Topic: Elmore James Lyrics

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Elmore James was born in Mississippi, and began to record in the post-War period. He died of a heart attack at the age of forty-five. For no particular reason, he's barely had a mention on the Weenie site. He certainly merits recognition. He was an electrifying singer, and his wonderful screamy vocal tone was perfectly matched by his tone on his accompanying slide guitar. He played "The Sky Is Crying" (what a wonderful title!) in Vestapol  with his slide. I know nothing about the personnel of his band here, so any session information would be much appreciated. Here is "The Sky Is Crying": 



INTRO

The sky is crying, look at the tears roll down the street
The sky is crying, look at the tears roll down the street
I'm waiting and still looking for my baby, and I wonder, where can she be?

I saw my baby one morning, and she was walking on down the street
I saw my baby one morning, yes, she was walking on down the street
Made me feel so good, until my poor heart would skip a beat

I got a bad feeling, my baby, my baby don't love me no more
I've got a bad feeling, my baby don't love me no more
Now the sky's been crying, the tears rolling out my door

CODA

All best,
Johnm
 

[Blues Vintage]

Possibly November 3/4, 1959, Chicago

Elmore James - Vocals, Guitar
Johnny Jones - Piano
J.T. Brown & Possibly Boyd Atkins - Saxophone
Probably Ransom Knowling or Homesick James - Bass
Odie Payne or Sam Myers - Drums

[eric]

On his King of The Blues box set, it has Odie Payne on drums and J.T Brown on sax, otherwise as Blues Vintage has it, and refers to these as the Fire/Fury sessions of November 1959. No source for this though. He has pretty serious slide tone!

[Johnm]

Thanks very much for session information, Blues Vintage and Eric. I've got that all up in Weeniepedia now.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I first heard Elmore James' "Dust My Broom" on Chris Strachwitz's Blues Classics label, on "Blues Classics, Volume 1". I think Elmore James' version of the song is the reason anybody plays the song today; it was so exciting that all of a sudden people were in a rush to cover it, which was certainly not the case with Robert Johnson's original recording of the song. Elmore James played it in Vestapol with a slide, as was his practice. Once again, I don't know the personnel in his band, and I'd also appreciate help with any blank spots in the lyrics or mistakes I've made in transcribing them. Here is Elmore James' "Dust My Broom":



INTRO SOLO

I'm gettin' up soon in the morning, I'll believe I dust my broom
I'm gettin' up soon in the morning, I'll believe I dust my broom
I'll quit the best gal I'm lovin', uh, now my friends can get my room

I'm gonna write a letter, telephone every town I know
I'm gonna write a letter, telephone every town I know
If I don't find 'er in Mississippi, she's over in West Memphis I know

And I don't want no woman, want every downtown man she meet
No, I don't want no woman, want every downtown man she meet
Man, she's a no-good doney, they shouldn't 'low her on the street there

I believe, I believe my time ain't long
I believe, I believe my time ain't long
Now I gotta leave my baby, and break up my happy home

SOLO

Edited 3/6 to pick up corrections from Blues Vintage and banjochris

All best,
Johnm



 

[Blues Vintage]

now my friends can catch get my room

she's over in West Memphis I know

It really sounds like he sings "I ain't gonna leave my baby" in the final line even if it doesn't make sense.

[Blues Vintage]

Same personnel as "The Sky Is Crying"

[Johnm]

Thanks for the help with the lyrics, Blues Vintage, I made the changes you suggested. In that line in the last verse, the vowel sound is right for "ain't", but there is no "t" sound at all. I think he smeared the vowel transition from "I" and "am", giving "am" the long A sound.

[banjochris]

It almost sounds to me like that last line is "Now I gotta leave my baby," with the N sound being swallowed and a bit off-mike. I hear "gotta" rather than "gonna" there. Whatever he's doing, he starts off-mike somewhat.

[Johnm]

It does sound more like "gotta" than "gonna". I will make that change--thanks for the help, Chris.