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Give me Oil of Ninety-Nine, Three-Six, anything! I have done caught my death of cold, Lord have mercy - Bumble Bee Slim, I Done Caught My Death Of Cold

Author Topic: Memphis Jug Band Lyrics  (Read 31339 times)

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Offline banjochris

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Re: Memphis Jug Band's "Bottle Up and Go"
« Reply #45 on: November 02, 2011, 08:33:28 PM »
Suzy, I think I have a different take of this with somewhat different words, but I believe the chorus ends:
Now high-powered mama, your daddy's got your water on.

Chris

Offline Cleoma

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Re: Memphis Jug Band's "Bottle Up and Go"
« Reply #46 on: November 03, 2011, 12:27:42 PM »
Thanks, that's great!  I think maybe sometimes they sing high-flying and sometimes high=powered.
Any clues on the verses?? 
The fiddle part is really lovely - very similar to what he plays on the Memphis Shakedown.

Offline banjochris

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Re: Memphis Jug Band's "Bottle Up and Go"
« Reply #47 on: November 03, 2011, 01:08:31 PM »
I'll give it a try when I get home this evening, at least for the take I have. What album do you have that on -- I just have the JSP MJB set and it's not on there (the other take is on one of the Blues Images calendar CDs).
Chris

Offline Cleoma

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Re: Memphis Jug Band's "Bottle Up and Go"
« Reply #48 on: November 03, 2011, 02:41:39 PM »
Hmmm. I only have one take, which I'm pretty sure I downloaded from the Juneberry site, back when they had tons of stuff available for free.  I'll attempt to attach it here. It has an annoying low hum, unfortunately.   I would LOVE to hear the other take!  If someone has it, maybe you can post it??

[attachment deleted by admin]

Offline banjochris

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Re: Memphis Jug Band's "Bottle Up and Go"
« Reply #49 on: November 03, 2011, 05:16:52 PM »
I'll see what I can do... thanks for posting that one!

Offline banjochris

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Re: Memphis Jug Band's "Bottle Up and Go"
« Reply #50 on: November 03, 2011, 09:58:42 PM »
Suzy -- reasonably sure of most of the take you posted; I got ear fatigue trying to decipher the other, so I'll give it another go tomorrow (plus I posted an MP3 of the other version). Here's what I have so far. Pretty sure it's "high-powered" all the way through, by the way.

Take you posted:



I love my baby and she loves me too
Don't keep a [price] on what she do

Chorus:
We gotta bottle it up and go, ah bottle it up and go
Now high-powered mama, your daddy's got your water on.

I wanna tell everybody what it?s all about
She's low and squatty but she's built up stout

I don?t drink no whiskey, I?m hanging round your barrel
Can?t have no fun until I see that gal

I?m gonna tell my ma, what you told my pa
I wouldn?t say yes but I can?t say no

I just bought my baby a new V8
Step on the 'ccelerator don?t make me late

I?m gonna sing this song, ain?t gonna sing no more
Looky here baby I?m ready to go

Come in here momma, let me tell you the truth,
Don't start no rough stuff, I gotta get it loose

I?m gonna tell my baby for the last time
Well look here mama why don?t you take your time




Other take:

[Well I take my baby, let me try the show]
Found her down in Sandy ???

I love my baby and she loves me too,
Don't [keep a price tag on what she might do]

Now [????] everybody in the neighborhood,
[??? good ???] but she treat me good.

Says looky here daddy don't do that no more
[??????????]

Now looky here daddy, please don't get drunk,
When you come tonight your mamma'll pack your trunk

Now looky here mama I wish you'd tell me the truth
I got no rough stuff, I might get loose

[attachment deleted by admin]
« Last Edit: July 19, 2020, 02:16:19 PM by Johnm »

Offline dj

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Re: Memphis Jug Band's "Bottle Up and Go"
« Reply #51 on: November 04, 2011, 04:02:16 AM »
A few suggestions:

WHERE I take my baby, let me try TO show
SOMEWHERE down in Sandy GROVE

Now I'M TELLIN' everybody in the neighborhood
(?) but she treat me good


Says looky here daddy don't do that no more
I GOT NO (sense?) IN THE (?) THAT'S ALL

Why oh why didn't those guys take elocution lessons?   :D

Offline Cleoma

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Re: Memphis Jug Band's "Bottle Up and Go"
« Reply #52 on: November 04, 2011, 06:07:09 PM »
Wow, it's great to hear the alternate take!  Thanks so much,
Suzy

Offline Cleoma

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Re: Memphis Jug Band's "Bottle Up and Go"
« Reply #53 on: November 04, 2011, 06:13:00 PM »
Aha - this "alternate take" is what I have as being by the Picaninny Jug Band.  No wonder it sounds like a different band!!!

