Topic: John Lee Hooker Lyrics

[LorVan]

Wonderful corrections, thanks! I edited my original message to change it accordingly.
That's making more sense now, and the focus of the whole text turns toward the figure of the "waterboy" sent around to bring water. That's clearly more in line with the song title, and hints at a reasonable childhood working experience by Hooker, in the context, as a waterboy.

I accepted all the corrections but the one at line 4, of which I'm not completely sure about:
Captain, captain, pour a drink of water
or
Asked captain for a drink of water

On the first word the "s" of "asked" cannot be heard, although I have slowed down the record and, as a fact, neither "captain" is perfectly recognizable. Between "pour" and "for" the difference is so small that, I guess, we could adapt the one which makes more sense. Cru423's reading could be right if we suppose that Hooker left out the "s" as a minor spelling error, quite understandable at that speed of speech.

[LorVan]

Hello everybody,

I'm trying to discern the lyrics of a John Lee Hooker song, titled "33 blues". I found it on the cd "the 1949 recordings". For reference:

cd: http://www.allmusic.com/album/unknown-john-lee-hooker-1949-recordings-mw0000065992
youtube video of the song with decent audio, though I suggest to grab the cd, it's a beautiful compilation:

The record itself is quite interesting, having been recorded live. But the irony of the text, which clearly functions very well on the audience in the record, is completely lost to me as I cannot undestand some critical passages that may hold the meaning of the whole text. I'll try to share what I can understand, let me now if you can help to fill in any spot

I got the 33 blues, just as blue as I can be
I got the 33 blues, just as blue as I can be
[..] (soon?) [..] people, I'm goin', [..] break down soon

It started (at?) this night [..], come up to the top,
this (thing?) right there, God knows, God knows, all night long (something soon?) [..]
God knows, I can't last long.
I got the 33 blues, people, just as blue as I can be.

People is so fine, [..]
but God know, these people, God knows, they, they chillin' me
I got the 33 blues, God knows I can't last long.
(something soon gonna?) [..], God knows I can't last long.

I was talking with [name] yesterday morning, now hear what I told him:
now hear, now [name], listen, soon or [..] (if?)  you don't move this soon I got to go.
I got the 33 blues, God knows I won't be here long.

[StoogeKebab]

Here's what I get, not saying definitive, just a suggestion may get the ball rolling, best of luck!

I got the 33 blues, just as blue as I can be
I got the 33 blues, just as blue as I can be
Something soon gonna happen people break down soon, I'm gonna have a break down soon

It started (at?) this night gonna, come up to the top,
this (thing?) right there, God knows, God knows, all night long something soon got to (going to?) happen
God knows, I can't last long.
I got the 33 blues, people, just as blue as I can be.

People is so fine, and the food is so nice [..]
but God know, these people, God knows, they, they killin' me
I got the 33 blues, God knows I can't last long.
something soon gonna happen, God knows I can't last long.

I was talking with Marshall yesterday morning, now here's what I told him:
looky here, now Marshall, listen, something soon gonna happen if you don't move this soon I got to go.
I got the 33 blues, God knows I won't be here long.

[Gumbo]

I get the impression 33 might be a place - a night club perhaps.

I have these suggestions:

1.3 Something soon gonna happen NOW people  I'm GONN' ... have a break down soon

2.1 HE STARTED DOWN TO THE SNACK BAR, come up to the top
2.2 HE STAYED right there, God knows God knows all night long something soon GOT TO happen

3.1 People IT'S so fine, and the food is so nice HE LIT BRIGHT AND PRETTY

4.1 I was talkin' TO Marshall ...
4.2 If you don't move THESE soon

[Johnm]

Hi all,
There were three different threads on John Lee Hooker song lyrics, so I merged them to create this single-source thread for his lyrics from here on out. 
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
John Lee Hooker recorded "Ground Hog Blues" in a solo version in Spanish tuning in 1951.  You can hear the recording over in Harry's Song of the Month thread on "Ground Hog Blues".  He phrased so freely, it really was wonderful, and that third verse is a killer.



