Topic: Roosevelt Sykes Lyrics

[doctorpep]

I'm just wondering what in the world Sykes is singing in what I believe is the second verse of this song. At first listen, it sounded like he was saying, excuse my language, "f-ing my woman's c*%$". I'm now convinced he must be singing "sucking my woman's tongue", but the noun at the end of the phrase doesn't quite sound like "tongue". The rest of the lyrics to the song are fairly easy to make out. On a related note, I wonder who played guitar on the song. At first, it sounded like Tampa Red to me, but ten seconds later, I realized I was totally unfamiliar with whoever the guitar player was. Any information on either one of these facets of "Jet Black Snake" would be much appreciated! Thank you!

[CF]

That's Kokomo Arnold on guitar . . . will have to find the song to help you with the lyric though . . .

[banjochris]

You're right about the "sucking my sweet woman's tongue." Bo Carter's "Blue Runner Blues" uses the same image. I seem to remember in the liner notes to the Yazoo "Banana in Your Fruit Basket" album something about a folk belief that snakes would suck on baby's tongues. Don't remember why. It's a weird image, and honestly as a double entendre it would make more sense the other way around, if you see what I mean.
Chris

[doctorpep]

Thanks! I can't believe I didn't recognize Kokomo Arnold! I understand what you mean about how it'd work better if it were the other way around, BanjoChris haha.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Bunker Hill started this thread on an interesting topic some time ago, and it has been a while since any lyrics were posted here.  I transcribed the Roosevelt Sykes song, "Conjur Man Blues", from the very strong JSP set, "The Paramount Masters", a while ago, and it fits squarely in this topic.  It is a very eerie performance and set of lyrics.

 

   It was late last night, just between nine and 10.
   It was late last night, just between nine and ten
   I was on my way home, I met a conjur man

   On his left hand, he had on a rubber glove
   On his left hand, he had on a rubber glove
   He says, "I want to tell you something about the one you love."

   He said, "She wears your name in the bottom of her left shoe."
   He said, "She wears your name in the bottom of her left shoe.
   And this Friday is right, he been filling another hoodoo

   SOLO

   He says, "I can tell you something, really need to be knowin'."
   He says, "I can tell you something, really, really need to be knowin'
   If you just only tell me, what year was you born?"

   He said, "Don't you get mad with her, don't care what she do.
   Don't you get mad with her, don't care what she do.
   "I'm gonna give you something, gonna be good enough to you."

All best,
Johnm

   

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Yet another great performance on "Twenty First St. Stomp--The Piano Blues of St. Louis" is Roosevelt Sykes' rendition of "Drinkin' Woman Blues".  I guess it falls into the category of "sing, paint, write, whatever, about what you know".



When you got a woman friendly, and she don't understand
When you've got a woman friendly, and you see that she don't understand
She'll take two, three drinks of whiskey, and she will fall for any man

She will drink her whiskey, she will dance all night long, too
She will drink at her whiskey, she will dance all night long, too
She will take a car ride with your buddy just as quick as she would with you

SOLO

Lord, when he brings her back, partner, she will dance right on
Lord, when he brings her back, partner, she will dance right on
And the first man offer another drink of whiskey, that's the first man who can take her home

Oh, and a workin' man, workin' man don't need that kind of a gal
Oh, and a workin' man, a workin' man don't need that kind of a gal
She comes in all hours of night, smellin' just like a whiskey barrel

She needs a hustlin' man who ain't got nothin' to do
Oh, she needs a hustlin' man who ain't got nothin' to do
When she comes in drunk, partner, he will come in drunk, too

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I merged a couple of earlier discussions of Roosevelt Sykes lyrics with the recent thread on "Drinkin' Woman Blues" to make a Roosevelt Sykes Lyrics thread.
All best,
Johnm

[cru423]

Speaking of "between 9 and 10" from "Conjur Man", it reminded me of a "half-past nine" of a similar song. "3-6-9" is slang for "B.S.".



