Hi all, We have a couple of the songs that Washboard Walter and John Byrd recorded together but have never had a dedicated Wahboard Walter Lyrics thread. The duo recorded "Wasn't it Sad About Lemon" at a session in Grafton in March of 1930, with John Byrd providing accompaniment in Vestapol and backing vocal harmonies on the chorus. I'd very much appreciate help with any blank places in the lyrics or places I have it wrong. Here is "Wan't It Sad About Lemon":
INTRO SOLO
Blind Lemon was born in Texas, a State we all know well Was in the streets of Chicago, was where poor Lemon fell REFRAIN: Oh wasn't it sad, sad? They're talking of his death, his voice is ringing ever Wasn't it sad, sad, when they heard that Lemon was dead?
Lemon had a mule born in Texas, schooled in Tennessee "Never no more will ol' Lemon, plow the fool out of me." REFRAIN: Oh wasn't it sad, sad? They're talking of his death, his voice is ringing ever Wasn't it sad, sad, when they heard that Lemon was dead?
The most of the songs that Lemon sung, they were heartbreakers Now Lemon done did his duty, and gone on to his Maker REFRAIN: Wasn't it sad, sad? They're talking of his death, his voice is ringing ever Wasn't it sad, sad, when they heard that Lemon was dead?
The song you've ought to hear Lemon playing, before he passed away Was the song he were fixin' to make: "See that My Grave Is Kept Clean" REFRAIN: Oh wasn't it sad, sad? They're talking of his death, his voice is ringing ever Wasn't it sad, sad, when they heard that Lemon was dead?
The weather were below zero, on the day he passed away But this is the truth, we all know well, that's a debt we all have to pay REFRAIN: Oh wasn't it sad, sad? They're talking of his death, his voice is ringing ever Wasn't it sad, sad, when they heard that Lemon was dead?
Lemon Jefferson, he was blind, blind from his birth But the truest friend he left behind was his poor mother here on Earth REFRAIN: Oh wasn't it sad, sad? They're talking of his death, his voice is ringing ever Wasn't it sad, sad, when they heard that Lemon was dead?
Edited 7/26 to pick up corrections from Blues Vintage Edited 7/27 to pick up corrections from banjochris and Stuart
All best, Johnm
« Last Edit: July 27, 2023, 03:42:29 PM by Johnm »
Re: "Plow the fool out of me" Perhaps the line is meant to be understood as the "voice" of the mule. I can't imagine a blind musician of Lemon's caliber and status being behind a mule, but sometimes lyrics are fanciful. (And the mule was "schooled"--trained, I assume) --Just a thought.
Edited to add: If you think this is appropriate, you could put the line in quotation marks to suggest the voice of the mule.
« Last Edit: July 27, 2023, 02:19:00 PM by Stuart »
Hi all, Washboard Walter's first track recorded with John Byrd was "Narrow Face Blues", recorded in November of 1929 in Grafton. John Byrd accompanied the song in E position in standard tuning, and his rock steady time and strong playing are a treat to hear. This is one of the only tracks Washboard Walter recorded on which he played washboard, despite his performance monicker, and here he stops playing it as soon as he starts singing. I'd appreciate help with the two bent bracketed sections and anything else I have wrong. I think Washboard Walter mis-spoke in the first bent bracketed section and sings what he intended in the second line of that verse. Here is "Narrow Face Blues":
INTRO SOLO
You can talk about bird liver but narrow face is the meat I crave You can talk about bird liver but narrow face is the meat I crave You can take a narrow face and lead a preacher to his grave
You sisters'll do anything when he begins to preach and smile You sisters will do anything when he begins to preach and smile You'll bankrupt your husband, buying those narrow face pies
Lordy, Lordy, here's what I want you to do Lordy, Lordy, here's what I want you to do Please deliver me from those narrow face blues
Hey, hey-hey, listen to the brother moan Hey, hey, hey-ey, listening to the brother moan While the preacher and the sisters gnaw on those narrow face bones
You'll be surprised to know what the word of "narrow face" means You'll be surprised to know what the word of "narrow face" means But you see it ain't nothing, but a great big fat hen
Hey, hey, what you want me to do? Hey, hey, what you want me to do? Joint it with you and eat those narrow face blues
CODA
Edited 7/28 to pick up correction from banjochris
All best, Johnm
« Last Edit: July 28, 2023, 01:00:25 PM by Johnm »
He doesn't exactly misspeak in 5.1, John, he just puts heavy stress on SUR-prised and then normalizes it in the next line, but it starts the same way, You'll be surprised.
