Topic: Blind Boy Fuller Lyrics

[Johnm]

Hi all,
For "Ain't It A Crying Shame", recorded in New York City on July 24, 1935, Blind Boy Fuller was joined by Gary Davis on guitar. The duo's division of labor was an unusual one, with Fuller capoed up playing out of E position in standard tuning and Davis seconding him out of A position in standard tuning without a capo. This is a terrific song and performance--I think the song should have become a Blues Standard, like "In The Evening" or "Prison Bound". Here is "Ain't It A Crying Shame":



INTRO SOLO

I've forsaken my sister, forsaken my brother, I've forsaken my daddy and my dear old mother
I had to do that to change that woman's name
But now she's fixin' to leave me, ain't this a cryin' shame?

If it wasn't for love, people, never would be blue, if it wasn't for women, I  d'know what I'd do
They's awful tricky, but I love 'em just the same
But my woman, she have tricked me, ain't this a cryin' shame?

I didn't know, people, she was that tricky kind, I was very weak and I grabbed the hook and line
But she had that feelin', and made me change her name
She throwed me down, ain't this a cryin' shame?

Say, them weak-minded people, they's easy to be misled, especially when they're sleepin', in their lonesome bed
She had a feelin', and made me change her name
But my baby's fixin' to leave me, ain't this a cryin' shame?

I woke up this mornin', 'bout the break of day, reached over and grabbed the pillow, where she used to lay
It's awful, people, but I love her just the same
But my baby's fixin' to leave me, ain't this a cryin' shame?

CODA

All best,
Johnm

   

[Blues Vintage]

A few suggestions on "Fish," John:

I think in each line, it's not "your daddy" but "good if you" meaning "it's good if you"

in 2.3 it should be took TO the other man

and the bracketed bit is PLAY IT TILL it get good to me.

Chris

One further suggestion,

Smell like sardines and ain't in no can, same doggone thing you took chucked to the other man.

or at the other man.

[Johnm]

Thanks for the suggestions, Blues Vintage. I agree with "in" and have made the change. The rest I don't agree with--the vowel sound is wrong for "chucked" and Fuller definitely said "to" rather than "at", so I'll leave that part of the line as is.

[banjochris]

John – don't know if you've ever heard this one:

[Johnm]

I had not heard that before, Chris, and it's really a treat. Thanks for posting that! Boy, Merle played a lot of guitar in the course of that song, changing up all the way through. It makes you realize how much he had worked out on the instrument.

[lindy]

On "Ain't It A Crying Shame," second verse, first line, I don't hear the first "do" in "I  do' know what I'd do." I sounds to me like BBF is singing "I know what I'd do."

No difference in meaning.

Lindy

[Johnm]

I did a clumsy job of communicating what I heard in that line, Lindy. I meant to put an elided "don't" prior to "know". It would more accurately have been written as d'know, or even dunno. For the second half of the line to have a parallel structure with the first half of the line, "don't know" makes much more sense than "know" would, it seems to me. I think if he knew what he would do, he would tell us what it it is he would do.
All best,
Johnm

[dj]

Concerning Ain't No Gettin' Along, Fuller recorded 12 songs during his Decca session.  Two disks were issued soon after the session: If You See My Pigmeat/Why Don't My Baby Write To Me? and Weeping Willow/Corrine What Makes You Treat Me So.  Those records were recalled by Decca after J.B. Long wrote the company threatening legal action for breach of Fuller's contract with him (though he actually had no contract with Fuller at the time, it was just a bluff).  All 4 songs were rerecorded at Fuller's ARC session 2 months later:  If You See My Pigmeat as Stealing Bo-Hog, Why Don't My Baby Write To ME? as Steel Hearted Woman, Weeping Willow as Ain't No Getting Along, and Corrine What Makes You Treat Me So as Careless Love.  The last three songs were the only three recorded on the second day of Fuller's ARC session, suggesting that overnight someone had the idea of rerecording everything that was released on Decca. 

All 12 of the Decca titles were released on late 1941 after Fuller's death. 

Sorry to be so late on this - I'm just catching up on some stuff I glided over during the holidays.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Blind Boy Fuller was joined by Sonny Terry on harmonica for "Mistreater, You're Going To Be Sorry", recorded in New York City on December 15, 1937. Blind Boy Fuller accompanied himself out of E position in standard tuning for the song. Fuller and Sonny Terry work together beautifully on their solos--they're really playing together as opposed to simply playing at the same time. Despite the intro solo being a 12-bar form, the song ends up being an 8-bar blues as sung (with a few extra beats), and it is essentially the same song as "Some Day You're Going To Be Sorry", which Fuller had earlier recorded in a solo version. Here is "Mistreater, You're Going To Be Sorry":



