 and several other places deeper into the rendition. A seven-string guitar? I just don't know.
If I remember correctly, this was brought to my attention by a guy who was taking guitar lessons from me at the time - Jim Arkuszewski - I think he's posted here once or twice over the years. Anyway, initially, I just assumed that he was capo'd somewhere and playing out of E... I've never really gone back and listened carefully to it to verify this, but it might be possible that he's playing without a capo and holding that F barre at the 5th fret (A chord), either getting the 6th string bass note at the fifth fret with his thumb... OR playing the 5th string open...
edited to add: doing this would allow him to play the 6th string open on occasion, and it would sound at the pitch of the low V note...
I know it seems odd, heck.. maybe he DID have access to a seven-string... both of those sound kinda far fetched to me, actually... but he got that low V note SOMEHOW...
Maybe Son House was sitting in the room with him and just played the low V note once in a while.. ;D
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I don't know, Scott. I think the capos of that era were usually home-made--I remember a photo of Sleepy John Estes playing a guitar with a pencil used for a capo with a whomping big rubber band holding it in place.
All best,
Johnm
To be seen on the 1962 front cover of LP The Legend Of Sleepy John Estes (Delmar (sic) DL 603) photographed by Lars Swanberg.
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I don't know, Scott. I think the capos of that era were usually home-made--I remember a photo of Sleepy John Estes playing a guitar with a pencil used for a capo with a whomping big rubber band holding it in place.
All best,
Johnm
To be seen on the 1962 front cover of LP The Legend Of Sleepy John Estes (Delmar (sic) DL 603) photographed by Lars Swanberg.
And after seeing that cover, I tried it. Worked just fine -- 'way better than I had expected.
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Hi all,
Henry Thomas backed himself out of D position, capoed way up, for "Fishing Blues", and played his beautiful version of the chorus melody on his quills. The song was originally a Pop song, and I've heard versions which included an introductory section that precedes the verses and chorus that are most often sung. I believe Sam Chatmon sang one such version.
https://youtu.be/eVdpXdpzvYY
GUITAR INTRO
Went up on the hill about 12 o-clock
Reached right back and got me a pole
Went to the hardware and got me a hook
Fetched that line right on that hook
REFRAIN: Says, you been fishin', all the time
I'm a-goin' fishin', too
I'll bet your life, your lovin' wife
Catch more fish than you
Any fish bite if you got good bait
Here's a little somethin' I would like to relate
Any fish bite, got good bait
I'm a-goin' fishin', yes, I'm goin' a-fishin', I'm a-goin' fishin', too
QUILLS SOLO
Looked down the river, 'bout one o-clock
Spied this catfish swimmin' around
I got so hungry, didn't know what to do
I'm gon' git me a catfish, too
REFRAIN: Says, you been fishin', all the time
I'm a-goin' fishin', too
I'll bet your life, your lovin' wife
Catch more fish than you
Any fish bite if you got good bait
Here's a little somethin' I would like to relate
Any fish bite, you got good bait
I'm a-goin' fishin', yes, I'm goin' a-fishin', I'm a-goin' a-fishin', too
QUILLS SOLO
Put on the skillet, lift back the lid
Mama's gonna cook a little short'nin' bread
REFRAIN: Tell you been fishin', all the time
I'm a-goin' fishin', too
I'll bet your life, your lovin' wife
Catch more fish than you
Any fish bite if you got good bait
Here's a little somethin' I would like to relate
Any fish bite, you got good bait
I'm a-goin' fishin', yes, I'm goin' a-fishin', I'm a-goin' a-fishin', too
QUILLS SOLO
Edited 3/26/17 to pick up correction from waxwing
All best,
Johnm
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Hi all,
For his version of "Red River Blues", Henry Thomas capoed way up and played out of D position. The quills melody that he put between his verses shares the same range as the quills melody of "Bull Doze Blues": from a low V note to a high I note, an octave and a fourth above that low V. He plays the quills with some nuance here, articulating the melody with subtly shaded differences on his different passes through the form; his rendition after the "poor boy" verse is especially nice. Here is his performance:
https://youtu.be/cSZCraIRhJc
QUILLS SOLO
Look where the sun done gone
Look where the sun done gone,
Look where the sun done gone, poor girl,
Look where the sun done gone
QUILLS SOLO
Yes, it's gone, God knows where
It's gone, God knows where
Look where the sun done gone, darlin',
Look where the sun done gone
QUILLS SOLO
Lovin' babe, I'm all out and down
Lovin' baby, I'm all out and down
I'm all out and down, I'm a-layin' to the ground
Look where the sun done gone
QUILLS SOLO
I'm a poor boy, a long ways from home
Poor boy, a long ways from home
I'm a poor boy and a long ways from home, darlin',
Look where the sun done gone
QUILLS SOLO
Which-a-way do the Red River run?
