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Author Topic: Hezekiah Jenkins  (Read 7150 times)

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Offline uncle bud

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Hezekiah Jenkins
« on: September 20, 2006, 06:01:05 PM »
I'm continuing to enjoy the Old Hat release Good For What Ails You. It's just a tremendous collection. Anyway, one of the artists who was new to me on this set was Hezekiah Jenkins, whose Shout You Cats, recorded in 1931 for Columbia, is included in the package.

Shout You Cats is a raggy pop tune with boom-chang, strummy accompaniment on guitar and some interesting chord changes I haven't figured out yet. Jenkins wrote I Got What It Takes (But It Breaks My Heart To Give It Away) with Clarence Williams, which was first recorded by Papa Charlie Jackson (later Bessie Smith). I don't think I've heard any of his other material but am curious if others have, opinions, what's the instrumentation etc. His recordings are on  Blues Obscurities 1923 - 1931 on Document  DOCD 5481. Notes to Good For What Ails You mention he wrote Fare Thee Well, though I don't know if this is the Fare Thee Well, which I thought was traditional. He also recorded with Dorothy Jenkins, presumably his wife. Anyway, I find Shout You Cats infectious and can't stop listening to it today...

On a completely unrelated note, I am also very enthusiastic about the Carolina Tar Heels' Her Name Was Hula Lou found on the same collection. What a hoot of a song. I guess I'd never paid attention to liner notes and never realized that Gwen Foster played guitar at the same time as that nutty harmonica. So that's rack harp that those crazy sounds are coming from? (!)

Offline Cambio

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Re: Hezekiah Jenkins
« Reply #1 on: September 20, 2006, 07:05:55 PM »
I'll second that Uncle Bud, Good For What Ails You really is a truly great compilation!  Lots of wonderful crossover material and exceptional remastering.
On the Gwen Foster note, in addition to being one of the best pre-war harmonica players, having a command of both straight and cross harp, Gwen was an excellent guitar player to boot.  You can hear some of his guitar playing in the Carolina Tarheels material, where he is covering the harp and guitar (and singing harmonies), while Doc Walsh is covering the banjo and lead singing.  You can also hear some of his great playing (both guitar and harmonica) on a lot of Clarence Ashley's material.  Where he really shines and where you get to hear what a sophisticated player he truly was, is with the Carolina Twins, which was he and David Fletcher.  They play sort of a swinging, jazzy, hillbilly blues.  Really wild stuff but sort of hard to find. 
In my mind he is one of the most neglected of the early players. 

Offline Johnm

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Re: Hezekiah Jenkins
« Reply #2 on: September 21, 2006, 11:35:07 PM »
Hi all,
I didn't remember "Shout You Cats" from the "Good For What Ails You" set, so I got it out tonight and gave it a listen.  As Uncle Bud described it, it is a complex raggy sort of song with three sections, a verse, which when repeated, has altered changes, a chorus, and a sort of interlude to scat over.  Chordally, this piece never comes up for air, and pretty much keeps changing from beginning to end.  Here goes:

VERSE 1:
   |      C      |      E7     |      E7     |      A7     |
   |      F      |   C     A7  |     D7     |      G7     |
   |     Am     |     E7      |     E7      |     A7      |
   |      F      |   C    A7   |  D7   G7  |      C      |

CHORUS:
   |   Aflat     |      Aflat  |      C      |      A7     |
   |      D7     |      G7    |C/C7/F/Aflat|C/G/C    |
   |   Aflat     |      Aflat  |      C      |      A7     |
   |Dm/A7/Dm | E7   Am |      D7    | G7     C   |

VERSE 2:
   |      Am    |      E7     |      E7     |      A7     |
   |      F       |      C      |      D7     |      G      |
   |      Am    |      E7     |      E7     |      A7     |
   |      F       |  C     A7  |  D7    G   |      C      |

CHORUS:  As before

INTERLUDE:
   |      F6     |  C      C7  |      F6     |  C    C7   |
   |      F6     |      C       |      D7     |      G6     |
   |      F6     |  C      C7  |      F6     |  C      C7  |
   |      F6     |  C      A7  |  D7     G7 |  C    A7   |
   | D7     G7 |      C       |

