Topic: Arthur Pettis Lyrics

[GhostRider]

Here's the .mp3 of "Good Girl Blues" by MM-KJ.

Please let me know what you all think.

Alex

[attachment deleted by admin]

[waxwing]

A quick transcription (no work today-G-).

Good Girl Blues

I been a good girl, go to church all my days (2X)
But I'm gon' learn to gamble, so I can stay out late

Cryin' Dice oh dice, please don't fail on me (2X)
If you don't seven eleven, don't you crap at (an?) three

Mmmmm,mmmmmm,mmmmmhhhmmmmm....

When your home get unhappy, just the best to pack up and lo(?) (2X)
Ain't no use to try to live in confusement, you just like you was at two.

Oh Lord oh lo-, Lord what shall I do (2X)
I done did everything, baby, to get along with you

Mmmmmm,mmmmmm,hhhmmmmmm....



A few tough spots, but "confusement" I love.

To me Arthur Petties' version seems more developed. The Minnie/Joe version fairly straight forward for two guitars, copping a few bits of AP's licks and staying in a slightly simpler harmonic range. The signature lick sounds familiar from a different source, but I can't place it. I guess it's a commonly played C lick. It's a good song. I like that whole lyric about, "When your home gets unhappy".

All for now.
John C.

[banjochris]

I think that one line is "don't you crap and three" as in "don't throw craps or a three" and that other line sounds like "When your home get unhappy, tell the world to pack up and go"
Chris

[GhostRider]

The signature lick sounds familiar from a different source, but I can't place it.

BJ:

That lick, fancied up a little bit, forms the basis for MM's later recorded "Chickasaw Train Blues".

And I agree that GBB is more developed.

Alex

[dj]

and that other line sounds like "When your home get unhappy, tell the world to pack up and go"

I hear it as "Pack up and move", with Minnie's lips not quite closed on the "m", and the vowel sound somewhere between "oh" and "oo".

[Mr.OMuck]

Here's what I'm gettin'

When youse a good fella
The law will leave you alone (x2)
When youse a bad fellow
the jail will be your home

Canned heat ain't no good boy
Keep you with the flare (pronounced flar) in mind (x2) (I think Flare may be a synonym for drunk,much as flamed is today, or anothername for sterno)
Jail house dried up friend (or brown-ie? or brandy?)
and you got a ramblin' mind

You set and you wonderin'
You're lookin through your mind (x2)
You don't want no more canned heat
When the judge give you your time

Wake up every mornin'
When everything looks blue (low, 2nd time) (x2)
'Cause see the one you love
The blues will soon leave you

Walkin all night long
Walkin from place to place (x2)
I was runnin' (runderin'?) and walkin'
To see my baby's face

[tenderfoot84]

another even more faithful rendition of good boy is called "no good buddy" by either bill williams or big bill broonzy with bill williams. it's on documents too late, too late vol 10.

very interesting.

i thing for what it's worth that AP might have struck a hit with the song leading to it getting covered or he passed it on while he was in chicago....

great song

[Johnm]

Hi all,
There are only two songs discussed in this merged Arthur Pettis lyrics thread, but I thought bringing him to folks attention might help generate more transcriptions.
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Arthur Pettis accompanied himself out of C position in standard tuning for "That Won't Do".  The song appears to show a very strong Bill Broonzy influence, or perhaps Big Bill was influenced by Pettis.  In any event, the two players shared a lot of the same pet moves in C.  Pettis sounds very much to have been a set piece player, and  his musical results  certainly justify his approach.  His introductory solo is virtually identical to the solo he takes after second verse and chorus, and he sings his chorus exactly the same way every time.  For his final solo, he goes up the neck and does some interesting stuff that is slightly reminiscent of Tom Dickson's sound on "Death Bell Blues".



   SOLO

   I was good to you, baby, you didn't understand
   That you were tippin' with another man
   REFRAIN: You know, that won't do, ah that won't do
   I'm here to tell you, you know, that won't do

   I taken my money, put it in your hand
   You give my money to another man
   REFRAIN: You know, that won't do, ah that won't do
   I'm here to tell you, you know, that won't do

   SOLO

   You got a good man, better let him do
   You get another man, he will beat on you
   REFRAIN: You know, that won't do, ah that won't do
   I'm here to tell you, you know, that won't do

   You women got a way I don't like
   Your husband out the front door, your kid man in the back
   REFRAIN: You know, that won't do, ah that won't do
   I'm here to tell you, you know, that won't do

   SOLO

   You got your money, boys, she lovin' to you
   She gets your money she is through with you
   REFRAIN: You know, that won't do, ah that won't do
   I'm here to tell you, you know, that won't do

