Topic: Charlie Patton lyrics

[sofingraw]

Here's my go at Dry Well:

Dry Well Blues

Lately livin' at Lula, hard livin', that heat
Lately livin' at Lula, hard livin', that heat
Lord, the drought come and caught us an,
Parched up all our trees.

I just stayed over in Lula, bid another town goodbye,
Stayed, Lula, bid the other, town goodbye,
Why would I (Hot weather?) come to know the day, lord, the ah,
Lula well has gone dry?

Lord the citizens 'round Lula, all was doin' very well,
Citizens 'round Lula, all was doin' very well
Lord they all got together, an’ said, “save our po-or well!”

I ain't got no money, an I, sho' ain't got no home,
Lord I ain't got no money and, sho' ain't got no home,
The hot weather done come in, scorched all the cotton and corn.

Well, they tell me the country, lord, it'll make you cry,
Whole, country, lord, it'll make you cry,
Most anybody, lord, haven't any water on the bayou.

Lord, the Lula womens all, puttin' the Lula men down,
Lula mens, all put the Lula men down.
Lord, you oughta been there, lord
See the womens all leavin’ town.

My biggest sticking points were the aforementioned 'home/hope' issue (I hear 'hope'...I think...this may never be decided with any certainty!)  and, in the first two lines I am not 100% certain that he says 'lately'. It could be 'baby', but I think 'baby' doesn't quite fit in context, as well. Also, in the first line specifically, it really sounds like 'lately' to me. Hell, maybe there's one of each! Who knows?

Also, on the first verse, I used to like, (and still do!) 'hard livin done hit'. However, listening honestly, I hear 'that heat' instead of 'done hit' It sounds to me like he merely suggests the word 'in' prior to 'that heat'. I hear it as almost a subtle and natural extension/combination of 'livin'. i.e. 'Livin'i' that heat'; with 'livin'i' pronounced as  "'livin'-a' that heat".

Or perhaps I'm exaggerating an absent 'in'.. could just be 'hard livin, that heat' as written. If you imagine the phrase in everyday conversation about the weather, and not in the song, you can hear someone like Charlie or, maybe yourself -if you talk country!- even saying 'lately livin in Lula.. hard livin, that heat!'

Thanks to all the previous transcribers who I borrowed heavily from. Standing on the shoulders of giants!

What do you all think?

[Blues Vintage]

This is probably my favorite Patton song.


When I live in Lula I livin' at ease
When I livin' in Lula I livin' at ease
Lord the drought come an' caught us an' parched up all the trees

Aw it just stayed over in Lula bid that ol' town goodbye
Stayed Lula biddin' you the town goodbye
Well when it come to another day lord the uh Lula well was gone dry

Lord the citizens round' Lula all was doin' very well
Citizens around Lula all were doin' very well
Lord they all got together and they done bored a well

Aw I ain't got no money and I sure ain't got no home
Lord I ain't got no money and I sure ain't got no home
The hot wheater done come in parched all the cotton and corn

Oh look down the country Lord it'll make you cry
Whole country Lord it'll make you cry
Most everybody Lord have a water bayou
 
Lord the Lula womens all puttin' the Lula young mens down
Lula (wo)men all puttin' the Lula men down
Lord you outta been there Lord see the womens all leavin' town

[David]

Hi all,

I'm a newcomer who has always enjoyed reading things on this page, but this time I'd like to get some help with the transcription of a line from Charley Patton and Bertha Lee's Troubled 'Bout My Mother.

It's the one that follows: "Daniel, he was troubled, he prayed three times a day". I think the next line starts with "angel hushed the wind", but the rest is a stubborn puzzle for me (although I'm almost sure it begins with "never").

The line is in the fourth verse, which in this video starts at 0:50.
I've also found the verse in another beautiful song in which it is repeated more often, but I still couldn't make it out: (The line is sung at 1:58, for example.)

A big thank you to anybody who can help!

David

[alyoung]

"Angels hoist their window, lordy, to hear what Daniel had to say"

It's a not uncommon verse.

[frankie]

I agree with what Al hears, and apropos of nothing, it gives me a chance to point out these two related songs and performances:

[David]

Thanks a lot, now I won't have to wonder about this one for ages to come.

[Lastfirstface]

Wow. I'd never heard that Lillie Knox recording. Thanks for posting that one, Frankie.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I merged the recent thread on "Troubled 'Bout My Mother" into the Charlie Patton Lyrics thread.
All best,
Johnm

[mwbutter]

Hi y'all,

My first post here. I've been struggling with a transcription of Charley Patton's "Circle Round the Moon," and I could use some help. Here's what I've got so far, with words or phrases I'm not sure of in brackets?though I should point out I'm not really sure of a single word in the entire tune!



Out on a road, [takin' my] time
Out on a road, [takin? my] time
[Got that Delta woman], was tryin? to run me down

How long, [pray God, how long]
How long, how long, [pray God, how long]
Can I be [a? rollin?], when your man is gone

I?m goin? away, [babe, long] from here
I?m goin? away, [babe, long] from here
I?m goin? away, [babe, make it] long from here

Got up this morning, blues all round my bed
Got up this morning, blues all round my bed
[I read a letter : I ? ? ? was dead]

[Eagle been here, cried and left and gone]
[Eagle been here, ? ? left and gone]
And you know by that, I ain?t gonna be here long

Throw your arms round like, circle round the moon
Throw your arms round like, circle round the moon
Throw your arms round like, circle round the moon


Any suggestions? Thanks!

-matt

[banjochris]

Welcome, Matt!

You've got most of it. 4.3 still has me stumped, hopefully someone else has some ideas:

Out on the road, servin' out my time,
Out on the road, servin' out my time,
And the Delta women was tryin' to run me down.

How long, pray God, how long?
How long, how long, pray God how long?
Can I be here rollin' when your man is gone.

I'm goin' away, may get lonesome here,
I'm goin' away, may get lonesome here,
I'm goin' away, babe, may get lonesome here.

I got up this morning, blues all around my bed,
Got up this morning, blues all around my bed
I read a letter that was dead.

Eagle been here, built a nest and gone
Eagle been here, built a nest and gone,
And you know by that I ain't gon' be here long.

Throw your arms round like, circle round the moon,
Throw your arms round like, circle round the moon,
Throw your arms round me like a circle round the moon.

Chris

[Johnm]

Hi Chris,
It sounds like he's saying,
   I read a letter that I'M SURE THESE ? was dead.
The question mark word sounds like "banner".
All best,
Johnm

[mwbutter]

Ah, brilliant! Thanks, Chris. I'll sleep much better tonight! I'm wondering about the first verse, though. It does indeed sound like he sings "servin' out my time," but that just doesn't make much sense to me. Not that it necessarily has to, but I'm wondering if anyone has any thoughts about an alternative?

[jpeters609]

Ah, brilliant! Thanks, Chris. I'll sleep much better tonight! I'm wondering about the first verse, though. It does indeed sound like he sings "servin' out my time," but that just doesn't make much sense to me. Not that it necessarily has to, but I'm wondering if anyone has any thoughts about an alternative?

I think it could mean that he is serving his sentence as part of a chain-gang, doing road work.

[mwbutter]

Hm, interesting. I like that idea.

[banjochris]

The "rollin" goes along with the chain gang reference; rolling in that context usually means working.