CHORUS:  As before

INTERLUDE:  As before, except last measure, |C/Aflat/C   |

In the chorus, Jenkins hits a big grinding stop on the second beat of the first measure of Aflat, and does not start playing again until the last beat of the second measure in Aflat.  The end of the interlude does a common sort of "resolvus interruptus" in the 16th bar, hitting the surprise A7 that sends it into one last circle of fifths before resolving.
Anyone looking to do a piano-y sort of ragtime guitar arrangement could do a lot worse than picking this song.  It has clever lyrics, too.
All best,
Johnm

Offline uncle bud

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Re: Hezekiah Jenkins
« Reply #3 on: September 22, 2006, 08:45:27 AM »
Thanks for posting the chords, John. Exactly what I was thinking as far as ragtime-y arrangements go. One might not want to do the straight strummy accompaniment Jenkins has (although the more I listen to it, the more I can see why one might), and this would be a natural I'd think. Though requires remembering all those chord changes.  :D

Here's what I've got for the lyrics:

Shout You Cats - Hezekiah Jenkins

Went to a dance last Saturday night
And what I mean this dance was tight
Given by a man named Lovey Joe
In a small room ?bout two by four

And in this room they was thick as bees
You could hardly tell the he?s from the she?s
And when the band began to play
I could hear them say

Chorus:
Ohhhh shout you cats
Do it, stomp it, step you rats
Shake your shimmies, break a leg
Grab your gal and knock ?em dead

2nd Chorus:
Ohhhh do that thing
Hey, hey, everybody sing
It got so good they threw away their hats
I could hear ?em hollerin? shout you cats

In came the cop ?bout half past four
I thought for sure we was booked to go
He said everybody fall in line
They kept on dancin? paid him no mind

A great big fella ?bout six foot tall
Grabbed the cop and slammed him up against the wall
The cop said ?Buddy, everything OK.?
Listen to what I say

Chorus:
Ohhhh shout you cats
Do it, stomp it, step you rats
Shake your shimmy, break a leg
Grab your gal and knock ?em dead

2nd Chorus:
Ohhhh do that thing
Hey, hey, everybody sing
It got so good he threw away his hat
I could hear him hollerin? shout you cats

Scat interlude:
Dee doh doh doh doh etc.
Ohh do that thing

Dee dee dee dee doh doh?. etc.

Chorus:

Ohhhh shout you cats
Do it, stomp it, step you rats
Shake your shimmy, break a leg
Grab your gal and knock ?em dead

2nd Chorus:
Ohhhh do that thing
Hey, hey, everybody sing
It got so good they threw away their hats
I could hear ?em hollerin? shout you cats

Scat interlude:

Doh de doh doh doh etc.
Get off, get off
Doh de doh etc.
Ohhh, shake that thing
Walk it, walk it
Doh de doh etc.




Offline banjochris

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Re: Hezekiah Jenkins
« Reply #4 on: September 22, 2006, 01:50:17 PM »
If he's the same guy who recorded "The Panic is On" -- and I think he is -- I'll post it when I get home tonight. Cool song.

Offline banjochris

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Re: Hezekiah Jenkins
« Reply #5 on: September 22, 2006, 11:33:34 PM »
Here's another Hezekiah Jenkins recording: "The Panic Is On" -- recorded 1/16/31 in NYC.

Offline Bunker Hill

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Re: Hezekiah Jenkins
« Reply #6 on: September 23, 2006, 01:50:16 AM »
Here's another Hezekiah Jenkins recording: "The Panic Is On" -- recorded 1/16/31 in NYC.
FWIW here?s the transcription Paul Oliver offers up on p. 132-3 of Songsters & Saints which can be the basis for a definitive one in conjuction with the MP3.

Not for the first time the phrase "the panic is on" was a catch-phrase for economic failure and resultant Depression: earlier it had applied to the "Panic" of 1893 when Jacob S. Coxey's "Army" of unemployed marched on Washington. Newman White quoted four ''Panic is on" fragments from 1915 and related these to the Panic of 1908-9, but it was the Panic of 1929, which had profound effects on the whole nation, that moved Jenkins to record his song.

What this country is coming to
I sure would like to know,
If they don't do somethin' bye and bye,
The rich will live and the poor will die:
Dog-gone, I mean the panic is on.

Can't get no work, can't draw no pay,
Unemployment gettin' worser every day.
Nothin' to eat, no place to sleep,
All night long folks walkin' the street.
Dog-gone, I mean the panic is on.

