You make a good point, Jeff. I've always just assumed I knew what that line meant, but it could certainly mean something else altogether. I know my brother interpreted it the way you just did.
All best,
Johnm
All best,
Johnm
|
Some people say money is talking, but it won't say a word to me - Robert Hicks, Bad Time Blues
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic. You make a good point, Jeff. I've always just assumed I knew what that line meant, but it could certainly mean something else altogether. I know my brother interpreted it the way you just did.
All best, Johnm dj
Quote what in the heck does "cold in hand" really mean??? When I was 20 years old, I worked for a while at a VA hospital just outside of Peekskill, NY. After a few months on the job, I wrecked my car. With no way to make the long drive to my work place, I rented a room in a spare hospital building until I had the money for another car. Most of the other guys working there were young African-Americans. To pass the time, they would often play craps. I never did - I'm not now and never have been a gambler - but I'd drink, talk, and watch the other guys play. Common expressions after a few bad rolls were things like "Man, these dice are COLD!" or "My hand is just cold". So to me, the line has always been pretty obvious - the singer dreamed he was lucky, but the reality is the dice are just not rolling his way. (Just an aside - there was one middle-aged white guy working at the hospital and rooming there. He was a classically trained percussionist. I guess classical percussion is not one of the world's higher-paying careers!) Hi all,
Bo Weavil Jackson/Sam Butler recorded "Poor Boy Blues" backing himself with a slide in Spanish tuning. Like most of his slide blues, it is pretty frenetic and exciting. The more you listen to him, though, the more you realize just how controlled his playing actually was. He has some nice variations on common verses here. I woke up this mornin', blues all 'round my bed I woke up this morning, mama, blues all around my bed Thinkin' about the words that my brown had said 'Cause I'm poor boy here, long ways from home Poor boy here, long ways from my home Ain't got nowhere, Lord, to lay my head Cold frosty ground was my bed last night Cold frosty ground was my bed last night Thinkin' 'bout the kind words that my Mama had said What my Mama told me, honey, done come to pass Mama told me, it's done come to pass Whiskey and women, poor boy, be your ruin at last Now, my Mama's dead, so is my Daddy, too My Mama's dead, so is my Daddy, too Reason I tried so hard, honey, get along with you So many days, I stoled away and cried So many days, I stoled away and cried Poor boy's been mistreated, can't be satisfied Gonna write a letter, mail it in the air Gonna write a letter, gonna mail it in the air When that wind blows, blow news everywhere SOLO Lord, Lord, ain't gonna moan no more Lord, Lord (guitar finishes line) All best, Johnm Hi all, For the third line, I hear: AND (or possibly LORD) THEY AIN'T SHIPPIN' NO IRON in this town today. Compare with Peg Leg Howell's Rolling Mill Blues: The rolling mill, baby, done broke down/They're shipping no iron to town. Quote I think I will, travelin' on my mind Is that third line possibly: Then YOU'LL want to see some good gal, AH, ain't got man Quote Some screamin' high yella, I screams black or brown 'Cause high yella may mistreat you but black won't TURN you down Not a bad tune. Thanks so much, for the help, uncle bud, I think those are all dead on the money. That "And they ain't shippin' no iron in this town today" seems perfectly clear now, as so often seems to be the case after someone figures out the correct lyric. I like that "ah" rather than "I" in the other verse's tagline--it makes a hell of a lot more sense. I will make the changes.
