Topic: Scrapper Blackwell Lyrics

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Scrapper Blackwell accompanied himself out of D position in standard tuning for his "Springtime Blues".  Even by his very high standards, this is spectacular guitar playing.  He hits an E7 in the ninth bar of his form that gives things a nice color, and accords almost equal space to guitar solos and verses.  He plays really hard from the right hand, as was his wont, but is still immaculately clean and has a non-buzzy tone, never bottoming out.  How did he do that?  The song is a chorus blues.  Here is his performance, and unfortunately, the record it was copied from is kind of whupped:



INTRO

Come here, baby, sit down on my knee
I want to tell you how you jivin' me
REFRAIN: 'Cause I'm quitting you, babe, I'm quitting you now
I'm getting tired of your jive, you don't mean me no good nohow

SOLO

When you get your money, you have your fun
You ain't got no money when I'll send some
REFRAIN: Because I'm quitting you, baby, I'm quitting you now
I'm getting tired of your jive, you don't mean me no good nohow

SOLO

I'm getting tired of you parkin' on my white shoes
And doin' nothin' but runnin' up and down the good streets
REFRAIN: Because I'm quitting you, babe, I'm quitting you now
I'm getting tired of your jive, you don't mean me no good nohow

SOLO

It's springtime now and summer's gonna come
I've stood your jive all winter, now I've got you, love's all gone
REFRAIN: And I'm quitting you, babe, I'm quitting you now
I'm getting tired of your jive, you don't mean me no good nohow

All best,
Johnm

[Kadens]

I am working on Scrapper Blackwell?s ?Backstep blues? (1960).
I have problems hearing some of the lyrics, so please fill in.

Where I don?t have a clue, I put ?---?, otherwise, interrogation marks.

I only found the song on a compilation of songs on youtube. It is the third song (at 6:48) if the link doesn?t take you there directly:



Revised version follows:

Backyard backstep, look what you done done
Backyard backstep, look what you done done
Lord, and brought and broke my leg, and the police come

Should I fill you up, baby, when you first began?
Should I fill you up babe, lord when you first began?
But I?m afraid to pay you no mind, lord, I believe you?ll be back again

Lord, lost to me, baby, I just don?t know what to do
Lord, lost to me, babe, I just don?t know what to do
Lord, I'm alright with me - I bet I'm alright with you

Solo twice

Lord, when I get to walking ? I?m gonna break you up like wood
Lord, when I get to walking ? I?m gonna break you up like wood
I?ll have me a little fire, babe - that might do you some good

Solo once

All you girls, you want to see me here
All you girls, you wanna see me here
Come around to the front door - and I go anywhere

-
Modified 2nd of Sept 2016 with corrections from JohnM (see below)

[Johnm]

Hi Kadens,
Here is what I'm hearing on "Backyard Backstep":

   1.3 He mis-speaks at the front end of the line, sounds like he's saying, "Lord, AND BROUGHT AND broke my leg, and the POLICE come

   2.1 Should I fill you up, BABY, when you first begin?
   2.2 Should I fill you up, babe, Lord, when you first begin?
   2.3 BUT I"M AFRAID TO PAY YOU NO MIND, Lord, I believe YOU'LL be back again

   3.1 Lord, LOST TO ME, BABY, I just don't know what to do
   3.2 Lord, LOST TO ME, BABY, I just don't know what to do

   4.3 I'LL have me a little fire, babe, that might do you some good

These lyrics are pretty cryptic.  It's hard to know what the hell he's singing about.

All best,
Johnm

[Kadens]

Thanks a lot JohnM!

I have lost count of all the times I have tried to figure out especially line 1.3 - a relief to have it down.

The song is indeed cryptic and enigmatic .

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Scrapper Blackwell recorded "Bad Liquor Blues" at a session in Chicago on July 7, 1935, for which he was backed by Dot Rice, playing piano in F. Scrapper accompanied himself out of D position in standard tuning, capoed up and his playing is really stellar, one of his finest performances in D position. Here is "Bad Liquor Blues":



INTRO

Listen here, people, listen to what I have to say
Listen here, people, listen to what I have to say
If you drink bad whiskey, it will do you this-a-way

Make you lose your money, make you lose your best friend
Make you lose your money, make you lose your best friend
And when you get sober, swear you'll never get drunk again

Lay down in the evenin', wake up in the mornin', feelin' bad
Lay down in the evenin', wake up in the mornin', feelin' bad
It's just some bad liquor, partner, that you've had

Get up in the mornin', your head goin' 'round and 'round
Get up in the mornin', your head goin' 'round and 'round
Buy more bad liquor, stand and drink it down

Better stop that drinkin', before it goes to your head
Better stop that drinkin', before it goes to your head
Wake up some mornin', find your own self dead

CODA

Edited 7/24 to pick up correction from Blues Vintage

All best,
Johnm

[Blues Vintage]

New piano player to me.

4.3 suggestion;

Buy more bad liquor

[Blues Vintage]

Even if he misspeaks in that 1.3 of "Back Step Blues" it sounds to me like;

Lord, and burned and then broke my leg, and the police come

[Johnm]

Thanks for the fix on "Bad Liquor Blues", Blues Vintage, I have made that change. On "Backstep Blues", I agree with "burned" rather than "bought" and will make that change, but don't hear "and then" at all. What he says has a closed "m" sound. I'll change it to "burned and" in Weeniepedia.