Topic: Miller's Breakdown

[alyoung]

Brownie McGhee did "Life Is a Gamble" in B; he also had several other songs in that key -- he said during a tour of New Zealand that he did it at least partly to dispel the perception that he could play only in E. Robert Lockwood had a version of "Easy Rider" in B; he used the standard B7 as his root chord, but the rest of it used a lot of his standard Robert Johnson-ish licks in A, but moved up two frets. Which confused the hell out of this old picker -- hearing the up-the-neck stuff, I assumed he was in A with a clamp on the second fret. That worked fine, until I came back to the tonic, when it all turned to doo-doo. Once I cracked the B7 root chord and took the clamp off, it all came good.

[Johnm]

There's a Tarheel Slim tune, "Wildcat Tamer", earlier in this thread where he uses a B7 chord at the second fret as his "home" I chord, just as you describe Robert Lockwood Jr. as having done, Al.  It's a pretty neat sound.
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I have a couple of new puzzlers for those of you who are interested.  The first is by Washboard Walter, with John Byrd backing him on 12-string guitar, "Insurance Man Blues".  Here is the duo's performance:



Insurance man came this morning, he knocked on my door
Insurance man came this mornin' and knocked on my door
I didn't have no money and I told him not to come no more

I'm taken awful sick and I had to go to bed
I's taken awful sick and I had to go to bed
I didn't have no money to get a nurse to hold my head

You will need your insurance, no matter where you go
You will need your insurance no matter where you go
Don't never drive an insurance man from your door

I will have my money next time he comes around
I will have my money next time he comes around
And then I can call up old Dr. Brown

"Time is so tight I can't pay my insurance bill
Time is so tight I can't pay my insurance bill
Please, Mister insurance man, trust me if you will."

Insurance man turned around and he looked me in the eye
Insurance man turned around and looked me in the eye
And said, "No death won't credit you, when you get ready to die."

Oh well, it's Lawdy, Lawdy, what am I to do?
Oh well, it's Lawd, Lawd, Lawd, what am I to do?
Ain't got no money, now my insurance is due

Here are the questions on "Insurance Man Blues":
   * What playing position/tuning did John Byrd use to play the song?
   * Where did John Byrd play the long run he plays near the end of the first verse, from :27--:30?
   * Where did John Byrd fret the ascending and descending runs he plays twice at the beginning of the second verse, from :35--:39?

The second puzzler is from Carolina Slim, his song "Jivin' Woman".  Here is performance of the song:



I didn't want to tell you this mornin', baby, but you gon' have to go back where you been
I didn't want to tell you this mornin', baby, you gon' have to go back where you been
'Cause this old mean way that you treat me, it has drove poor me in sin

You left me at eight o'clock last night, you didn't enter 'til a half past three
You left me at eight o'clock last night, you didn't enter 'til half past three
And when you come home you was so drunk, you was crawlin' all on your knees

SOLO

All I asked you, baby, is to please, stop jivin' me
All I asked you, baby, please stop jivin' me
If you know you don't want me, why won't you let me be?

Here are the questions on "Jivin' Woman Blues":
   * What playing position/tuning did Carolina Slim use to play the song?
   * Where did he fret what he plays over his IV chord, from :26--:33?
   * Where does Carolina Slim fret the bass run he plays from 1:57--2:02?

Please use only your ears and guitars to arrive at your answers, and please don't post any answers before 8:00 AM your time, Friday, January 8.  Thanks for participating and I hope you enjoy the songs.

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I have been trying to transcribe the lyrics to Lester McFarland's "Chattanooga Blues", at:  http://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=10188.msg96139#msg96139 , and would very much appreciate some help with the end of the last line of the second verse, and the end of the second line of the third verse. 

The song is interesting for a number of reasons.  It appears to be the source for Clarence Greene's "Johnson City Blues", which was mentioned earlier, but it's also interesting because from the way the lyrics work, it looks like McFarland lifted the lyrics from a performance by a woman singer, choosing to keep the sexual perspective a woman's.  And finally, it has an unusual blues lyric scheme in that no part of any verse is repeated--each verse changes from beginning to end, a structure that off the top of my head I can only remember seeing before in Luke Jordan's "Church Bell Blues".
In any event, I'd sure appreciate some help with those two places in the lyrics.  Thanks.
All best,
Johnm

[Slack]

Hi Johnm,

For last line second verse I hear the last word as "town"... phonetically it sounds like' muh town'.  Maybe he flubbed the muh part and meant either 'my town' or 'the town' ?? - either would make sense.

"Tannery flat" sounds right to me.  Combination leather shop and apt rental?

