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Country Blues => Country Blues Lyrics => Topic started by: Johnm on January 20, 2017, 11:51:09 AM
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Hi all,
Leothus "Lee" Green was a pianist, probably originally from Mississippi, who was living in St. Louis in the late '20s and early '30s when he recorded, and who was identified by Roosevelt Sykes as being a major influence on his piano playing. Both pianists were featured on a Yazoo CD, "The Way I Feel--The Best of Roosevelt Sykes and Lee Green", now out of print, and one of the wonderful blues piano CDs curated by the late British collector Francis Wilford-Smith.
Green was not a flashy pianist, but he had a wonderful touch, and lots of imagination, and was also a really fine singer, with a light tremolo when he sang. His solo on "The Way I Feel Blues" shows more harmonic imagination than a lot of more famous pianists, and he does some really ace things in the timing of his accompaniment to the last verse of the song. For his recording of "The Way I Feel" he was joined by an unidentified guitarist playing out of C position in standard tuning, who was barely audible, but showed a Lonnie Johnson influence. Here is the cut:
https://youtu.be/M31rXBpgjDg
INTRO
Babe, you don't know the way I feel
Babe, you don't know the way I feel
You treat me just like, baby, my hear's made out of steel
My babe don't speak well of poor me no more
Lord, my baby don't speak well of poor me no more
I believe to my soul, she's got the man at the very next door
SOLO
I woke up this mornin', just as sick as I could be
I woke up this mornin', just as sick as I could be
Nothin' but the doggone blues, almost killin' poor me
Awww, baby, told my Mother and my dear Dad, too
Lord, I spoke hard words, baby, to my dear Mother and my Daddy, too
Which I wouldn't have not spoken them, Lord, if it had not been for you
Babe, since we have been apart, life don't seem the same
Lord, since we have been apart, life don't seem the same
Lord, it even though breaks my heart, hear some baby call my rider's name
All best,
Johnm
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Hi all,
On "All My Money Gone", Lee Green is once again joined by an unknown, and almost inaudible guitarist, who sounds to be playing out of A position in standard tuning, or possibly Spanish tuning. Lee Green once again provides a very dynamic accompaniment for his own singing. pretty much changing things up for the entire length of his rendition. One can sympathize with the guitarist when Lee Green starts his solo, for Green's extreme and complex rhythmic intensity would blow any acoustic guitarist out of the water. The guitarist sounds like he could have been Teddy Darby--the touch and tone are very similar to Teddy's on some of his early cuts like "My Laona" and "Deceiving Blues". Green's solo is reminiscent of some of Skip James' wild early piano playing. Here is "All My Money Gone":
https://youtu.be/3LO1Z2CoPLI
INTRO
All my money gone, there ain't no more in sight
Says, all my money gone and there ain't no more in sight
People, you know I've got to do something, that you really know, that is not right
Peoples, you could not blame me, all I got's in pawn
People, you could not blame me, all I got's in pawn
A no-good woman have mistreated me, and taken all my money and gone
SOLO
This world is in a tangle, and everybody's singin' this song
This world is in a tangle, and everybody's singin' this song
I haven't got a friend in this world, and all my money gone
I believe, I believe, I am on my last go-round
I believe, I believe, I am on my last go-round
All my money gone, I feel myself sinkin' down
All best,
Johnm
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Hi all,
Lee Green performed the dangerously catchy "Memphis Fives" as a solo number. Blueshome recorded a nice version of this a couple of years ago. The song has a tricky "crooked" form. The first 8 bars are pretty much what you'd expect from a 12-bar blues, but here is how Lee Green phrased the refrain, "B'lieve to my soul, she's got those Memphis Fives, I mean those Memphis Fives", over the V7 chord, like so:
| V7 (6 beats) | I (turn-around) | I V7 |
Here is Lee Green's performance of the song:
https://youtu.be/M_bxXASiBpI
INTRO SOLO
Gwon take my baby to the doctor, soon
Gwonna take my baby to the doctor, soon
Gwonna take my baby to the doctor, soon
She fell down, done hurt her throne
REFRAIN: B'lieve to my soul, babe, you've got those Memphis Fives,
I mean, those Memphis Fives
You was in Memphis when I saw you last
You was in Memphis when I saw you last
You was in Memphis when I saw you last
Now you's in Vicksburg tryin' to show your yas-yas-yas
REFRAIN: B'lieve to my soul, babe, you've got those Memphis Fives,
Got those Memphis Fives
Just toot your whistle, mama, you can blow on your horn
Just toot your whistle, you can blow on your horn
Just toot your whistle you can blow on your horn
When you get musty, I got your water on
REFRAIN: B'lieve to my soul, you've got those Memphis Fives,
Got those Memphis Fives
"You don't stop, papa, I'm going to yell.