Which-a-way do the Red River run?
Which-a-way do the Red River run, poor boy,
Which-a-way do the Red River run?
QUILLS SOLO
Yes, it runs North and South
It runs North and South
Which-a-way do the Red River run, boy?
Well, it runs North and South
QUILLS CODA
Edited, 8/19 to pick up corrections from Waxwing
All best,
Johnm
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One of my favorite Henry Thomas songs, Johnm, and one I have been struggling to put the quills, vocal and guitar together on for some time. It is a beautiful quill part, with that lilting descent in the 3rd line. And a great collection of lyrics, too.
A few suggestions:
In 3.3 he doesn't really articulate much and the few sounds he does make could go together to make: "I'm all out and down, I'm laid t' the groun' "
In the final verse I don't hear him articulating the "s" sound on the end of "run" throughout, and he drops the "poor" before "boy", possibly in error, 'cause he sorta unweights "boy" as he sings it.
Wax
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Thanks for the suggestions, Wax. I agree and will make the changes--just hear "layin' to the ground" vs. "laid to the ground". You're right, it's a beautiful song and it's really cool you're getting the quills part in your version.
All best,
Johnm
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Hi all,
For "Run, Mollie, Run", Henry Thomas accompanied himself out of C position in standard tuning, capoed up. Part of his signature sound when playing in C involved never fretting the first fret of the first string in his IV chord, F. He never plays a V chord on "Run, Mollie, Run", either. Based solely on its title, one might expect this song to be in the same family as Bill Monroe's "Molly and Tenbrooks" or John Byrd's "Old Timbrooks Blues", songs about a horse race. As it turns out, only the title phrase or refrain might refer to that race, but it's not at all certain that it does. There are no quills on this song, and without checking carefully, I don't think Henry Thomas played quills on any of his songs he played out of C position. I'd appreciate correction/corroboration on the bent bracketed phrase in the last verse. Here is his rendition:
https://youtu.be/VruDQl3ZTmM
REFRAIN: Run, Mollie, run, run, Mollie, run
Run, Mollie, run, let us have some fun
Liza was a gambler, learned me how to steal
Learned me how to steal those cards, to hold that jack and trey
REFRAIN: Run, Mollie, run, run, Mollie, run
Run, Mollie, run, let us have some fun
Music in the kitchen, music's in the hall
If you can't come Saturday night, you need not come at all
REFRAIN: Run, Mollie, run, run, Mollie, run
Run, Mollie, run, let us have some fun
Poor Liza, poor girl, poor Liza Jane
Poor Liza, poor girl, died on the train
Miss Liza was a gambler, she learned me how to steal
She learned me how to steal those cards, to hold that jack and trey
REFRAIN: Run, Mollie, run, run, Mollie, run
Run, Mollie, run, let us have some fun
I went down to Huntsville, I did not go to stay
Just got there in the good old time to wear them ball and chains
REFRAIN: Run, Mollie, run, run, Mollie, run
Run, Mollie, run, let us have some fun
Cherry, Cherry, Cherry like a rose
How I love that pretty yella gal, God almighty knows
REFRAIN: Run, Mollie, run, run, Mollie, run
Run, Mollie, run, let us have some fun
Poor Liza, poor Liza Jane
Poor Liza, poor girl, died on the train
I went down to Huntsville, did not go to stay
Just got there in the good old time to wear them ball and chains
REFRAIN: Run, Mollie, run, run, Mollie, run
Run, Mollie, run, let us have some fun
Miss Liza was a gambler, she learned me how to steal
She learned me how to steal those cards, to hold that jack and trey
REFRAIN: Run, Mollie, run, run, Mollie, run
Run, Mollie, run, let us have some fun
She went down to [Potter's Field], did not go to stay
She just got there in good old time to wear them rollin' balls
REFRAIN: Run, Mollie, run, run, Mollie, run
Run, Mollie, run, let us have some fun
All best,
Johnm
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Not much help, but googling women's prisons in Texas I found that most of the facilities are around Gatesville, which doesn't sound like what he is singing. Huntsville is the primary men's prison area with several facilities. There are many smaller prisons in Texas, but due to a more recent movement to rename them after previous wardens, without looking up every one I couldn't tell if any were in a place ending in "field." "It does sound to me like he could be singing "ville" at the end, giving it a different pronunciation, possibly because he has stumbled on the first part of the name and is recovering? Just a theory.
Wax
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Not much help, but googling women's prisons in Texas I found that most of the facilities are around Gatesville, which doesn't sound like what he is singing. Huntsville is the primary men's prison area with several facilities.