INTRO SOLO

It's a low-down dog, a dirty ground hog been, been rootin' 'round my back door
And if I catch him rootin' now, man, Lawd, he won't root there no more

Yes, he stand and he watch me, every morning when I leave home
Yes, he stand and he watch me, every morning when I leave home
Then when I leave home in the mornin', yes, he hangs around all day long

Get me some toad frog's hips, I'm gonna, gonna put it all together, I'm gonna,
Gonna mix it up together, I'm gonna, gonna whup it all up and good, I'm gonna, gonna kill that old dirty ground hog
I betcha my bottom dollar then man, he, he won't root there no more

SOLO (Spoken: No, he ain't gonna root no more there!)

I said, good bye, baby, I, Lawd, I'm leavin' you now
I said, good bye, baby, Lawd, I'm leavin' you now
I done did want I wanted and killed that old dirty ground hog (Spoken:  Yes, he's through!)

All best,
Johnm

 

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I have been listening a lot recently to the JSP set, "Detroit Blues", and boy, is it terrific.  I came across this recording from John Lee Hooker from the early '50s, "My Baby Don't Love Me", and was just floored.  It made me feel like his ensemble sides, as great as they are on occasion, don't really get at who he was, musically, in the way his solo sides do.  The tone of his guitar here is amazing, like ripping sheet metal (in a good way!), but no more amazing than what he plays.  Wow!  Play it loud!



INTRO

My baby don't love me, my baby don't love me no more
My baby, my babe, my baby don't love me no more
I know the reason why, she in love with Mr. So-And-So

I'm tellin' you, babe, babe, I've got to let you go
Whoa, baby, baby, I got to let you go
You ain't no good, baby, found out, baby, for myself

All over, baby, all over in your neighborhood
You go around town talkin', baby, tellin' everybody I am no good
But I'm tellin' you, little girl, and that won't be the case no more

All best,
Johnm

[Lignite]

Boy Howdy! Was that one ever a killer! Try and find some of the recordings he did as Texas Slim for King records in 1949. Several of those sides including Slim's Stomp are very intense and border on psychedelic.

[Johnm]

Thanks for the tip, Lightnin'! 

[lindy]

Seek on You Tube and ye shall find ...

[eric]

Wow.  Aside from the playing itself, the tone of the guitar is really cool.  I don't really know anything about electric guitars, but that's a great sound.

[Lignite]

I think Bernard Besman his producer in Detroit is responsible for a lot of the sound. He experimented much in his small studio in Detroit on Hastings Street. He would record John Lee Hooker in his native environment and then lease the recordings out to various labels. With the use of echo and simple studio tricks he was able to get a large atmospheric sound out of just John Lee, his guitar and his foot.                 https://www.allmusic.com/artist/bernard-besman-mn0000059212/biography 

[Rivers]

I'd want to know the pickup, amp, speaker(s), mic(s). Upper harmonic distortion, love it. Especially at the end. Whew! Must have been a great microphone to capture that world record harmonic.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
John Lee Hooker recorded "Real, Real Gone" at the same session at which he recorded "My Baby Don't Love Me", in Miami in July of 1953.  Thankfully, his guitar was recorded the very same way and had the same tone.  One thing that I think is remarkable about these cuts, too, is that John Lee Hooker's voice was recorded perfectly, too; he was able to sing intimately, but also drive his voice when he wanted to do that.  Here is "Real, Real Gone":



INTRO

When I first met you, baby, baby, you was real, real, real gone
When I first met you, darlin', baby, you was real, real gone
You didn't go no place, baby, but the church and the Sunday School

Oh, darlin', church and the Sunday School

You done got up here now, darlin', you're runnin' around, every notoriety joint in town

I'm goin' back down South, darlin', back down South in Sunnyland
I'm goin' back down south, darlin', back down South in Sunnyland
I'm goin' to my wife and my family, darlin', oh Lord, I'm goin' back down to stay

All best,
Johnm 

[Thomas8]

dig this: