Topic: Tampa Red Lyrics

[banjochris]

Definitely Romeo Nelson on piano -- it's almost identical to his accompaniment to his own "Dying Rider Blues."

[Johnm]

Hi Phil,
In verse two, I'm hearing:

   So TWENTY years in prison AIN'T NO TIME TO STAY
   TWENTY years in prison AIN'T NO TIME TO STAY
   When some old dirty MISTREATER'S STOLE your best woman away

I hear the spoken aside after the first instrumental line,

   Moan it--SOUNDS GOOD TO ME

Verse three I agree with Alex:

   So when it's rainin' and A-SLEETIN', you lookin' through your window PANE
   When it's rainin' and A-SLEETIN', AND you lookin' through your window pane
   THINKIN' ABOUT the one you love, ENOUGH  to drive A MAN insane

Verse four:

   So EVERYBODY'S screamin' "Mercy", I'm WONDERIN' what do mercy mean
   EVERYBODY'S screamin' "Mercy", I wonder what do mercy mean
   If it means anything, mama, have mercy on me

All best,
Johnm

[blueshome]

OK, Ive included  changes and think we are there.

[slideaway]

dont know if a thread for this exists somewhere?


give it up buddy - tampa red

say there fella  what you trying to do
your trying to make her take it
and she dont want you
so give it up buddy       and get going

you strutted off from her  like a jersey bull
you thought you had your belly full
so give it up buddy       and get going


you once had her loving         a sweet romance
but you messed around and      now you lost a chance
you'd better listen to me


for heres the best thing for you to do
treat her just like other strangers do
and give it up buddy         and get going

aside* - get hot  everybodys got it now

solo  V/Ch x2   brdg x1    V/ch x1

so now your messing round cause you want to know
who makes the bob  why'd she pass the dough
but give it up buddy      and get going

so dont be yella  take it like a man
cause i?m here waiting just to call your hand
so give it up buddy      and get going

you once had a chance to     take her in your arms
you had all of her love and   you had all of her charms
you'd better listen to me

the road is clear and it aint no hill
dont say you wont  cause i know you will
give it up buddy      and get going

[davet]

Greetings

I have just one query on this song. Does Li'l Suzanne sell "her grease" or "hair grease" ?
And if it is "her grease" does anyone know what grease refers to please?



Can?t get that stuff no more

You know Bootleg Sal used to live across town
The law went there and they closed her down
Chorus:   Now you can?t get that stuff no more
Now you can?t get that stuff no more
No matter how you try, you can?t buy it
You can?t get that stuff no more

You know that place on Mojo Hill
The law took the gal and the liquor still
Chorus    Now you can?t get that stuff no more
Now you can?t get that stuff no more
No matter how you try, you can?t buy it
You can?t get that stuff no more


Li?l Suzanne she used to sell her grease ? or hair grease ?
She got in trouble with the Chief of police
Chorus   Now you can?t get that stuff no more
Now you can?t get that stuff no more
No matter how you try, you can?t buy it
You can?t get that stuff no more


There goes Joe with a great big knife,
Somebody been messin? round with his wife
Chorus   Now he can?t get that stuff no more
Now he can?t get that stuff no more
No matter how you try, you can?t buy it
You can?t get that stuff no more


On State Street they use to give it away
But now you can?t get it if you offer to pay
Chorus   Now you can?t get that stuff no more
Now you can?t get that stuff no more
No matter how you try, you can?t buy it
You can?t get that stuff no more


All of them gals use to walk the street
The law done run them off his beat
Chorus   Now you can?t get that stuff no more
Now you can?t get that stuff no more
No matter how you try, you can?t buy it
You can?t get that stuff no more

Ah play it

[Johnm]

Hi davet,
It sure sounds like "hair grease", which I would assume to be a pomade or hair tonic/dressing of some sort.  In the second verse, first line, I think Tampa Red sings DAGO Hill.
All best,
Johnm

[davet]

Hi John

Thanks for your comments. All of the other verses imply things which the authorities dont like. So I was wondering how hair grease could be bad. 

We play this song and changed the name from Dago as it has bad connotations in the UK. 

davet

[Rivers]

It has bad connotations everywhere!

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I merged the thread on Tampa Red's "You Can't Get that Stuff No More" with the pre-existing Tampa Red Lyrics thread.
All best,
Johnm

[lindy]

I was surprised to find that this iconic song had not been covered by our crack lyric decipherin' team.

There are three places where I'm just outright stumped, and I would appreciate knowing the origin and meaning of bom bom diddly.

-------------------------------------------

Sept 25 2017: modified to add changes from Johnm and banjochris. Thanks to both.

Tight Like That     
Tampa Red with Georgia Tom   
Recorded 11/23/1928

Listen here folks, I want to sing a little song,
Don't get mad, we don't mean no harm.

