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Country Blues => Country Blues Lyrics => Topic started by: mr mando on January 09, 2009, 01:05:09 PM
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Hi all,
I was listening a lot to the RST (document) CD "Banjo" Ikey Robinson In Chronological Order (1929-1937) (JPCD-1508-2) recently and noticed that some of the lyrics were hard to decipher, so I thought I might find some help around here. Here are the first two sung titles from the CD, recorded on Feb. 1st, 1929 in Chicago, with Jimmy Flowers on piano and Count Turner on banjo, while Ikey is singing and playing what sounds like a National tricone tenor guitar. The title of the first song is probably a misspelling of the word "poison", which Ikey pronounces like "pizen" in the last line of the last verse.
"Pizen Tea Blues" is a standard 12 bar blues in C with a funny ending, while "Rock Pile Blues" has an 8 bar form (I-I7-IV-iv-I-V7-I-V7) in F with a futuristic sounding intro over chromatically descending diminished chords and a I-V7-vamp, which occurs after the intro, between the piano and tenor guitar solos and for the ending.
Any help with the lyrics will be much appreciated, especially with the missing bit in verse two of "Pizen Tea Blues" and with the second spoken bit in "Rock Pile Blues".
Pizen Tea Blues
Listen kind people what the blues have done to me
Listen kind people what the blues have done to me
Made me lose my money twenty five year guarantee
Now the blues jumped the rabbit and they?re running for a solid mile
Blues jumped the rabbit running for a solid mile
And the rabbit laid down tired (died) like an ???
Dee dab dee diddee booboobooby booby baby all night long
Dee dab dee deedee booby dee booby baby all night long
I?ll have no dee boobooby baby since you been gone
Oh Lord Lord
I don?t want no sugar baby stirred up in my lovin? tea
I don?t want no sugar baby stirred up in my lovin? tea
Cause my woman?s kind of evil she might poison me
Rock Pile Blues
Take me back pretty baby try me just one more time
I?ll do all I can to change your ramblin? mind
I love you pretty baby six feet deep down in the ground
I?ll tell the good Lord couldn?t love you no farther down
If it wasn?t for my baby the only girl I love
I?ll give my soul to the devil, heart to the Lord above
Oh big rock, big rock, big rock baby all your daddy can see
If I don?t make this time they?ll be pilin? rocks on me
?Play that thing in your own way, Jimmy! Hit that thing!?
?When they hear that straight thing pull that cottons off my arm, boy!?
They took me to the rock pile gave me a ball and chain
Gave me a cell, a number and took away my name
But baby if I can pull this time I?ll see you soon again
Get off this rock pile lose my ball and chain
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Hi Mr. Mando - I don't have the CD or song in question, so I'm just taking a guess that the line in Pizen Tea Blues may be some variation on "cried like a natural child" that ends a similar line in Blind Lemon's Rabbit Foot Blues.
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uncle bud,
that was my first thought also, although I couldn't remember the line was from Blind Lemon. But the phonetics don't quite match. Phonetically, the phrase after "like" sounds like "an-at-ver-tie". Maybe the CD wasn't one of the top sellers in Document's catalogue, so I'll add mp3s of the tunes.
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Here's the second one:
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Hi mr. mando - thanks for the audio. I think the line is indeed "cried like a natural child". Some comments in CAPS below.
Pizen Tea Blues
Listen kind people what the blues have done to me
Listen kind people what the blues have done to me
Made me lose my money twenty five year guarantee
Now the blues jumped the rabbit and they?re running for a solid mile
Blues jumped the rabbit running for a solid mile
And the rabbit laid down tired (died) like an ??
Now the blues jumped the rabbit and THEY RUN HIM for a solid mile
Blues jumped the rabbit RUN HIM for a solid mile
And the rabbit laid down, CRIED LIKE A NATURAL CHILD
Dee dab dee diddee booboobooby booby baby all night long
Dee dab dee deedee booby dee booby baby all night long
I?ll have no dee boobooby baby since you been gone
Oh Lord Lord
Nice scat transcription. :D I think he ends with OH GONE GONE, not Lord, Lord.
I don?t want no sugar baby stirred up in my lovin? tea
I don?t want no sugar baby stirred up in my lovin? tea
Cause my woman?s kind of evil she might poison me
Yes.
Rock Pile Blues
Take me back pretty baby try me just one more time
I?ll do all I can to change your ramblin? mind
I love you pretty baby six feet deep down in the ground
I?ll tell the good Lord couldn?t love you no farther down
GO AND tell the good Lord couldn?t love you no farther down
If it wasn?t for my baby the only girl I love
I?ll give my soul to the devil, heart to the Lord above
Oh big rock, big rock, big rock baby all your daddy can see
If I don?t make this time they?ll be pilin? rocks on me
?Play that thing in your own way, Jimmy! Hit that thing!?
?When they hear that straight thing pull that cottons off my arm, boy!?
The above line is tricky but I am hearing something like:
When YOU hear that FREIGHT TRAIN pull that cottons OUT OF?? my arm, boy
They took me to the rock pile gave me a ball and chain
Gave me a cell, a number and took away my name
Gave me a SET OF NUMBERS and took away my name (I like your line better, but this is what I hear)
But baby if I can pull this time I?ll see you soon again
Get off this rock pile lose my ball and chain
What a strangely happy sounding prison song.
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That freight train line is:
"Let me hear that freight train pullin' that Cotton Top Mountain, boy."
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Thanks uncle bud and banjochris for your valuable help! I agree with all your suggestions (except for the GO AND in 2.2 of Rock Pile Blues, but it's better than what I had). I wouldn't have thought that we'd arrive at a transcription for the second spoken line in Rock Pile Blues so fast! Incredible! So here are the revised lyrics complete with allt he changes:
Pizen Tea Blues
Listen kind people what the blues have done to me
Listen kind people what the blues have done to me
Made me lose my money twenty five year guarantee
Now the blues jumped the rabbit and they run him for a solid mile
Blues jumped the rabbit run him for a solid mile
And the rabbit laid down cried like a natural child
Dee dab dee diddee booboobooby booby baby all night long
Dee dab dee deedee booby dee booby baby all night long
I?ll have no dee boobooby baby since you been gone
Oh gone gone
I don?t want no sugar baby stirred up in my lovin? tea
I don?t want no sugar baby stirred up in my lovin? tea
Cause my woman?s kind of evil she might poison me
Rock Pile Blues
Take me back pretty baby try me just one more time
I?ll do all I can to change your ramblin? mind
I love you pretty baby six feet deep down in the ground
Go and tell the good Lord couldn?t love you no farther down
If it wasn?t for my baby the only girl I love
I?ll give my soul to the devil, heart to the Lord above
Oh big rock, big rock, big rock baby all your daddy can see
If I don?t make this time they?ll be pilin? rocks on me
?Play that thing in your own way, Jimmy! Hit that thing!?
"Let me hear that freight train pullin' that Cotton Top Mountain, boy!"
They took me to the rock pile gave me a ball and chain
Gave me a set of numbers and took away my name
But baby if I can pull this time I?ll see you soon again
Get off this rock pile lose my ball and chain
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Hi all,
chronologically, the next session that Banjo Ikey Robinson (BIR) recorded under his own name was eight days later as Ikey Robinson's Bull Fiddle Band. Two sides were recorded, "My Four Reasons" and "Rock Me Mama", which featured, besides BIR on tenor banjo, Frankie "Half Pint" Jaxon on vocals, William Barbee on piano, an unknown percussionist and the obnoxious violin of a certain R. Waugh. The double bass (bull fiddle) player in the band was the very audible Bill Johnson. Both songs are available on DOCD5258.