Don't stop that, papa, I am going to yell.
Don't stop that, papa, I'm going to yell"
"And if you yell, mama, I'm going to give you hell."
REFRAIN: B'lieve to my soul, babe, you've got those Memphis Fives,
Got those Memphis Fives
Up she slipped and down she fell
Up she slipped and down she fell
Up she slipped and down she fell
Well, her mouth flew open like a country well
REFRAIN: B'lieve to my soul, babe, you've got those Memphis Fives,
Got those Memphis Fives
That I.C. train makes a mile a minute
That I.C. train makes a mile a minute
That I.C. train makes a mile a minute
This time tomorrow, mama, I'll be sittin' right in it
REFRAIN: B'lieve to my soul, babe, you've got those Memphis Fives,
I mean those Memphis Fives
All best,
Johnm
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That Memphis Fives is very nice, pretty much a 'feel' thing at the end of the verse. I had not heard it before. In case anyone else is wondering, the "I.C. train" is a reference to the Illinois Central RR
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Hi all,
Lee Green recorded "Maltese Cat" in 1930, performing it as a solo number. Green's vocal tremolo is stronger than usual on this recording. Here is his rendition of the song:
https://youtu.be/ykMiXv3wZXg
INTRO
I got a brownskin woman, she walks like a Maltese cat
I got a brownskin woman, walks like a Maltese cat
Well, she's a fine-lookin' mama, she ain't no alley rat
Lord, when my baby talks, her voice rings like a baby grand
When my baby talk, voice ring like a baby grand
She's a fine-lookin' mama, not to be played by no monkey man
Lord, I can not leave her alone
Baby, I can not leave you alone
I'll be lovin' you, sweet mama, after the days you dead and gone
SOLO
Lord, I feels like jumpin' from a treetop to the ground
I feel like jumpin' from a treetop to the ground
'Cause my babe done left me, alone in this fakin' town
CODA
All best,
Johnm
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Hi all,
Lee Green recorded the mis-titled "Death Alley Blues" (he clearly sings "Death Valley" every time he comes to the title phrase) as a solo number. As was usual for him, his accompaniment was quite varied. Here is his performance:
https://youtu.be/kD3IXzcWack
INTRO
I'm going down in Death Valley, nothin' down there but clubs and bones
Goin' down in Death Valley, nothin' down there but clubs and bones
If you see my sweet baby, please tell her the way that I'm gone
With my sword in my hand, my gun loaded round and round
My sword in my hand, my gun loaded round and round
I'm gonna battle, I'm gonna battle, some bad fool, carry me down
Lord, I've got tired, everybody tryin' to dog me 'round
Lord, I've got tired, everybody tryin' to dog me 'round
Sooner be dead and sleepin', baby, in the ground
Now, dear old Mister Jailer, you can do anything you want with me
Dear old Mister Jailer, do anything you want with me
When I get through battlin', Mister Jailer, goin' back to my used-to-be
Lord, down in Death Valley, bloody skulls and bones
Down in Death Valley, bloody skulls and bones
My sweet woman be cryin', be cryin', she found out where that I'm gone
SOLO
All best,
Johnm
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You must be working from a different take, because none of the changes you suggested are on the recording I was working from, Harry. I assume what you posted was in response to what I posted.