I need to listen to the last line some more, I can't quite get that.
Thanks for the help, Chris. Once you said it, I don't know what my problem was hearing that in the first place. Re the lyrics, I would like to have seen one of those old animated ads for this track: "Narrow face--a wonderful subject for a wonderful Blues hit!".
FWIW I was gonna post this before Chris posted but took it back;
Johnny it with you and eat those narrow face blues
At least we hear a "J" at the beginning. But not even sure on that either. I thought it could be slang for "carry it with you" or something. This song really has some of the strangest lyrics.
Hi Blues Vintage, I'm pretty sure it is "joint". To joint a chicken is to butcher it, separating the leg from the thigh, cutting off the wings splitting out the breasts, etc.
Hi all, Washboard Walter and John Byrd recorded "Disconnected Mama" at a session in Grafton in April of 1930, with John Byrd accompanying the song in G position in standard tuning. The duo's rendition is a cover of Sloppy Henry's 1928 recording of "Long, Tall, Disconnected Mama". This song may fairly be said to be monotonous. I'd very much appreciate help or corrections with the lyrics. Here is "Disconnected Mama":
Long, tall, disconnected mama, but she is my gal Long, tall, disconnected mama, but she is my gal She got great big legs and pretty good thighs, she's one of these women that'll tantalize She's a long, tall, disconnected mama, but she's my gal
Long, tall, disconnected mama, but she is my gal She makes good jellyroll every day, but, boys, I swear she will give it away She's a long, tall, disconnected mama, but she is my gal
She's a long, tall, disconnected mama, but she is my gal I'm low and squatty, she's long and tall, when I get my step ladder, I let her get it all She's a long, tall, disconnected mama, but she is my gal
She's a long, tall, disconnected mama, but she is my gal She's got a head like a punkin [sic] and a face like a frog, smell like a billy goat, will jump overboard She's a long, tall, disconnected mama, but she is my gal
Long, tall, disconnected mama, but she is my gal She talks to me like the rooster to the hen, "I haven't seen you since the Lord knows when." She's a long, tall, disconnected mama, but she is my gal
Long, tall, disconnected mama, but she is my gal I begin to stagger, she begin to fuss, when I get my blackjack, she'll begin to buck Long, tall, disconnected mama, but she is my gal
Long, tall, disconnected mama, but she is my gal She's one of these women who dips her snuff, swear to God, she knows to get enough She's a long, tall, disconnected mama, but she is my gal
Long, tall, disconnected mama, but she is my gal She takes my money right in the pot, now I've got no money and she's tryin' to play hard She's a long, tall, disconnected mama, but she is my gal
Edited 8/1 to pick up corrections from banjochris and Blues Vintage
All best, Johnm
« Last Edit: August 01, 2023, 04:21:51 PM by Johnm »
Thanks for the help, Chris. In that one verse, where I had "cuss", I think it is "fuss". I think "Jack" refers to a male mule, and the line ends, "he'll begin to buck". I wish there had been a solo somewhere along the way in this tune, just for some relief!
Thanks for the lyrics to Narrow Face Blues! I've been playing this tune for years - it's one of my favorites. I never could decipher the first line and always used "you can talk about braised liver..." but I knew this was probably wrong. "bird liver" is pretty weird too, but more plausible. For the last line, I always assumed "Join in with you and ..." but "joint it with you" is more like what it sounds like.