All the landlords done raised the rents,
Folks that ain't broke is badly bent.
Where they got dough from, goodness knows.
But if they don't produce it, in the street they goes.
Dog-gone, I mean the panic is on.

Some play the numbers, some read your mind:
They all got a racket of some kind
Some trimmin' corns off of people's feet.
They got to do somethin' to make ends meet.
Dog-gone, I mean the panic is on.

Some women are sellin' apples, some sellin' pies,
Some sellin' gin and rye,
Some sellin' socks to support they man,
In fact, some are sellin' everything they can.
Dog-gone, I mean the panic is on.

I pawned my clothes and everything,
Pawned my jewelry, watch and my ring,
Pawned my razor and my gun,
So if luck don't change - there'll be some stealin' done,
Dog-gone, I mean the panic is on

Offline uncle bud

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Re: Hezekiah Jenkins
« Reply #7 on: September 23, 2006, 09:08:59 AM »
Thanks for the tune and the transcription Banjochris and Bunker Hill. The reference in Songsters and Saints must have escaped my notice, though I should have thought to go and look there. The book also features a transcription of Shout You Cats that differs only slightly from my more accurate one.  :P

Offline uncle bud

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Re: Hezekiah Jenkins
« Reply #8 on: September 23, 2006, 09:30:19 AM »
Here's a complete version of The Panic Is On. Oliver left out the 3rd and the final verse. One line in verse 3 is not exactly clear to me. This is a very nice song and a pretty darned political one at that.

The Panic Is On - Hezekiah Jenkins

What this country is coming to
I sure would like to know,
If they don't do somethin' bye and bye,
The rich will live and the poor will die:
Dog-gone, I mean the panic is on.

Can't get no work, can't draw no pay,
Unemployment gettin' worser every day.
Nothin' to eat, no place to sleep,
All night long folks walkin' the street.
Dog-gone, I mean the panic is on.

Saw a man this morning walking down the street
In his BVDs, no shoes on his feet
You ought to seen the women [curvin? in thei? flats]
I could hear ?em sayin? what kind of man is that
Dog-gone, I mean the panic is on.

All the landlords done raised the rents,
Folks that ain't broke is badly bent.
Where they got dough from, goodness knows.
But if they don't produce it, in the street they goes.
Dog-gone, I mean the panic is on.

Some play the numbers, some read your mind:
They all got a racket of some kind
Some trimmin' corns off of people's feet.
They got to do somethin' to make ends meet.
Dog-gone, I mean the panic is on.

Some women are sellin' apples, some sellin' pies,
Some sellin' gin and rye,
Some sellin' socks to support thei? man,
In fact, some are sellin' everything they can.
Dog-gone, I mean the panic is on.

I pawned my clothes and everything,
Pawned my jewelry, watch and my ring,
Pawned my razor and my gun,
So if luck don't change - there'll be some stealin' done,
Dog-gone, I mean the panic is on

Old Prohibition ruined everything
That?s why I?m forced to sing
Here?s one thing I want you all to hear
Until they bring back light wine, gin and beer
Dog-gone, the panic will be on
« Last Edit: September 23, 2006, 09:34:45 AM by uncle bud »

Offline uncle bud

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Re: Hezekiah Jenkins
« Reply #9 on: September 23, 2006, 09:39:07 AM »
I forgot to mention that I've also discovered there are two more Jenkins tracks on the Juke, from Document's Too Late, Too Late vol 8. Curious Blues and Miserable Blues.

Offline thickpete

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Re: Hezekiah Jenkins
« Reply #10 on: May 19, 2013, 12:41:22 PM »
I've become obsessed with Hezekiah and Dorothy Jenkins. First got hooked on Shout You Cats then The Panic is On and now am working through the other six songs I can find. The lyrics and vocals are excellent - the playing often sounds deliberately demented. Hezekiah sounds like an old fella to me and possibly not of the South. I can't find the slightest bit of biographical info on either of these folks  online.

Trying to transcribe the six songs not yet discussed here. My first attempt is below - thanks in advance for any help or info on H&D!

Hen Pecked Man
Hezekiah and Dorothy Jenkins



Now I'm disgusted,
downhearted too,
cause my wife treats me
just as she choose.

