I cut him with my Barlow, I kicked him in the side, I stood there laughing over him, while he wallowed 'round and died - Bessie Smith, Send Me To The 'Lectric Chair
Hi all, With three songs transcribed already and another on the way, Yank Rachell seemed a good candidate for a merged lyric thread. With the exception of the post beginning the thread, all other earlier posts have kept their titles for ease of following the transcription paths.
Yank Rachell recorded a very unusual, eerie-sounding version of "Matchbox Blues" for his Blue Goose album for the early 1970s. For the song, Yank accompanied himself out of E position in standard tuning. His signature lick for the song entails a hammer to the sus4 of the I chord, located at the second fret of the third string, and that unexpected sound goes a long way towards setting the mood of the song. In addition to that scary signature lick, Yank goes to a minor IV chord, and half-times his bass, hitting only on beats one and three, giving a definite sort of "death bell" sound to his bass. For his final solo, Yank switched to hammer to the major third, located at the first fret of the third string and a major IV chord, both being much more conventional sounds. This would be a great piece to pick up, either as a solo or ensemble number--it's not exactly been overdone.
Hate to see that evening sun go down And I hate to see that evening sun go down Well, that make me think, baby, I'm on my last go-round
Sittin' here wonderin' would a matchbox hold my clothes Says, I (guitar finishes line) Says, I ain't got so many, baby, but I got so far to go
Look-a-here, baby, take me back again Hey, look-a-here, woman, take me back again Said, if you take me back again, baby, I sure will be your good man
SOLO
Sittin' here wonderin' would a matchbox hold my clothes Said, I (guitar finishes line) Says, I ain't got so many, baby, but I got so far to go
Sent for whiskey, brought me gasoline Said, I sent for whiskey, brought me (guitar) I got the meanest old woman a man 'most ever seen
SOLO
All best, Johnm
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« Last Edit: July 28, 2015, 09:48:31 AM by Johnm »
Hi all, I was reviewing the lyrics to "My Baby's Gone", at the front end of this thread and found some edits to its lyrics. They are as follows:
2.2 I don't LOVE NOBODY ELSE 3.1 You know, THE trouble, THE trouble that I'm havin' 4.1 THE trouble that I'm havin' 5.1 'CAUSE the woman that I'm lovin' 6.1 BABY, I promise not to holler 7.1 And I promised, I WASN"T GONNA holler
Hi all, Yank Rachell's song, "Sweet Mama", is one on which he was joined by Jab Jones on piano and Sleepy John Estes on guitar. It was re-issued on Yazoo's "The Stuff Dreams Are Made Of" a few years back. The three musicians played so well together, one of the best mixes of ensemble looseness and tightness in all the blues. Hearing this rendition made me think how the fact that Yank so often worked with such a unique and striking singer as Sleepy John tended to draw attention away from what a strong singer Yank was himself. The performance opens with a mandolin solo on the full form. Yank pronounced "country" "countruh".
SOLO
I say, you used to be sweet mama, but I ain't gonna call you sweet no more Say, you used to be sweet mama, and I can't call you sweet no more And ev'y time I come to your house, it's a man standing in your door
I says, I'm goin' up the country, where the Southern done cross the Dog I said, I'm goin' up the country, where the Southern done cross the Dog If you don't see me tomorrow, you won't have no man at all
Baby, if I had wings like a bullfrog on the pond Lord, if I just had wings, mama, like a bullfrog on the pond I would rise right chere and light in sweet mama's arm
Lord, said the blues jumped a rabbit, run him for a solid mile Said, the blues jumped a rabbit, run him for a solid mile Lord, that fool couldn't catch him, and he sot right down and cried
I said, look-a here now, baby, there's somethin' really worryin' me I said, look-a here, sweet mama, there's somethin' really worryin' me It ain't my past, neither future, my old-time used-to-be
Edited 10/7 to pick up corrections from banjochris and Johnm
All best, Johnm
« Last Edit: October 07, 2011, 08:37:38 PM by Johnm »
Great song, John -- was just listening to it in the car yesterday. I'll go back and listen too, but I always heard that bullfrog verse as "bullfrog on a/the pond" instead of farm. Can't remember the a or the. He sings it in "Little Sarah Blues," too, which really should be "Little Faro Blues" (or maybe in "T-Bone Steak," will definitely have to go back and listen).