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I was working from a different take, John. I'm sorry. This european video block thing is really getting on my nerves. Anyway thanks for introducing me to Lee Green. I was unfamiliar with his work. I'm a blues piano aficionado as you might know. Harry
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Hi all,
Lee Green recorded "Death Bell Blues" as a solo number. A completely different song of the same title was recorded by singer/guitarist Tom Dickson. Lee Green's piano playing is really beautiful on this piece, varied, imaginative, and with wonderful tonal colors, and tremendous relaxed time. Here is Lee Green's version:
https://youtu.be/11zwkFBxjAA
INTRO
I hate to hear that lonesome death bell tone
I hate to hear that lonesome death bell tone
But it reminds me of my dear Mother, I mean, that's dead and gone
I can't stay here, Lord, I can't stay nowhere
Lord, I can't stay here, babe, I can't stay nowhere
Lord, I been to the Nation, sweet mama, and I couldn't stay there
From East St. Louis to the river, the river to the deep blue sea
Got from East St. Louis to a river, from the river to the deep blue sea
If I don't get the woman that I'm lovin', I don't care what becomes of me
It's so cold in Chicago, the birds can't hardly sing
Lord, it's so cold in Chicago, the birds can't hardly sing
It's so cold in East St. Louis, 'til these women can't make a doggone thing
But my babe, she done quit me, and I don't even care
I mean, my babe done quit me, and I don't even care
I b'lieve that lonesome death bell, gon' take me 'way from here
All best,
Johnm
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Hi all,
Lee Green's "Number 44 Blues" is a train blues, not a gun blues. He plays it with variable phrase lengths, and he is most often short in the instrumental response to the first line of each verse. Here is his performance of the song:
https://youtu.be/Q8vzXy8U3XU
INTRO
Aw, left my baby cryin', "Aw, daddy, I heard the 44 when she blow."
Aw, my baby cryin' that, "I heard the 44 whistle when she blows.
And daddy, I feel mistreated, and your sweet mama bound to go."
Now baby, when you get loaded and think you want to go
That's, baby, when you get loaded, and think that you want to go
You know you ain't no better, mama, than the black woman I had before
Some of these mornin', mama, babe, and it won't be long
Oh, some of these morning, babe, it won't be long
You gonna look for your daddy, baby, and I'm going to be gone
It's blues, will last me nine months from today
Babe, I got blues, will last me nine months from today
I'm gon' get my sweet woman to drive my blues away
SOLO
Lordy, baby, when you get loaded and want to go
Lord, baby, baby, when you get loaded and want to go
You ain't no better, baby, than the black woman I had before
All best,
Johnm
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Hi all,
For "Train Number 44", Lee Green was joined by Roosevelt Sykes, who operated in a spoken-only capacity. Roosevelt Sykes comes across as quite the hipster and seems intent on making Lee Green feel as low as possible. Musically, the piece is very close to "Number 44 Blues". Here is the recorded performance:
https://youtu.be/A7UT0oOtpNc
INTRO
Spoken, Lee Green: Why, hello there, Roosevelt
Spoken, Roosevelt Sykes: Why, hello there, Lee Green, why, how you got 'em this morning?
Spoken, Lee Green: Aw, pretty good, boy, I don't feel so good.
Spoken, Roosevelt Sykes: Well, I know 'bout the reason you don't feel so good. Because I seed your gal catch that Number 44 train this morning. And I just about know 'bout how you feel it, you oughta feel just about well enough to pick me them Number 44 Blues down to a [gravy?]
Spoken, Lee Green: Well, I'll pick 'em for you, boy, 'cause I've kind of got 'em myself. Doggone it!
PIANO
I heard my babe left this morning on the train Number 44
Lord, my babe left this morning, on the train Number 44
Ah, she says, "I'm billed out, sweet papa, and your sweet mama bound to go."
SOLO (Spoken during solo, Roosevelt Sykes: Oh, I know about how your case is, you see. A sort of a fine-lookin' gal like that a-walk out on you, 'cause, thing about it, she don't exactly know who you is!
Spoken, Lee Green: Well, she been with me long enough to find out who I was.
Spoken, Roosevelt Sykes: Yeah, but I 'bout know your case is very sad.
Spoken, Lee Green: Well, I know one thing: I ain't gon' let nothin' worry me like it has been. Nice as I was to her.
Roosevelt Sykes: Not much!
Spoken, Lee Green: No? Well, I'm gon' sing a verse.)
That is a mean old fireman, cruel old engineer
Was a mean old fireman, cruel old engineer
That doggone 44 train, that carried my baby 'way from here
SOLO (Spoken during solo, Roosevelt Sykes: Boy, and I mean she was a fine-lookin' kid, too, that's what's worryin' you. If she had've been some little ol' tacky gal it wouldn't have worried you, but she's a fine-lookin' flower, sure as you a foot high.