If I's the only one that knew it,
that would [follow do??]
but all the neighbors round
knows it too.

They say they think
it is a shame -
the way she treats me
but I'm to blame.

Now everybody's calling me
the hen pecked man
in fact I knows I am

I pay her rent, buy her diamonds,
shoes and clothes.
She don't even have to put her feet
out of doors.

Now I wash the dishes, scrub the floors,
sometimes I'm chambermaid,
and that's more than I used to do
in my young childhood days.

She goes to cabaret balls,
anyplace she wants to go -
but you know if I ask her where she's been boys
with a rolling pin I get the floor.

She left last night at seven
come back this morning at eight -
folks and had the nerve to bring another man
right smack up to the gate.

She hugged him and she kissed him
I heard her say "babe you so nice and fat"
and I poked my head out the window and said
"who in the devil is that?"

And that ain't all I heard her
when she called the man sweet papa
I said "what's that you sayin?" She said to me
"I didn't say grasshopper."

Now folks I teached[?] her everything she do
and I'm actually scared to holler
I 'spect she done been to the fortune teller
and put me in the bottle

Then take my advice and don't let em get
you in they hands
cause everyone be calling you
a hen pecked man.



[attachment deleted by admin]

Offline Bill Roggensack

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Hezekiah Jenkins
« Reply #11 on: May 19, 2013, 01:12:32 PM »
I particularly like the lyrics for "The Panic Is On" - thanks for daylighting this one.

I would guess it's about the same vintage as "Bread Line Blues" by Bernard (Slim) Smith, which was covered quite nicely by Jorma Kaukonen on "Blue Country Heart."


Sent from Mr. Page's iPhone using Tapatalk
Cheers,
FrontPage

Offline thickpete

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Re: Hezekiah Jenkins - Fare Thee Well
« Reply #12 on: May 20, 2013, 03:30:24 PM »
Okay - here's number two....

Fare Thee Well
Hezekiah and Dorothy Jenkins

(italics are Dorothy)

Lookie here hon what have I done?
Why we can not agree?

Cause you're the only man - in this world
that ever made a fool of me.

You beat me and you blacked my eyes!

Well didn't I try to apologize?

So I'm going away...

I ain't gonna ask you to stay!

...well listen while I say (what's that?)
Fare thee well, because I'm going...

Another mama's waiting now to take your home!

I'm gonna get me a man that won't treat me cold.

Well I see right now I got to get you told!
Woman when I met you you was ragged as a sheet,
and didn't even have a decent place to sleep.
I took you in and fed you cause you was hungry as a hound,
Put clothes on your back and took your feet off the ground.

Now you're all dressed up - stomach full,
and got the nerve to try to hand me some bull!
That's the way they are - soon as you get em out the barrel[??back?]
they're ready to find some other man and [send them for bear???beer???]

You outta never forget me woman
for letting me [smack your wrist??ribs??],
cause I'm the one that gave you a place to park your hips.
I bought you them clothes - I bought you that wig (Shhhhh!)

Gee - the devil! You know I did!

Well all that talk ain't gonna keep me home
so fare thee well brother because I'm goin'!


You say you got your trunk all packed,
I hope you leave and never come back!

All that talk ain't going to keep me home,
so fare thee well brother - because I'm gone!


Ashes to ashes - sand to sand,
the neighbors told me you had a back door man!

I said all your talk ain't gonna keep me home -
So fare thee well brother because I'm gone!


(I mean)well [Together:] Fare thee well brother because I'm gone!


Edited to incorporate corrections from Johnm. Cheers!


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« Last Edit: June 02, 2013, 09:24:15 AM by thickpete »

Offline Johnm

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Re: Hezekiah Jenkins
« Reply #13 on: May 20, 2013, 04:08:15 PM »
Hi thickpete,
I think the lyric in the first parenthetic passage in your transcription is:
   "Well, I can see right now I got to get you TOLD."

All best,
Johnm

Offline thickpete

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Re: Hezekiah Jenkins
« Reply #14 on: May 21, 2013, 11:36:33 AM »
Thanks Johnm! Makes sense and sounds right to me now too!

Here is the next one.......getting a bit harder to decipher....