Going back and listening it is "T-Bone Steak" where Yank sings the bullfrog line, so I thought I'd add that one. Also, just as an aside, that intro on "Sweet Mama" is one of the craziest and best ever.
T-Bone Steak Blues
SOLO
Say you talkin' 'bout your red ripe tomato, I'm crazy 'bout my T-bone steak, Say you talkin' 'bout your red ripe tomato, I'm crazy 'bout my T-bone steak, Said I'm gon' find me a faro, to share my Cadillac 8.
I got the railroad blues, the boxcars on my mind, I got the railroad blues, the boxcars on my mind, And that girl I lovin', she sure done left this town.
Say if I had wings, like a bullfrog on a pond, Say if I had wings, like a bullfrog on a pond, I would rise right chere, light in sweet mama's arms.
You know once ain't forever, you know babe two lord ain't but twice, You know once ain't forever, you know babe two lord ain't but twice, But you women all get a good man, you don't know how to treat him right.
SOLO (partial, missing V chord phrase)
Say you mistreat me mama, and that's the way you do, Say you mistreat me now mama, you know and that's the way you do, But you gon' want me some of these mornin's, and poor James won't have you.
I don't have the complete early Yank Rachell recordings, Chris, and I was wondering how many titles he recorded with Sleepy John and Jab Jones? All best, Johnm
Yank sings on "Little Sarah Blues," "T-Bone Steak Blues," "Expressman Blues" and "Sweet Mama". All have the same lineup of Jab Jones, Sleepy John and Yank except for "T-Bone Steak," which is the same instrumentally as "Black Mattie" -- mando, guitar and harp. So in order for those early ones you have:
Girl I Love, She Got Long Curly Hair Broken Hearted, Ragged and Dirty Too Diving Duck Blues Little Sarah Blues Black Mattie T-Bone Steak Blues Milk Cow Blues Street Car Blues Expressman Blues Whatcha Doin'? Poor John Blues Stack of Dollars Blues My Black Gal Blues Sweet Mama
(from memory, but I was just listening to them in the car yesterday, so I believe that's right). Chris
PS -- these are all on the JSP Sleepy John/Yank box set.
Hi all, Yank Rachell recorded "Gravel Road Woman" with Dan Smith on second guitar at a session in New York City on February 6, 1934. The duo is the same one that recorded "Squeaky Work Bench", and like that tune, "Gravel Road Woman" has both players working out of G position in standard tuning (and sounding at E, in the case of "Gravel Road Woman"). The song has a relatively slow pulse which allows time for the lyrics to sort of double up in their phrasing. This song was more often called "Skinny Woman" by people who recorded it subsequently, like Furry Lewis. Yank's voice sounds very low on this one, and his tone is odd--perhaps the playback pitch was compromised, or maybe he just had a cold.
SOLO
I don't want no skinny mama, I wants a woman, she got a-plenty meat, Lord No skinny mama, a woman got plenty meat She can rock all night long, babe, you won't stop to eat
She won't cook me, cook no breakfast, and she won't wash me no clothes, Lord She won't cook me no breakfast, oooo, won't wash me no clothes (Spoken: What kind of woman is that?) Well, she won't do nothin' but walk up and down that gravel road
Baby, it's dark, babe, babe, dark at midnight, and the moon shines down like day, Lord Mmmmm, dark at midnight, babe, and the moon shines down like day I'm gon' find some woman to come and blow off my blues away
I got up, babe, babe, in a slumber, I put on my shoes and clothes, Lord Whooo, I got up in a slumber, I put on my shoes and clothes (Spoken: What you do that for, boy? Play it, Dan!) I'm gon' try to find my woman, I know she's strollin', babe, on the road (Spoken: Play it now!)