Wax
According to the link below:
Originally women in the Texas Prison System were housed in the Huntsville Unit. Beginning in 1883 women were housed in the Johnson Farm, a privately-owned cotton plantation near Huntsville.
http://www.prisonfamilyonline.com/archive/index.php/t-1489.html?s=bf5c074a490dda2eb782e2e7b84aaff4 (http://www.prisonfamilyonline.com/archive/index.php/t-1489.html?s=bf5c074a490dda2eb782e2e7b84aaff4)
The link below is to the beginning of an 1875 newspaper article about the brutality of Huntsville.
http://www.rarenewspapers.com/view/601242?list_url=%2Flist%3Flist_results_format%3Dstandard%2525page%3D22%2525per_page%3D400%2525q%255Bcategory_id%255D%3D116The%2525sort%3Ditems.id%2525sort_direction%3DASC (http://www.rarenewspapers.com/view/601242?list_url=%2Flist%3Flist_results_format%3Dstandard%2525page%3D22%2525per_page%3D400%2525q%255Bcategory_id%255D%3D116The%2525sort%3Ditems.id%2525sort_direction%3DASC)
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Hi Guys!
Glad to found this Site, it helped me a lot to find missing Lyrics for my Blues Collection
Now im trying to find some missing Henry Thomas Lyrics
For now it would be nice when someone could help me complete the Lyrics for "When the Train comes along"
https://youtu.be/NdvkODzSFeg
When the train comes along, when the train comes along
I?ll meet you at the station, when the train comes along
I may be blind, I cannot see
I?ll meet you at the station, when the train comes along
The train comes along, the train comes along
I?ll meet you at the station, when the train comes along
I marched on the shore, I cannot see
I?ll meet you at the station, when the train comes along
When the train comes along, when the train comes along
I?ll meet you at the station, when the train comes along
I'm going to the [....] and saints in my heart
I?ll meet you at the station, when the train comes along
When the train comes along, when the train comes along
I?ll meet you at the station, when the train comes along
I may be blind, I cannot see
I?ll meet you at the station, when the train comes along
Tthe train comes along, the train comes along
I?ll meet you at the station, when the train comes along
When my mother wanna meet and prayin' for a [.....]
I?ll gonna meet her at the station, when the train comes along
When the train comes along, when the train comes along
I?ll meet you at the station, when the train comes along
I may be blind, I cannot see
I?ll meet you at the station, when the train comes along
The train comes along, the train comes along
I?ll meet you at the station, when the train comes along
I'm prayin' in my heart, im cryin' out of my eyes
That jesus has died for my sins
I'll meet you in the station, i'll meet you in the smoke
I'll meet you at the station, when the train comes along
When the train comes along, the train comes along
I?ll meet you at the station, when the train comes along
I may be blind, I cannot see
I?ll meet you at the station, when the train comes along
The train comes along, the train comes along
I?ll meet you at the station, when the train comes along
I'm prayin' that my heart, i'm prayin' for my soul
I?ll meet you at the station, when the train comes along
The train comes along, the train comes along
I?ll meet you at the station, when the train comes along
Not sure if i understand it all correct, would be grateful for any help
Thanks
Greetings from Germany, Pothead
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They're all in the Herwin LP liner notes. Send me a PM with your e-mail address, and I'll send you a scan.
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They're all in the Herwin LP liner notes. Send me a PM with your e-mail address, and I'll send you a scan.
Thanks for the Scan, helped a lot
Greetings
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Hi all,
Just for the benefit of the site, here's what I'm hearing for "When The Train Comes Along". As the bent brackets indicate, I'm missing some stuff or at least unsure of it. I'd appreciate corroboration/correction very much. Henry Thomas backed himself out of C position in standard tuning, capoed way up. Here is Henry Thomas's performance:
https://youtu.be/NdvkODzSFeg
REFRAIN: When the train come along, when the train come along
I'll meet you at the station when the train come along
I may be blind, I cannot see
I'll meet you at the station when the train come along
REFRAIN: The train come along, the train come along
I'll meet you at the station when the train come along
I marched down the shore and I cannot see
I will meet you at the station when the train come along
REFRAIN: When the train come along, the train come along
I'll meet you at the station when the train come along
I'm going to the Son, and search in my heart
I'll meet you at the station when the train come along
REFRAIN: When the train come along, oh, the train come along
I will meet you at the station when the train come along
I may be blind, I cannot see
I will meet you at the station when the train come along
REFRAIN: The train come along, the train come along
I will meet you at the station when the train come along
When my Mother on her knees, and prayin' for a stay
I will meet you at the station when the train come a--
REFRAIN: When the train come a--, when the train come a--
I will meet you at the station when the train come along
I may be blind, I cannot see
I'll meet you at the station when the train come along
REFRAIN: The train come along, the train come along
I'll meet you at the station when the train come along
I'm prayin' in my heart, I'm cryin' out of my eyes
The tears are droppin' from my face
I will meet you at the station, I'll meet you in the morn'
I will meet you at the station when the train come a--
REFRAIN: When the train come along, the train come along
I will meet you at the station when the train come along
I may be blind, I cannot see
I'll meet you at the station when the train come along
REFRAIN: The train come along, the train come along
I will meet you at the station when the train come along
I'm prayin' at my heart, I'm prayin' from my soul
I will meet you at the station when the train come along
REFRAIN: The train come along, the train come along
I will meet you at the station when the train come along
Edited 4/28 to pick up corrections from waxwing, Johnm and banjochris
All best,
Johnm
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Hi John:
For "and prayed [first day?]," I hear "and prayed for a day"
What does he mean by "sanction my heart" in the line above it?
