Topic: Allen Brothers Lyrics

[Gumbo]

and rather than start a new Allen Brothers lyric thread ...
Johnm thank you for pointing me in the direction of these guys - there is some wonderful songs and playing on these discs.



I also have
Allen's Lying Blues - I'm missing words in verses 5 and 7
tuned up a step or capo on 1 D and C shapes - nice turnaround

I've rambled from Canad' to the Panama Canal
hustled and gambled with many a pal
sailed on the Atlantic for a year or more
I've even been a clerk in a ten cent store

I went from Maine to the Golden Gate
even shook a shimmy with my sister Kate
saw Uncle Jack, the Jelly Roll King
give Clare Bow her diamond ring

I fired the boiler for Ford's sawmill
even draw the water for Jack and Jill
worked a while on the old S.B.
even floated on a cracker down to Tennessee

I tucked the covers for old Queen Anne
I shot three times at a regular man
voted for a Hoover even shined his shoes
I'm the man who wrote the jake walk blues

I'm always bragging wherever I go
'bout building the ark in Jericho
pay ? taxes when they're not misplaced
An' i'm smoking Golden Grain in a Chesterfield's place

I went to school with Red Riding Hood
i've gambled on the rock where Moses stood
saw Gid Tanner when he tried to wed
the Bully Of The Town to Ida Red

I've done the ?? with big Babe Ruth
it's an awful thing to misplace the truth
If you wanna hear another just play the other side
while i take my gal for a buggy ride.

EDIT jake walk not jay cloth

[Gumbo]

Bow Wow Blues

Oh I've got a gal she's an awful [hand shiver?]
She comes to down in a broken-down flivver
She's got a sister and her name is Kate
Struts her stuff in a Cadillac Eight

I agree with HAND SHIVER - whatever it might mean. it could be 'CUTS ME DOWN' in the next line

and in the original post I agree with
MAKE A GOOD MULE JUST LEAVE HIS OATS
and
GOT MORE WAYS OF LOVIN' THAN WRIGLEY'S GOT GUM

[Johnm]

Hi Gumbo,
Since you're on such a good streak with these, I'll edit the thread title to include all Allen Brothers lyrics.  It was a good call to put them all here rather than doing a separate thread for each song.
All best,
Johnm

[Gumbo]

Cheers Johnm - I was hoping someone could do that. I'm loving these guys. Thanks for the tip.

[Fkeller]

Been working on learning the Bow Wow Blues; serendipitous!  In the last stanza, I hear

...she's an awful HEAD shiver

Doesn't make the meaning any clearer though 

[Gumbo]

Excellent news, Fkeller,  glad I'm not the only one! I'm tending to go with HAND SHIVER, especially since i just found out that wikipedia says:

A Flivver is slang for an automobile, esp. one that is small, inexpensive, and old.

which would make a Hand Shiver reasonable as in
She's (got) an awful (shaky hand).

[Gumbo]

Old Black Crow In The Hickory Nut Tree



some great lyrics in this one!

Well listen here folks
I'm gonna tell it to thee
all about the old black crow you see
built his nest in the hickory nut tree
Now ain't that so
i don't know i don't know
Well it certainly is a mystery
about the old black crow in the hickory nut tree

I once knew a doctor and his name was Peck
fell in a well and he broke his neck
served him right he ought t've stayed at home
doctor the sick and leave the well alone
Now ain't that so...

Now I went down to see my old gal Bess
When i got there she's all undressed
i said slip something on and come down here
slipped on the top step and broke her ear
Now ain't that so...

i once knew a gal and her name was Sarah
her mouth was as big as an open umbrella
she's knocked kneed pigeon toed and cross eyed too
looks to New York and sees Kalamazoo
Now ain't that so...

I once knew a man called Fred
he shot at me and i took a fit
i heard the bullet when it passed me
head it again when i passed it
Now ain't that so...

there's a horse and a flea, three little mice
sitting in a corner shooting dice
the horse he slipped and fell on the flea
flea said there's a horse on me
Now ain't that so...

there's a hen and a rooster went a way out west
said the hen to the rooster i love you best
said the rooster said that's a dog gone lie
caught you in the alley with a big Shanghai
Now ain't that so...

[Fkeller]

Gumbo:  It's a great song!  Love being able to discuss arcana here too.  Here's my reasoning for "head shiver" (I basically knew what a flivver was but thanks for the concise definition!)

All the other stanzas but the 2nd (she rides a riverboat) start out with a description of the "gal."  Now my thought--backed up by absolutely no solid evidence --is that she's so good (or BAD!) looking she makes your head shiver.  Hand shiver makes as much sense as mine so I'm not gonna argue.  Besides, as is often the case with these old scratchy lyrics, there will be another interpretation that will trump both of these.

Cheers!

Fred

[Rivers]

"Head shiver", right or wrong, is a great expression.

[banjochris]

I hear "hand shiver," which makes me wonder if perhaps the intended line is "I've got a gal, she's an awful hand shifter..." which might make more sense with the car context.

[Gumbo]

that's 3 votes to 2 for hand so far then 

has anyone got anything for Allen's Lying Blues verses 5 and 7 at the top of this page.
And if anyone knows of an online discography that'd be great. Otherwise I need to know wich book to buy next ....

[Cleoma]

Gumbo, I think maybe you want to buy Tony Russell's book called Country Music Records:  A Discography.  It's out in paperback and is available used from Amazon (it's used as a textbook for some college courses so people do get rid of them) for about $20, and don't forget to access Amazon from the Weenie site as Weenie gets some miniscule amount each time someone buys something from Amazon accessing from here. 
It is a really amazing book, ALL the country (old-time, Cajun, Western Swing) music from 1921 to 1942.  Super fun to explore.

[Gumbo]

Thanks Cleoma. That is exactly what i need (and i got it through the link too)

[Gumbo]

y'know it's a strangely ironic feeling having to wait 4 days for the entire history of recorded Old Timey music.

[Gumbo]

i love the way these guys step out into absurdity with straight faces.



Unlucky Man - recorded Thursday May 21st 1931

Now friends if you'll listen to my troubles
and bear with me all that you can
for I'm an uncomfortable horrible terrible unconsolable unlucky man

was born in an unlucky climate
that's why I'm so sad and so 'lone
but what is the use of me trying
when I wish that i'd never been born but now ..

don't you make light of my troubles
bear with them all that you can
for I'm an uncomfortable horrible terrible unconsolable unlucky man

when i was about one and twenty
I sought me a partner in trade
and having the money a-plenty
I married me a lovely old maid
and when we got nicely to living
enjoying the pride of our life
my partner stole all of my money
and then ran away with my wife but now ...

don't you make light of my troubles
bear with them all that you can
for I'm an uncomfortable horrible terrible unconsolable unlucky man

I then started home to my Mama
I never will leave her again
but what is the use of me trying
when I'm such an unlucky man
and when I arrived at the cottage
a-thinking the old folks in bed
my Ma she took me for a robber
and broke the broom over my head

don't you make light of my troubles
bear with them all that you can
for I'm an uncomfortable horrible terrible unconsolable unlucky man