"My Four Reasons" became something like Ikey's signature tune, he recorded it also with Herman Chittison in NY in 1933, with german old-time jazz band "The Jazz Lips" in 1975 in Hamburg and in the 80s for Terry Zwigoff's Louie Bluie movie. The song is a 32 bar AABA form in F major, which seems to be Ikey's home key on tenor guitar/banjo (he also played piano and clarinet). The A-part uses a I-III7-VI7-VI7-II7-V7-I-I(V7) progression, while the B-part is the same as the B-part for I got rhythm (III7-VI7-II7-V7, 2 bars each). As I tried to transcribe all the spoken asides, I thought I might also make the effort and write out the scat singing. I think especially the spoken asides might need some checking by a better set of ears than my own, which I'd really appreciate.
"Rock Me Mama" is usually cited as one of the song titles that the expression "rock'n'roll" was derived. This time I didn't make the effort to transcribe the scat.
I'll add mp3s of both songs, in case the Frankie Jaxon documents aren't more common than the BIR one.
https://youtu.be/b6K6_EKxrZg
My Four Reasons
?Get together!?
?Four Reasons!?
?Whip it now!?
?Everybody gets filled!?
?Everybody!?
?Oh come on Ike you know?
?Ooooh?
?Oh saw it Mister Fleech and Herbert!?
?Do it!?
?Woooo ha ha haaaaa haa!?
You know I hate a gal who?s full of ?Nos?, hits the jug and uses joe
Why that?s one of my four reasons
Who rolls her arm below her knees, and flirts with those who she please
Why that?s two of my four reasons
And when she uses garlic, eats Limburger cheese
Why I get a weakness down below my knees
Now folks I told you this, my mind?s at ease
Why that?s all of my four reasons
?Play it Bill!?
?Oh good, Bill!?
?Yeah!?
?Four years in Birmingham!?
?Haaa!?
?Woooo-ay!?
?If you steppin? on it, it ain?t my fault!?
?Let?s go to town, men!?
Tweet hot hot, thweet hot hot hot, tweet father twy twah twah
Twah twee twah, thwada, thwa thaw, twee-eed twee
?Four Reasons!?
Rock Me Mama
https://youtu.be/1iBUb4jAwf0
Rock me pretty mama if it?s all night long
Rock me baby till the cows come home
Rock me in the morning, rock me at night
Rock me baby rock me out of sight
Tell me baby what?s on your worried mind
You don?t rock you?re just a rubbin? kind
Rock me baby rock me now
Oh mama you?re rockin? me
?Rock me!?
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Here's "Rock Me Mama":
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One of my favorite songs!
instead of
?Everybody gets filled!?
?Everybody!?
?Oh come on Ike you know?
I hear:
"Everybody get filthy"
"In that alley"
"Oh come on Ikey now"
Instead of
"Who rolls her arm below her knees"
I hear:
"Who rolls her own below her knees"
instead of
?Play it Bill!?
?Oh good, Bill!?
?Yeah!?
?Four years in Birmingham!?
I hear:
"Gut it, bass"
"Oh, gut it, bass"
"Yeah!"
"Oh, you ain't in Birmingham!"
In the "Louie Bluie" recording, the words are a little different -- IIRC, Ikey sings "flirts with those and flirts with these."
Chris
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Chris,
thanks for the help! I agree with all your changes. I'm not yet sure about the "Fleech and" in the ?Oh saw it Mister Fleech and Herbert!? line. Isn't it somehow strange, that Frankie Jaxon addresses BIR by name when he solos, but uses the strange "Mister Fleech and Herbert" (or whatever he's really saying, though I'm pretty confident about Herbert) to address R. Waugh?
As for the content of the lyrics, I guess that "joe" is a drug reference, but don't know which drug? What's your opinion. And what does the line "Who rolls her own below her knees" mean? (She rolls her own joints, but why below her knees?)
The line you mentioned from the Louie Bluie soundtrack was already used in the 1933 version with Ivory (Herman) Chittison. I'll probably post that version when it'll fit in chronologically anyway, so we can analyze the differences later on.
Do you have any idea about the "You don?t rock you?re just a rubbin? kind" line in "Rock Me Mama"?
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Just a slight diversion. In the mid-late 70s British jazz critic Peter Carr spent much time with Robinson with view to publishing a biography with a working title of "The American Family Robinson". Unfortunately a stroke prevented Peter finishing manuscript. However, in 2003 a vast chunk of his draft was published by Laurie Wright in the Storyville compendium of 2002-2003. One chapter was devoted to Ikey commenting on his recordings. What follows is the little he had to say about the titles under discusion here:
Pizen Tea Blues
Rock Pile Blues
These were made at the Merchandise Mart. Count Turner is the banjo behind me on 'Pizen' and it's my vocal on both sides. Jimmy Flowers was a good piano player. Count Turner was just a rhythm man, not a soloist, but he played a nice rhythm banjo. Mayo Williams only wanted strings on this.
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Tell me baby what?s on your worried mind
You don?t rock you?re just a rubbin? kind
Rock me baby rock me now
Oh mama you?re rockin? me
The 2nd line in this 2nd verse begins "You don't wanna rock...", but the ending is tricky. I don't hear "rubbin' kind".
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Hi Mr. Mando,
I believe "rolls her own below her knees" refers to her stockings and not rolling a joint.
all best,
Johnm
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I can't make out the end of that Rock Me Mama line, either, unfortunately. I always thought that the "rolls her own" line in Four Reasons referred to cigarettes, not stockings or joints, since the phrase "roll your own" usually refers to that. I guess I thought it means that she's a low-class woman too cheap to buy regular cigarettes, and rolls her own surreptitiously under the table, as it were.
Chris
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I can't make out the end of that Rock Me Mama line, either, unfortunately. I always thought that the "rolls her own" line in Four Reasons referred to cigarettes, not stockings or joints, since the phrase "roll your own" usually refers to that. I guess I thought it means that she's a low-class woman too cheap to buy regular cigarettes, and rolls her own surreptitiously under the table, as it were.
Chris
Surely this is a sexual reference? "Who rolls her own below her knees"? I.e. jelly rollin', dough rollin' etc. Frankie hates a gal who ain't shy about taking care of herself?
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I think you're right, UB.
By the way, in the aside to the violinist he's calling him Mr. Victor Herbert -- which rang a bell, and a quick trip to Wikipedia reminds me that he wrote the operetta Naughty Marietta, among others. Frankie's just joking around.
Chris
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Bunker Hill, thanks for mentioning Peter Carr's publication in Storyville 2002-03. It's a major pity that Peter Carr was not able to finish his book and also, that this publication was so limited that interested persons can't just buy it through amazon. I have sent out photocopies of "The Ikey Robinson Story" to a couple of people that contacted me about it in exchange for other rare articles or photos.