All best, Johnm Hi all,
Bo Weavil Jackson backed himself out of C position in standard tuning for "I'm on My Way to the Kingdom Land". His accompaniment is probably one of his simplest, and he gets an exciting rhythmic popping effect, starting in the third verse. He accelerates markedly over the course of the rendition. I could use some correction/corroboration at one place in the lyrics, and would appreciate help. I'm on my way to the Kingdom Land I'm on my way to the Kingdom Land I'm on my way to the Kingdom Land Come and go with me, Lord, Lord, come and go with me I wouldn't take nothing for my journey home I wouldn't take nothing for my journey home I wouldn't take nothing for my journey home Come and go with me, Lord, Lord, come and go with me I asked my Mother, "Come and go with me." I asked my Mother, "Come and go with me." I asked my Mother, "Come and go with me." I'm on my way, Lord, Lord, I'm on my way I'm going away to the Judgement Bar I'm going away to the Judgement Bar I'm going away to the Judgement Bar I'm on my way, Lord, Lord, I'm on my way I wouldn't take nothing for my journey home I wouldn't take nothing for my journey home I wouldn't take nothing for my journey home I'm on my way, Lord, Lord, I'm on my way I asked my brother, "Come and go with me." I asked my brother, "Come and go with me." I asked my brother, "Come and go with me." I'm on my way, Lord, Lord, I'm on my way I'm on my way, I won't turn back I'm on my way, I won't turn back I'm on my way, I won't turn back Come and go with me, Lord, Lord, come and go with me I asked my Mother, "Come and go with me." I asked my Mother, "Come and go with me." I asked my Mother, "Come and go with me." 'Cause I'm on my way, Lord, Lord, I'm on my way I'm on my way to that Judgement Day I'm on my way to Judgement Day I'm on my way to that Judgement Day Come and go with me, Lord, Lord, come and go with me I wouldn't take nothing for my journey home I wouldn't take nothing for my journey home I wouldn't take nothing for my journey home I'm on my way, thank God, I'm on my way I'm on my way to the Kingdom Land I'm on my way, Kingdom Land I'm on my way to the Kingdom Land I'm on my way, Lord, Lord, I'm on my way All best, Johnm I hear "bar" too, John. On that "shippin' iron" line, Peg Leg Howell sings pretty much the same thing in "Rolling Mill Blues," which I only realized a couple of days ago, but it's another point in favor of it.
Hi all,
"Pistol Blues" was the first song recorded by Bo Weavil Jackson, I believe. It starts out as an 8-bar blues in E position, standard tuning, and after the fifth verse switches to a 16-bar form for the remaining three verses. I think, but am not sure, that this is the earliest recorded version of Crow Jane. As was his wont, Bo Weavil Jackson accelerated markedly over the course of the rendition, and by the time he got to the end of the song he was really tearing along. Lyrically, the song is all over the map, and gives every appearance of getting its verses from a variety of different sources. This is such a strong performance by Jackson, as were all his recorded renditions. I find his lyrics on this song particularly difficult to hear, and would really appreciate some help with a few of the troublesome spots. Crow Jane, Crow Jane, what makes you hold your head so high? Oughta just remember, you got to live so long and die I need not write me no letter, don't send me no word Cut your head, woman, 'bout the word I heard I heard you had a man on the wheeler, had a man on the plow Had a big man, swingin' on the Johnson Bayou I'm going to carry that woman to the weeping willow tree Oughta hear her cryin', "Honey, don't murder me!" I'm going to black her face, going to black that woman's eyes Going to kill her when she begins to cry She said, "Roll on, Jack, Daddy do roll long" "Roll on, Jack, Daddy do roll long" Said, "Roll on, Jack, Daddy do roll long, Like the way you rollin', but you ain't gonna roll so long." Ain't but two women, the world can spend my change Not but two women, world can spend my change Ain't but two women, mama, can spend my change That represent Stella and that brown, my Jane SOLO Lord, Lord, look what my brown said to me Lord, Lord, look what she said to me Said, Lord, Lord, look what she said to me Said, "When I leave this town, gonna carry you back with me." SOLO Edited 10/8 to pick up corrections from banjochris All best, Johnm A few suggestions John:
1.2 you gotta live so long and die 3 in the Patton book, this verse is transcribed with "plow" at the end of the first line and "Bayou" at the end of the second, at least in Patton's singing of it. I think I hear "plow" here, but that southern pronunciation of bayou leaves it up in the air I think. 5.1 black her face (typo) 5.2 she begin to cry: 6 -- I think it might be "Roll on, Jack, Daddy, do roll long" each time 7.4 That represent Stella and that brown, my Jane Chris Thanks very much for the help, Chris. This is a song which I think I would have assumed at one point would never have a lyric transcription, and I think with your corrections it is pretty much there. I really appreciate it, and get a kick out of getting difficult lyrics transcribed. I'd be stumped in a lot of places, or just wrong, if I had to do it all myself, and the way people help out here is great.