All best,
Johnm
   

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I believe Arthur Pettis recorded "Revenue Man Blues" at his last session, backed by Jed Davenport on harmonica, and a pianist whose name I don't have access to right now.  Pettis accompanies himself out of A in standard tuning, and is his normal very spiffy self, instrumentally, but the ensemble tuning on this take, and I believe this whole session, is really dire, in the "makes your hair hurt" category.  It's weird, because Pettis starts out the song decently in tune, and in the course of the first solo pass ends up with his first string drastically sharp. 
This song was later picked up and covered by Charlie Patton (it's interesting how many of Patton's recordings were covers).  I'm missing the front end of the tagline on the third verse, and am not at all sure of a portion of the tagline of the last verse, and would very much appreciate some help.  The song can be found on the JSP set "When The Levee Breaks: Mississippi Blues".



   Revenue man is raidin', boy, and you'd better watch out
   Revenue man is raidin', well, boys, you'd better watch out
   You don't stop when he tells you, you liable to get knocked down

   Now when you're down in trouble, you're like the drowning [sic] man
   When you're down in trouble, you're like a drownding man
   Got no one to help you, give you a helpin' hand

   When you was so happy, didn't think you would ever be blue
   When you was so happy, didn't think you would ever get blue
   I'll tell all that's singin' blues, "The blues is riding you."

   Blues, what can I do with you?
   Blues, what can I do with you?
   I'm in hard luck and trouble, can't be no friend to you

   Had the blues at midnight, come knockin' on your door
   I had blues at midnight, come knockin' on your door
   You cried "Blues, don't blow, don't you come here no more."

Edited 2/26 to pick up corrections from Johnm
Edited 1/16 to pick up corrections from Johnm
Edited 4/29/18 to pick up corrections from Johnm

All best,
Johnm

   

[Rivers]

Johnm, B&GR says our good friend Unk. was on piano.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
One of Arthur Pettis' 1928 recordings was "Two Time Blues", on which he accompanied himself out of A position in standard tuning, capoed up a ways.  He makes his vocal entrance in the first verse with the arrival of the IV chord.  A pretty serious effort was made to transcribe this song in the past, but Pettis' way of swallowing his lyrics makes it very challenging.  I thought to give it a shot again, and would very much appreciate help with any of the questionable or blank spots.  Here is his rendition of "Two Time Blues":



A two-timing woman, don't want no one man
She always run 'round, Lord, take some poor girl's man

When the blues is troublin' you, you don't know what 'twould do
Ehh, you don't know what 'twould do
Go back to the one you love, now and, the blues will soon leave you

You try and act right, girl will not let you
Ehh, blues will not let you
Heart full of sorrow now and, blues are ridin' you

A two-timing woman, keep you on that killin' floor
Ehh, keep you on that killin' floor
How can you love when she's, always in the road?

When your lover talk to you, don't be feelin' sad
Ehh, don't be feelin' sad
Gotta get you a new girl, a, one you once have had

SOLO

Well, well, well, well, I can't stay here long
Ehh, I can't stay here long
(Guitar finishes verse)

Edited 4/30 to pick up corrections from Gumbo

All best,
Johnm



 

[Gumbo]

hi Johnm
sounds like you've pretty much got it. My suggestions would be

on 2.1 and 2.2 I'm possibly hearing
you don't know what 'TWOULD do
and on 2.3 and 3.3 I think it's
NOW AN'
instead of 'then'

on 4.3 could it be
always ON THAT road

[Johnm]

Thanks very much for the help, Gumbo.  I've incorporated all of your suggestions except for the last one, where it still sounds like "the road" to me.  That's great hearing on your part, thanks!
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Another track from Arthur Pettis into which a lot of effort was put here in getting a transcription is his "Good Boy Blues", also from 1928, for which he chose to accompany himself out of C position in standard tuning.  Here is the song, and once I again, I would appreciate help with any parts which I'm missing or which I have wrong. 



INTRO SOLO

When you's a good fellow, the law will leave you 'lone
When you's a good fellow, the law will leave you 'lone
When you's a bad fellow, the jail will be your home

Canned heat ain't no good, boy, keep you with that blurry mind
Canned heat ain't no good, boy, keep you with a blurry mind
Jailhouse doors open, then you got a ramblin' mind

You're sad and you worry, you lookin' through your mind
You're sad and you wonderin', you lookin' through your mind
You don't want no more canned heat, when the judge gives you your time

Wake up every mornin', when everything looks blue
Wake up every mornin', when everything looks blue
Go see the one you love, the blues will soon leave you

Walkin' all night long, walking from place to place
Walkin' all night long, walking from place to place
I was wanderin' and walkin', to see my baby's face

SOLO

All best,
Johnm