Thanks Johnm, uncle bud and banjochris for your opinions about the meaning of the "second reason". If "uses joe" in the first line of "My Four Reasons" is indeed a drug reference (do you all agree? which drug?), then the first reason would be about booze and drugs, the second one about permissiveness and the third about odors, which would make for thematic consistency within the parts. So I think Johnm and uncle bud are both right, the stockings rolled below her knees meaning she's showing her legs.
banjochris, I don't hear Victor at all in Frankie's aside. The second syllable is pretty clearly "ent", "end", "ant" or "and", and there seems to be a second consonant, either r or l, I believe, in the first syllable before the i sound, but I can't think of words or phrases with all these properties that would make sense in the context. Mr. Flea-Chant Herbert?? Mr. Frequent Herbert?? Mr. Free Trend Herbert???
And who's able to hear the end of the "You don?t wan' rock you?re just a...." line in "Rock Me Mama"?
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Bunker Hill, thanks for mentioning Peter Carr's publication in Storyville 2002-03. It's a major pity that Peter Carr was not able to finish his book and also, that this publication was so limited that interested persons can't just buy it through amazon. I have sent out photocopies of "The Ikey Robinson Story" to a couple of people that contacted me about it in exchange for other rare articles or photos.
Not only is it a wonderful insight in to his life and times but the family photos, and the like, are a joy to behold. Perhaps some enterprising person will approach Laurie Wright to seek permission to reprint it in booklet form with maybe the proceeds from sales going to the Carr family. Who knows?
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Hi all,
chronologically, the next session that Banjo Ikey Robinson (BIR) recorded under his own name took place on February 13, 1929, four days after the recording of "My Four Reasons" and "Rock Me Mama", again under the moniker Ikey Robinson's Bull Fiddle Band. Jimmy Flowers is back on piano and Robert Waugh on violin. Some discographies also list Bill Johnson on bass, but I can't hear him at all, which would be unusual for him, if you compare e.g. "My Four Reasons".
Both Flowers and Robinson had accompanied Frankie Jaxon that same day already, recording "Let's Knock A Jug" and "Can't You Wait Till You Get Home", right before Ikey's own song "You've Had Your Way". According to the discographies, they also recorded "Without A Dime", which was rejected and re-recorded two weeks later, on March 1st, 1929.
Structurally, "You've Had Your Way" is a pop-song like they used to be in 1929, with an introductory verse (16 bars) and a 16 bar chorus, which is repeated with different lyrics and to scat over it. Ikey re-recorded "You've Had Your Way" twice in New York, with the "Hokum Trio" in 1930 and with the "Pods of Pepper" in 1931. I'll post both versions eventually when they fit chronologically. As before, I would really appreciate your help, especially with the parts in brackets.
You've Had Your Way
https://youtu.be/b_3O9gddB7U
Women nowadays like to have their ways, no [used-to-be] to agree
For if you say a word they will not listen, the first thing that they do is to leave
So I?ll adopt a plan so could every man [southbound] in the night turn away
Say if you don?t want me honey please don?t use my money better then [hear her out] and say-ay:
You?ve had your way honey baby hey you?ve had your way all the time
Someday I?m going to leave you sweetheart then you can have your way and I?ll have mine
Every cloud has a silver lining, wait until the sun shine through
I?ll find me someone else sweetheart and you can find you someone too
Scat
Hey now you ought to be lucky with someone baby and so long, hey baby every dog has its day
Soon I?ll be gone and forget you, I?ll part with you and we all have our way
edited to add an mp3 of the song
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As Bunker Hill reminded me of Storyville, I thought I might find anything in the magazine concerning the songs discussed so far, and alas, here's what Steven Lasker had to say in vol. 127, (Oct. 1968) in his article "More On Junie Cobb":
Stepping to one side for a moment, Hillman and Tovey's mention of the violinist on Ikey Robinson's My Four Reason's, whom Ikey Robinson seems to confirm as "Alec Waugh" and whom Jazz Records identifies as "Bob Waugh", is addressed on the record as "Mr. Peaches Harriman!".
"Mr. Peaches Harriman!" is definitely what I don't hear! I'm still hoping this thread will find dingwall's attention as soon as the Blind Lemon songs are all done. The more ears the better!
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Here's what I hear on "You've Had Your Way"
First verse:
Women nowadays, like to have their way, no use to feel blue or grieve,
For if you say a word they will not listen, the first thing that they do is to leave
So I adopt a plan, so should every man, tell them in a nice kind of way
Say if you don?t want me honey please don?t use my money, [better then] yell out and say, hey:
Third verse ends with "new" not "too"
Last verse
Hey now you caused me lots of trouble baby and sorrow,
They say every dog has his day
Soon I'll be gone, just forget me
'Cause what we do, we all have to pay.
Also, I can definitely hear "Victor Herbert" on "Four Reasons," but the copy I have (on the "How Low Can You Go" anthology -- highly recommended, by the way) is much cleaner than the one on the Document Frankie Jaxon album.
Chris
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banjochris,
Thanks so much for your help with "You've Had Your Way". I think you're right with all your corrections, I'll post a complete version of the lyrics soon.
And thanks for mentioning the "How Low Can You Go" box set. What a fool I've been to work from the document CD having this great anthology in my collection. BTW, there are also two great Chippie Hill tunes, "I Ain't Gonna Do It No More" and "Pratt City Blues", on this 3-CD set, featuring the team of BIR and Bill Johnson and sounding way better than the Chippie Hill document releases. I'll listen to the box-set version of "My Four Reasons", I'm curious if I can hear "Victor Herbert" as well.
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Hi all,
two weeks after first trying to record it, BIR was back in the studio with Jimmy Flowers on piano and Robert Waugh on violin on March 1st, 1929, to re-record "Without a Dime", a straight 12 bar blues. Inbetween the two sessions under his own name, he had recorded four very hot sides as banjoist with Jabbo Smith's Rhythm Aces on February 22 and 23.
On "Without A Dime" though, he opted for the use of a National tenor guitar again. That said, I really don't have a clue what he's singing in a couple of verses, so I'm depending on your help with this one, before I'll post the lyrics to the tunes Ikey recorded in NY, which I'm pretty confident about.
Without A Dime
Standing on the corner without a single dime
Standing on the corner without a single dime
My dog gone the pathway [???] take your time
I called [???], you may not room for the [?????]
I called [?????], you may not room for the [?????]
Cause the down and out men, ooh baby made me lose my mind
I love my gal, I really tried to read her mind
I love my gal, I really tried to read her mind
She had two men, really it?s hard to break it why
I?ll leave here walking, talking to myself
Leave here walking, talking to myself
If you won?t have me won?t have nobody else
I?m goin? catch the train [?????] the time
I?m goin? catch the train [?????] the time
Is there anybody here take me to a lousy dime
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Forgot to add the mp3. Here it is.
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Also, I can definitely hear "Victor Herbert" on "Four Reasons," but the copy I have (on the "How Low Can You Go" anthology -- highly recommended, by the way) is much cleaner than the one on the Document Frankie Jaxon album.
banjochris, I now listened closely to "My Four Reasons" on the "How Low Can You Go" anthology and on the "Folks, He Sure Do Pull Some Bow" compilation on Old Hat, and will admit that you were right, it's clearly "Mister Victor Herbert". I'm surprised that an inferior copy like the one used on the Document CD doesn't take away from the music, but actually seems to add something that isn't there.
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Yeah, I think with the Document copy it's more a case of it just being noisier -- it's not like the copy is so bad any of the music is missing.
Also, unrelated to that -- I don't know how to go in and edit the tags -- but "Half-Pint" Jaxon is misspelled -- might make it harder for someone to find what they're looking for -- can someone help on this?