Three Six and Nine

Well hello-a-there old girl, you sure look fine
All I hate you for that three six and nine

In the morn I look for you down about half past nine
And I want you to bring along that gal of mine

You know, down here where you get your steak, taters, and tea
If you act right you get your gravy free

(solo)

Well you is alright and good old kid
But you ain't the gal a man should be worried with

You fine kid you believe in your big time
But there ain't one thing about you, you fool with that 3-6 and 9

Now shake it, honey...

Hey who was that guy you had with you last night?
Fine old boy and he was tight

He was dressed fine
But I wonder was he a fool of that 3-6 and 9?

   

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Roosevelt Sykes did a spoken number with instrumental accompaniment, "You So Dumb", backing himself in F.  Sykes sounds quite the hipster here.  His piano playing is magnificently irregular in its phrasing, though perfectly clean, and would probably require an identical sense of phrasing/rhythm to reproduce.  I'd appreciate help with the bent bracketed portion of the lyrics.  Here is his recording of the song:



Ha, ha ha, awwww, sho!  You know one thing I hate:  I think we be all right but my boy friend's so dumb.  He can't catch a hen for nothin'.  Everything I got to just come out and tell 'im, or call 'im off to hisself.  Somebody can be talkin' about 'im but he won't, he can't catch it.  Not less'n they call his name.  One thing about it, I'm a sheik in this town.  I know how to make the girl chillens--all you got to do is fool 'em, tell 'em you gonna marry 'em.  They fall for that stuff, do it every time.  You don't b'lieve it, just try my prank.  Willie Kelly ain't never known to tell a lie.  Here's what the girls like.  It's got so around here I just can't be myself.  But I ain't rough, though.  All the old people don't like me so much, on account I be 'round their little girls, they call 'em right in, too.  You can tell when I'm around, they gonna call them little girls in.  Ah, push on it!  Let's have one more time.  She don't send her girls in on account of my boy friend, I thought they was gonna laugh at him, they can play with 'im all day long because they know he's dumb.  He just as soon as eat a gang of salt for sugar.  Uh, he don't seems to know no better!  Now let's mess around some.  Oh, my boy friend's so dumb!  Well, I'll tell you, take my egvice, and good-bye.

Edited 7/23 to pick up corrections from dj and Johnm
Edited 7/23 to pick up corrections from banjochris
All best,
Johnm   

[dj]

It sounds to me like the phrase in brackets is " I thought it will never end them puttin' him all day long", though I have to admit I have trouble making sense of that.  Is Sykes making a joke, saying the prostitutes never get sent into his room because they're always with his friend?  Or am I just totally mishearing the phrase?

[Johnm]

Thanks very much for the help, dj, you definitely put me back on the right track.  I think Sykes is saying, "they can play with 'im all day long because they know he's dumb.", which is to say, I guess, tease him, tell jokes at his expense, etc.  I remember Willie "61" Blackwell having a song where he talks about his "friend boy", though which of his songs it was is not coming right to mind.  I appreciate the help, especially because I think a lot of these talking songs are really interesting, and they tend to be neglected.  Thanks!
All best,
Johnm

[banjochris]

The bit before "they can play with 'im all day long because they know he's dumb," which I think is right, John, sounds to me like it might be "I thought if they would laugh at him" or something like that. Just from Sykes' voice, I would guess that this recording has been slowed down quite a bit. This video sounds like it's closer to the right speed:

[Johnm]

Thanks for the help, Chris.  I do believe the front end of that line is,
   I thought they was gonna laugh at him
I'll make the correction.  Thanks!
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Roosevelt Sykes can be found on the JSP set, "I've Got The Blues, But I'm Too Damn Mean To Cry", performing "Trouble And Whiskey" with the backing of Sid Catlett on drums.  Everything Roosevelt Sykes does in this performance is delivered with such authority!  Here is "Trouble And Whiskey":



INTRO

If the blues was whiskey, and trouble was a bottle of gin
If the blues was whiskey, and trouble was a bottle of gin
I would buy me a .38 Special, and that's where trouble would begin

I'm going to stop work, baby, and ramble from town to town
I'm gonna stop work, kind mama, and ramble from town to town
Because workin' ain't nothin' but a habit, and I believe I'll lay it down

Did you ever sit and wonder, what step must you take?
Did you ever sit and wonder, what step must you take?
If you can't be with the one you love, you just as soon jump in the lake

Soon, soon, kind mama, soon I'm gonna get my break
Soon, soon, kind mama, very soon I'll get my break
Hey, I found out you don't mean me no good, you ain't nothin' but a fake

Don't get so good to me now, baby, because you have waited too late
Don't get so nice to me now, baby, because you have waited too late
All of your efforts, mama, is in vain, somebody else is ridin' your freight.

