Topic: Sparks Brothers Lyrics

[Johnm]

As per usual, you nailed, it Chris, thanks so much.  I will make the change.  You are such an ace at hearing lyrics, thanks!
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
For "Grinder Blues", recorded on July 28, 1935, Milton Sparks provided the vocal, with Pinetop Sparks accompanying him on piano, along with Henry Townsend providing back-up guitar in Spanish tuning.  Milton sings the song with great focus and energy.  Here is the trio's performance:



PIANO INTRO

I'm a grinding papa, I grinds every place I go
I'm a grinding papa, grinds every place I go
When I lay down at night, a grinder knocks on my door

I go at my grinding, for grindin' is so hard
I go at my grinding, oooo, grindin' is so hard
I was at my best gal's house last night to grind her, but her best man had me barred

Back, back, mama, don't you bring your jive to me
Back, back, mama, oooo, don't bring your jive to me
You got me lovin' you, kind mama, crazy as a man can be

SOLO (Spoken:  Play 'em, boy, play 'em.  Lord have mercy!  Don't you know I got a little grinder?  She lives in St. Louis.  Her number's 2721 Florida Street.  That little woman grinds me to death, man.  I'll tell you, too.  I don't love nobody but that little woman.  Her name is Janie, people, that's a sweet little girl.  Hey, hey, I feel a verse coming now!)

Ooooo-ooooo, I ain't gonna sing these blues no more
Ooooo-oooo, I ain't gonna sing these blues no more
I got my mind on Janie, and that's when I got to go

All best,
Johnm 


   

[Johnm]

Hi all,
The last remaining song form the Sparks Brothers July 28, 1935 session is "Got The Blues About My Baby", which featured Pinetop Sparks on piano and vocal and an almost inaudible Henry Townsend on guitar.  It becomes apparent listening to Pinetop's vocal that he was a Leroy Carr fan, and his approximation of Carr's smooth vocal sound is nothing like the much rougher singing of Milton Sparks.  Pinetop's accompaniment is pretty ambitious to play while singing, a busy boogie pattern going throughout the rendition.  Henry Townsend's guitar part is mysterious--he sounds to be playing in E position, standard tuning, but is very hard to hear, and he just stops playing part of the way through the third verse.  Might he have broken a string?  We'll never know, but he is absent from the track that was recorded immediately after this one on that day, "Workhouse Blues", though he was back on tracks recorded later that day.  I'm not satisfied with my hearing of the tail end of the opening line of the next-to-last verse and would very much appreciate some help with it.  Here is the song:     



PIANO SOLO

Got the blues 'bout my babe, babe got the blues 'bout me
Got the blues 'bout my baby, babe's got the blues 'bout me
If I've been a bad fellow, I did not intend to be

Tell me, babe, what you intend to do
Tell me, babe, what you intend to do
I did everything that I could, I can't get along with you

Everything that I do, seem like I do it wrong
Everything that I do, seem like I do it wrong
And my conscience keeps a-tellin' me, that I ain't gon' be here long

Ooooooh, ain't got no baby now
Ooooooh, I ain't got no baby now
My good girl, she done quit me, she doesn't mean me no good, nohow

PIANO SOLO

Every girl that I get, these boys sets up for me
Every girl that I get, these boys sets up for me
I ain't no bad fellow, and I don't intend to be

Oooh, I ain't gon' be here long
Ooooh, I ain't gon' be here long
Going to catch me a freight train, up the road I'm goin'

Edited 1/15 to pick up corrections from banjochris

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
"Chicago's Too Much For Me" was recorded at a session the Sparks Brothers had in Chicago on August 2, 1933, and it features Milton Sparks on the vocal and Aaron "Pinetop" Sparks providing a piano accompaniment.  I'd appreciate help with the bent bracketed passage.  Here is the brothers' performance:



INTRO

Goin' back to St. Louis, Chicago's too much for me
Goin' back to St. Louis, Chicago's too much for me
I may get in trouble, people, don't you see?

In St. Louis, I had my glad rags on
I was in St. Louis, I had my glad rags on
Now I'm in Chicago, got all my glad rags in pawn

PIANO SOLO

I had a good woman, Chicago woman swelled her head
Had a good woman, Chicago woman swelled her head
Now my good woman, she didn't quit me, that Jane with trouble then

That's why I'm goin' back to St. Louis, ain't coming here no more
I'm going back to St. Louis, ain't coming here no more
That woman did not want me, people, she was lovin' Mr. So-and-So

Fare you well, fare you well, fare you well
Fare you well, fare you well, fare you well
And what's on my mind, nobody in this building can tell

OUTRO

Edited 1/15 to pick up corrections from banjochris

All best,
Johnm     

[banjochris]

Every girl that I get, people, high stakes up for me
Every girl that I get, people, high stakes up for me
I ain't no bad fellow, and I don't intend to be

John, I hear that first and second line as: "Every girl that I get, these boys sets up for me" or maybe "the boy." Thanks again for highlighting these great performances, I've really been enjoying listening to these for the first time in a long time. Sparks sounds to me like he's trying to channel Charlie Spand in this one.
Chris

[banjochris]

In St. Louis, I had my glad rags on
I was in St. Louis, I had my glad rags on
Now I'm in Chicago, got all my glad rags is gone

I had a good woman, Chicago, woman, swelled her head
Had a good woman, Chicago, woman swelled her head
Now my good woman, she done quit me, [back in with trouble there]

Boy that's a hard one to hear, John. I haven't found anything that makes sense yet, but have a couple suggestions as to the sense of that verse.