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Also, unrelated to that -- I don't know how to go in and edit the tags -- but "Half-Pint" Jaxon is misspelled -- might make it harder for someone to find what they're looking for -- can someone help on this?
No help needed, I just deleted the mis-spelt tag and added a new one, hopefully without error this time. Any idea about the missing bits in "Without A Dime"??
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Really what I'd need is a better sounding copy of "Without A Dime", but listening to the Document copy again 10 times yesterday evening, I think I found a couple of words that might fit. Here's what I have now:
Without A Dime
Standing on the corner without a single dime
Standing on the corner without a single dime
My dog gone the pathway, howlin? ?papa take your time?
I called [??] daddy, you may not groom for the child
I called [??] daddy, you may not groom for the child
Cause the down and out men, ooh baby made me lose my mind
I love my gal, I really tried to read her mind
I love my gal, I really tried to read her mind
She had two men, really it?s hard to break it why
I?ll leave here walking, talking to myself
Leave here walking, talking to myself
If you won?t have me won?t have nobody else
I?m goin? catch the train, and really mean to snatch the time
I?m goin? catch the train, and really mean to snatch the time
Is there anybody here, take me to a lousy dime
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Here's how I hear "Without a Dime." I think the 3rd line of the first verse might refer to foot pain, but maybe someone else has a better idea. I don't really understand the first two lines of the last verse; although I can hear them clearly I'm not sure what they mean.
Standing on the corner without a single dime
Standing on the corner without a single dime
Hot dogs on the fireplace, howlin' "papa take your time."
My clothes lookin' shabby, shoes ain't got room for a shine,
My clothes lookin' shabby, shoes ain't got room for a shine,
Just a down-and-out man, my baby made me lose my mind.
I love my gal, I really tried to treat her nice,
Aaa-aahhhh
Love my gal, really tried to treat her nice,
She has two men, really tried to trick me twice.
I leave here walkin', talkin' to myself,
Leave here walkin', talkin' to myself
If she won't have me, won't have nobody else.
I'm gonna catch the train, that really'll snatch the time,
I'm gonna catch the train, I really need to snatch the time,
Is there anybody here? Take me to a lousy dime.
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Wow, I've been way off the track in almost all the verses!! Shame on me! And thanks banjochris for your help with this. Excellent hearing!! Do you listen with headphones?? I agree with your transcription completely.
Anyway, it seems like BIR's lyrics for "Without a Dime" are highly original except for the more traditional lines in verse 4. My understanding of the first two lines of the last verse is that he's really determined to be at the station in time to really catch the train, but I don't get the connection with the tag-line, so maybe I'm wrong.
I think it's time now to post the next bunch of lyrics. Ikey Robinson recorded and toured heavily for the rest of 1929 up to February 1930. After "Without A Dime", he did 15 sides with Jabbo Smith's Rhythm Aces, probably about 10 sides as one of the Hokum Boys, a couple with Alex Hill under the moniker "Down Home Boys", he was backing Hilda Alexander & Mamie McClure, Bertha ?Chippie? Hill, and possibly David Cross on one or two sides each and ended the year as banjo-player and singer in Sammy Stewart's touring band. After recording with Alex Hill's band in late 1929 and early 1930, he moved with Sammy Stewart's band from Chicago to New York playing one nighters on the way. At one point he was forced to pawn his expensive Bacon & Day Montana banjo to pay for the repair of the band's bus, so he arrived in NY with just his National Tricone tenor guitar. It didn't seem to take him long to earn enough to get his banjo back, though, because when he started to record again under his own leadership with a hokum trio called "Hokum Trio", he definitely played a tenor banjo. The "Hokum Trio" consisted of BIR on banjo and vocals, Alex Hill on piano (he's also the lead vocalist on take 1 of "I?m Havin? My Fun") and Cecil Scott on clarinet. On May 1st, 1930, this band recorded four songs, doing at least two takes of two songs. The songs were "I?m Havin? My Fun", "You?ve Had Your Way" (I mentioned the Chicago recording of this song above), "He Wouldn?t Stop Doing It" and "You?re Bound To Look Like A Monkey". The songs were either composed by Hill or Robinson. The songs are differently structured. "I?m Havin? My Fun" is a 32 bar tune in Eb, "You?ve Had Your Way" is a 16 bar tune (without the 16 bar introductory verse he recorded in Chicago), "He Wouldn?t Stop Doing It" is a 12 bar blues with a minor progression in the first 3 bars (similar to Rev. G. Davis' "Hesitation Blues") and "You?re Bound To Look Like A Monkey" is a 16 bar tune in F.
When listening to "I?m Havin? My Fun", it's interesting to consider that these lyrics were written six months after the big Wall Street crash of 1929.
I'm fairly confident that my transcriptions are very close to the recordings, but still four (or more) ears are better than two, so I put them up for discussion.
I?m Havin? My Fun (Take 1)
I?m mighty glad I?m living and I?ve really just begun
every day is my thanksgiving, I?m having my fun
And I?m always in a hurry when my day?s work is done
and I never have a worry, I?m having my fun
The one I love is always waiting with a smile to greet me
And all my troubles have to wait when she runs out to meet me
And early in the morning I?m up to greet the sun
seems the world was made just for me, I?m having my fun
I?m Havin? My Fun (Take 3)
I?m mighty glad I?m living and I?ve really just begun
every day is my thanksgiving, I?m having my fun
And I?m always in a hurry when my day?s work is done
and I never have a worry, I?m having my fun
The one I love is always waiting with a smile to greet me
And all my troubles have to wait when she runs out to meet me
And early in the morning I?m up to greet the sun
seems the world was made just for me, I?m having my fun
You?ve Had Your Way
Now you had your way pretty baby you?ve had your way mama mama all the lovin? time
Someday I?m going to leave you sweetheart you can have your way and I?ll have mine
Every cloud baby don?t you know it has a silver lining, mama why don?t you try and wait til until the lovin? sun shine I mean baby shine through
You can find you somebody else then sweetheart I?ll try to find me somebody too
Scat
He Wouldn?t Stop Doing It (Take 1)
Now history tells it bout old black Joe he walked bent over with his head bowed low
Cause he wouldn?t stop doing it, cause he wouldn?t stop doing it
He chopped too much cotton but he?ll stop doing it now
Our neighbour?s rooster kept chasin? our hen, we told him not to never let him do it again
But he wouldn?t stop doing it, cause he wouldn?t stop doing it
Llast night we had stew and he?ll stop doing it now
Old Aunt Jane she?s got a pain in her back her face looks just like a funeral pack
Cause she wouldn?t stop doing it, cause she wouldn?t stop doing it
She lifted too many ash cans but she?ll stop doing it now
He Wouldn?t Stop Doing It (Take 3)
Now history tells it bout old black Joe he walked bent over with his head bowed low
Cause he wouldn?t stop doing it, cause he wouldn?t stop doing it
He chopped too much cotton but he?ll stop doing it now
Now our neighbour?s rooster kept chasin? our hen, we told him not to never let him do it again
But he wouldn?t stop doing it, cause he wouldn?t stop doing it
Now last night we had stew and he?ll stop doing it now
Now old Aunt Jane she?s got a pain in her back her face looks just like a funeral pack
Cause she wouldn?t stop doing it, cause she wouldn?t stop doing it
She lifted too many ash cans but she?ll stop doing it now
You?re Bound To Look Like A Monkey
I can tell by your face you belong to the monkey race
So you?re bound to look like a monkey when you get old
When you get old, when you get old, oh Lord
You?re bound to look like a monkey when you get old
I can tell by your hair you got a monkey in you somewhere
So you?re bound to look like a monkey when you get old
When you get old, when you get old, oh Lord
You?re bound to look like a monkey when you get old
I can tell by your feet that you ain?t had much to eat
So you?re bound to look like a monkey when you get old
When you get old, when you get old, oh Lord
You?re bound to look like a monkey when you get old
I can tell by your jaw that a monkey must a been your pa
So you?re bound to look like a monkey when you get old
When you get old, when you get old, oh Lord
You?re bound to look like a monkey when you get old
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He Wouldn?t Stop Doing It (Take 1) & (Take 3) and You're Bound To look Like A Monkey
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The 2nd line in this 2nd verse begins "You don't wanna rock...", but the ending is tricky. I don't hear "rubbin' kind".