Offline uncle bud

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Oh Ambulance Man
« Reply #54 on: May 12, 2013, 10:43:38 AM »
The Memphis Jug Band recorded "Oh Ambulance Man" on May 17, 1930, with the great Hattie Hart on vocals with Will Shade, the same session that yielded Cocaine Habit Blues. The song has a nice minor IV chord in the verses. Will Shade can be difficult to decipher at times. Any help in the problem spots appreciated.



Oh Ambulance Man - Memphis Jug Band
Hattie Hart, Will Shade, vocals


Hey, daddy, hey, daddy, don't let me cry in vain
You see I'm wounded, wounded and bleeding
Can't you ease my pain?

Hattie: Mister ambulance man, would you rush me to a doctor, please
Will: [I have no while? Ah there's no while?] a-rushing. Your daddy can ease your pain with ease/these
H: Can't you see I'm cut in the stomach?
W: That's the reason I can ease your pains with ease/these

Heart is achin', day's a-breakin', listen to me, I pray
See, it's snowin', cold wind's blowin',
So please be on your way

H: Mister ambulance man, please don't you drive so rough
W: I've got to do it, your daddy have got to strut his stuff
H: Can't you see I'm wounded and bleeding?
W: That's the reason your daddy have to drive so rough

(Oh whup it till it ropes like okra)

H: Mister ambulance man, I can't stay still to save my soul
And you ought to be careful how you handle my jelly roll
W: Mama, you know the road is rutted, baby, and your daddy's trying to satisfy your soul
H: I mean my weary soul  W: I mean your soul

[edited to add tune][edited to add corrections]

[attachment deleted by admin]
« Last Edit: July 19, 2020, 02:17:07 PM by Johnm »

Offline thickpete

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Re: Oh Ambulance Man
« Reply #55 on: May 12, 2013, 11:14:25 AM »
Great song! I hear:

V1L1 "don't let me CRY in vain"

V2L2 "I HAS [no while??a??] rushing"
V2L4 "the reason I CAN ease"

The best I have for Hattie's mystery line is "whip it till it brokes* like okra now" but I'm pretty sure I just want to make gummy okra/juicy jelly roll associations and that's not right....lol

*or "ropes"??
« Last Edit: May 12, 2013, 11:16:01 AM by thickpete »

Offline Johnm

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Re: Oh Ambulance Man
« Reply #56 on: May 12, 2013, 11:15:39 AM »
Hi uncle bud,
In the last verse, I think Will shade sings, "Mama, you know the road is RUTTED . . . . "
In Hattie's "whup it" comment, I think I hear the word "grocer".
All best,
Johnm

Offline Gumbo

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Re: Oh Ambulance Man
« Reply #57 on: May 12, 2013, 11:19:13 AM »
1.1 You see I'm OOZIN', wounded ...

2.2 I HAS no while a-rushing. Your daddy can ease your pain with THESE
2.4 That's the reason I ease your pains with THESE

Interjection: ???

5.3 RUTTED ?

Offline Cleoma

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Re: Oh Ambulance Man
« Reply #58 on: May 12, 2013, 11:21:36 AM »
I think it's "wounded and bleeding"
And I always sing "the road is rotten" but it could be rocky - I hear that same kind of "O" vowel sound.
Great song!  And it's another example of the minor chord in the blues.

Offline Gumbo

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Re: Oh Ambulance Man
« Reply #59 on: May 12, 2013, 11:24:30 AM »
The Carolina Chocolate Drops do a version where Dom interjects,

Ah Whip it til you get on Oprah!

 


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