Topic: Willie Reed Lyrics

[uncle bud]

Thanks for the help, Andrew.  Both of your suggestions make more sense than what I had, and I will re-listen.  I hope you do figure this one out!  I didn't mean to suggest it was impossible, though it would certainly be a challenge to make it sound fully inhabited and natural.  I'll hope to hear it at Port Townsend.

Yes, Port Townsend 2009.    I've worked on Dreaming Blues on and off over the years. Would love to get that one together. But as you say there's a lot of material in there. I've got through the intro and 2 verses, and then you listen to the rest of the song and think, "Jeez, there's more?"

[Johnm]

Hi Andrew,
I gave it a listen, and I think "They will be just followin' instruction" is it.  Way to hear!
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Willie Reed played "Goin' Back To My Baby", the second tune that he recorded in his Dallas session of December 5, 1929, with a flat pick out of G position in standard tuning.  Instrumentally, he was working very much the same territory as Gene Campbell here.  He often played the melody right underneath his singing and played connecting single-string runs for his fills.  He pronounced the word "baby", "baybay", like many a Soul singer.  Willie Reed almost always shortened the opening lines of his verses when he repeated them.  I think the sense of the opening line in verse two is, "What possessed you to act that way?"

   I'm goin' back to my baby, I'll get down on bended knee
   I'm goin' back to my baby, get down on bended knee
   I'm gonna ask my baby to, Lord, have mercy ron (sic) me

   Tell me, baby, what had you doin' me wrong?
   Yes, tell me, baby, what had you doin' me wrong?
   I ain't done nothin' to you, mama, neither have I done nothin' wrong

   I'm goin' back to my baby, if I don't stay but one day
   I'm goin' back to my baby, don't stay but one day
   It was cold and rainy, Lord, when she drove me 'way

   I was sitting here wonderin', would a matchbox hold my clothes?
   I's sitting here wonderin', matchbox hold my clothes?
   It's dark and rainy, she done throwed my clothes outdoors

   I wants all my bags, mama, now I'm up on bended knee
   I wants all my bags, mama, now I'm up on bended knee
   I'm gonna ask my baby to, Lord, have mercy on me

All best,
Johnm

[dingwall]

Hi, Andrew/Johnm.   I have a problem with my Willie Reed disc, and I'm trying to get a replacement, so I'm throwing this at you without having been able to listen again.   What you're getting is my version from twelve or so years ago where I notice I've written in a small correction to the line 2.3 in 'Leavin' Home'.

It will be death only on her instruction, graveyard be your end.

At least, you can chew on it!!

[Johnm]

Hi dingwall,
I will give the line in question another listen.  Thanks for the suggestion.
all best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Willie Reed's next solo performance, "Some Low Down Ground Hog Blues", dates from a session in Dallas on September 26, 1935.  Willie Reed played the song out of C position in standard tuning, and sounds either to be hybrid picking with a flat pick and fingers or using a thumbpick and fingers a la Lemon Jefferson.  In his introductory solo, he does a Jazzy progression in the final four bars of the form, like so:

   |        A7          |     D7    G7         |          C        |         C        |,

but in the solo between the third and fourth verses, he uses only the I and IV chords to negotiate the form.  The most striking aspect of his accompaniment is an ominous-sounding two note motif, from the low G to B flat that he plays into the strong beats of the opening line of his verses, with B flat (flat VII in his key) landing on the beat. 
Lyrically, the major portion of the song comes from Ramblin' Thomas's "Groundhog Blues", recorded in 1932, where Thomas was working in a Tampa Red style in his accompaniment, which is nothing like Willie Reed's.  Reed's final verse is kind of an interpolation; it has nothing to do with his primary thematic material and comes instead from Texas Alexander's 1934 recording of "Polo Blues".

