My songs ain't writ on papuh... them words, they just come to me while I sing. That's a true God-given talent I was borned with. Only real blues singers like me can make songs on the spot. No mutha's gonna teach you that - Guitar Gabriel, PTCBW 1995 in a semisober moment responding to a naïve student who asked "where ideas for his songs come from?"
Does anyone know what John hurt is saying in the Rainbow Quest video of Spike Driver after his first vocal line? He is speaking - I can only make out a few few words,,"first thing" and something like "John Henry's hammer" at the end.
Hi all, John Hurt recorded "Blind Man Sit In the Way and Cried" at his sessions for the Library of Congress in July of 1963, and I don't know if he ever recorded it again. It is a lovely and mysterious song, and he plays it thumb lead out of G position in standard tuning (tuned quite low--he sounds around Eb). Part of the mystery of the song has to do with its title, for John Hurt sings, "Blind man sat on the road and cried" from beginning to end in his rendition. I don't know if the title the song is listed under was given by John Hurt to Joe Hickerson and Dick Spottswood, or if someone else just gave it that title. John Hurt hums the tail end of his last verse. There's something about the rendition that makes it seem possible that John Hurt barely remembered the song.
SOLO
Blind man sat on the road and cried Blind man sat on the road and cried Cried, "Oh Lord, save my soul. I wants to go to Heaven when I die."
SOLO
Oh, the blind man sat on the road and cried Blind man sat on the road and cried Cried, "Oh Lord, save my soul." Blind man sat on the road ----
SOLO
Lord, Lord, save my soul Lord, Lord, save my soul (Guitar finishes verse)
Well, the blind man sat on the road and cried Well, the blind mmmmmmmm Mmmmmmmm
All best, Johnm
« Last Edit: July 16, 2020, 09:40:45 AM by Johnm »
That low tuning and thumb-lead style sounds a lot like something Elizabeth Cotten would play! He's tuned low for a lot of the Library of Congress recordings, if I remember rightly.
Thank you for posting that, Bruce. It's a beautiful rendition, and I am woefully ignorant of the Gospel Quartet tradition, so it's good to hear some of it. I agree with you, Chris, about John Hurt's playing on "Blind Man Sit In the Way and Cried" being very much akin to Libba Cotten's thumb lead playing. It goes right along with "Ain't Got No Honey Baby Now" and "Mama, Nobody's Here But the Baby". All best, Johnm
Thanks so much for that, Bruce. I actually recorded "Milky White Way" on my "This Old Hammer" CD. I learned it from Connie Williams, whom I suspect learned it from the Trumpeteers. His version also had the "well, well, well, well" interjections, though he did a bit more with the harmony than the Trumpeteers did. I know that the Soul Stirrers recorded it, too, when Sam Cooke was singing with them. It's a small world sometimes. All best, Johnm
Not sure how many time he recorded this but below is a set of lyrics from the duet recorded when he was finally located and then one verse that shows up in the LoC version.
Will you be faithful to me? Is your heart good and true? Whilst in sorrow and in pain, Darling, I'm waiting for you.
Because of your cruel young ways, I may never live to know. In justice to my true love, I'll forgive you before I go.
My heart beat would quicken My care would all fly away If you would kindly let me know That you would welcome me today
Because of your cruel young ways, I may never live to know. In justice to my true love, I'll forgive you before I go.
When at leisure my darling Let your thoughts drift to me whilst I am parted from you happiness I never will see
Because of your cruel young ways, I may never live to know. In justice to my true love, I'll forgive you before I go.
If we cannot meet again Till our troubles all are through, Beyond the river of Jordan, I'll still be waiting for you.
Because of your cruel young ways, I may never live to know. In justice to my true love, I'll forgive you before I go.
When you see my grassy mound, Then our trouble's all through. My days have been shortened Whilst I've been waiting for you.
Because of your cruel young ways, I may never live to know. In justice to my true love, I'll forgive you before I go.
. . . unhappy and gloomy downhearted lonesome and sad and you will lie in wait for me Your heart it will be glad
Because of your cruel young ways, I may never live to know. In justice to my true love, I'll forgive you before I go.
The days are dreary the nights are so long with the heartache for you I'm singing this sad song
Because of your cruel young ways, I may never live to know. In justice to my true love, I'll forgive you before I go.
This appears in the LoC recording but not the Discovery version:
If I had a path to glory and it did not read for two I would trade it all dear darling and stay on earth with you
Hi all, Apropos of Willie Poor Boy's "First Blues-notable examples" thread, here is John Hurt's first song, according to him: "Joe Turner". This version is from his Library of Congress recordings. He played it out of G position in standard tuning and there are a surprising number of omitted downbeats in the bass in this version. He uses his guitar here to finish lines or verses almost as much as Herman E. Johnson did.
SPOKEN: First blues I ever heard was "Joe Turner".
SOLO
Oh, they tell me Joe Turner's in this town Tell me (guitar finishes line) Well, they tell me Joe Turner's in this town
SOLO
He's here to steal my high teasin' brown He's here to steal my high teasin' brown (Guitar finishes verse)
SOLO
He's a man I hate, I don't want him hangin' around He's a man I hate, don't want him hangin' around For he's here to steal my high teasin' brown
Well, they tell me Joe Turner's in this (guitar finishes verse)
SOLO
I drove Joe turner, I drove him from my door I drove Joe Turner (guitar finishes line) I drove Joe turner, drove him from my door
And I hope to God that he won't come back no more And I hope to God that he won't come back no more (Guitar finishes verse)
He's here to steal my high teasin' brown Here to steal my high teasin' brown (Guitar finishes verse)
All best, Johnm
« Last Edit: July 16, 2020, 09:41:41 AM by Johnm »
Supposedly, the "Joe Turner" song family had its origins with one Joe Turney, brother of Tennessee Governor Peter Turney. There's a fair amount of info on the web, but here's a link or two:
On the LoC recording Hurt apologizes for not knowing all the lyrics but assuring the engineer he still had the melody right.
He worked it up again as a guitar duet on the Last Sessions and below are the lyrics. It seems to contain a pretty fleshed out back story in these simple lines:
Good morning, Carrie x2
I heard you're going to marry x2
Oh, Carrie I love you x2
solo
Oh, Carrie was a minder (?) Well, Carrie was a minder
But a mighty good grinder x2
Good morning, Carrie x2
Solo
Good morning, Carrie x2
Yes, I heard you're going to marry Heard you're going to marry
« Last Edit: July 16, 2020, 09:43:01 AM by Johnm »
Hi all, Here are the lyrics that John Hurt sang to "Louis Collins" on his first Piedmont album, immediately following his re-discovery. He played the song out of C position in standard tuning.
INTRO SOLO
Collins weeped, Miz Collins moaned To see her son, Louis, leave his home The angels laid him away
REFRAIN: Angels laid him away They laid him six feet under the clay The angels laid him away
SOLO
Bob shot once, and Louis shot two Shot poor Collins, shot him through and through The angels laid him away
REFRAIN: Angels laid him away They laid him six feet under the clay The angels laid him away
SOLO
Kind friends, oh, ain't it hard To see poor Louis in a new graveyard? The angels laid him away
SOLO
All best, Johnm
« Last Edit: July 16, 2020, 09:43:55 AM by Johnm »