Mack lists other versions, but they can predispose us to hear things that just ain't there.
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Man I love hearing Henry Thomas.
I have a couple possibilities, but nothing positive.
Could be "When my Mother wanted me, and prayed for a stay" (like a stay of execution?) or maybe "When my Mother wanted me, and prayed for I'd stay" which seems pretty close phonetically.
Then again it could be "When my Mother wanted meat, and prayed for a steak." I mean, he was from Texas, right?
I do think I hear that "st" sound in there like you suggest, Johnm. I don't hear the "d" sound in the last syllable.
Wax
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So here is what i found in the Scan i got from Stuart (thanks again):
When the train come along, when the train come along
I?ll meet you at the station, when the train come along
I may be blind, I cannot see
I?ll meet you at the station, when the train come along
The train come along, the train come along
I?ll meet you at the station, when the train come along
I marched on the shore, I cannot see
I?ll meet you at the station, when the train come along
When the train come along, when the train come along
I?ll meet you at the station, when the train come along
I'm going to the Son and thank him in my heart
I?ll meet you at the station, when the train come along
When the train come along, when the train come along
I?ll meet you at the station, when the train come along
I may be blind, I cannot see
I?ll meet you at the station, when the train come along
The train come along, the train come along
I?ll meet you at the station, when the train come along
When my mother wanted me, i prayed for religion
I?ll gonna meet her at the station, when the train come along
When the train come along, when the train come along
I?ll meet you at the station, when the train come along
I may be blind, I cannot see
I?ll meet you at the station, when the train come along
The train come along, the train come along
I?ll meet you at the station, when the train come along
I'm praying in my heart, im crying out my eyes
Jesus died for my sins
I'll meet you in the station, i'll meet you in the smoke
I'll meet you at the station, when the train come along
When the train come along, the train come along
I?ll meet you at the station, when the train come along
I may be blind, I cannot see
I?ll meet you at the station, when the train come along
The train come along, the train come along
I?ll meet you at the station, when the train come along
I'm praying in my heart, i'm praying for my soul
I?ll meet you at the station, when the train come along
The train come along, the train come along
I?ll meet you at the station, when the train come along
Greeatings, Pothead
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Hi all,
Thanks for posting the lyrics in the scan, Pothead. It really helps to see them. I'm disinclined to take transcriptions at face value. After re-listening several times, I'm hearing the following in the "corrected" passages.
"I'm going to the Son and search in my heart". Stuart, you're right--"sanction my heart" was too weird.
"When my Mother wanted me, and prayed for a stay" You nailed this one, waxwing, well done! Henry Thomas does not sing anything that sounds remotely like "religion" in this line.
"I'm prayin' in my heart, I'm cryin' out of my eyes
The tears are droppin' from my face"
Once again, Henry Thomas sings nothing in that last line that sounds anything like "Jesus died for our sins"
Henry Thomas does sing
"I'm praying at my heart" in that later verse.
All best,
Johnm
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The natural tendency to check other versions of a song when the one we're listening to is unclear can be a blessing and/or a curse. Sometimes the record is whupped and no amount of listening will make it intelligible. But when pronunciation and/or lyric changes are not what is written or sung in other versions, then we go with what we hear. Even if it's a mispronunciation (hypothetically for example, "stay" for "day"), we transcribe what we hear. In some fields variorum editions are common, but I think that our lyric threads serve the same purpose.
Good catch, Wax. "Stay" in the sense of "come and stay" makes perfect sense.
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Yup, and "search in my heart" and "The tears are droppin' from my face" are right on, too. I will make the changes.
All best,
Johnm
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One suggestion for the "mother" line in "When the Train Comes Along" -- the first part of the line should be
When my mother on her knees
and I hear "prayin'" instead of prayed. The first part of the line he swallows the R at the end of "mother" and makes it more of a W sound leading into "on," but I'm confident that's what he sings there. I hear "stay" as well at the end of the line.
