Topic: Jaydee Short Lyrics

[banjochris]

Some suggestions for "Flaggin' It" and "Tar Road":

"Flaggin' It"

1.3 NOW if I don?t go back?

3.3 ?and I have not got no HOME

4.1 and 4.2 when you?ve got a good JOB
4.3 When you get out of money, JACK, they don?t want you in THEY yard. (thanks dj)

5.3 NOW you?s a dirty mistreater?


and in the last verse of ?Tar Road,? I think it?s ?how can I LOSE??


These really are amazing tracks; I love how he picks up speed but it never sounds like he's rushing.
Chris

[Johnm]

Thanks very much for the help, dj and Chris.  The disc currently won't play on my computer, so I'm hoping to be able to re-check the lyrics playing it elsewhere.  I know what you mean about Jaydee Short's acceleration, Chris.  He does it like Leadbelly or Mance Lipscomb, in a linear fashion, as opposed to like Willie McTell, who did it in fits and starts, what I think of as "nervous time".  Willie McTell usually accelerated on his more busy and notey passages.
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

I was able to get access to the two Jaydee Short tracks (thanks, Stuart!), and all of your suggestions sound right, Chris.  I will make the changes.  Thanks!
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Jaydee Short's "Starry Crown Blues" come from his album, "J. D. Short--A Last Legacy of Blues From a Pioneer Delta Singer", which was recorded by Samuel Charters in St. Louis in 1961. Short played the song out of G position in standard tuning while also accompanying himself with harmonica played off a rack, something he didn't do on any of his early recordings. I find his singing spectacular, just a huge voice, expressed with great intensity, and his harmonica playing is similarly strong, with an exciting tone. I'd very much appreciate help with the bent bracketed places in the lyrics, and/or correction of any places I've misheard the lyrics. Here is "Starry Crown Blues":   



SPOKEN, SHORT: It's no man it's gonna make a real good blues singer, unless, he been havin' a lot, he been havin' lots of trouble, by unjust doin' and stuff . . . by other people can misuse him and his girlfriend can misuse him and get his mind all torn up and stuff and therefore he'll go away and try to sing the blues and stuff until, uh, he feels that his worries kind of passed over.

INTRO

Yes, I b'lieve to my soul, people, I've earned the starry crown
Yes, I b'lieve to my soul now, people, I've earned the starry crown
Yes, I put shoes on your feet, baby, when your feet was on the cold, cold ground

You know, I bought you hair, baby, well, when you did not have none
Yes, you know I bought you hair, baby, well, when you did not have none
Well, got you all fixed up now, woman, you want to take the doggone streets and run

Well, ain't no buddy now, and the baddest man in town
Well, ain't no buddy now, and the baddest man in town
Well, keep on messin' my little woman, boy, I swear I'll tear your doggone playhouse down

Yes, above the river now, move on other side of town
Yes, gon' get later now, move on the other side of town
Well, you keep on messin' with my little woman, buddy, swear I'll tear your doggone playhouse down

Say, her name is Hester, just ain't never been told
Say, her name is Hester, just ain't never been told
Well, I didn't find somebody, gonna steal my doggone jellyroll now

HARMONICA SOLO

I'm gonna tear me a picket now, off the doggone back yard fence
I'm gonna tear me picket now, off the doggone back yard fence
I'm gonna whup that woman of mine, Great God, until she learn some sense

HARMONICA SOLO

Edited 1/28 to pick up corrections from Blues Vintage

All best,
Johnm







   

[Blues Vintage]

Spoken intro    all torn up and -stuff and- therfore

5.3 Well, (if I can) -I didn't- find somebody


4th verse, the best I can come up with something at this moment

Yes, upon/above the river now move on other side of town

[Johnm]

Thanks very much for the help, Blues Vintage. I re-listened and made the changes you suggested.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Jaydee Short's version of "Slidin' Delta" comes from the same CD as "Starry Crown Blues". His rendition is preceded by a brief interview in which Samuel Charters, who was recording him, queries him as to the song's title and meaning. Jaydee played his version of the song after that in E position in standard tuning. Once again, his vocal intensity is thrilling to hear, and he delivers some wonderful falsetto leaps. He accelerates as the song goes along, which really adds to the urgency of the rendition. It's worth noting that apart from the fact that the three versions of "Slidin' Delta" played by Short, Tommy Johnson, and John Hurt shared the same title and were all played in E position, standard tuning, they share no other musical similarities. Here is "Slidin' Delta":



Charters: Song like "Sliding Delta"--how'd you get the idea for that? Where'd you get that song? Short: Well, uh, that song was actually, I heard that song was sung about . . . nineteen-seven, the "Slidin' Delta". Charters: What is the "Slidin' Delta"? Short: That was a awful slow train, down through Mississippi, they call it the "Slidin' Delta". Charters: Where did it, what towns did it pass through? Short: Well, now I don't just exactly know, I couldn't just exactly say, but uh, the older people possibly knowed, I didn't know, 'cause I was a small kid. But I hear them singin' about the "Slidin' Delta". Charters: What's "sliding" mean? What do they mean by saying "sliding"? Short: Well, it means 'bout the train is so slow until it almost slide, like a turtle. (laughter)