Hi all, Yank Rachell backed himself out of G position in standard tuning, on the guitar, for "Hobo Blues", and was joined for it by Sonny Boy Williamson on harmonica, Washboard Sam on washboard, and William Mitchell on bass can, I believe. The ensemble was loose in a good way, and Yank was unusually garrulous. It must be said, too, that his playing on this song is just ripping! You may hear G blues played as well as this, but I don't think you'll hear it played better. The song can be found on the JSP "Ain't Times Hard" set. Here is the track:
INTRO (spoken, Yank: I'm gonna leave my baby this mornin'.)
Lord, I decided that I would be hobo, Lord, I'll hobo a long, long way from home Lord, I decided that I would be hobo, you know I hobo an awful long way from home You know, every time I get to thinkin' about my baby, man, I couldn't do nothin' but hang my head and moan
Baby, and every time I decide to hobo, I take the jungle to be my home Every time I would decide to hobo, Lord, take the jungle, Lord, to be my home Now, you know, I'm gon do just like the prodigal son, I'm goin' back home and acknowledge I've done wrong (Spoken: I ain't gonna leave you no more, baby.)
That mornin', 'bout half past four, Lord, that old freight train begin to reel and rock Lord, that mornin' 'bout half past four, man, that old freight train begin to reel and rock (Spoken, Yank: Lord have mercy) You know, I went to the door and I looked out, Sonny, I didn't know what this was all about
SOLO (Spoken: Now Boy, just tetch it, take it on down there for me! Washboard Sam, I ain't studyin' you. Mitch, you just whup that can to death)
Lord, the lightnin' it was flashin', boy, and the dark cloud was risin' in the East (Spoken, Sonny Boy: Old Yank Rachell stay here a little while, you know. Spoken: Yank: Yes, my Lord, listen, Sonny) Lord, the lightnin' it was flashin', a dark cloud was risin' in the East (Spoken, Yank: You know I don't feel good.) Lord, then I hung my head and I cry, mmm, Lord, I wonder what's gon' become of me
Lord, I'm back home with my baby, Lord, I'm just as happy as I can be Well, I'm back home with my baby, I'm just as happy as I can be But the next time I decide to hobo, I'm gonna have my woman right beside of me
Edited 4/29 to pick up correction from banjochris
All best, Johnm
« Last Edit: April 29, 2015, 08:34:23 AM by Johnm »
Direct from the original 78, here's another hobo tune recorded by Yank at the same session in 1944 called Katy Lee Blues. The song is in the key of G and he is backed once again by Sonny Boy Williamson, Washboard Sam and the tub bass player.
Katy Lee Blues
Well the people's all in a-wonder The people all wanna know where is my home, Well the people's all a-wonder The people all wanna know where is my home You know my home is down on the border Down where the water is cold
You know I'm tired of goin' from house to house Lord, women slammin' doors all in my face. I'm tired of goin' from house to house Women slammin' doors all in my face Every night when I go home Some man layin' down in my place
Mama I went down to the landing Baby I wondered, Lord, what train must I run Lord I went down to the landing Baby and I wondered what train must I run Lord but since I ain't in no big hurry I believe I'll wait here boys for the Katy flyin' (Ah...take 'em on down now)
You know my woman my woman Lord my woman she don't believe in me Lord my little woman Lord my woman she don't believe in me You know she was lookin' for me on the N&O But I'm goin' home on the Katy Lee
I said I'm goin' over here to the drugstore Lord I believe I'll call my baby up (Yes, Yes, Yes) Lord I'm goin' over here to the drugstore Lord I believe I'll call my baby up You know I done fooled around here in Chicago I got my dandies all messed up