Sister It's Too Bad
Hezekiah and Dorothy Jenkins


(Dorothy is in italics)

Talk about your lovin' men,
but you ain't seen none yet.
(Is that so?)
I got the onliest[?] chick[?pig?] in town
and that I'm sure will bet[? 'cept??].
Listen while I explain -
I'm kinda hard to get.


I got a man brother he's too bad -
the women all fall for him and keep me sad.
He ain't no Ingersoll - ain't got no Elgin movement.
There's nothing bout him needs improvement

When I'm blue, when I'm sad -
his sweet disposition sure will make me glad.

There's something peculiar about him makes me call him dad.
His hugging and his kisses are the best I ever had.
When it comes to lovin', brother he's too bad!


I got a gal - sister she's too bad -
get all crazy bout she's keeps me mad.
She aint no Ingersoll -  she got no Elgin movement.
Nothing about her needs improvement.

She may be blue when I'm sad,
Her sweet dispostion sure makes me glad.

I know lots of bakers scratch her[?] in town -
can beat her in baking bread, but she's a jelly rollin' hound!
And when it comes to lovin'- sister she's too bad!




Edited to add corrections from Lastfirstface and Gumbo. Thanks!

[attachment deleted by admin]
« Last Edit: May 28, 2013, 09:25:46 AM by thickpete »

Offline Gumbo

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Re: Hezekiah Jenkins
« Reply #15 on: May 21, 2013, 01:21:59 PM »
thanks for the attachments, thickpete. I'm listening but not hearing anything more than you've got, so far ....

Thanks Johnm! Makes sense and sounds right to me now too!

Here is the next one.......getting a bit harder to decipher....

Sister It's Too Bad
Hezekiah and Dorothy Jenkins


(Dorothy is in italics)

Talk about your lovin' men,
but you ain't seen none[nuttin'??] yet.
(Is that so?)
I got the onliest[??] chick[?] in town
and that I sure will bet[??accept?].
Listen while I explain -
I'm kinda hard to get.


I got a man brother he's too bad -
the women all fall for him and keep me sad.
He ain't no Ingersoll - ain't got no Elgin movement.
There's nothing bout him needs improvement

When I'm blue, when I'm sad -
his sweet disposition sure will make me glad.

There's something peculiar about him makes me call him dad.
His hugging and his kisses are the best I ever had.
When it comes to lovin', brother he's too bad!


I got a gal - sister she's too bad -
get all crazy bout she's keeps me mad.
She aint no Ingersoll she got no Elgin movement.
Nothing about her needs improvement.

She may be blue when I'm sad,
Her sweet dispostion sure makes me glad.

I know lots of bakers [ catch her?? ] in town,
can beat her in baking bread, but she's a jelly rollin' hound!
And when it comes to lovin'- sister she's too bad!

edited to match text on previous page
« Last Edit: May 28, 2013, 08:30:32 AM by Gumbo »

Offline GhostRider

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Re: Hezekiah Jenkins
« Reply #16 on: May 21, 2013, 02:32:28 PM »

INTERLUDE:
   |      F6     |  C      C7  |      F6     |  C    C7   |
   |      F6     |      C       |      D7     |      G6     |
   |      F6     |  C      C7  |      F6     |  C      C7  |
   |      F6     |  C      A7  |  D7     G7 |  C    A7   |
   | D7     G7 |      C       |

In the chorus, Jenkins hits a big grinding stop on the second beat of the first measure of Aflat, and does not start playing again until the last beat of the second measure in Aflat.  The end of the interlude does a common sort of "resolvus interruptus" in the 16th bar, hitting the surprise A7 that sends it into one last circle of fifths before resolving.
Anyone looking to do a piano-y sort of ragtime guitar arrangement could do a lot worse than picking this song.  It has clever lyrics, too.
All best,
Johnm

John:

As I do not have this recording, could you tell me whether the F6 and G6 chords are played in there first position shapes or something else.

Sometimes I like to arrange a song from just the chords and words, without having heard the original. I think I'll try that on this one, then see how I did.

Thanks,
Alex

Offline Lastfirstface

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Re: Hezekiah Jenkins
« Reply #17 on: May 21, 2013, 09:54:37 PM »
I kept hearing that line in Sister Its Too Bad as:

He ain't no Ingersoll - ain't got no Elgin movement.

