Topic: Robert Johnson lyrics

[DrySouthern]

This may be old news, but I think the disputed fifth verse in Johnson's "Deal" is this:



The camp's A, B, and C
Camp A, B, and C
It's camp A, B, and C, Good Lord
On that Gulfport Island Road

It has been printed as, "Let's camp, baby, and sing," but in the second line he clearly says "C" (or "see"), with no "-ng" sound at all.

[Blues Vintage]

from "robert Johnson the new transcriptions";

They count they pick and sing
count they pick and sing
let's count and pick and sing good lord
on that gulfport island road

[Alexei McDonald]

It sounds to me like he sings "It's camp A, B, and C" the first two lines and then "It's gal A, B and C" in the last.

[Prof Scratchy]

I've always thought this verse alludes to the previous verse in the song thus:

My captain's so mean on me
My captain's so mean on me
My captain's so mean on me, good lord
On this Gulfport Island Road

Captain, he can't see
Captain, he can't see
That captain, he can't see, good lord
On that Gulfport Island Road

[Parlor Picker]

I'm with Scratchy on this one.

[bird to whistle]

I always thought these weren't words, just sounds or nonsense syllables. Everything that has every been suggested seemed to me like a real stretch.

[LeftyStrat]

I know the transcription I have from the Columbia box which I believe was released in '90 shows and explains that verse as nonsense syllables, but perhaps studies coming afterwards may've made sense out of them.

My interest is piqued...   Any more ideas?

[uncle bud]

I don't know what the line is in the 5th verse, but seems to me that in the third repeat of the line, Johnson pretty clearly sings "and sing" to me.

[dj]

...the Columbia box ... shows and explains that verse as nonsense syllables...

I find it hard to believe that a musician as meticulous and well-prepared as Johnson seems to have been would have garbled a line three times in a row.  And it doesn't sound like scat singing to me.  Having said that, I have absolutely no idea what the line really is.  The closest approximation I can get is "That gal can play and sing".

[RB]

I haven't listened to this song for many years but I believe the railroad referred to in the song is 'The Gulf and Ship Island Railroad,' and I think Johnson sang as 'the Gulf, Ship Island road,' (or 'Gulf Ship Island line') I can't quite recall, so not 'Gulfport Island Road'.'

Now I've just listened to this and it sure sounds like he called that railroad the 'Gulfport Island road' as earlier transcribed by many, I guess.

Check me, please.

[Bill Roggensack]

The Gulf and Ship Island Railway ran from Gulfport MS to Jackson MS, and became part of the Illinois Central system in 1925. It is possible that "Gulfport Island Road" was a colloquial contraction, since Gulfport was the southern terminus. Most of the freight hauled was lumber.


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[banjochris]

The Gulf and Ship Island Railway ran from Gulfport MS to Jackson MS, and became part of the Illinois Central system in 1925. It is possible that "Gulfport Island Road" was a colloquial contraction, since Gulfport was the southern terminus. Most of the freight hauled was lumber.

I believe you're right about the colloquialism. In one of the verses, I think the last, Johnson signs "Gulf and Port Island Road," which sounds like a slip for the real name.

[dj]

I've come around to the view that the lines in question in verse five are "That gal, baby, can sing".

[LeftyStrat]

Listened to this today and still could make no sense of it. Not sure you could necessarily call it scat singing though, I'm just not putting it together as intelligible lyrics (yet).   Maybe the transcription I mentioned before is so embedded in my brain that I can't hear anything else.

Either that, or it'll be like some of the other tunes I've listened to for years and only recently have I been able to decipher what was actually being said. A couple of  Barbecue Bob and Charlie Patton tunes come to mind as examples.

[WayneS]

In "Stones in my Passway," Johnson sings:



I got three legs to truck on, boys, please don't block my road
I got three legs to truck on, boys, please don't block my road
I've been feelin' deceived by my rider, babe, I'm booked and I got to go

What does "three legs to truck on" refer to?  Only thing I could come up with is that maybe he is riding a lame mule or horse.

Got any ideas?

Wayne