All best,
Johnm   

[Blues Vintage]

February 20, 1936, New York City; Roosevelt Sykes, voc, p; Kokomo Arnold, g


Looka here pretty mama says I ain't got no home
Looka here pretty mama I really ain't got no home
Will you let me drip my honey baby in your honeycomb

So I'm your boss mama and you?s my Queen
Says I'm your boss and you know that you?s my Queen Bee
Don't you let nobody fool with your honeycomb but me

Do you realize you's a good girl to have around
Do you realize mama you's a good girl to have around
You knows exactly how to bring my honey down

So from now on baby I will never let you be
So from now on I will never let you be
'Cause I'll tell the world that you is alright with me

Looka here mama I'm going off but I ain't going far from home
Looka here pretty mama I'm going off but I ain't going far from home
I'm gonna hurry right back so I can drip some more honey in your honeycomb.

Edit -with help from John Miller and RichardW

[Johnm]

Hi Harry,
Thanks for posting this song.  Was it originally released as a Kokomo Arnold record with Roosevelt Sykes doing the vocal?  If so, that's pretty unusual.  I'm hearing a couple of things in the lyrics slightly differently:

2.1 So I'm your boss, mama, and YOU'S my queen
2.2 Says, I'm your boss, and you know that YOU'S my queen bee

3.1 Do you realize, YOU'S A good girl to have around?
3.2 Do you realize, mama, YOU'S a good girl to have around?
3.3 You KNOWS exactly how to bring my honey down

4.3 'Cause I'LL tell the world that you is alright with me

5.1 Look-a here, mama, I'm goin' OFF, but I ain't goin' far from home
5.2 Look-a here, pretty mama, I'm goin' OFF, but I ain't goin' far from home
5.3 I'm gonna hurry right back, SOME, AND drip some more honey in your honeycomb

All best,
Johnm

[Blues Vintage]

Thanks John. But I don't hear the "AND" in 5.3.

It's on Document Records, Komomo Arnold Vol. 2 and Roosevelt Sykes Vol. 4.  It was released on Decca as a Sykes record.

But I noticed that on the Sykes version (video below) it's in the key of F. But on the Arnold version it's slighty off pitch.
Sykes version runs 2.42. Arnold version runs 2.46. It's the same song I'm sure, no alternative takes so I guess something was either speed up or slowed down.
A lot of blues piano players, myself included, played songs in F so I guess the Sykes version is accurate. I'm not very familiar with Arnold's playing so I don't know if he played a lot of songs in F.

[Johnm]

Hi Harry,
I re-listened to that 5.3 line, and it was not right what I had. I'm pretty sure now that he sang:

I'm gonna hurry right back, so I CAN CONSUME MORE honey in your honeycomb

Kokomo Arnold was playing Vestapol, so playing in F would not pose a problem.
All best,
Johnm

[Blues Vintage]

I think it's this John;

I'm gonna hurry right back so I CAN DRIP SOME MORE honey in your honeycomb.

[Johnm]

Yes, you've got it, Harry.  I re-listened, and the performance changed overnight (not!).  Sometimes I'm baffled by what I thought I heard when I re-listen later.
All best,
Johnm

[alyoung]

Hi Harry,
Thanks for posting this song.  Was it originally released as a Kokomo Arnold record with Roosevelt Sykes doing the vocal?  If so, that's pretty unusual.
Johnm

Honey Dripper is on Document's Kokomo Arnold Vol 2 (DOCD-5038), but it's a Roosevelt Sykes issue (Decca 7164). It's Sykes first recording of a song that became his theme tune, and the artist credit on it is to The Honey Dripper (Roosevelt Sykes). Kokomo is simply the accompanist. BUT just to make life interesting, the Decca 7164 label says in the small print above the title: "Vocal Blues with/ Piano & Guitar/ Vocal Blues/ by Kokomo Arnold" Which is confusing, to say the least. But I suspect the second "Vocal Blues" isn't supposed to be there. The words are over four lines, and I think they were supposed to be three lines saying "Vocal Blues with/Piano & Guitar by Kokomo Arnold".