First, the third line of the glad rags verse ends "got all my glad rags in pawn."

And in the Chicago woman verse, first I would suggest removing the comma after Chicago, because I think the sense of the line is that a "Chicago woman" or women were responsible for his problems -- in other words his woman's new city friends caused issues.

And the last line I'm 99% sure begins with "Now my good woman, she didn't quit me," which means that the last bit is something about her staying that was the problem. I think the first two words might be "that Jane..."

Anyway, I'll listen again after a while and see if anything pops out.
Chris

[Johnm]

Hi Chris,
I much prefer what you came up with for "Got the Blues About My Baby" to what I had in that place.  "These boys" vs. "people"--whew, that's tough hearing for me, especially when Aaron Sparks, uses "people" as an interjection in his lyrics so much.  The sound and sense of what you suggest is right on it, though.  I will make the change.  Thanks!
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Thanks also for the help with "Chicago's Too Much For Me", Chris.  "In pawn" is certainly right, and that's great hearing picking up "that Jane".  Milton was still singing about Jane at the session two years later--they must have worked things out!  Thanks!  The tail end of the line may still be improved.
All best,
John

[Johnm]

Hi all,
The Sparks Brothers recorded "Louisiana Bound" at their first recording session, on February 25, 1932 in Atlanta, and were billed as "Pinetop & Lindberg" by their record company, Victor.  Pinetop delivers a smooth accompaniment and Milton (Marion) gives the vocal his country sound.  I'd appreciate help with any of the bent bracketed passages.  Edited to add:  As per banjochris's correction two posts down, in verse two Milton pronounces "paupers'" like "peppers" or "pappers".  Here is the song:



INTRO SOLO

I'm goin' to Lou'siana, peoples, and it won't be long
I'm goin' to Lou'siana, peoples, and it won't be long
I'm gon' make Lou'siana peoples, be my native home

My babe's in Lou'siana, they tell me it's a paupers' home
My babe's in Lou'siana, they tell me it's a paupers' home
I don't care if it's in graveyards, I'm goin' down there 'fore long

Lou'siana Special is a fast train, water and coal on the fly
Lou'siana Special is a fast train, water and coal on the fly
Your woman ever ride that train, won't you tell her, "Bye, bye, bye."

SOLO (Spoken during solo:  That's it, boy, pick 'em, pick 'em!  That's a great long time!  That's Lou'siana, ain't it?  Keep on pickin' 'em 'til I get back to Lou'siana.  That's it, boot it!  Stomp 'em real good for me.)

I rode the Lou'siana Special, caused me to lose my best friend
I rode the Lou'siana Special, caused me to lose my best friend
Now what hurts me so bad, I won't see her smiling face again

That's why I'm goin' to Lou'siana, peoples, and it won't be long
That's why I'm goin' to Lou'siana, peoples, and it won't be long
I'm gon' make Lou'siana, peoples, be my native home

Edited 1/27 to pick up corrections from banjochris

All best,
Johnm 

[banjochris]

The second verse sounds to me almost like he's singing "peppers" -- maybe he's mispronouncing "paupers'"? The third line of that verse starts "I don't care if it's ten graveyards..."

Third verse is "water and coal" on the fly -- some of those fast trains must have had automatic loading systems so they didn't need to stop completely for refueling. Booker White uses the exact same phrase in "Special Streamline."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Track_pan

[Johnm]

Thanks very much for the help, Chris.  I think you are right on with your interpretation of the sense of what Milton sang in the first two lines of verse two.  "Wood and coal" became perfectly clear in sense and sound . . . once you pointed it out!  I have made the changes.  Thanks!
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Milton "Lindberg" Sparks was featured on the vocal of "Chicago's Too Much For Me", and was accompanied by his brother Aaron Pinetop" Sparks  on piano in the key of G. The song was recorded at a session the brothers did in Chicago on August 2, 1933. I had forgotten how much I like Aaron Sparks piano playing, he really was terrific, with a wonderful light touch, and Milton had a clear bright voice, too. I'd very much appreciate help with the bent bracketed section of the tagline to verse three. Here is "Chicago's Too Much For Me":



INTRO

Going back to St. Louis, Chicago's too much for me
Going back to St. Louis, Chicago's too much for me
I may get in trouble, people, don't you see?

In St. Louis, I had my glad rags on
I was in St. Louis, I had my glad rags on
Now I'm in Chicago, got all my glad rags in pawn

SOLO

I had a good woman, Chicago woman, swelled her head
Had a good woman, Chicago woman, swelled her head
Now my good woman, she done quit me, that Jane wished I was dead

That's why I'm going back to St. Louis, ain't coming here no more
I'm going back to St. Louis, Ain't coming here no more
That woman did not want me, people, she was lovin' Mr. So-And-So

Fare you well, fare you well, fare you well
Fare you well, fare you well, fare you well
And what's on my mind, nobody in this building can tell

CODA

Edited 11/6 to pick up corrections from banjochris

All best,
Johnm

 

[Blues Vintage]

That game with troubles end ?

[banjochris]

John, you already transcribed "Chicago" back in 2017 – scroll up a bit! I'm glad you re-did it though, because I'm now certain that missing bit is "that Jane wished I was dead."

Also take a look at the second verse in the previous transcription for "glad rags in pawn."
Chris

[Johnm]

Thanks for the fixes, Chris, and for the suggestion, Harry. I see how I missed the previous post on the song. It wasn't ever put up in Weeniepedia, and that was where I checked to see which Sparks Brothers tunes had not been transcribed yet. I will make the changes. Thanks! I wasn't even close with what I had for the end of that third verse.