Based on the Elgin Movement thing, I figured it must be a watch company, and sure enough:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ingersoll_Watch_Company

Offline thickpete

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Re: Hezekiah Jenkins
« Reply #18 on: May 22, 2013, 01:13:58 PM »
Excellent Lastfirstface! I thought it might be some other watch reference but know nothing about them and couldn't hear. You are certainly correct - thanks!


Here is a much tougher one still. The more I listen to this the more confused I get so it's time to just put up what I've got so far. Some of my guesses obviously make no sense and are provided just as placeholders and to give some idea of what I'm hearing. This is a great song though - would love to understand just a bit more!


Curious Blues
Dorothy and Hezekiah Jenkins

1926 according to the file I have.

Dorothy in italics...


I had the worst as one[asked one?? ] [called?for?] the curious blues -
it'll make you boogie from your head down to your shoes!
It made a preacher leave his pulpit - he told the congregation he refused (he refused)
to preach the gospel - and you heard 'em playin' them curious blues

Now my [jinxed got?] mad and he grabbed his foot[?]
so there's nothing impossible in this world.
[Pat the book[jerk?]] jumped down[?] - and began to walk and talk -
He says "high high" - when he heard 'em playin' them curious blues.

Haul me home [unkey?I'm?] about to set my heart on fire!
Great goodness - listen here[?] -
Piano talkin' -  [go out and talkin? buckin'??]
Pass me it boy!  Now you're messing around!
When you heard 'em playin' them curious blues.

Play it Hezek! Play it all night long!

Haul me home I'm about to set my heart on fire!
Great goodness - listen damn[?here?]
Piano talkin' - [no one was buckin'??]
You ain't no bluff - you really know your stuff!
When they heard 'em playin' them curious blues.

(give it [spit???to me??big??])

[Together:] Hot dog!



Edited to add corrections from Gumbo - Thanks! Some of them sound dead on to me others not so sure yet....but much better  than I had!


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« Last Edit: May 22, 2013, 05:21:56 PM by thickpete »

Offline Gumbo

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Re: Hezekiah Jenkins
« Reply #19 on: May 22, 2013, 02:43:57 PM »
Nice one on the Ingersoll :)

hmmm ... so .. all these are tentative

1.1 I had the worst as one for a curious too FWIW

2.1 .... grabbed his foot
2.3 Tattler? jumped down, and began to walk and talk

3.1 Haul me home unkey 'bout to set etc
3.2 great goodness as you listen dem
3.3 Piano talkin' don't want misfortune
3.4 Pass me it boy, now you pass it around

interjection: play it Hezek play it all night long

4.1 Call me home I'm about to set etc
4.2 great goodness as you listen dem
4.3 Piano talkin' don't want misfortune

interjection: get it fixed?
« Last Edit: May 22, 2013, 02:49:32 PM by Gumbo »

Offline Gumbo

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Re: Hezekiah Jenkins
« Reply #20 on: May 28, 2013, 08:37:21 AM »
Sister It's Too Bad

tentative ones again - I agree with none and onliest


1.2 but you ain't seen none yet. (Is that so?)
1.3 I got the onliest pig? in town
1.4 and that I'm sure will bet.

7.1 I know lots of bakers [ catch her?? ] in town
somehow this sounds like scratch to me

Offline thickpete

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Re: Hezekiah Jenkins
« Reply #21 on: May 28, 2013, 09:32:21 AM »
Fantastic Gumbo - thank you! You certainly don't have okra in the ears!

I definitely hear the "I'm" and "none" now, and 'scratch her' sounds right though it confuses me. "Pig" instead of "chick" makes intuitive "pigmeat" sense to me (especially since I really can't hear any second syllable for "chickEN") but I still hear more of a "ch" sound. Here is a slowed down clip at the same pitch - see what you think.....

Haven't been back to the other song yet to relisten but will keep at it - feel free to lobby for 'tentatives' you feel extra strongly about and I can pull up slowed clips if it helps.

Great work! Cheers!  :)

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Offline thickpete

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Re: Hezekiah Jenkins
« Reply #22 on: May 31, 2013, 10:00:13 AM »
Alrighty - here is the last of the awesome ones I have. The final song ("Mouth Organ Blues") is much less interesting than H&D's other stuff, but this is a great one. A couple of very confusing phrases and I'm prepared to be talked out of "daisy" (which I'm taking as a 'doozy' substitute but which makes no sense.... :P) though it sounds like that rather than 'amazing', etc to me.....please help something break through my cerumen and ossified neurons....thanks! Love this song and the flavor/wit of all their work very much...