All best, Johnm Hi all,
Bo Weavil Jackson/Sam Butler backed himself with a slide out of Vestapol tuning for "Heaven Is My View". For a discussion of his approach to playing slide in Vestapol on his hymns, go to http://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?amp;Itemid=128&topic=7891.0. It would be fair to say that his accompaniment is very de-emphasized here in comparison to the extent which his accompaniments to his secular numbers are featured. These lyrics were worked through early in this thread, but never exactly finished up. This is what I am hearing now. If any of you are hearing things differently, I would be interested to find out what you're hearing. INTRO REFRAIN: Now, Heaven is my view, my journey I'll pursue Good Lord, I never will turn back, because Heaven is my view When I was a sinner, loved my pleasures well When I come to find out I was on my way to Hell REFRAIN: 'Cause Heaven is my view, my journey I pursue Good Lord, I never will turn back, because Heaven is my view And when I was a mourner, I mourned through sorrow and tears I promised my Lord I would not turn back if I mourned a thousand years Good Lord, I never will turn back, if I mourned a thousand years Because I promised to not turn back, because Heaven is my view My Mother and Father left me in this wide world alone I have no home for tomorrow, I am striving to make my home REFRAIN: 'Cause Heaven's in my view, my journey I pursue I never will turn back, because Heaven is my view When I was a mourner, I mourned through sorrow and tears I promised my Lord I would not turn back, if I mourned a thousand years I'm on my journey home, my journey I pursue 'Cause, Lord, I never will turn back, 'cause Heaven is my view OUTRO All best, Johnm Hi all,
Bo Weavil Jackson/Sam Butler accompanied himself out of Vestapol, playing slide lap-style, for "When The Saints Come Marching Home". He sings the melody most often associated with "When The Saints Go Marching In" and has a few different verses than are commonly heard today. The opening makes me wonder if he was ever a preacher; he certainly delivers the spoken introduction in a fine style, and very convincingly. SPOKEN: Now I wants all you church members to get right! I want you all to be just like the saints, when you all come marching home. REFRAIN: When the saints go marching home Oh, when the saints go marching home Good Lord, I wants to be in that number Oh, when the saints go marching home I had a loving mother Now she's gone on before And I promised the Lord that I would meet her That's when the saints go marching home And when the sun refuse to shine And when the sun refuse to shine Oh Lord, I wants to be in that number Oh, when the sun refuse to shine And when the moon drips away in blood And when the moon drips away in blood Oh Lord, I wants to be in that number When the moon drips away in blood I had a loving father Now he's gone on before And I promised the Lord that I would meet him That's when the saints go marching home REFRAIN: And when the saints go marching home When the saints go marching home Lord, I wants to be in that number When the saints go marching home Good Lord, I had a loving brother Now he's gone on before And I promised the Lord that I would meet him That's when the saints go marching home REFRAIN: And when the saints go marching home When the saints go marching home Good Lord, I wants to be in that number When the saints go marching home Gonna meet my mother at the judgement bar Gonna meet my mother at the judgement bar 'Cause I'm gonna be all in that number That's when the saints go marching home All best, Johnm Hi all,
Bo Weavil Jackson/Sam Butler recorded "Why Do You Moan?" backing himself out of C position in standard tuning. Taken in the context of his entire recorded repertoire, the song is certainly an oddity. It sounds like it might have origins in the Classic Blues tradition or simply Tin Pan Alley. It does not have one of Jackson's wilder accompaniments, but he nonetheless manages to work up an impressive head of steam as the song goes along. I feel pretty good about these lyrics, but I generally screw up somewhere, so I would appreciate corroboration/correction for any of the bent bracketed passages. I feel bad, always sad, troubles, troubles drivin' me mad Good old days of long ago, long ago, to come no more That's the reason why you hear me weep and moan Mmmmmm, mmmmmmmm, Lawd Lawdy How my heart aches, soon it will break I'm almost through, what will I do? Lord, the reason why you hear me weep and moan My Mama's dead, my Daddy, too, That's the reason why, got these weepin', moanin' blues So many days, stoled away and cried, I have been mistreated, I can't be satisfied Lord, the reason why you hear me weep and moan Mmmmmmm, mmmmmmmmm, Lawd, Lawd, Lawdy How my heart aches, soon it will break I'm almost through, what will I do? Lord, the reason why you hear me weep and moan I ain't got no friends, I ain't got no home And there's no place, mama, I can call my home Good old days, long ago, long ago to come no more Lord, the reason why you hear me moan these blues Mmmmmmmm, mmmmmmmmm, mmmmmmm How my heart aches, soon it will break I'm almost through, what will I do? Lord, the reason why you hear me moan these blues Mmmmmmmm, mmmmmmmmm. mmmmmmm How my heart aches, soon it'll break I'm almost through, what will I do? Lord, the reason why you hear me moan these blues I mean the blues Edited 11/22 to pick up corrections from banjochris and uncle bud All best, Johnm |