GUITAR INTRO

Oh, Slidin' Delta, done been here and gone, hear me cryin', I ain't got, oh,
Sliding Delta, done been here and gone
That make me think about my baby, oooo, yo-ooo-ooo, yo-ooo

Ohhh, early this mornin', creepin' through my door, now don't you a-hear me cryin', pretty mama?
Early this mornin', cryin' through my door
Well, I hear that whistle blow, and she won't blow here no more

Wooh, slow down, train, now, bring my babe back home, now don't you, a-hear me cryin', pretty mama?
Slow down, train, bring my babe back home
Well, she been gone so long, hoo-oo, make my poor heart moan

One thing, now, I don't understand, now don't you, a-hear me cryin', pretty mama?
One thing, now, I don't understand
I made nice to my baby, ooo-ooo, she gone with another man

Wooh, thought I heared, freight train whistle blow, now don't you, a-hear me cryin', pretty mama?
Thought I heard, freight train whistle blow
And she blowed just like, ooo-ooo, yo-ooo-ooo, yo-ooo

Ooh, run here, mama, set down on my knee, now don't you, hear me cryin', pretty mama?
Run here, mama, set down on my knee
I wanta understand now, baby, ooo, how you treat poor me

Wooh, two train runnin' now, running, side by side, now don't you hear me, cryin', pretty mama?
Two train run now, runnin', side by side
Well, there's one of these train, ooo-ooo, yo-ooo-ooo, yo-ooo

Now, come on home, baby, come to me, you know I'm the onliest man you need, ooh,
Come on home, come on home to me
You know I need your lovin', ooo-ooo, as a man can be

CODA

All best,
Johnm   
 
 

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Jaydee Short's version of "East St. Louis Blues" was sung by Jaydee acapella, in response to a query from Samuel Charters as to whether he could remember any of the old songs that people sang when working in the fields. Their lengthy spoken exchange is interesting. I like that when Jaydee didn't know the answer to a question, he admitted it. The melody he sang to "East St. Louis Blues" is one of the most arresting I've ever heard for an 8-bar blues. Here it is:



Charters: Where would you say the blues came from, Jaydee? Short: Well, I first heared the blues, I think I was about, uh, six years old. Charters: Who was playing them? Short: Ah, they had a fellow by the name of Willie Johnson, in Hollandale, Mississippi, was playing the blues. Charters: Did he have a guitar? Short: Had a guitar. Charters: Were the songs the same then? Did they sing the same kind of blues? Short: Well, not exactly, they didn't sing the same kind of blues, but they had 'em somethin' on the order of the blues, uh, later years, to come. But the later years up until now, they plays the most blues on their, uh, what you call that downbeat on the boogie-woogie style and stuff. Well in those days, they didn't play 'em on the boogie-woogie style. Charters: Where do you think the music for the blues came from? Short: Well, I actually wouldn't know, I actually wouldn't know, but I believe it come from the harmony of the old sing, songsters, years ago. And actual, my grandmother, my grandmother, was the one that wrote a whole lot of Spiritual songs, in slavery. Her name was Caroline, from Atlanta, Georgia. Charters: Were the old blues songs, were they anything like the songs they used to sing in the field, when they were out workin' the cotton? Short: Yes,sir, that's, that's mostly where they started from. Charters: Did you used to hear them singing, out in the field? Short: Oh, I used to hear them singin' out in the field, quite a bit, years ago, when I was a small kid. Charters: Did you used to sing any of those songs yourself? Short: Yes, sir. Charters: Do you remember how any of those went, Jaydee, could you sing me a little scrap of one of those old songs  that became a blues? Short: Well now, the first old blues that I actual remember was, uh, the "East St. Louis Blues". Charters: How'd that go?
Do you remember? Short: I remember how it went.

Short, singing acapella:

I walk all the way, from East St. Louis today
Now I did not have but the one old lousy dime

I done walked, I done walked, 'til my feet got soakin' wet
I been lookin' for my baby, I ain't found her yet

Now your house, is on fire, babe, your building burnin' down
Now and you heard, baby, you're needed over yonder in town

Edited 2/2 to pick up corrections from Blues Vintage

All best,
Johnm

   

[Blues Vintage]

"East St. Louis Blues" is one of my favorite songs from Blind Willie McTell.

that downbeat on the boogie-woogie style and stuff

few typos in the 7th line spoken

[Johnm]

Thanks for the help, Blues Vintage. Sometimes Jaydee said "actual" and sometimes he said "actually". I think I got the places you had in mind.