Topic: Blind Boy Fuller Lyrics

[banjochris]

My only suggestion on "Oozin," John, would be in 4.3:

(Spoken: Gal, what's that you've been givin' AWAY--of mine?)

I put AWAY but 'WAY might be better there.

Chris

[Johnm]

Thanks for the help, Chris. I've made the change. Lots of words on that one!

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Blind Boy Fuller was once again joined by Floyd Council for "Shake That Shimmy", recorded on the same day as "Oozin' You Off My Mind". The accompaniment had the players working in the same playing positions, too, with Fuller once again in C position in standard tuning and Council in F position in standard tuning. The solos on this one are pleasantly bumpy. Here is "Shake That Shimmy":



Know my baby's gonna jump and shout, the boat rows up and I come walkin' out
REFRAIN: Shake your shimmy, gal, shake your shimmy
If you can't shake your shimmy, please shake your yas-yas-yas

SOLO

She called me this mornin' 'bout a half past ten, "Wake up, daddy, I'm ready to roll it again.", Now
REFRAIN: Shake our shimmy, mama, please shake your shimmy
If you can't shake your shimmy, please shake your yas-yas-yas

She called me this mornin' 'bout a half past one, "Wake up, daddy, shakin' just begun." Now
REFRAIN: Shake your shimmy, please shake your shimmy
If you can't shake your shimmy, please your yas-yas-yas (Spoken: Yeah, shake it now, boy!)

SOLO

She called me this mornin' 'bout a half past two, "Wake up, daddy, shakin' ain't near through." Now
REFRAIN: Shake our shimmies, mama, please shake your shimmy
If you can't shake your shimmy, please shake your yas-yas-yas

Some folks say I killed a man, self-defense, shot him in the yas-yas-yas and I jumped that fence, now
REFRAIN: Shakin' shimmy, you know he shook his shimmy
If he couldn't shake his shimmy, shake his was-yas-yas (Spoken: Yeah!)

SOLO (Spoken: Yeah!)

If you see my woman, tell 'er to hurry home, ain't had no shakin' since she been gone, now
REFRAIN: Shake your shimmy, please shake your shimmy
Well, if you can't shake your shimmy, please shake your yas-yas-yas (Spoken: Yeah!)

SOLO

All best,
Johnm










 


 

[Johnm]

Hi all,
For "Flyin' Airplane Blues", recorded October 29, 1938 in Columbia, South Carolina, Blind Boy Fuller was joined by Bull City Red on washboard and Sonny Terry on harmonica. I heartily approve of the relatively subdued level at which Sonny Terry was recorded here--he doesn't take up all of the musical space as he was prone to do sometimes, especially in later years. Fuller accompanied himself out of E position in standard tuning for the song. The song shares its phrasing with Sonny Boy Williamson's "Good Morning, Little Schoolgirl". For whatever reason, Fuller's voice sounds abnormally harsh on this track.  Here is "Flyin' Airplane Blues":



Gwon get in my airplane, gwon get in my airplane
Gwonna ride all over, gwonna ride all over your town
And if I spy the gal I'm lovin', old Full' gon' let this airplane, Old Full' gon' let this airplane down

Now here's my hand (Spoken: Yeah!), now here's my hand
You can lead me where you want me, you can lead me where you want me to go
And if you lead me wrong this time, and you want lead me no, and you won't lead me no more

And I feel like walkin' (Spoken: Yes I do!), I feel like walkin' (Spoken: Yeah!)
I feel like lyin', I feel like lyin' down
And you know I feel just like lovin', my gal ain't nowhere, my gal ain't nowhere, around

Now you're three times seven (Spoken: Yeah!), now you're three times seven
Oughta know what you want, child, oughta know what you want to do
Mama, and the day that you quit me, I won't be mad with, said I won't be mad with you

Then I know my little woman (Spoken: Yeah!), said I know my little woman,
She's bound to jump, she's bound to jump and shout
And whenever she get hold of this here letter, I done rolled my long time, I done low [mis-spoken] my long time out

CODA

Edited 1/11 to pick up corrections from Blues Vintage

All best,
Johnm



   

[Blues Vintage]

4.1 Now you're three times seven (Spoken: Yeah!), now you're three times seven


4.3 Typo;  Mama, and the day that you quit me, I won't be made (mad) with, said I won't be mad with you

[Johnm]

Thanks for those catches, Blues Vintage. I have made the changes.

[banjochris]

And of course it's a direct cover of Sleepy John's "Airplane Blues" – he even picks up John's "Now..."
Chris

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Blind Boy Fuller was joined by just Bull City Red on washboard for "Jivin' Woman Blues", which was recorded at the same Columbia, South Carolina session as "Flyin' Airplane Blues". Fuller accompanied himself out of C position in standard tuning here, and the song has a nice uptown feeling to it. Here is "Jivin' Woman Blues":



INTRO SOLO

Got a gal you call Betty Mae, she goes out and truck all day
She ain't crazy but, she just jivin' that way
Oh, bap-en-bappy, oh, zaz-zee
Ohten beepen boppen bam, bam-bam, boppen bee, bah bee-zaz-zaz (Spoken: Yeah!)

SOLO

Have my dinner ready, don't let me coffee get cold, don't forget to save my sweet jellyroll
You're not crazy but, youjust jivin' that way
(Guitar plays form) (Spoken: Yeah!)