It is interesting that he kept the female perspective.  I've been playing "Johnson city Blues" for awhile and was confused by Clarence Green's "sexual orientation" on that song - and finally decided, he is taking both parts - making a dialog out of the song.  Clarence Green substituting Nicaragua for Chickamaugy is pretty wild - his sense of humor perhaps.

[banjochris]

"Tannery Flats" was a poor neighborhood of Chattanooga. It looks like Ida Cox did the original and she sings "living in Tannery Flats." I think McFarland slurs it a little bit; I suspect he didn't know exactly what it was either.

http://notesfromtheninthcircle.blogspot.com/2012/07/chattanooga-and-its-historic-suburbs.html

Chris

[Slack]

Great sleuthing Chris!

[Johnm]

Thanks for the help with the lyrics, Slack, and thanks for the find of "Tannery Flats", Chris, and the existence of the Ida Cox version.  Here is her version, with apologies to any European Weenies who can not watch this video.  She is accompanied here by Lovie Austin on piano, evidently.



Goin' up on Lookout Mountain, lookin' far as I can see, tryin' to find the man that made a monkey out of me
Reached the depot, in time to catch the Cannonball
Got the blues for Chattanooga, won't be back 'til late next Fall

Down in Chickamaugy, Fort Oglethrope [sic], grandest bunch of soldiers that you ever saw
On the Tennessee River, down to the lock and dam
Searching every mudhole, tryin' to find my good man, Sam

I was Market to McCauley, East 9th Street, watching everybody that I chanced to meet
At last I saw my daddy, livin' in Tannery Flats
Dressed in a tailor-made suit and a brand new Stetson hat

"Daddy, sweet daddy, I know you'll quit me now, 'cause I don't need no daddy nohow.
Troubles, troubles is all I ever find.
I'm goin' away, try to wear you off my mind."

Down in Chattanooga, there's hospitality, the finest bunch of people in the state of Tennessee
Tired, tired of roaming this way
Got the blues for Chattanooga, I'm going back to stay someday

I think the end of that second verse by Lester McFarland is "thinkin' he might be MUD BROWN".  Ida Cox talks about mud in her version of the song in that verse.  It is really cool to find what looks to be the source of both Lester McFarland's and Clarence Greene's versions of the song.  I believe the Allen Brothers did a "Chattanooga Blues" that bears no relationship to the Cox/McFarland/Greene songs, apart from its title.  These collaborative finds are really fun--thanks guys!
All best,
Johnm

[banjochris]

The Allen Bros. version starts off not seeming like it's related but has a couple of verses from this version.

[banjochris]

PS "MUD BROWN" sounds good to me, too, John.
Chris

[Johnm]

Whoa, that Allen Bros. version is LOOSE!
All best,
Johnm

[Slack]

PS "MUD BROWN" sounds good to me, too, John.
Chris

I agree, this makes sense - more so than my suggestion, because I did not remember the context correctly!

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I think I have all of Ida Cox's lyrics to "Chattanooga Blues", at http://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=10188.msg96289#msg96289 , with the exception of one phrase in the opening line of the second verse.  I'd sure appreciate some help with it.  Thanks for any help.
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Here are the lyrics to the Allen Brothers version, missing the same place in the lyrics that I'm missing in Ida Cox's version.  Any help is greatly appreciated.  Boy, Austin Allen, whom I believe played the tenor banjo in the duo, played some really nutty double stops on their version of "Chattanooga Blues", and Lee, on guitar, kind of goes crazy on the kazoo.  I'm so happy the recording company seems to have just started recording and let them go!
EDITED TO ADD:  Got it!  Fort Oglethorpe!

INTRO SOLO

Oh, I thought I heard my baby cry, well, well, well, well, well, well, well, well
Thought I heard my baby cry
Oh, she cried like she never cried before

Thought I heard old Frisco moan (kazoo)
Oh, he blowed like he never blowed before

Down in Chattanooga, said, hospitality, finest bunch of people in the state of Tennessee
Lordy, Lordy, trouble I do see
I love some woman, but the fool, she don't love me

Down in Chickamauga, Fort Oglethorpe, finest bunch of soldiers that you ever saw
Down the Tennesse River, to the lock and dam
Looking for my good man, my good man, Sam

Late last night, I stoled away and cried, Lord, Lord
Late last night, I stole away and cried
(kazoo, Spoken:  Percolate, mama, percolate.  You know, that's a good mama, come on now, do your papa right, 'tain't gettin' no lovin' in a long, long time.  You know, papa's crazy about them brown eyes, just lay your head over on his shoulder now, mama, and let's, let us percolate one more time.)
Had the blues for Chicago, I couldn't be satisfied

Got the blues so bad, gonna leave old Chattanooga town
Got the blues so bad, gonna leave old Chattanooga town

All best,
Johnm

[banjochris]

Great read on that Fort Oglethorpe, John, that had me stumped!
Chris