Topic: Little Buddy Doyle Lyrics

[dj]

Hi, John.  According to Paul Oliver in the Policy Blues section of Screening The Blues, 3-6-9 was a number combination that signified "excreta both animal and human".  So to someone from 1939 familiar with policy plays, the line would be interpreted "Baby, I'm tired of you layin' out all night long, comin' in bringin' your s**t".

[Johnm]

Thanks for that information, dj.  It certainly makes sense that way in the context of the song.
All best,
Johnm

[dj]

Hi, John.  I finally got a chance to listen closely to the lyrics of "Three-Sixty-Nine Blues", and I have the following suggestions:

Baby, I'm tired of you layin' out all night long, comin' in bringin' your three SIX AN' nine
Baby, I'm tired of you layin' out all night long, comin' in bringin' me your three SIX AN' nine

Now it's no need to tryin' to keep me around here, baby, you's puttin' yourself TIGHT INTO my shed

You come in with a lot o' your three  SIX AND nine, and a whole list long of jive

[Johnm]

Thanks very much for those catches, dj.  I think they're right on the money, and I've made the changes.
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
"Slick Capers Blues" is the last remaining cut from Little Buddy Doyle's first session, with Walter Horton.  Buddy accompanied himself out of D position in standard tuning for the song, and he sounds as though he flat-picked his accompaniment, much as Memphis Willie B., who covered the song on one of his albums from the '60s, appeared to accompany himself from time to time.  Walter Horton plays very high-pitched on this song, and it sounds great, as though he was just squeezing the notes out.  Lyrically, the song is of the "You'll get yours one of these days" type, like Sam Collins' version of "It Won't Be Long".  Musically, the song is a chorus blues with a semi-stop time in the first four bars, very much in the "Shake 'Em On Down" mode.  Here is "Slick Capers Blues":



SOLO

You can call me crazy, you can call me nuts
Just keep on cuttin'  them old funny capers you cut
REFRAIN: Ah, your slick capers gon' get you tricked someday
Ah, your slick capers, mama, gon' get you tricked someday

Every time I come in, mama, standin' in your gown
Hair tangled up and your curtain all down
REFRAIN: Ah, your slick capers gon' get you tricked someday
Ah, your slick capers mama gon', gon' get you tricked someday

SOLO

Now, and the first thing I see, when I enter the door
Wet towel on the bed and a bowl of water on the floor
REFRAIN: Ah, your slick capers, mama, gon' get you tricked someday
Ah, your slick capers mama gon', gon' get you tricked someday

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
For "Sweet Man Blues", recorded at Little Buddy Doyle's second session, it sounds as though both guitarist are playing out of G position in standard tuning (though one could be in Spanish).  In this song, less space is accorded for the solos, and the lyrics dominate.  There's a place in the third verse that I would appreciate some help with.  Here is "Sweet Man Blues":



   Baby, I bought you shoes, I bought you clothes to wear
   Even sent you to the beauty shop, baby, so you could have wavy hair
   REFRAIN: But now tell me who, baby, gonna be your sweet man when I'm gone
   Baby, I don't see why that you want to treat your daddy wrong

   Now, you know I did for you, baby, I even missed doin' for myself
   Now you want to mistreat your sweet man for somebody else
   REFRAIN: But now tell me who, baby, gonna be your sweet man when I'm gone
   Baby, I don't see why that you want to treat your daddy wrong

   SOLO

   Now you know I was slippin', lookin' out for you, all through slim times and hard
   I been even takin' bad treatment, baby, tryin' to do my part
   REFRAIN: But now tell me who, baby, gonna be your sweet man when I'm gone
   Baby, I don't see why that you want to treat your daddy wrong

   Now, baby, you know you don't even have to worry, baby, even about the date we made
   You've got groceries in your kitchen, baby, house rent already paid
   REFRAIN: But now tell me who, baby, gonna be your sweet man when I'm gone
   Baby, I don't see why that you want to treat your daddy wrong

All best,
Johnm

[dj]

Hi, John. 

I think I'd stick with "all through slim times and hard".

[Johnm]

Thanks for giving it a listen, dj.  I will do as you suggest.
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
The one remaining Little Buddy Doyle track is "She's Got Good Dry Goods", a 12-bar chorus blues in the "Tight Like That" family.  Walter Horton (for I'm assuming he was the harmonica player on the sessions) really shines on the number, going different exciting places for each of his solos.  The two guitarists achieve some of the crazed momentum that Big Joe Williams and Henry Townsend had on "Somebody's Been Borrowing That Stuff", a musical locale that has not been visited nearly often enough to suit me.  Listening to this made me realize that I much prefer novelty material when it is wild and loose than when it is musicianly and meticulous.  The general feeling of going wide around every curve in the road is greatly added to by Little Buddy's vocal, for he is consistently short on the back end of the form coming out of the solo, making his vocal entrance two beats before his bandmates expect him to.  One of the results of his early vocal entry is that the front end of each of his verses is played over by the harmonica finishing his solo, making it pretty tough to catch the lyrics in that place.  I find the very first verse particularly hard to hear and make sense of, and would sure appreciate some help with it.  Little Buddy uses "customs" for "customers", and "custom" for serving customers.  Here is "Shhe's Got Good Dry Goods":



SOLO

Baby, I can't drag to and fro
She got good dry goods, everybody knows
REFRAIN: Oh, she got good dry goods, oh, she got good dry goods
Oh, she got good dry goods, mama, I wants to shop with you

SOLO

She got good customs, she treat 'em right
She's been a-custom, both in day and night
REFRAIN: Oh, she got good dry goods, oh, she got good dry goods
Oh, she got good dry goods, mama, I wants to shop with you

SOLO

All the boys were estimatin' the other day
How she keep so many custom, both night and day
REFRAIN: Because she got good dry goods, oh, she got good dry goods
Oh, you got good dry goods, mama, I wants to shop with you

SOLO

I've been spendin' around, all our dough
Headin for dry goods after so-and-so's
REFRAIN: Oh, she got good dry goods, oh, she got good dry goods
Oh, you got good dry goods, mama, I wants to shop with you

SOLO

People is coming from miles around
Because she estimate it has the best goods in town
REFRAIN: Oh, she got good dry goods, oh, she got good dry goods
She got good dry goods, mama, I wants to shop with you

Edited May 6 to pick up correction from Johnm

All best,
Johnm

[Gumbo]

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I have added links to performances of all of the songs in this thread.  If you've never heard or listened to Little Buddy Doyle before, you're in for a treat.  A couple of the duets are about as good as it ever got.  Enjoy!
All best,
Johnm