Topic: Fruit Jar Guzzlers Lyrics

[Johnm]

Hi all,
The Fruit Jar Guzzlers evidently had one very productive day in the studio, in March of 1928.  Though they were listed as Stevens and Bolar on some of the issues of their records, according to Tony Russell, the identity of the players is not known.  The name of the group seems to have been an attempt to go Uncle Dave Macon's Fruit Jar Drinkers one better.  For their recording of "Stack-O-Lee", one of the players picks the banjo in low C tuning and the other plays the guitar in C position, standard tuning.  This version has a lot of narrative richness and interesting detail in the way it tells the story.  Sometimes the refrain comes out of the dialogue and sometimes it's a sort of stand-alone commentary on the action.  Here is the Fruit Jar Guzzlers' "Stack-O-Lee":



BANJO SOLO

Oh, Stack-O-Lee went out, town, with a .44 in his hand
Lookin' all around for old Billy Lyons, killed wherever he can
All about, that broad-brimmed Stetson hat

So Stack-O-Lee entered the barroom, and he ordered just some beer
Looked around at Billy Lyons face, said, "What are you doin' here?"
This Stack-O-Lee, that bad man Stack-O-Lee

BANJO SOLO

"Stack-O-Lee", said, "Stack-O-Lee, oh please don't take my life.
Half a dozen little childern, sweet a-little lovin' wife,
I'm a-lookin' for my honey on the next train."

"God bless your childern, I'll take care of your wife.
You stole my John B. Stetson hat, I'm bound to take your life,
It's all about that broad-brimmed Stetson hat."

BANJO SOLO

Shot Bill Lyons, and he shot him right through the head
Took one loving shot to kill that poor boy dead
He's a bad man, oh bad man Stack-O-Lee

Here come the High Sheriff, getting along very slow
"Look-a-here, boys, can you tell me, just where'd Stack-O-Lee go?
He's a bad man, but he ought to be in jail."

BANJO SOLO

One little boy walked up, said, "Sheriff, he went down the road.
Great God, in his right hand, a great big .44,
He's a bad man, for God's sake, let him go!"

Billy Lyons said, "Mother, pray God, don't weep nor cry."
Old Billy Lyons said, "Mother, I'm bound to die,
All about that broad-brimmed Stetson hat."

BANJO SOLO

Stack-O-Lee said, "Judge, have a little pity on me.
One old gray-haired mother dear, she's left to weep for me."
All about that John B. Stetson hat

That Judge said, "Stack-O-Lee, gonna have a little pity on you.
Give you twenty-five years in that penitentiary."
All about, John B. Stetson hat

BANJO SOLO

All best,
Johnm 

[Johnm]

Hi all,
The Fruit Jar Guzzlers' "Steel Driving Man" was a version of "John Henry", as you might imagine it to be.  The duo once again works in C position on banjo and guitar.  They give over everything to the telling of the story here, with no solos at all.  I'd very much appreciate help with the bent bracketed passage in the second verse.  Here is the Fruit Jar Guzzlers' rendition:



John Henry, he was a steel-drivin' man
Carried his hammer every day
Was the Big Bend Tunnel on the C & O road
He's gonna be the death of me, Lord, Lord,
He's gonna be the death of me

John picked up his hammer, started to the rock
[Greeley?] Mountain, it was high
The rocks was so tall, John Henry was so small
He laid down his hammers and he cried, Lord, Lord,
He laid down his hammer and he died

Come on, my honey, won't you give me your right hand,
When you hear my hammer ring?
You walk down on the street, with a big red rockin' shoes
"I'm huntin' for my steel-drivin' man, Lord, Lord,
I'm huntin' for my steel-drivin' man."

John Henry, he had a darling little woman
Her name was Polly Ann
John Henry, he got down sick in bed, Lord,
Polly drove steel like a man, Lord, Lord,
Polly drove steel like a man

John Henry, he said to his shaker,
"Shaker, you'd better pray.
For if I miss that six-foot steel,
Tomorrow be your buryin' day, Lord, Lord,
Tomorrow be your buryin' day."

John Henry, he said to his captain,
"Captain, you can see like me.
'Way over there, in some old lonesome bowl,
The hammer be the death of me, Lord, Lord,
The hammer be the death of me."

The man that invented the old steam drill
Thought he was mighty fine
John Henry's sunk down a fourteen-foot hole,
But the steam drill only made nine, Lord, Lord,
The steam drill only made nine

John Henry's partner stood up on the right
John, he stood up on the left
"'Fore I let your darned old steam drill beat me down,
I'd hammer my fool self to death, Lord, Lord,
I'd hammer my fool self to death."

John Henry, he said to his captain,
"Captain, when you go into town,
Bring John Henry back a twelve-pound hammer.
John'll whup your steam drill down, Lord, Lord
John'll whup your steam drill down

All best,
Johnm