Hi all,
Bertha Henderson recorded "Terrible Murder Blues" at a session in Chicago in May of 1928, accompanied by Blind Blake, playing out of A position in standard tuning. Blake was recorded playing in A position in standard tuning just about as rarely as he was recorded playing in E position in standard tuning or Vestapol, but he seemed to excel in these keys or playing positions he seldom used (except perhaps E position). Here is "Terrible Murder Blues":



INTRO

REFRAIN: Aaaah, I can't stay here no more
Mmmm, I can't stay here no more
Done did murder, now I'm bound to go

I was walking down the street with a man named Sack, his woman took a dagger and stuck me in my back
Took my court at five, you ought to heard it wrote
Done killed that woman and can't stay here no more

REFRAIN: Mmmm, I can't stay here no more
Mmm-mmm, I can't stay here no more
Done did murder, now I'm bound to go

They done put bloodhounds on my track, and if they catch me, they'll take me back
Uh-uh, to the electric chair I'll go
Done killed that woman and can't stay here no more

REFRAIN: Mmmm, I can't stay here no more
Mmm-mmm, I can't stay here no more
Done did murder, now I'm bound to go

CODA

All best,
Johnm

In "Back Biting Bee Blues" I'm hearing "honeysuckle's" in the second verse, which makes more sense, metaphorically speaking, and is really grisly.

Hiya Weenies,
I have a talented student who is making great progress on a kay Mando that i got from Steve James, but she is really ready for something a lot more playable with a more versatile sound. She just got a nice graduation present for a mando and I am shocked by what folks are asking for older Collings. Anybody have anything that they are ready to part with?  Tell them I met Weenie myself.

Here's how I hear those Back Biting Bee verses:

1.3 It WAS my baby, that black BACK biting bee
(pretty confident this is WAS with the M of baby stuck to it, not WASN'T)

2.1 and 2.2 I hear VINE both times

3.1 RATHER have my head in ALCOHOL, my body on SOME railroad TRACK
3.2 Gonna have my head in ALCOHOL, my body on some railroad TRACK
3.3 THAN to have...

(I hear RATHER only on the first time through, then "gonna" on the repeat – "alcohol" clear to me both times)

4.3 ...SOME mule is kickin' in my stall

Chris

Thanks Chris, but I'm sticking with "Wasn't". Otherwise it sounds like "was-mm my baby", with the "mm" very distinct from "my", which makes no sense to me. I think I incorporated the rest of your suggestions.

OK, to get it more perfect, I hear "wall" not "walls" in that last verse.