She go to bed, early at night, speak about lovin' she want to fuss and fight
She's not crazy but, she just jivin' that way
Oh, yeck-pitty, oh, zee-zee
Oh beeten-beeten boppen-boppen bow, (Guitar finishes form) (Spoken: Yeah!)

She go to bed, rag tied around her head, speak about lovin', she swear she's almost dead
She's not crazy but, she just jivin' that way
(Guitar finishes form)

Had a whiskey you drunk and run right to your head, had to take a bath before you went to bed
You're not crazy but, you just jivin' that way

CODA

All best,
Johnm
 


 

[Johnm]

I knew that "Flyin' Airplane Blues" was a cover, Chris, but I couldn't remember of whose version. It's funny, I always think of Fuller as being heavily indebted to a number of musicians who recorded before him, like Blind Blake, Buddy Moss, Lonnie Johnson and Blind Lemon Jefferson, but I less often think of him being influenced in any way by people who were recording contemporaneously with him.
all best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Blind Boy Fuller was joined by Sonny Terry on harmonica for "Georgia Ham Mama", recorded at a session in New York City on April 5, 1938. Fuller accompanied himself out of A position in standard tuning for the song. Here is "Georgia Ham Mama":



INTRO SOLO

When that sun was risin', baby, blues was knockin' at my door
Hey-hey, blues knockin' at my door
Says, I had so much of trouble, says I didn't know where to go

Says I'm gettin' so, now baby, don't nothin' worry my mind
I say hey-hey, don't nothin' worry my mind
Says, God, I spied a spider, he was crawlin' up that longest line

SOLO (Spoken: Yeah!)

Says it my be your woman, but she come to see me sometime
I say hey-hey, come to see me sometime
Yes, she bes 'round me so often, I begin to call her mine

Sometime my baby wears a hat, then again she wears a tam
Hey-hey, sometime she wears a tam
Yes, she got great big legs, and they shaped just like Georgia ham

All best,
Johnm

 

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Blind Boy Fuller recorded "What's That Smells Like Fish?" at the October 29, 1938 session in Columbia, South Carolina, backed by Bull City Red on washboard. The song used Fuller's favorite 18-bar raggy form. I believe that the title's query was rhetorical. I'd appreciate help with the bent bracketed word in the second solo. Here is "What's That Smells Like Fish?":



INTRO SOLO

What's that smell like fish, mama, good if you really wants to know
What's that smell like fish, baby, good if you really wants to know
Smell like puddin' and it ain't no pie, same thing that you know you have to buy
What's that smell like fish, good if you really wants to know, I mean, good if you really wants to know (Spoken: Yeah!)

SOLO

What's that smell like fish, mama, good if you really wants to know
What's that smell like fish, baby, good if you really wants to know
Smell like sardines and ain't in no can, same doggone thing you took to the other man
What's that smell like fish, mama, good if you really wants to know, I mean, good if you really wants to know

What's that smell like fish, baby, good if you really wants to know (Spoken: Yeah!)
What's that smell like fish, mama, good if you really wants to know
Smell like puddin' and it ain't no pie, really good to me and it t'ain't no lie
What's that smell like fish, mama, good if you really wants to know, still tellin' you, good if you really wants to know (Spoken: Yeah!)

SOLO (Spoken: Play it a long time! Play it 'til it get good to me

What's that smell like fish, mama, good if you really wants to know
What's that smell like fish, baby, good if you really wants to know
Make you weep and it can make you moan, same doggone thing made me leave my home
What's that smell like fish, baby, good if you really wants to know, I mean, good if you really wants to know

CODA

Edited 1/12 to pick up corrections from banjochris
Edited 1/13 to pick up correction from Blues Vintage

All best,
Johnm

[waxwing]

"TASTE of it". ??

I didn't listen to every single one, but every one I did listened to sounded like "DAD" not "daddy" to me.

Wax

[banjochris]

A few suggestions on "Fish," John:

I think in each line, it's not "your daddy" but "good if you" meaning "it's good if you"

in 2.3 it should be took TO the other man

and the bracketed bit is PLAY IT TILL it get good to me.

Chris

[Johnm]

Thanks for the help, Chris. I have made all of those changes. Thanks!

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Blind Boy Fuller was once again joined by Sonny Terry for "Big House Bound", recorded at the very productive Columbia, South Carolina session of October 29, 1938. Fuller accompanied himself out of A position for this song, and it is really special, with a a beautiful melody and a great set of lyrics. The duo forgoes the usual intro solo and opens right up with the first verse after a brief lick from Fuller. Here is "Big House Bound":



I never will forget the day, they transferred me to the county jail
Lord, I never forget the day, Lord, they transferred me to the county jail
I have shot the woman I love, ain't got no one to come go my bail

Then I sent for my friends, "Please, spare the rod."
And I sent for my friends, "Lord, please spare the rod."
Then my friends sent me word, "Lord, this time is too doggone hard."

I got friend that got money, please, tell him come go my bail
I got a friend that's got money, Lord, please tell him come go my bail
And my friend sent me word, had no business in the county jail

Then I felt all right, 'til the judge turned around and frowned
Then I felt all right, Lord, 'til the judge turned around and frowned
Says, "I'm sorry for you, buddy, but you's on your last go-round."

I said, "Hmmmm, ain't got nobody now."
I said, "Hmmmmm."
Says I got nobody, Lord, come and go my bail

I said, "Hmmmmm, I mean, come and go my bail."
(Guitar finishes verse)

All best,
Johnm