[RichardW]

On the Honey Dripper, the last line of the second verse is:

don't you let nobody fool with your honeycomb but me

[Blues Vintage]

Thanks Richard. I think you finished the song now.

[RichardW]

Cheers Harry - just been learning the lyrics to sing with friends, and your efforts have been a good time saver - thanks! :-)

[Blues Vintage]

Cheers Harry - just been learning the lyrics to sing with friends, and your efforts have been a good time saver - thanks! :-)

I saw it on Youtube, sounds good.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Volume 1 of the recently released 2-disc set "Ann Arbor Blues Festival--1969" opens with Roosevelt Sykes performing "Dirty Mother For You".  I was at the festival, and have always remembered how much I enjoyed his performance of this song, and hearing it again, I can tell you my memory of it did not exaggerate how great his performance of it was.  The spoken intro alone is worth the price of admission, but his playing is so terrific, with such heavy time, and his singing, wow!  He had a voice like a horn, and he delivers the song with such panache and excitement, it is really a treat.  I just checked and this particular performance of the song was put up on youtube two months ago, so here it is:



SPOKEN INTRODUCTION:  Oh yeah!  Now ladies and gentlemans, this is one of my own compositions here, fixin' to do now.  Some people call it suggestive, some call it smutty, some say it's corruptible.  But I recorded this tune in nineteen-thirty-four on the Decca Record, and it passed the censors.  Actually, I have no control of your thoughts.  But I'm sayin' the title of the song is "Dirty Mother For You".  Listen to the words so you won't get the wrong understandin'.  Actually what I'm sayin' is "dirty mother for you, don't you know".

INTRO

Squeeze me tight, don't let me fall, put my mule a-kickin' in your stall, it's gon' be a
REFRAIN: Kickin' mother for you, don't you know.  Gon' be a jumpin' mother for you, don't you know
It's gon' be a kickin' mother for you, and I would not tell a-you no lie

Now, I'm crazy 'bout that gal, now, and that's a fact.  I'm gon' raise some sand if she don't take me back, I'm a
REFRAIN: Dang'ous mother for you, don't you know.  A tricky mother for you, don't you know
And I could be a dirty mother for you, and I wouldn't tell a-you no lie (Spoken: Mercy!)

Now, there was a blind man by the name of Del.  Now he couldn't see, but he really could smell
A fishman passed his house the other day.  He thought it was a gal, hollered, "Hey!  I'm goin' your way!"
REFRAIN: A smellin' mother for you, don't you know.  He was a smellin' mother for you
A very close-smellin' mother for you, and I would not tell a-you no lie

Now mama, I got a hot dog, and it ain't cold, it's just right to fit your roll, it's a
REFRAIN: Fittin' mother for you, don't you.  It's gon' be a tight
It's a fittin' mother for you, and I would not tell a-you no lie (Spoken: Mercy!  Let it ride now!)

SOLO (Spoken: Mercy, mercy!  Go 'round!  Yeah, fine)

Now when a man's chin get hairy, you know he need a shave, get kind of musty, you know he needs a bathe
REFRAIN: A stinkin' mother for you, don't you know.  A b.o. mother for you, don't you know
He's a stinkin' mother for you, and I would not tell a-you no lie

Now I don't want the gal no more, I'll tell you the reason why: She filled my pants full of Red Devil Lye, I was a
REFRAIN: Burnin' mother for you, I was a hot mother for you, don't you
I was a mis'able mother for you, and I would not tell a-you no lie (Spoken: Mercy!)

Now there sits a man look like he's sour lemons, got a mouth like a 'possum, look like he been eatin' persimmons
REFRAIN: Persimmon-eatin' mother for you, don't you, a persimmon-eatin' mother for you
He's a persimmon-eatin' mother for you, and I would not tell a-you no lie (Spoken: Mercy!)