Spoken, Lee Green: Boy, you think I ain't a fine-lookin' guy! Well, I never had a woman to walk out on me before.
Spoken, Roosevelt Sykes: Well, I'm gonna pick you up, so so long!)
All best,
Johnm
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Hi all,
Lee Green's recording of "If I Get Drunk, Who's Gonna Carry Me Home?" is interesting for its simultaneous suavity and "country" qualities. Its suavity lies mostly in Lee Green's elegant touch on the piano and his seemingly inexhaustible supply of ideas and accompaniment textures. It's "country" quality lies in the way he varies the length of his instrumental responses, most often being "short" there, but occasionally going "long", too. I love the tagline to the second verse--it has the ring of truth. Here is his recording:
https://youtu.be/PrNfZgi2szw
INTRO
If I get drunk, baby, who going to carry me home?
If I get drunk, baby, who gon' carry me home?
For it's a mark in my family, it must be carried on
Lord, I'm an innocent man, but the policeman took me down
I'm an innocent man, but the policeman carried me down
He says to his partner, "He's a smart guy, wants to clown."
Lord, babe, I'm in jail, haven't even done no crime
Lord, I'm in jail, baby, haven't even done no crime
Well, I'm fined fifty dollars, ain't got a lousy dime
"Baby, will you please, ma'am, pay my fine?
Baby, baby, please, ma'am, pay my fine."
"Don't you worry, sweet papa, I'll be there, 'head of time."
She went down to the judge with a hundred dollar bill in her hand
She went down to the judge with a hundred dollar bill in her hand
She say, "Your honor, Mister Judge, I come after my man."
All best,
Johnm
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His singing reminds me a bit of Little Brother Montgomery, with the occasional vibrato. There's so many of these great early piano players. If I was a better player, I'd steal some of their stuff for guitar licks.
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Hi all,
Lee Green recorded "Bad Man Napper" at a session in Chicago on October 18, 1929, for which he was joined by an unnamed guitarist, accompanying him out of C position in standard tuning. Lee Green accompanied his own singing on the piano, playing in C, as well. I really like his singing and playing and would very much appreciate help with any of the bent bracketed passages in the lyrics ( or anything else you think I have wrong). Here is "Bad Man Napper":
https://youtu.be/4_4dPo_qWfw
INTRO
The Bad Man Napper, was the cause of Little Eddie's death today
The Bad Man Napper, was the cause of Little Eddie's death today
I think he slipped and he stole his life, out from behind a big stack of hay
Napper was a bad man, and I hate to sing the song
Old Napper was such a bad man, I hate to sing the song
He made his livin' in stealin', and hidin' it all along
He came to my house, I thought he was comin' to see me
He came to my house, thought he was comin' to see me
When I come to squirrel him out, 'suaded my wife to leave me
Stole a coat from a tailor, weighed sixteen hundred pounds
Stole a coat from a tailor, weighed sixteen hundred pounds
Cost so much he wouldn't pay the tailor, wouldn't meet halfway 'round
Aw, my baby, he don't mean no one man no good
Aw, old Napper, don't mean no one man no good
Lord, I got the same feelin', mama, be the same way if I could
The Sheriff says, "Gentlemen, don't you hesitate."
Sheriff says, "Gentlemen, don't you hesitate.
Get your guns and your horses. Run him out the State."
He is a bad man, I hate to sing the song
He's such a bad man, I hate to sing the song
He makes his livin' in stealin', hidin' it all along
Edited 7/27 to pick up correction from banjochris
Edited 7/28 to pick up correction from Harry
Edited 7/29 to pick up changes from Harry and Johnm
All best,
Johnm
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Looks good to me, John – I would suggest for 3.3 that the beginning of the line is:
When I COME to SQUIRREL him out,
Chris
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Thanks for the help, Chris. "Squirrel" it is! Do you have any idea of the sense of the verse that follows? The phonetics are right on, but I sure don't understand the idea of the coat weighing sixteen hundred pounds. I'll make the change you suggested.
All best,
Johnm
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I just picked up his Document LP (Blues And Barrelhouse Piano 1929-1937)
One minor suggestion,
5.2 Aw, old Napper, don't mean no one man no good
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Thanks for the catch, Harry. I have made the change.
