Hi all, I merged all of the various single song Blind Boy Fuller threads into a master Blind Boy Fuller Lyrics thread. Except for the earliest post, titles of the individual posts have not been changed for ease of following the lyric discussions. All best, Johnm
I've searched without much luck for a lead on this, but if I've missed an old thread, just point me in the right direction and I'll be a happy man. I've been learning to play Blind Boy Fuller's Mamie, and for the life of me I can't decipher some of what he's singing. Here's where I'm up to :
Early one morning baby, just about break of day I said early ... came along a dirty man, trying to straight little Mame away
You know that curb-stone ? was my pillow, cold sheet was my bed hey hey, cold sheet was my bed said you know i didn't have no Mamie just to hold my worried head
So many mornings I woke up baby, feel a ringing I said hey hey, feel a ringing I'd give a thousand dollars just to find out where my Mamie is
oh Mamie, Mamie please come back to me Momma, I'm blue as I can be
I believe I heard my woman call my name, said I believe I heard my, my woman call my name she didn't call so loud baby but she called so nice and plain
Yeah, call it honey...
Thanks for your help!
Gordon
« Last Edit: July 16, 2020, 12:20:14 PM by Johnm »
Welcome to WC, Gordon. One of my favorite tunes. Here's what I have for take 2 (which is the one on the Yazoo Fuller disc, I believe).
Mamie (Take 2) - Blind Boy Fuller
Early one morning mama, just 'bout the break of day I said it was early one morning mama, just 'bout the break of day Come along a dirty man, try to stray little old Mame away
You know that curbstone was my pillow, cold street was my bed He-ey hey, cold street was my bed Say you know I didn't have little Mamie just to hold my worried head
Said so many mornings I woke up baby, pillow wringing wet with tears I said hey hey, pillow wringing wet with tears Said I'd give a thousand dollars just to find out where my baby is (Yes I think I heard Mamie calling)
Whoa Mamie, whoa Mamie, Maa-mie, whoa Mamie, Mamie Please come back to me mama, I'm blue Lord as I can be
Said I believe I heard my woman call my name Yes I believe I hear my woman call my name She didn't call so loud baby but she call so nice and plain
Thanks for the help everyone. I listened back to it and now of course, of course it was that. Must be time for a visit to the doc to see about these cloth ears of mine...
Now you doggin' me mama, ain't did a thing to you. And you keep on doggin', no telling what I'll do.
I hear: Now you dog me mama, when I ain't did a thing to you If you keep on doggin', no telling what I'll do
Thanks for the suggestion.
Re-listening I think I'm hearing:
Now you dog(-ging / me?) me mama, ain't did a thing to you Then you keep on doggin', no telling what I'll do
I wonder if he repeats the word "me" in the first line. I can't hear "when I", although it would make sense. The second line maybe opens with "Then" rather than "And" or "If"?
Here's what I could patch together using the internet and my ears. Corrections are welcome.
PISTOL SLAPPER BLUES ?Blind Boy Fuller
I can tell my dog anywhere I hear him bark. I can tell my rider if I feel her in the dark.
You's a cold-blooded murderer, when you want me out your way. Says, that's all right mama, you gonna need my help some day.
And you say you're going to put me, Mama down in my lonesome grave. Say you must still remember, I once have been your slave.
instrumental
And I feel like snapping my pistol in your face, let some brownskin woman be here to take your place.
Yeah-hey, hey-yeah, mm-mm, mm-mm. let some brownskin woman be here to take your place.
Now you know you didn't want me when you lie down ?cross my bed, drinking your moonshine whisky, mama, talking all out your head.
Now give me the money baby, I'll catch that train and go. You don't have to kill me ?cause you don't want me no more. Hey, hey, ?cause you don't want me no more. Now you give me the money baby, and I'll catch that train and go.
Now you see my rider, tell her I said bring it home. I ain't had no loving since my gal been gone.
It's two kind of people in the world that I can't stand, that's a lying woman and a monkey man.
mm-mm, mm-mm, mm-mm, mm-mm.
Edited as suggested by Uncle Bud
« Last Edit: July 16, 2020, 12:21:46 PM by Johnm »
2.1 YOU'S A cold-blooded MURDERER, when you want me out your way
Murderer is sung more like murder, swallowing the extra syllable, but I think it's still sort of there.
4.1 And I feel like SNAPPIN' my pistol in your face
Despite the title given to the song, I hear snappin' more than slappin'. The line occurs elsewhere in CB lyrics as "snappin'" as I recall, though perhaps that needs verification.
2.1 YOU'S A cold-blooded MURDERER, when you want me out your way
Murderer is sung more like murder, swallowing the extra syllable, but I think it's still sort of there.
4.1 And I feel like SNAPPIN' my pistol in your face
Despite the title given to the song, I hear snappin' more than slappin'. The line occurs elsewhere in CB lyrics as "snappin'" as I recall, though perhaps that needs verification.
I need some more uptempo songs to wake up my audiences a little, and this would be an obvious candidate. Can you help with the lyrics, I'm having a little trouble at some spots? Any help and corrections are welcome!
STEP IT UP AND GO -Blind Boy Fuller
Had a little girl, she?s little and low, Used to love me, but she don?t no mo?, You?ve got to step it up and go, Yeah and go. Well you can?t stay and pat it, And I?ll tell you you?ve got to step it up and go.
Got a little girl, she stays upstairs, Trying to make a living by putting on airs, You?ve got to step it up and go, Yeah, yeah. Well you can?t stay and pat it, And I?ll swear you you?ve got to step it up and go.
Play it for me now! (Instrumental) Yeah, yes yes. Oh shucks.
Front door shut, backdoor too, Blind pulled down, what you gonna do? Gonna step it up and go, Yeah and go. Well you can?t stay and pat it, And I?ll tell you you?ve got to step it up and go.
(Instrumental) Yeah
Now a got a little gal, she?s name was Ball, Give a little bit and she took it all, You?ve got to step it up and go, Wooh yeah. Well you can?t stay and pat it, And I?ll tell you you?ve got to step it up and go.
Me and my baby walking down the street, Telling everybody but the chief police, You?ve got to step it up and go, Mmm, yeah. Well you can?t stay and pat it, And I?ll swear you you?ve got to step it up and go.
Play it again, now! (Instrumental) Yeah!
See my woman; tell her (to) hurry home, Ain?t had no loving since she been gone, Got to step it up and go, Yeah, yeah. Well you can?t stay and pat it, And I?ll swear you you?ve got to step it up and go.
Gonna sing this verse, ain?t gonna sing no mo?, Heared my gal calling and I?ve got to go, You?ve got to step it up and go, Yeah, yeah. Well you can?t stay and pat it, And I?ll swear you you?ve got to step it up and go.
(Instrumental) Yeah!
Thanks
Pan
Edited as kindly suggested by Bunker Hill.
« Last Edit: July 16, 2020, 12:22:27 PM by Johnm »