Chris
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Thanks for the help, Chris. I have made the change.
All best,
Johnm
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Just going over the lyrics for Bull Doze Blues, and the 5th verse sounds like Voodooed, "I'm going where, I never get Voodooed" ...Bulldozed or Voodooed?
Bull Doze Blues - Henry Thomas
I'm going away, babe, and it won't be long
I'm going away, and it won't be long
I'm going away, and it won't be long
Just as sure as that train, leaves out of that Mobile yard
Just as sure as that train, leaves out of that Mobile yard
Just as sure as that train, leaves out of that Mobile yard
Come shake your hand, tell your papa goodbye
Come shake your hand, tell your papa goodbye
Come shake your hand, tell your papa goodbye
I'm going back, to Tennessee
I'm going back, to Memphis, Tennessee
I'm going back, to Memphis, Tennessee
I'm going where, I never get bulldozed
I'm going where, I never get the bulldoze
I'm going where, I never get bulldozed
If you don't believe I'm sinking, look what a hole I'm in
If you don't believe I'm sinking, look what a hole I'm in
If you don't believe I'm sinking, look what a fool I've been
Oh, my babe, take me back
How in the world, Lord, take me back.
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It's Bulldozed
Mack's note to the song: The entry in the Oxford- English Dictionary for the word "bulldoze" is illuminating: "1876 American Newspr., If a negro is invited to join it (a society called 'The Stop'), and refuses, he is taken to the woods and whipped. This whipping is called a 'bull-doze', or doze fit for a bull. The application of the bull-doze was for the purpose of making Tilden voters; hence we hear of the 'bull-dozed' parishes. 1880 C. B. Berry Other Side 155 They..pull him out of bed with a revolver to his head...that's called 'bull-dosing' a man. 1881 Sat. Rev. 9 July 40/2 A 'bull- dose' means a large efficient dose of any sort of medicine or punishment. Ibid. To 'bull-dose' a negro in the Southern States means to flog him to death, or nearly to death."
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Thanks Stuart
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Hi Johnm,
I've been working on "Fishin' Blues" lately, thanks to Lightnin, who was out here just before the holidays (thanks to old PT friend Scott Porter). After I played him the two songs I've been working on with quills, "Red River" and "Bull Doze", he was all, "Aw, you gotta do 'Fishin' Blues'". So I started looking at it and he was right, it's very catchy and the guitar part is really open to some interesting embellishments that he sorta hints at in the later verses.
Anyway, after transcribing the lyrics, I figured I'd compare with what you had here, which I hadn't looked at when you posted it. You got the "I'm a-goin' fishin', yes, I'm goin' a-fishin', I'm a-goin' a-fishin', too" parsed out spot on, which I think is really cool. One suggestion I would offer is in line 1.3 which I think might be:
"Went to the hardware, got me a hook."
That's where we always went for hooks and line and bobbers when I was a kid, and it does seem to have a 'w' sound in there after the very indistinct plosive.
Hope to have some youtubes of these songs up soon.
Wax
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Hi waxwing,
The change you suggest catches both the sound and sense of what Henry Thomas sang better than what I had, and I'm sure you are right. I'll make the change. I've heard that lyric wrong forever--thanks for setting me straight!
All best,
Johnm
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Hi all,
Henry Thomas accompanied himself out of G position in standard tuning for his recording of "Texas Worried Blues". His accompaniment is repetitive in a great way--it really draws you in, as a listener. And of course he was a perfectly wonderful singer. His A A A verse form makes his lyric material go farther than it normally would. Here is his recording of "Texas Worried Blues":
https://youtu.be/pW2gGgj5pFo
INTRO
Got worried blues, Lord, I'm feeling bad
I've got the worried blues, Lord, I'm feeling bad
I got the worried blues, God, I'm feeling bad
I got no one, tell my troubles to
I got no one, tell my troubles to
I got no one, tell my troubles to
You can box me up and send me to my Ma
You can box me up and send me to my Ma
You can box me up and send me to my Ma
If my Ma don't want me, send me to my Pa
If my Ma don't want me, send me to my Pa
If my Ma don't want me, send me to my Pa
If my Pa don't want me, send me to my girl
If my Pa don't want me, send me to my girl
If my Pa don't want me, send me to my girl
If my girl don't want me, cast me in the sea
If my girl don't want me, cast me in the sea
If my girl don't want me, cast me in the sea
So, fish in the well make a fuss all over me
Those fish in the well make a fuss all over me
All the fish in the well make a fuss all over me
I'm gonna build me a Heaven of my own
I'm gonna build me a Heaven of my own
I'm gonna build me a Heaven of my own