Sittin' in a man's house, I was just teasin' with his wife, he made a pass at me like he want to take my life
Ice was on the ground, six feet deep, I land on my yas-yas-yas instead of my feet, I was a
REFRAIN: Slidin' mother for you, a skatin' mother for you, don't you
And I was a scared mother for you, wouldn't tell you no lie

All best,
Johnm





   
     

[Johnm]

Hi all,
This recording of Roosevelt Sykes doing "Poor Boy Blues" was just posted on youtube. It was recorded in Chicago, on November 16, 1929, and on the cut, Sykes is accompanied by himself on piano, playing in F, with Harry Johnson on guitar, a player unfamiliar to me, working out of D position in standard tuning. I know that Roosevelt Sykes loved to phrase his vocals in front of the beat, but on this song he is so far ahead of the beat sometimes that he sounds like either he was not accompanying himself or he was a musical novice and didn't know when to come in with the next phrase, neither of which was the case. Phrasing is such a matter of personal feel, I reckon. I'd very much appreciate help with the bent bracketed portion of the tagline of the second verse. Here is "Poor Boy Blues":



INTRO

Lord, I'm a poor boy, I'm goin' to and fro
Lord, I'm a poor boy, I'm goin' to and fro
What's on my mind, don't nobody know

SPOKEN: What' on my mind, partner, you really don't know. It only keep them watchin' me, wonderin' what that old boy's gonna think about, I'm not gon' tell you. And even if you were watchin' me, you ain't gonna know that I can tell you, and that's the reason why I ain't gonna tell you. Yes, sir.

Lord, I am disgusted, and heartbroken, too
Lord, I am disgusted, heartbroken, too
Lord, without you, mama, nothin' else I can do

SOLO (Spoken during solo: I'm-a really is a poor boy. I can play about a few of my friendboy around here. Yes, sir.

Poor boy, poor boy, ain't got no friends at all
Poor boy, poor boy, ain't got no friends at all
Lord, I'm just like a rat, runnin from stall to store

Dear 'ord, have mercy on me, please
Dear Lord, have mercy on me, please
Lord, I just wants you, give this poor boy's heart some ease

CODA

Edited 2/8 to pick up corrections from Harry

All best,
Johnm


 

[Blues Vintage]

Some suggestions but I find it very difficult to hear. Although I think Sykes was a terrific singer.

Sounds like "mama" in 2.3

3.3 Could be stall to store

4.3 Lord, I just wants you, hear this poor boy's heart from me give this poor boy's heart some ease

[Johnm]

Thanks very much for your suggestions, Harry, they were all right on the money, and I have made the changes. In 2.3 I figured out that preceding "mama" was "without you" rather than "with a few", which I previously had. Thanks!

[Blues Vintage]

Jet Black Snake


I posted both the Sykes and Arnold (slower) version from Document Records. It’s exactly the same song. I’m not sure which version runs at the accurate speed.
My guess is that the Sykes version runs at the correct speed (key of F). It also sounds more natural to my ears.


Roosevelt Sykes – Vocals, Piano
Kokomo Arnold – Guitar

New York City, New York
February 18, 1936

Piano in F








It’s a jet black snake that caused me to be blue today
It’s a jet black snake that caused me to be blue today
It’s a jet black snake that stole my sweet woman away

So now I ain’t got nothing for a jet black snake to do
Lord I ain’t got nothing for a jet black snake to do
He will poison your woman and she won’t have no more love for you

Jet black snake what have you got and what in the world have you done
Jet black snake what have you got and what in the world have you done
I believe you have done more than suckin’ my sweet woman’s tongue

That jet black snake done something that no one else hasn’t ever done before
That jet black snake done something that no one else hasn’t been able to do before
He made my woman tell me she really couldn’t use me no more

[Thomas8]

Definitely Sykes'

[dj]

Both of the Sykes/Arnold videos are taken from Decca master 60505-A, issued on Decca 7188.  Since Johnny Parth mostly worked from tapes sent to him by collectors for his Document reissues, any speed difference is presumably due to the equipment used to tape the versions sent to Parth or to differences in the tapes themselves.