INTRO SOLO

I told you, baby, time and times again, I wouldn't be your enemy, I'd rather be your friend
REFRAIN: But some day, you're gonna be sorry, you mistreat me

I took you breakfast, carried it to your bed, even taken my comb, mama, and combed your head
REFRAIN: But some day, you're going to be sorry, you mistreat me

You left me this mornin', standin' in the door, if you stand to leave me, stand to see you go
REFRAIN: But some day, you're going to be sorry, you mistreat me (Spoken: Yeah)

SOLO

Today have been, long lonesome day, ever since my woman, been gone away
REFRAIN: But some day, you're going to be sorry, you mistreat me

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Blind Boy Fuller recorded "Bye Bye Baby Blues" at the same session as "Mistreater, You're Going To Be Sorry" and was once again joined by Sonny Terry. Fuller again accompanied himself out of E position in standard tuning for the number. I'm having a hard time hearing and making sense of the second verse and would sure appreciate corroboration/correction there or anywhere else you think I have the lyrics wrong. The song turns out to be Fuller's version of "Red River Blues". Here is "Bye Bye Baby Blues":



INTRO SOLO

Which a-way, which a-way, do that blood Red River run?
Run from my window, to that rising sun

Now that dumper, said loader, please send me six foot of clay
'Cause that blood Red River, mama, is risin' six foot a day

Go down, to the camp, and tell my brother, Bill
That woman he's lovin' is, sure gonna get him killed (Spoken: Yeah!)

SOLO

Now, the reason why, these here men, they sure don't draw no more
Ride from that long table, back to that commissary store

Now I love, to hear, that M & O whistle blow
I'm in a world of trouble, God knows, and I got to go (Spoken: Yeah, yeah!)

SOLO

Now I got, two women, and I don't know one apart
There's one in my bosom, the other one in my heart

Edited 1/14 to pick up corrections from Blues Vintage and Johnm and waxwing

All best,
Johnm

[Blues Vintage]

Weird title for this song,

Now that dumper, said loader, please send me six foot of clean clay
'Cause that blood Red River, mama, is risin', [today, 'fore day?] six foot a day

The That woman he's lovin' is, sure gonna get him killed

back to the that commissary store

[Johnm]

Thanks very much for the help, Blues Vintage. Your fixes in verse two are right on, and I will make those changes. I think "that" in verse three is correct and will leave that as is. "That" commissary store is good and I'll put that in, too. I will also change, in the preceding line of that verse to "THEY sure don't draw no more." Thanks!

[waxwing]

Sounds to me like he speaks "yeah" two times before the final solo. The first is kinda lackluster and only the second would deserve an exclamation point.

Wax

[Johnm]

Right you are, waxwing, I've made the change. Thanks!

[Johnm]

Hi all,
The last song that Blind Boy Fuller recorded with Sonny Terry on December 15, 1937 was "Looking For My Woman No. 2". I've obviously been listening to a lot of Blind Boy Fuller, but this take is so spectacular, particularly in Fuller's playing (in A position, standard tuning), that it completely caught me by surprise. He is so ultra on top of his game here, this might be my favorite piece of his in A, and I never thought I'd find one to rival "Worn-Out Engine". His time here is so lively, it is just die-happy stuff. Sonny Terry fits in perfectly, too. As far as I'm concerned, Blind Boy Fuller was the king of the up-tempo eight-bar blues. Here is "Looking For My Woman No. 2":



INTRO SOLO

I love, a woman, live on corner, Broad and Main
She's a married woman but I ain't gwine call her name

I love her, and she knows it, I just can't help myself
Get the woman I'm lovin'. Lord, I don't need no one else

Hey-ey----ey-ey, mmm-mm-hmm
Mmm-mm-hmm, Lord, Lordy-Lord

And if I, start walkin', and my feet get soakin' wet
If I don't find my woman, Lord, I won't stop walkin' yet

Yeah-eah-ay, Mmm-mmm-hmm
Lordy-Lordy, Lordy-Lordy-Lord

Then I start, write a letter, b'lieve I'll go home myself
'Cause a letter's so slow, 'fraid a telegram may get left (Spoken: Yeah!)

SOLO

Just as sure, as the birds, range in that sky above
Life ain't worth livin' if you ain't with the one you love

I got, two women, and they both lives up that road
One dos my washin' and ironin' the other one pays my room and board

I love, to hear, that M & O whistle blow
I'm in a world of trouble, Lord knows, and I got to go (Spoken: Yeah!)

Mmm-mm-mmm, mmm-mmm-hmm
Mmm-mm-hmm, Lord Lordy-Lord

Mama, I'm goin' up the country, baby, but I can't carry you
It's nothin' up there a woman like you can do

Hey-ey-ey, mm-mm-hmm
Mm-mm-hmm, Lord Lordy-Lord

CODA

All best,
Johnm