I'm gonna give all good-time womens a home
I'm gonna give all good-time womens a home
I'm gonna give all good-time womens a home
Get your hat, get your coat, get to shakin' on down the line
Get your hat, get your coat, get shakin' on down the line
Get your hat, get your coat, get shakin' on down the line
Now, fare thee, my honey, fare thee
Now, fare thee, my honey, fare thee
All best,
Johnm
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Hi all,
I thought I would try to transcribe Henry Thomas' lyrics to "Cottonfield Blues", which he accompanied out of G position in standard tuning. The song has an unusual structure; it starts out as a 12-bar blues, but after the fourth verse, Henry Thomas starts doing lyric breaks over the I chord. I'd very much appreciate help with the bent bracketed passages. Here is his performance:
https://youtu.be/7ETOEz_fFOQ
INTRO SOLO
I'm going to Texas, have to ride the rods
I'm going to Texas, have to ride the rods
Just sure as the train leaves out of that Mobile yard
If you see my mama before I do
If you see my mama before I do
Don't tell her, baby, what road I'm on
Hey-ey, boat's up the river, and she won't come down
Hey, boat's up the river, and she won't come down
I b'lieve to my soul, best girl, she's waterbound
I looked to the East, and I looked to the West
I looked to the East, and I looked to the West
If she headed to the South, she's Alabama bound
Oh, you know you're gonna leave, goin' away
'T'ain't no use, cryin' now
Go on fool, carry it down
Lord, Lord, Lordy, I've got the cottonfield blues
I'm goin' downtown, buy me a plow
I'm goin' downtown, get me a mule
Get up in the mornin', four o'clock
I'm gonna turn that land and turn it
Hey, hey, I've got the cottonfield blues
Says, come on, boys, come on, girls
Get your grubbin' hoe, out on the field
The plants is growin', the weeds is tall
Well, it's best 'bout now that the [higgies] are picked
Hey, hey, I got the cottonfield blues
Says, one of these mornin's, it won't be long
You gonna call me and I'll be gone
Now hey, hey, I got the cottonfield blues
All best,
Johnm
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Hi all,
Henry Thomas accompanied himself out of G position in standard tuning for "Don't Ease Me In", recorded in Chicago on June 13, 1928. I love this performance, like all of Henry Thomas's and would appreciate correction, corroboration or help with any questionable places in what I'm posting here. Here is "Don't Ease Me In":
https://youtu.be/IZgaQ0gkYAg
INTRO
REFRAIN: Don't ease, don't you ease, a-don't you ease me in
It's all night, comin' here, don't ease me in
Sometimes I walk, a-sometimes I talk
I never get drunk, Great God, tell my sober thoughts
REFRAIN: Don't ease, don't you ease, a-don't you ease me in
It's all night long, comin' here, don't ease me in
I beat my girl, a-with a single-tree
She heist [sic] up the window, sweet mama, had the watch on me
REFRAIN: Don't ease, don't you ease, a-don't you ease me in
It's all night long, comin' here, don't ease me in
I've got a girl, she gave me the stall
She leave here walkin', lovin' babe, talkin' to her [ ? ]
REFRAIN: Don't ease, don't you ease, a-don't you ease me in
It's all night long, comin' here, don't ease me in
I was standing on the corner, talkin ' to my brown
I turned around, sweet mama, I was workhouse bound
REFRAIN: Don't ease, don't you ease, a-don't you ease me in
It's all night long, comin' here, don't ease me in
Says, I've got a girl, and she workin' hard
Say the dress she wears, sweet mama, says it's pink and blue
She bring me coffee, and she bring me tea
She bring me everything 'cept the jailhouse key
REFRAIN: Don't ease, don't you ease, a-don't you ease me in
It's all night long, comin' here, don't ease me in
Got these Texas blues, I got the Texas Blues
And it all night long, comin' down, don't ease me in
Says I looked down Main, old Elm and too,
Says all the women comin' down Main have these Texas blues
Edited 4/27 to pick up corrections from banjochris
Edited 4/28 to pick up correction from Johnm
All best,
Johnm
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John – I think you have done a great job making sense out of a couple of those lines where it really sounds like he's misspeaking.
My only suggestions are small ones:
4.2 I think might be had THE watch on me
and
14.2 might be comin' down MAIN
His vowel sounds make it awfully difficult sometimes, and I'm not 100% on either of those. The first of them makes more sense I think, though.
Chris
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Thanks for the help, Chris. I re-listened and agree with both of your suggestions and will make the changes. They make sense and more closely fit his consonant sounds in those two places. Thanks!
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Hard to hear stuff,
"Cunningham" (Cunningham owned the largest sugar cane plantation in Texas, the name pops up in Leadbelly and Smokey Hogg songs) instead of "comin' here" has been discussed before. Sounds like coming ham. Don't know what to make of it.