[Blues Vintage]

I really appreciate what Document Records is doing or has done preserving this great music.
But I find myself seeking out songs on other labels cause these speed errors are all over the place at this company.
I'm listening to a particular song such as this one and thinking the key of this song just can't be right.
Yazoo records seems a lot more reliable on this issue. Even JSP Records.

[dj]

Yes, the Document CDs leave a lot to be desired.  But, as someone who wrote a lot of the liner notes for those CDs once told me, Parth wanted to get as much as possible of what was in DGR out on the market and available, and felt that issuing whatever he could get from collectors and not worrying too much about finding the best existing copies or laboriously mastering everything from the original 78s was the only way to do that.  Every day I wish that the Documents had better sound, but every day I thank Mr. Parth for at least getting the music out there.

[Blues Vintage]

Lost All I Had Blues


Roosevelt Sykes – Vocals, Piano
Harry Johnson – Guitar

November 16, 1929
Chicago, Illinois

Piano in C





INTRO

I woke up this morning, thousand different things on my mind
I woke up this morning, thousand things on my mind
Lord, I thought about my trouble, could not keep from crying

I turned around, looked toward the sky
Lord, I turned around, looked toward the sky
I said, if these blues don't kill me, people, I wasn't born to die

I lost all I had, everything I had to lose
I lost all I had, everything I had to lose
I lost the one that I love, I just can't lose these blues

GUITAR/PIANO SOLO

(SPOKEN: You know it’s tough to lose everything you got, and lose the one you love too,
boy you know I got the blues, when I done lost everything I had to lose)

And if I stay here, I'll be blue all the time
Now and if I stay here, I'll be blue all the time
If I don't go crazy, then I will lose my mind

PIANO SOLO

(SPOKEN: Boy I b’lieve I’ll just about go home and kill my wife alive, yes sir ‘cause she come bringin’ me up that old jive, and I better not go home, and catch her all stickin’ up in some old dive)

[Johnm]

Thanks for posting that, Harry. Is anything known about Harry Johnson? He's not familiar to me, either by name or by sound. He apparently hadn't figured out how to play with a piano and be heard, like Scrapper Blackwell. Interesting to hear Roosevelt Sykes phrasing short everywhere, too.
All best,
Johnm

[Blues Vintage]

Curley Weaver played with a Harry Johnson in the 40s and early 50s according to Bruce Bastin's "Red River Blues".
It might be an alias as Sykes recorded under Dobby Bragg, Willie Kelly and Easy Papa Johnson around this time.

But yes, he sounds totally lost in the progression at times.

[banjochris]

Looking in B&GR, on the same session as the Sykes tune here with Harry Johnson, James "Stump" Johnson was in the studio that day, also making records with a Harry Johnson on guitar and violin. Maybe not a huge stretch to thing he was a relative of Stump's – those are his only credits in B&GR. Aurally he sounds a little bit to me like Lawrence Casey, who plays guitar on Henry Brown's "Stomp 'Em on Down to the Bricks" – not suggesting they're the same person, just a similar style.
Chriss

[dj]

Kevin Belford's Devil At The Confluence, our best current source of information for St Louis blues, has the following:

"There was a Harry Johnson listed playing guitar for Roosevelt Sykes and for Stump Johnson in 1929.  And although there was a Harry Johnson who was Jesse and Stump's brother, this cannot be him, since the third Johnson brother was not involved in music."

Still...  Maybe he was an amateur whose brothers gave him one shot in the studio?  Or maybe a cousin?

And yet another aside:  Jesse Johnson is listed as the performer of I Wish I Had Died In Egypt Land, parts 1 & 2, recorded 2 1/2 months before Lost All I Had Blues.  It's been said that Jesse can't be the performer because he was never a stage performer.  But the vocal on I Wish I Had Died In Egypt Land, indeed the whole feel of the record, has the feel of a "non-musician" having a bit of fun.  Maybe Jesse had his chance to have some fun in the studio and the family decided Harry deserved a chance, too.

[banjochris]

That sounds plausible to me, dj – and despite Harry Johnson not being an uncommon name, that would be quite a coincidence if it weren't him. "Not involved in music" doesn't necessarily mean he didn't play, and that guitar backup isn't particularly expert-sounding (although it's not bad).
Chris