CHORUS: You know it?s tight like that, beedle-um-bum,
Boy it?s tight like that, beedle-um-bum,
You hear me talking to you, I mean it?s tight like that.

There was a little black rooster, met a little brown hen.
Made a date at the barn, about half past ten.

I went to see my gal, up across the hall.
Found another mule, kicking in my stall.

Now the gal I love, she's long and slim.
When she whip it, it's too bad Jim.

Now the rooster crowed, and the hen looked around.
If you bum bum diddly, got to carry me into town.

Mama had a little dog, and its name was Ball.
Give him a little taste, he?d want it all.

SPOKEN:
Georgia Tom: Ah, folks, that?s tight like that. Yeah, that?s famous Tampa Red.
Tampa Red: Come play it, boy.

Uncle Bud and Aunt Jane, went chinkypin huntin'.
Aunt Jane fell down, and Uncle Bud die-diddle.

If you see my gal, tell her to hurry home.
I ain't had no bread, since she been gone.

I wear my britches, up above my knees.
Strut my jelly, with who I please.

Uncle Bill came home, about half past ten.
Put the key in the hole, but he couldn't get in.

Me and my brother, was up in the loft.
We seen Uncle Bill when they broke it off.

[Johnm]

Hi Lindy,
The one verse begins:
   Uncle Bud and Aunt Jane went to CHINKYPIN (or CHINQUIPIN) HUNTIN'
I'm having a hard time catching the tail end of the last line of that verse.

I think a chinquipin is a little sour wild fruit.  Hobart Smith played a tune on the banjo called "Chinquipin Pie", and there is an old-time fiddle tune called "Chinkypin Hunting".  Peg Lowell used a verse like the one above in "Turkey Buzzard Blues".

Now, me and my gal went chinkypin huntin'
Me and my gal went a-chinkypin huntin'
Me and my gal went a chinkypin huntin'
She fell down and I found sumpin'

All best,
Johnm

[lindy]

Thanks John, change made to my original. Never would've gotten that one on my own.

For the final verse, I re-listened and got this impression:

Me and my brother, was up in the loft.
We was seeing Uncle Bill when they broke it off.

--i.e., Red and his brother were up in the loft looking down on something Uncle Bill didn't want them to see . . .

Maybe?

Lindy

[banjochris]

You're right at the end, Lindy. I have a few more suggestions. The "bum-bum" and "di-diddle" I think are cases of Tampa censoring himself.

3.1 OVER 'cross the hall

5.2 IF YOU BUM-BUM BILL, YOU got to carry me into town
(Tampa sings "It's tough like that" this time but Tom doesn't)

6.2 If you give HIM a little taste?

Georgia Tom: Ah, folks, that?s tight like that. PLAY THAT THING MISTER TAMPA RED.

7.2 Aunt Jane fell down, and Uncle Bud DIE-DIDDLE

12.1 LOFT is right
12.2 We SEEN UNCLE BILL when?
(Tampa sings "It's tough like that" the second time but Tom doesn't)

Chris

[lindy]

Thanks for your ears, Chris.

Lindy

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Yet another really nice performance included on the JSP set "I've Got The Blues, But I'm Too Damn Mean To Cry" is Tampa Red's "Cotton Seed Blues", for which he was joined by Georgia Tom on piano.  The duo recorded the song in Chicago on February 10, 1931.  Red accompanied himself with a slide out of Vestapol, and his playing is spectacular in every way--tone, ideas, timing, inflection, intonation.  Was there any player in the style who equalled the routine perfection with which Tampa Red played?  It's hard not to take his ease of execution and finesse for granted, but he was really amazing.  It's interesting to hear him singing of such agrarian matters.  I think of him as a thoroughly urban guy, but he sounds like he knew what he was talking about.  Here is the track:



INTRO

When the sun go down, they say that the whole world turn red
When the sun go down, they say that the whole world turn red
Then my mind falls on, what my dear old Mother have said

I ain't gon' make no more cotton, I'll tell you why I said so
I ain't gon' make no more cotton, I tell you why I said so
You don't get nothin' for your seeds, and cotton price is so doggone low

The boss said, "Go to the commissary, and get anything you need."
The boss said, "Go to the commissary, and get anything you need."
You don't have to have no money, he said, "I will take it out of your seed."

Makin' a good cotton crop is just like shootin' dice
Makin' a good cotton crop, it's just like shootin' dice
After you work hard all the year round, cotton still won't be at no price

Lord, I plowed all the summer, 'til the sun, it burnt my skin
Plowed all the summer, 'til the sun, it burned my skin
And then cotton sold for twelve-and-a-half cent, you know, it weren't a way for me to win

All best,
Johnm