2.2 I never get drunk, Great God, tell my sober thoughts possibly save my sober soul
6.2 talkin' to her [ ? ] boss ?
Last verse
Ellum Deep Ellum, Texas
had them texas blues
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I had thought about "Cunningham" as well, BV, but I think he is singing "coming here" with a very nasal "here." Annoyingly he doesn't sing the same thing on "Don't Leave Me Here."
On 2.2 and 6.2 I honestly think he's trailing off into nonsense both places; it sounds to me like he got distracted.
I've seen it spelled Elm, Elem, Ellum but I think John has the words correct there; I also here the long e of these rather than "them."
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Hi Blues Vintage,
Thanks for the suggestions. I''m sticking with "comin' here" in the chorus--there are enough choruses where he says that pretty clearly that I feel confident that's what he sang. I'm sure in the first verse it is "tell my sober thoughts"--it's a common expression--"Drunk men speak sober men's thoughts", that I heard my mother use, and that Little Bill Gaither sang in "Georgia Barrelhouse". I agree that the swallowed word at the end of verse three begins with "b", or possibly "br". It sounds the most like "broad" to me, but I think Chris is right, and Henry Thomas basically gave up on it.
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In his notes to the Herwin LP, Mack transcribes it as "Cunningham." If there's a case to be made for it, it occurs around 2:30. But I don't hear it clearly and consistently throughout the song. My hearing is shot, so I'll let you guys lock yourselves in a room and hash it out. If I don't hear anything from you in three days, I'll send in sandwiches and coffee. ;)
John: I remember hearing my mother and also my relatives on her side of the family use the expression. "The ol' truth serum."
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Hi Stuart,
It's been hashed already.
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Hi Stuart,
It's been hashed already.
Good Morning John:
Famous last words--That's what they all say.
Enjoy the sunny weather. It's a good day to be outside.
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I"m not hashing it any more--put it that way.
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I know, John. I was simply stating what Mack wrote in his notes just so they'd be in the thread and adding a little tongue-in-cheek humor. You know how this goes. At some point we have to go with what we have and move on from any lingering ambiguity, unless of course, someone comes up with a solid reason for a revision.
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Hi all,
Henry Thomas recorded "Charmin' Betsy" at his last recording session, in Chicago around October 7, 1929. He played quills on the song and accompanied himself out of D position on the guitar, capoed up. The song was recorded by a lot of Old-Time musicians, too. I'd appreciate corrobration/correction of the bent bracketed word and any other places you think I have wrong. Here is Henry Thomas's rendition of "Charmin' Betsy":
https://youtu.be/Wj_mluBfuLo
INTRO SOLO
REFRAIN: I'm goin' around the mountain, charmin' Betsy
Goin' around the mountain, Dora Lee
If I never see you no more
Do, Lord, remember me
SOLO
First time I see charmin' Betsy
She want everything that she's seen
Last time I see charmin' Betsy
She's wearing that ball and chain
REFRAIN: Yes, I'm goin' around the mountain, charmin' Betsy
I'm goin' around the mountain, Dora Lee
If I never see you no more
Do, Lord, remember me
SOLO
REFRAIN: I'm goin' around the mountain, charmin' Betsy
I'm goin' around the mountain, Dora Lee
If I never see you no more
Do, Lord, remember me
SOLO
I went down to Huntsville town
I did not go to stay
I just got there in a due ol' time,
To wear that ball and chain
REFRAIN: Yes, I'm goin' around the mountain, charmin' Betsy
I'm goin' around the mountain, Dora Lee
If I never see you no more
Do, Lord, remember me
SOLO
Yalla gal rides in a automobile
Brownskin do the same
Black gal rides in a old airship
But she's riding, just the same
REFRAIN: Yes, I'm goin' around the mountain, charmin' Betsy
I'm goin' around the mountain, Dora Lee
If I never see you no more
Do, Lord, remember me
Edited 5/26 to pick up corrections from banjochris
All best,
Johnm
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I have partial feedback to share. Instead of
I just got there at old . . .
I hear
I just got that ol' . . .
But I don't have an opinion on "Yule" except to say that I hear a "/j/" sound at the beginning of the word, so phonetically it sounds like "jewel time." No guess on the meaning.
Lindy
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I just got tired o' do-oin' time
Wax
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I just got tired of jewel time
referring to a jewel bearing in a fine watch movement?? Probably wrong, but I like it. :)
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I think "tired of" is definitely right--thanks for that, waxwing. I think it's followed by "do ol' time" or "do all time", because the second syllable of whatever follows it definitely ends in an "l" sound, with the two syllables sounding like like "jewel" as Lindy and Slack noted. I've gone with "do ol' time" for now.