The ending of this line in "Rock Me Mama" is indeed tricky.
"You don?t wanna rock you?re just a rotten kind" or is it "...rotter kind"??? or even "a-rather kind"??? Help with this missing bit would really be appreciated!!
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Hi mr mando - I haven't had time to go through some of the recent Banjo Ikey Robinson lyrics you've posted, but will get to them one day in the not too distant future, I hope. Just wanted to thank you for starting this thread as I'm learning about a musician of whom I knew little.
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Banjo Ikey Robinson re-recorded two of the songs from his May 1st, 1930 session three weeks later with a Clarence Williams led group, but obviously his band work kept him busy enough not to enter a studio for almost nine months. On February 6th, 1931, though, he turned up as the leader of an outfit called "The Pods Of Pepper", consisting of two unknowns on piano and drums, a kazoo player called Ralph Anderson and Ikey himself on vocals, tenor banjo and tenor guitar. Four sides were recorded, among others the instrumental "Get Off Stuff" (well, almost instrumental; there's a vocal interjection: "Get off stuff! Play it!") and another re-recording of "You?ve Had Your Way".
This time, "You?ve Had Your Way" is played even faster, and again, the verse section is omitted. Instead, ample room is given to tenor banjo and kazoo solos. BIR adds lots of n-sounds to the words.
You?ve Had Your Way
Hey you?n have your way pretty baby you?n have your way all the time
But someday I?m gonna leave, goin? leave you sweetheart?n you can have your way I?ll have mine
Every cloud, baby, needs silver lining, why don?t you wait, mama, until the sun shine through-loulouloulou
You?n find you somebody else sweetheart I?ll try to find me somebody too
"Gee I Hate To Loose That Girl" is a 32 bar pop song with a 16 bar verse section before the main form. The last 8 bars of the 32 bar chorus are used as introduction. This is one of the very few BIR lyrics (maybe the only one) where he's definitely not happy! The sound of the instrument Ikey's playing is completely different from the banjo sound of "You?ve Had Your Way" from the same session, but also from the National tricone tenor guitar sound of his Chicago recordings. I'm convinced that he's using a steel bodied National Triolian tenor guitar for this recording.
Gee I Hate To Loose That Girl
You feel good, I feel bad, things I know makin? me sad
You don?t know what makes your little daddy feel blue
Have your way, have your sayin?, blues will find you out some day
You will lose your pal like I have
I gave her everything that I could get made lots of promises that wouldn?t quit
Although she?s gone away and left me blue. Gee I hate to lose that gal
I tried to make her think that I was wrong I tried to make her stay but now she?s gone
I know the way I feel I can?t live long. Gee I hate to lose that gal
When she was leaving here?s what she said ?Daddy don?t you feel bad,
Just stop your grieving lift up your head, there?s plenty of a thing that you can do instead?
Since baby went away things have been so blue gee how I miss that gal, does she miss me too
And if she don?t came back Lord what will I do? Gee I hate to lose that gal
"I Was A Good Loser Until I Lost You" is another verse - chorus pop song, but with a different structure than "Gee I Hate To Loose That Girl". Here, we have a 16 bar structure for the verse and 18 bars (16 + 2 bar tag) for the chorus. Neither BIR nor Ralph Anderson are singing, so maybe it's the drummer or the piano player. Ikey is playing his probably newly acquired National Triolian tenor again. I'm not so sure with the transcription of the verse and would appreciate any kind of help.
I Was A Good Loser Until I Lost You
Looks like you see me [???], I watch you night and day
You have done me wrong and now you must pay
No use denying no need of crying you always had your way
And now that we?re through good-bye good luck to you
Believe me
I was a good loser till I lost you, you left me feeling awfully blue
I tried to please you in every way, night and day so you say
I stayed home every night no place to go I even played the part of Romeo
I spent my money like a millionaire until I lost you
Baby until I lost you
I stayed home every night no place to go I even played the part of Romeo
I spent my money like a millionaire honey until I lost you
Baby until I lost you
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Hey Mr Mando - thanks for more Banjo Ikey!
Couple of of things -- the 'n sounds in the first and fourth lines are actually the word "can" -- he's just swallowing it a bit.
And the missing bit in "I Was a Good Loser" -- the first line begins:
Looks are deceiving, seeing is believing...
Chris
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Hi mr mando - I haven't had time to go through some of the recent Banjo Ikey Robinson lyrics you've posted, but will get to them one day in the not too distant future, I hope. Just wanted to thank you for starting this thread as I'm learning about a musician of whom I knew little.
You're welcome! Actually I want to thank you for the contribution so far. I just created an artist page for BIR in weeniepedia (click here (http://www.weeniecampbell.com/wiki/index.php?title=Category:Banjo_Ikey_Robinson)) and a BIR lyrics page too(click here (http://www.weeniecampbell.com/wiki/index.php?title=Category:Banjo_Ikey_Robinson_Lyrics)). I added all the lyrics we worked out so far, including "Rock Me Mama" (http://www.weeniecampbell.com/wiki/index.php?title=Rock_Me_Mama), where I marked the part we're not sure about. I'll edit it as soon as we solve the mystery.
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Hey Mr Mando - thanks for more Banjo Ikey!
Couple of of things -- the 'n sounds in the first and fourth lines are actually the word "can" -- he's just swallowing it a bit.
And the missing bit in "I Was a Good Loser" -- the first line begins:
Looks are deceiving, seeing is believing...
Chris
banjochris, thanks again for your help with Ikey's lyrics! Please check out the BIR artist page and lyrics page that I added to weeniepedia (links are in the post above) and let me know what you think. I was aware of the meaning of the 'n sounds, but thought it might be of interest that Ikey not only changed the meaning of the lyrics slightly, but also his approach to singing. This slight change in style (the influence of the big apple??) also shows up in the next two songs I'll post as soon as I have the mp3s ready.
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Hi all,
after his studio session with the "Pods of Pepper", Ikey Robinson kept being busy with gigs in Harlem and small tours that led him out of town. Apart from an appearance as a vocalist on a Fletcher Henderson side, "Take Me Away From The River" (if you think psychedelic music was invented in the 60s, listen to this!) on March 10th, 1932, Ikey didn't enter a studio for almost two and a half years. On July 17th, 1933 though, he recorded two sides with pianist Herman Chittison under the "Ivory Chittison and Banjo Joe" moniker (some discographies say it was "Ivory Chittison and Banjo Ikey", I've never seen a label scan of Vo 25011, so I'm not sure). One side was a remake of "My Four Reasons", the other one being a new composition called "Unlucky Blues". Despite its name, "Unlucky Blues" is a 32 bar pop song with a remarkable vocal that seems to be an imitation of Cab Calloway. There are more than one contemporary reports, though, indicating that indeed Calloway was inspired by Robinson's vocal style.