All best,
Johnm
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Hi all,
Lee Green and his anonymous accompanist recorded "Little Eddie Jones" at the same session as "Bad Man Napper", immediately prior to that tune, working in the same key and playing position, C. Interesting that the lyrics to "Bad Man Napper" make reference to Napper murdering Little Eddie Jones, and the last verse of "Little Eddie Jones" makes it appear that Eddie is no longer around, as the song ends. It seems likely that both individuals were real people of Lee Green's acquaintance. I'm missing the front end of the tagline to the fourth verse and would sure appreciate some help with it. Here is "Little Eddie Jones":
https://youtu.be/PvbkMdJIZ_U
INTRO
I'm gonna do, babe, like Little Eddie Jones
Lord, I'm going to do, babe, like Little Eddie Jones
Everywhere that he goes, sweet mama, that's where he calls his home
He never lonesome, and he never blue
He never lonesome, and he never blue
He can get anything he want to, do anything he wants to do
The guns he carry, .38 and .45
Lord, the guns that he carry, .38 and .45
When he can't get what he want to, he takes from dead or 'live
When he goes a-courting, he goes through mud and rain
When he go a-courting, he goes through mud and rain
Ah, even if his horse snortin', goin' up some lonesome lane
He goes and knocks, on his sweet gal's door
He goes and knocks, knocks on his sweet gal's door
"Hey, I want to speak to you, sweet mama, you may never see me any more."
"Babe, it do me so much good, look in your smiling face.
Do me so much good, sweet mama, look in your smiling face.
I just stopped by here, sweet mama, see if anybody could take Mr. Eddie's place."
Edited 7/29 to pick up correction from waxwing
All best,
Johnm
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Thanks for the help, Chris. "Squirrel" it is! Do you have any idea of the sense of the verse that follows? The phonetics are right on, but I sure don't understand the idea of the coat weighing sixteen hundred pounds. I'll make the change you suggested.
I didn't really get that either; usually it's the wearer who weighs a lot in those verses!
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Hi Johnm,
Sounds like:
Ah, even if his horse's snortin', goin' up some lonesome lane
Wax
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Thanks for the help, Wax. "Horse snortin'" is terrific! It does sound like he's saying "all" at the beginning of the line, but I think think he may have combined "ah" with "well". I'll keep it as "ah". Thanks!
All best,
Johnm
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I got a few more suggestions for "Bad Man Napper"
1st verse
The Bad Man Napper, was are the cause of Little Eddie's death today
Lord A lil' ol' Bad Man Napper, was are the cause of Little Eddie's death today
I think he slipped and he stole his life, out from behind a big stack of hay
2.3 He made his livin' in stealin', and hidin' it all day long along
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Harry, I disagree with your changes in the first verse. Lee Green sings "was" in both of the first two lines. "Lord" was wrong, he just sings "the" again in the second line, but swallows it. I agree with your change to the tagline in verse two and will amke that change. Thanks.
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You're right, it does sorta sound like a stretched out ah--ll. It could be referring back to going through mud and rain? Your call.
Wax
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Harry, I disagree with your changes in the first verse. Lee Green sings "was" in both of the first two lines. "Lord" was wrong, he just sings "the" again in the second line, but swallows it. I agree with your change to the tagline in verse two and will amke that change. Thanks.
Sorry start this again but I don't hear "was" at all. I hear "are" clearly. I don't hear "the" on 1.2 either.
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I can't help what you hear, Harry. Give it a rest. I'm not making those changes. You can hear the "s" at the end of "was" as plain as day and there is no "r" sound at all.
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In Bad Man Napper, could the line "Stole a coat from a tailor, weighed sixteen hundred pounds" actually be "Stole a colt from a tailor, weighed sixteen hundred pounds"? A draft horse, like a Clydesdale, Belgian, or Percheron, would weigh about that much. Maybe Mr. Napper stole the horse that was pulling the tailor's wagon?
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I think the humor is that, as banjochris suggested, Napper weighs 4/5 ton, is a very large man, and the amount of fabric for a coat made it so expensive that he just stole it. The laugh was on him because the coat still didn't reach around his girth. Probably the expectation is that everyone knows the joke so he just needs to hit the high points and everyone gets it.
Wax