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I gave it a couple of listens using the computer speakers last night and this morning I used the headphones, slowing it down a click or two at a time. I agree that it's "tired of" and the final of the following word is an "L" and it rhymes with "Yule" or "jewel" as has been suggested. I hear the "u" vowel preceding the "L" final, but the initial not completely clear, although last night I thought he was singing "mule time." "I just got tired of mule time" definitely makes sense, but is that what he's singing?
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Thanks for that idea, Stuart. I think "mule time" makes better sense than "do ol' time" or "do all time" and also matches the sound of what he's singing better. Sounds like he got sick of being treated like a beast of burden. I'm going to make that change.
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Here’s a theory. TIOLI
I just got tired o’ dual time
Dual time could be a term for Daylight Savings Time. Interesting article on Wikipedia gives a good accounting of the history, and reveals that farmers and other agrarian based people dislike it because their timing, when the dew sets, when the cows awaken and need milking, etc., is governed more directly by the sun, and having to accommodate an unnecessary time change was considered onerous. It may also have been seen by plantation workers during Jim Crow times, as a way to get more work from the laborers.
I would also point out that the IPA symbol for J in English is dʒ which is an indication of how similar both the vocal production and sound of J and D are.
I still think it’s ‘do-oin’ ‘, or more like ‘do-wə' with the schwa at the end swallowed. There also seems to be a lot of recording artifact sound at that point making it harder to hear. Thomas was not the most educated speaker.
Wax
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Wax, Daylight Savings Time was enacted in 1966.
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It doesn't seem plausible that Daylight Savings time would have been used in prison, but not elsewhere in the same locality. I don't see it as being a condition specific to prison life, in whatever era.
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Hi John:
I know it's a judgment call, but my suggestion would be to use a capital "C' for "Charmin'." IMHO, "Charmin' Betsy" is a fictitious person, perhaps based on a real individual (as well as other individuals) and used to represent a character type. I understand it as a "proper" given name, although a fictitious one. --Just another thought.
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I considered that, Stuart, but shied away from it because it seemed a little too much like product placement.
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Fair enough, John. Like I said, it's a judgment call and nit-picking at best.
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And a mule is indicative of prison how? Mules were ubiquitous in the life of the Delta. As I said, I still like doing time, nothing says prison like that does.
Wax
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"Doing" doesn't end in "l" and rhyme with "jewel". The sound doesn't support the interpretation.
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As an FYI:
http://bluegrassmessengers.com/charming-betsy--version-7-henry-thomas-1929.aspx
n.b. The mention of Paul Oliver's discussion in chapter 3 of his Songsters & Saints.
I'm sure there's much more out there, but it's apparent the song has a history. Also, I saw that it was the name of a schooner (ca.1800) that figures into maritime law:
https://constitutionallawreporter.com/2015/10/06/historical-charming-betsy-and-constitutional-law-2/
I don't know where the ship's name came from, but this suggests that there was a lot going on re: the origins and lines of transmission of "Charming Betsy." But I digress...
Fortunately we're only focused on transcribing the lyrics of Henry Thomas' song.
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Hi John:
I just listened to the line in question several times with the headphones, both at normal speed and slowing it down with VLC Media Player. I still hear "tired of." I do not hear "on." As for, "mule," I hear it when listening through the computer's speakers, but not clearly using the headphones at various speeds. It might be owing to the speakers and the environment in which the sound is reproduced. And it might be a case of the mind filling in what the ears do not clearly hear. It happens all the time, and just not when listening to music.
That's all I can offer for now. I'll leave it to you to determine whether to use what you think is the best guess, and/or note the uncertainty and leave it open for further revision. It's a tough one.
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Been out of town for a few days and finally had a moment to listen to Charmin' Betsy. Couple of things:
In most versions of this tune, the second line of the chorus ends "Cora Lee" or some such. He's not singing "Cora," but what about "Dora Lee" as a possibility, with Dora somewhat crushed into one syllable? It sounds more like "Dro Lee" to me than "truly."
Also, the line that's caused so much back and forth I'm reasonably certain is:
"I just got there in-a due old time"
Chris
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Thanks very much for the help, Chris! "Dora Lee" it is and "due ol' time" matches his sound perfectly and isn't a strain for meaning. I will make the changes. Thanks!
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I just listened a few more times and I'll second "Dora Lee." I'm still hearing "tired of" in spite of seriously considering the alternatives that have been suggested. And I'm still uncertain about "[?] time," but I'll let John make the call on this one.
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"I just got there in-a due old time"
Brilliant!
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I'll second that!
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I actually think in Charming Betsy, it’s ‘Geraldine’ instead of
Dora Lee, etc. Pronounced more like ‘Jurrldeen’.
Merely a suggestion :)
Ben