The recording of "My Four Reasons" from this session, bursting with sheer exuberance, is one of my favorite recordings ever. Both Chittison and Robinson were at the top of their abilities, swinging like hell and having a good time. 44 years later, when Bob Rusch asked Ikey in an interview for Cadence magazine: "Over your whole career, what have you enjoyed the most, if you could do it again?", Ikey answered: "I'd like to be able to make some more records with Clarence Williams, I enjoyed working with Clarence and Eva Taylor. And I would enjoy doing a duo like I had with Mike McKendrick (Ike and Mike) and with Herman Chittison."
Below are the lyrics for everybody to check against the mp3s I've added.
Unlucky Blues ? Ivory Chittison & Banjo Joe
So sad, so sad, so sad, so sad, so saaaaaaaad,
He?s sad, so sad, so sad, so sad, so sad,
Sad, so sad, so sad, so sad, so sad,
He was sad, so sad, so sad, so sad,
Why am I so unlucky, what did I ever do?
I guess I?m just unlucky, just unlucky blue
Why should I have trouble, and have some misery too?
I guess just because I?m unlucky, just unlucky blue
Why should I have trouble, what makes me lonely and blue?
Ten years? time and I can?t keep from cryin?, wonderin? why I?m downhearted too.
Fate was so unkind, tell me what can I do
I guess I?m just unlucky, just unlucky blue
Scat
My Four Reasons ? Ivory Chittison & Banjo Joe
I hate a girl who?s full of ?Nos?, hits the jug and uses joe
That?s one of my four reasons
Who rolls her own below her knees, and flirts with those and flirts with these
That?s two of my four reasons
And when she chews that garlic, and eats Limburger cheese
I get an awful weakness far down below my knees
Now folks I told you this and that, my mind?s at ease
That?s all of my four reasons
Scat
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Before I post the remaining lyrics from the Banjo Ikey Robinson JPCD-Document CD during the next couple of weeks, I thought I bump this thread to the top of the list and remind you all that there is still one unclear spot in the lyric transcriptions, "Rock Me Mama" (http://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?amp;Itemid=60&topic=5326.msg42014#msg42014) in the 6th line.
And could somebody please check my transcription of "Unlucky Blues" in the post just above? I'll move it to the BIR lyrics page (http://www.weeniecampbell.com/wiki/index.php?title=Category:Banjo_Ikey_Robinson_Lyrics) at weeniepedia as soon as it's confirmed by another poster.
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Mr. mando - A couple things:
Unlucky Blues
Intro: I'd say the end of the first line is a "waaaaaa..." :D
3.1 Why should I have trouble, and LOTS OF misery too?
3.2 I guess IT'S just because I?m unlucky, just unlucky blue
4.1 Why should I have trouble, what makes me lonely and blue?
4.2 SITTIN' HERE SIGHIN' and I can?t keep from cryin?, wonderin? why I?m downhearted too.
5.1 Fate IS so unkind, tell me what can I do
5.2 I guess I?m just unlucky, just unlucky blue
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Thanks uncle bud! I agree with all your changes and have added Unlucky Blues to the Banjo Ikey Robinson lyrics page (http://weeniecampbell.com/wiki/index.php?title=Category:Banjo_Ikey_Robinson_Lyrics) at weeniepedia.
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After the duet sides with Herman Chittison, Ikey started to record once more with Clarence Williams in late summer and autumn of 1933 and autumn of 1934. There were 13 sides released as by ?Clarence Williams Jug Band? and another 8 sides by the ?Alabama Jug Band?. For the Alabama Jug Band sides Ikey used an alias of ?Hambone Jackson?, but if he had not confirmed his participation later on, he would still be recognized immediately because of his singing. On most of these sides, Ikey also plays tenor guitar solos, probably on his National Triolian tenor, which have earned him favorable comparison with Eddie Lang?s playing.
Late autumn of 1934 saw Ikey back in Chicago, having moved back following his girlfriend Tressie Mitchell. Tressie started to sing with Ikey?s small swing band and it?s the same band that recorded 4 sides on July 2, 1935, three of which were instrumentals. This is the first recording session to feature Ikey?s clarinet playing.
If you ever have a chance to pick up the unfortunately out of print Ikey Robinson Document CD on JPCD-1508-2, the tune ?A Minor Swing? alone is worth the price of a CD.
The fourth recorded tune at the mentioned date is a 32-bar pop song, which features Ikey?s lucky-go-happy lyrics sung by Tressie Mitchell and Ikey?s scat vocal. I don?t agree with Tom Tsotsi?s opinion (published in Joslin's Jazz Journal) that Big Mike McKendrick is the guitarist here. The guitar intro is clearly played by Ikey on a national tenor, not on a six string archtop as Big Mike would have used since his sessions with Cleo Brown. The guitar accompaniment during Ikey?s scat chorus is rhythmically synchronized to his singing, especially with the triplets in the final 8 bars. During the unaccompanied piano bridge, Ikey has plenty of time to switch to clarinet for the riff part and, surprise, there?s no guitar anymore.
Here are the lyrics for you all to check:
Sunshine - Ikey Robinson and his Windy City Five
I heard the rose say to the dew, oh I?m so happy how ?bout you
Every little sunbeam added to the sunshine makes just a little bit more
I heard the birdies sing in the trees I saw a leave breaking the tree
Every little sunbeam added to the sunshine makes just a little bit more
Now old man thunder said to the rain let?s make a whoopee today
And then Mr. Sunshine said to them both oh why don?t you go your way
I heard a robin singing this song I saw the clouds rolling along
Every little sunbeam added to the sunshine makes just a little bit more
Scat
Every little sunbeam added to the sunshine makes just a little bit more
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I think the first line of the second verse is "I heard the birdies sing in the trees I saw THE LEAVES BREAK IN the TREES"
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dj, I think you're right! I'll wait a couple of days if anybody else has any comments and then will transfer the lyrics to the Banjo Ikey Robinson lyrics page (http://weeniecampbell.com/wiki/index.php?title=Category:Banjo_Ikey_Robinson_Lyrics).
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The Windy City Five recording sessions and his long residency at Caf? Spanish seem to have reestablished Ikey Robinson in the Chicago music scene after his almost 5 year long stint in New York, as he got the quite prestigious gig of backing Georgia White on seven sessions between May 1936 and May 1937. Since Georgia White was one of the top sellers of the time, backing her seems indeed to have been a task for the top guitar players, among them, besides Ikey, Charlie McCoy, Carmen Mastren, Teddy Bunn and Lonnie Johnson.
During that period, Ikey also had started to gig around Chicago?s Halstead Street area with a veteran medicine show songster and blues singer called Charlie Slocum. ?Sloke? also played rhythm guitar, and with Ikey doubling on tenor guitar and clarinet, the duo had a quite wide repertoire. In his interviews with Peter Carr, Ikey mentioned ?Tiger Rag? and lots of Irish (!!!) songs.
Obviously, they also had blues in their repertoire, and Ikey seems to have used studio time booked for but not used by Georgia White to record four tunes with Charlie Slocum. They were accompanied by John Lindsay on double bass, who also played on the Georgia White sessions.