   INTRO SOLO

   There's a low-down groundhog, been rooting in my back yard
   There's a low-down groundhog, been rooting in my back yard
   He's been rooting there so long 'til he've almost got me barred

   I knowed that old hog was rooting, I thought it was rooting straight down
   I knowed that old hog was rooting, but I thought it was rooting straight down
   When I learned about his rooting, he was turning it 'round and 'round

   There's a low-down groundhog, been rooting 'round my back door
   There's a low-down groundhog, been rooting 'round my back door
   He rooted there so long 'til I can't go home no more

   SOLO

   If I catch that old hog a-rootin', I'm gonna tell you just what I'll do
   If I catch that old hog a-rootin', I'm gonna tell you just what I'll do
   I'm gonna take my knife and cut his rooter right half in two

   I get my cream from a polo, my milk from a Jersey cow
   I get my cream from a polo, my milk from a Jersey cow
   I get my lard at Piggly Wiggly's and my bacon from a no-good sow

All best,
Johnm

   

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Willie Reed's final solo cut, "All Worn Out and Dry Blues", was recorded the day after "Some Low Down Groundhog Blues", on September 27, 1935.  It is similarly played in C position in standard tuning and shares many of the same musical ideas, but it is a looser take, in a good and exciting way.  In his introductory solo, Willie Reed makes a fingering choice that Pan had remarked upon in an earlier thread, concerning Frank Stokes' method for fingering an F chord in "Right Now Blues", leaving the B string open and using the index finger to fret the first string first fret, rather than flattening the index to get both strings.  The sound is unmistakable.  Willie Reed's accompaniment here is exciting and varied, with elements of Lemon Jefferson, Lonnie Johnson and many of his own ideas. 
Following his humming, Willie Reed pulls the Texas Alexander trick of repeating the tagline from the previous verse, but then goes Alexander one better by doing a re-interpretation of the opening line of the previous verse, effectively reversing the order.  It's a terrible shame that Willie Reed did not get more opportunities to make solo recordings, as it is with so many great musicians in this style.

   I got a brownskin woman, she live over 'cross this town
   I've got a brownskin woman, she live over 'cross this town
   All I hate about that woman, man, she like to run around

   You can treat me low-down and dirty, mama, do as you please
   You know that I love you, b'lieve you can do as you please
   But some other lonesome day, you'll be sorry 'bout your used-to-be

   I love my baby, and I don't care what she do
   I say I love my baby, and I don't care what she do
   And I'm in the hope someday that she'll come to love me, too

   Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
   I'm in the hope someday, people, she'll come to love me, too
   'Cause I love my woman and I don't care what she do

   I'm goin' away this mornin', no need to weep and moan
   I'm goin' away this mornin', no need to weep and moan
   Because you know, when I had you, woman, we couldn't get along

   I'm gonna leave you, baby, and I ain't gonna say goodbye
   I'm gonna leave you, baby, and I ain't gonna say goodbye
   Because you's a no-good woman, and you know hit's (sic) all worn out

All best,
Johnm 

[Johnm]

Hi all,
After listening way too many times to the line in "Leavin' Home", I now believe it to be "It will be death, all in destruction, graveyard'll be your end".  I don't hear "instruction" because there is a syllable ("de") between "in" and "struction".  I've made the change.
All best,
Johnm

[Zoharbareket]

Hi there,
Currently working on dreaming blues and found this thread! Wanted to take my hat of to you guys,  especially Johnm- the work you do with/for this music is just inspiring.
Thank you from the tip of my fingers!

Be well,
Z

[Johnm]

I'm glad you're enjoying "Dreaming Blues", Zohar, and thanks for the good words.
All best,
Johnm

[Forgetful Jones]

Man! Willie Reed is a total badass on that guitar. I just recently found him and started learning Dreaming Blues. I can't believe just how awesome this song is. That solo around 2:20ish is a rhythmic beauty. The whole song really.
JohnM, I agree with the last commenter. I find it amazing how you can hear and decipher what Willie Reed is doing in this track. Especially since the vocals are so loud on the recording. The thumb drags were an exceptionally helpful tip. It is really fun learning this tune, and I agree...it's one of the greatest blues in A that I've heard.
Some great lines too:
"If I can't be your sweeper, let me be your broom"   Perfect!
 Thank you JohnM. You're a fantastic player and teacher.

[Johnm]

Thank you kindly for the good words, Forgetful Jones, and I'm happy that you have discovered Willie Reed and "Dreaming Blues".
All best,
Johnm