Miserable Blues
Hezekiah and Dorothy Jenkins

1926?  [Hezekiah in italics]


Some people say they never had the blues -
wish I could say so too...
Well maybe it's because they never
had anyone to lose  (anyone to lose)

Never was superstitious didn't believe in signs,
since I've lost my man I have changed my mind.
Feel just like a lost child on some desert far away -
and I guess that kind of feeling [??out there will here??] be stayin'...

Those miserable blues nearly got me crazy...
Good gracious me oh my - they certainly are a daisy!
They'll make a hound go and hug a goat
(and they will even make your grandma curse your grandpappy's soul!)

Can't sleep at night for wonderin' who's huggin' my lovin' honey...
If he was here tonight I wouldn't want any money.
Cause everything I had he [done - my clothes and flat??] -
My big fat papa's gone I wish I knowed where he's at!
Want everybody here to go and spread the news
and tell the world I've got those miserable blues!

(Together)

Those miserable blues nearly got me crazy...
Good gracious me oh my! They certainly are a daisy!
H: Old corn liquor's 'bout to run me blind!
D: But those miserable blues will make you lose your mind!

Can't sleep at night for wonderin'
Who's huggin' my lovin' honey.
If he (she) was here tonight I wouldn't want any money.
D:Cause everything I had he [brung my clothes and flat??] -
My big fat papa's (mamma's) gone I wish I knowed where he's (she's) at.
Want everybody here to go and spread the news
and tell the world I've got those miserable blues!

[Some blues...??]






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« Last Edit: May 31, 2013, 12:59:45 PM by thickpete »

Offline Gumbo

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Re: Hezekiah Jenkins
« Reply #23 on: May 31, 2013, 12:53:34 PM »
Hi thickpete. Sad that we're nearly at the end lol
thanks for the slowed down line from Sister. I still here it the sam , unfortunately. it sounds like pig but could be chick, jig, prig etc etc.  :-X I'll keep listening every now and again ...

for miserable blues I have a couple of suggestions

3.4 make your grandma cut your grandpappy's coat (throat?)

4.3 Lost everything I had even my clothes and flat(s)


sorry I can't hear 2.4 yet ...

Offline Rivers

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Re: Hezekiah Jenkins
« Reply #24 on: May 31, 2013, 08:17:59 PM »
Just a reminder folks, please go back and edit your first draft to pick up corrections you agree with, and add a comment at the end, for ex. 'edited to pick up corrections by...'

Makes it way easier for the person inspired at a later date to push it out to weeniepedia to know they have the very best guess. Thanks y'all!

Offline thickpete

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Re: Hezekiah Jenkins
« Reply #25 on: June 02, 2013, 05:35:33 AM »
Thanks Rivers - I think I've been doing that all along. I've replaced anything that clearly sounds better as corrected and left up some of the alternates in brackets for those that still sound dubious to me. Others I don't hear at all and haven't edited in - though of course I'm just waiting to be convinced or out-voted.... :)

And thanks Gumbo! I still hear my versions of both those lines and can't really hear what you suggest in them. I'm not sure but I think I've heard the "curse your grandpappy's soul" line elsewhere, but not sure I've ever heard anyone suggest granny cut grandpappy's coat (maybe like an old school dip/cannon/pickpocket/lushroller) or cut his throat. With the second line I can't hear it but also the context seems to suggest the missing lover was providing for the singer....Will keep listening and ready to be talked into most anything though!  ;) Thanks!

Offline Rivers

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Re: Hezekiah Jenkins
« Reply #26 on: June 06, 2013, 09:44:31 PM »
Thank you Pete, much appreciated by all.

Offline Johnm

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Re: Hezekiah Jenkins
« Reply #27 on: June 06, 2013, 09:53:42 PM »
For Alex,
I'm sorry to be slow answering your question about "Shout You Cats".  I was away from the CD when you asked it, and then forgot about it, just remembered it.  When Hezekiah plays the F6 in the interlude, he frets the sixth note of the F chord on the second string, and otherwise plays the F chord as you would play it at the base of the neck, with a thumb wrap.  I hope that helps.
All best,
Johnm

 


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