The first of the four songs recorded as ?Sloke and Ike? is a 12 bar chorus blues sung by Charlie Slocum, whose downhome delivery contrasts nicely with Ikey?s jazzy tenor guitar fills.
The chorus lyrics are roughly based on Jim Jackson?s Kansas City Blues, but the verse part of the different verses could be derived from other sources as well. The first verse is very similar to the first verse of Ishman Bracey?s Saturday Blues, the second verse could be partly from Gene Campbell?s Freight Train Yodeling Blues--Part 1 (second verse) and partly from Teddy Darby?s Built Right On The Ground (fourth verse). The fourth verse is almost the same as third verse of Ed Bell?s Mean Conductor Blues, while the fifth verse was used before by Yank Rachell. Also the sixth verse has been built with commonly used building blocks, the first half having been put to use earlier by Bayless Rose in the third verse of Original Blues, the second half by Funny Papa Smith in Mama's Quittin' and Leavin', Part 1.
That said, I?m not so sure about a couple of things, especially the ?juke?s all wood? part in the chorus and a few minor things, so please listen to the attached mp3 and don?t hold back with your comments.
Say Pretty Mama - Sloke and Ike
Hey, pretty mama do you think that?s right,
You got the kids all day, you work the men at night
And I?m goin? to Kansas City where the times are good
I?m going back baby where the juke?s all wood
I?m going back mama yes where they don?t ?low you
I?ve got the freight train blues, boxcars on my mind
And the woman that I?m lovin? she don?t pay me no mind
But I?m goin? to Kansas City where times are good
Going back baby where the juke?s all wood
Going back baby yes where they don?t ?low you
And this ding dong bell don?t worry me
?Cause when it?s over God knows I?m free
I?m goin? to Kansas City where times are good
Going back baby where the juke?s all wood
I?m going back mama where they don?t ?low you
SOLO
And I said Mr. Brakeman may I ride your blind
And he hollered back: ?Buddy, you know this train ain?t mine!?
But I?m goin? to Kansas City where the times are good
I?m going back mama where the juke?s all wood
I?m going back baby where they don?t ?low you
My girl she caught a train she left me a mule to ride
When the train pulled out the poor mule laid down and died
But I?m goin? to Kansas City where the times are good
I?m going back baby where the juke?s all wood
I?m going back mama where they don?t ?low you
Yes I walked and talked to my mama all night long
I tried my best to teach her right from wrong
And I?m goin? to Kansas City where times are good
Going back mama where the juke?s all wood
Going back baby where they don?t ?low you
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A suggestion for the second line in verse three:
?Cause SLAVERY'S over God knows I?m free
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dj, thanks a lot! Great hearing! Is there another prewar blues song that directly mentions slavery??
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The second ?Sloke and Ike? song was, like Say Pretty Mama, recorded on May 6, 1937 and is an AAB 12 bar blues sung again by Charlie Slocum. Banjo Ikey Robinson?s National Triolian tenor guitar is again all over the place, and his playing is somewhat reminiscent of the accompaniments Louis Armstrong did for some of the classic vaudeville blues singers of the twenties.
In the lyrics, we find again lots of traditional building blocks, e.g. the second verse is very similar to previous song verses like Peg Leg Howell?s "Doin' Wrong", Ma Rainey's "Bad Luck Blues", Texas Alexander?s "Don't You Wish Your Baby Was Built Up Like Mine?" or Big Bill Broonzy?s "At the Break of Day" (and I?m sure many other instances). Almost for every half line, I can think of a couple of precursors, but still I can?t make out the A line of the third verse, so your help with that would be very much appreciated.
Slocum Blues - Sloke and Ike
Did you ever wake up in the morning and find your good?n gal gone
Did you ever wake up in the morning and find your good?n gal gone
And she went down the road sleepin? in another man?s arms
And did you ever wake up just at the break of day
And did you ever wake up just at the break of day
And put your eyes on that pillow where your sweet gal used to lay
Now I?ve been blue since that faro ..... they came running down
Well I?m blue since faro ? they came running down
Cause it?s the woman I?m loving she talking ?bout leavin? town
SOLO
Yes I rushed to the depot I took a look at the table board
Yes I rushed to the depot and took a look at the table board
And Mr. Depot-Keeper said your woman have gone for the diamond road
Yes, I bought me one ticket I started to catch my train
I, I bought me a ticket I started to catch my train
And the tears they came fallin? like tiny drops of rain
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For the 3rd verse, may I suggest:
"Now them blues they struck sorrow, tears they came running down.
Well them blues struck sorrow, and tears they came running down." ?
Until of course someone with a native ear tells otherwise.
Cheers
Pan
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For the 3rd verse, may I suggest:
"Now them blues they struck sorrow, tears they came running down.
Well them blues struck sorrow, and tears they came running down." ?
I concur. I'd also add that
And Mr. Depot-Keeper said your woman have gone for the diamond road
should be
And Mr. Depot-Keeper said your woman have gone further down the road
Chris
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Thanks for your corrections, Pan and banjochris. I agree with your resolutions and will add the correct lyrics to the Banjo Ikey Robinson lyrics page (http://weeniecampbell.com/wiki/index.php?title=Category:Banjo_Ikey_Robinson_Lyrics).
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The third and last song Sloke and Ike recorded on May 6, 1937 during Georgia White?s left over studio time was a swinging makeover of an old medicine show favorite. ?Raggedy but Right? is nowadays thought of as a country hit for George Jones, but the earliest recorded version I know of is by African-american artists the Blue Harmony Boys (Rufus & Ben Quillian) and stems from 1929. Of course, the 1934 version by Riley Puckett is widely known among old time music fans and probably also served as the blueprint for most subsequent versions by white artists like Wilf ?Montana Slim? Carter or even Shel Silverstein, who has the song on his 1959 album ?Hairy Jazz?, arranged as an old time Jazz number but (more or less) with Puckett?s lyrics.
I also have a version by Bob Howard from 1938 that shows a composer credit on the 78 label for a certain ?Scocum?, which, considering that the lyrics are a straight copy from Sloke & Ike?s version, has to be a misspelling of Slocum.
Anyway, here are the lyrics, as sung by ?Banjo? Ikey Robinson, his last recorded pre-war vocal performance. Actually, his singing would not be recorded until Sept. 13, 1975, when he entered a studio in Hamburg, Germany.
The lyrics are quite different than the ?white? version. I?ve yet to compare them to the Quillians? version, which I haven?t listened to recently. Anyway, here are the words as I hear them for you all to check and comment:
https://youtu.be/538f44hbX-U
Raggedy But Right - Sloke and Ike
I knew a fellow once his name was Joe
His boss said to him: ?Joe I need you no more
With your raggedy clothes Joe and your lonesome face
You know you?re bound to be a disgrace to my place.?
Joe said: ?Boss you know I can go
But I have got more than you will ever know
I know boss I?m raggedy, raggedy but true
Just before I go, boss, I?d like to say to you?
