Topic: Ralph Willis Lyrics

[Johnm]

Thanks very much for the help, Gordon! I'm going to go with that.

[Blues Vintage]

Ralph is the fastest singer I ever heard.

1.1 now she's got big head  -big headed-, she won't -wouldn't- come, never day, Lord, I


4.1 "say" makes more sense but I hear "see"  something (not sure on something) is bad to see (I don't know what had there originally, John)

[Johnm]

That's a great catch on "big-headed", Blues Vintage, and I have made that change. I'm going to stick with "that's" and "say" in verse four. As you say, "say" makes more sense than "see", and I think Ralph Willis may have closed his mouth at the end of "say"winding up with a "sayee" sound.

You're sure right about Ralph Willis singing his lyrics very rapidly. Other notable fast enunciators would be Louis Hayes ("Jellybelly" of Guitar Slim and Jellybelly) and Dan Pickett, who would give Ralph Willis a run for his money. Listen to "99-And-A-Half Won't Do".

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Ralph Willis recorded "Boar Hog Blues" at his June 8, 1948 session in New York City, accompanying himself out of E position in standard tuning and working much of the same territory as he had previously covered in "Just A Note". He really did some terrific guitar playing. The song has unusually frank lyrics, and its mood of happy celebratory lust is not often expressed so explicitly in recorded blues lyrics (though I expect it was much more often encountered in performance). Here is "Boar Hog Blues":



INTRO SOLO

I want you to tell me, tell me, mama, how you want your rollin' done
I want you to tell me, tell me, mama, how you want your rollin' done
I want your back to the ground, and your bellyward to the sun

You got those great big old legs, Lord, I love to look at your thigh
Yeah, you got those great big old legs, Lord, I love to look at your thigh
Well, you got something in the middle, gal, that, works like a boar hog's eye

Well, you got a little something, mama, Lord, I call my grindin' mill
Yeah, you done and got yourself something, Lord, I call my grindin' mill
Lord, when I get near you, gal, I, swear I just can't keep still (Spoken: Play it light for me now!)

SOLO

Well, I'm goin' down in Georgia, way behind the risin' sun
Yes, I'm goin' down in Georgia, way behind the risin' sun
Well, I'm gonna ask the good Lord, "What have I done was wrong?"

You still have them great big leg, gal, Lord, I love to look at your thigh
You still have them great big old leg, Lord, I love to look at your thigh
You got something up the middle, gal, that I, love until the day I die

CODA

Edited 5/13 to pick up correction from Blues Vintage
Edited 5/14 to pick up correction from Blues Vintage, waxwing

All best,
Johnm



 

[Blues Vintage]

My input

1.3 and your belly wall to the sun belly 'wards the sun

2.3 works like a boar hog's eye    possibly winks like a boar hog's eye        it sounds more like "works" to me but not 100 % sure.

5.3  You got something in up the middle

[Johnm]

Hi Blues Vintage,
Thanks for the suggestions. I'm leaving verses one and two as they are. I agree that in the last verse it is "up" the middle and have made that change.

[waxwing]

My input

1.3 and your belly wall to the sun belly 'wards the sun

2.3 works like a boar hog's eye    possibly winks like a boar hog's eye        it sounds more like "works" to me but not 100 % sure.

5.3  You got something in up the middle

I agree with you on 1.3. He pronounces " 'wards" as two syllables, " 'war-reds" with no "to" after it. In fact the singer hardly ever sings "to" as if he were singing in Standard American English. In 2.1 and 2.2 he sings "Lord, I love 'a look at your thigh" It's really a schwa sound (uh) but I can't find the upside down e symbol I saved. This elocution is pretty common in AAVE but not so much in SAE.

Wax

[Johnm]

I re-listened, and agree that Ralph Willis sang "ward" in the tagline of the first verse (not "'wards" since no "s" was on the tail end of the word). I have made that change. Ralph Willis does actually pronounce "t" in all of those "to" places in the transcription, but they're really quick and end up sounding like "tuh". I'm going to leave them as is. Thanks for the help, Blues Vintage and waxwing.