I want you to know I?m raggedy but right
I?m free ain?t but livin? same as the person that?s white
I?ve got porterhouse steaks every day for my board
That's more than the market in your hometown can afford voo-dee-oo
I have two mosquito nets, one at my head and feet
Two great big electric fans, keep me cool while I sleep
Boss I?m a legion I?m a elk and a mason and a knight
Thanks God I?m raggedy boss but right
Don?t you hear me talking
Thanks God I?m raggedy but I?m right
I want you to know raggedy but right
I?m free ain?t but living same as the person that is white
I?ve porterhouse steaks every day for my board
That?s more than a market in your hometown can afford
I?ve two mosquito nets, one at my head and feet
Got two great big electric fans keep cool voo-dee-oo while I sleep
But I?m a legion I?m a elk a mason and a knight
Thanks God boss I?m raggedy but I?m right
Thanks God boss raggedy but I?m right
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Just listened to the Quillians' version (attached to this post) from document DOCD 5392 "Hokum, Blues And Rags", which was obviously dubbed from a very worn copy. I don't get the verse in detail, but it seems to be similar to the Sloke & Ike version.
Here's what I hear for the chorus:
I want you to know that I?m ragged but right
Just like the people that are ever so white
I?ve got porterhouse steaks every day for my board
More than the people in your town can afford
Two 'lectric fans to keep me cool while I sleep
A mosquito net from my head to my feet
I?m a ??? I?m a ??? a mason and a knight
I?m ragged but right I say
I?m ragged but right
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I figured the obvious place to look for "Ragged But Right" was in Abbott and Seroff's Ragged But Right, and it didn't let me down:
"In 1904 and 1905, before coming to Allen's Minstrels, [Dennis H.] Mitchell had found success on early black vaudeville platforms in Florida and Georgia "cleaning up with one of Bob Russell's latest songs, 'Ragged But Right'."
And later,
"A note from the Vendome Theater in Hamilton Ohio in the Freeman of January 19, 1909, informed that a performer known as 'Shoe Strings' was "singing his own composition [sic], "Ragged But Right''. 'Ragged But Right' was recorded numerous times over the course of several decades by such diverse musicians as Rufus and Ben Quillian, Charlie Slocum and Ikey Robinson, Riley Puckett, Moon Mullican, George Jones, and others."
The Quillian's version, with a comedy sermon at the start, has the ring of being taken from the vaudeville stage.
The song must be in the public domain, but I couldn't find a copy on the internet.
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Thanks for mentioning Abbott and Seroff's Ragged But Right, dj! I had forgotten this book, but might acquire it sooner or later, even though it doesn't have much info on the tune under discussion. But since I read I GOT TWO WINGS: Incidents and Anecdotes of The Two-Winged Preacher and Electric Guitar Evangelist Elder Utah Smith by Lynn Abbott, I'm sure this book has to be great and informative too.
Thanks also to JohnM for his personal messages re: "Gee, I Hate to Loose that Girl" and "Rock Me Mama". The outcome of our private discussion is of interest to this thread, that's why I'm mentioning it here.
The title of "Gee, I Hate to Loose that Girl" is followed by (sic) in Rust's discography, that's why I've kept the (obvious) typo! But I should have noted that when I first presented the transcription.
For the unclear sixth line in "Rock Me Mama", JohnM suggests: "You don't-a rub, you're just the rockin' kind" adding that: "The word I'm least certain of is "rockin'", but it seems to make sense in the context of the song."
This sounds pretty close to my ears, and if there's nobody else disagreeing, I'll edit the WeeniPedia lyric entry.
There's one more Sloke & Ike song left to post, and after that, I might continue either with Banjo Ikey's few postwar vocal recordings or with his vocal features for other prewar artists like Fletcher Henderson and Clarence Williams. If anybody has preferences, please let me know.
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With regard to the lyrics of "You're Bound to Look Like a Monkey When
You Grow Old," there was a version of this song recorded by Bob Crosby's Bobcats. Bob was the brother of the crooner Bing Crosby.
Nappy LaMar (guitarist) sang the vocal. The verse that I like best
isn't included in the Ikey Robinson version, but it goes like this:
I can tell by your knees you've been climbing coconut trees,
you're bound to look like a monkey when you grow old, etc."
\(^o^)/
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Wow, I've been way off the track in almost all the verses!! Shame on me! And thanks banjochris for your help with this. Excellent hearing!! Do you listen with headphones?? I agree with your transcription completely.
Anyway, it seems like BIR's lyrics for "Without a Dime" are highly original except for the more traditional lines in verse 4. My understanding of the first two lines of the last verse is that he's really determined to be at the station in time to really catch the train, but I don't get the connection with the tag-line, so maybe I'm wrong.
I think it's time now to post the next bunch of lyrics. Ikey Robinson recorded and toured heavily for the rest of 1929 up to February 1930. After "Without A Dime", he did 15 sides with Jabbo Smith's Rhythm Aces, probably about 10 sides as one of the Hokum Boys, a couple with Alex Hill under the moniker "Down Home Boys", he was backing Hilda Alexander & Mamie McClure, Bertha ?Chippie? Hill, and possibly David Cross on one or two sides each and ended the year as banjo-player and singer in Sammy Stewart's touring band. After recording with Alex Hill's band in late 1929 and early 1930, he moved with Sammy Stewart's band from Chicago to New York playing one nighters on the way. At one point he was forced to pawn his expensive Bacon & Day Montana banjo to pay for the repair of the band's bus, so he arrived in NY with just his National Tricone tenor guitar. It didn't seem to take him long to earn enough to get his banjo back, though, because when he started to record again under his own leadership with a hokum trio called "Hokum Trio", he definitely played a tenor banjo. The "Hokum Trio" consisted of BIR on banjo and vocals, Alex Hill on piano (he's also the lead vocalist on take 1 of "I?m Havin? My Fun") and Cecil Scott on clarinet. On May 1st, 1930, this band recorded four songs, doing at least two takes of two songs. The songs were "I?m Havin? My Fun", "You?ve Had Your Way" (I mentioned the Chicago recording of this song above), "He Wouldn?t Stop Doing It" and "You?re Bound To Look Like A Monkey". The songs were either composed by Hill or Robinson. The songs are differently structured. "I?m Havin? My Fun" is a 32 bar tune in Eb, "You?ve Had Your Way" is a 16 bar tune (without the 16 bar introductory verse he recorded in Chicago), "He Wouldn?t Stop Doing It" is a 12 bar blues with a minor progression in the first 3 bars (similar to Rev. G. Davis' "Hesitation Blues") and "You?re Bound To Look Like A Monkey" is a 16 bar tune in F.
When listening to "I?m Havin? My Fun", it's interesting to consider that these lyrics were written six months after the big Wall Street crash of 1929.
I'm fairly confident that my transcriptions are very close to the recordings, but still four (or more) ears are better than two, so I put them up for discussion.
I?m Havin? My Fun (Take 1)
I?m mighty glad I?m living and I?ve really just begun
every day is my thanksgiving, I?m having my fun
And I?m always in a hurry when my day?s work is done
and I never have a worry, I?m having my fun
The one I love is always waiting with a smile to greet me
And all my troubles have to wait when she runs out to meet me
And early in the morning I?m up to greet the sun
seems the world was made just for me, I?m having my fun
I?m Havin? My Fun (Take 3)
I?m mighty glad I?m living and I?ve really just begun
every day is my thanksgiving, I?m having my fun
And I?m always in a hurry when my day?s work is done
and I never have a worry, I?m having my fun
The one I love is always waiting with a smile to greet me
And all my troubles have to wait when she runs out to meet me
And early in the morning I?m up to greet the sun
seems the world was made just for me, I?m having my fun
You?ve Had Your Way
Now you had your way pretty baby you?ve had your way mama mama all the lovin? time
Someday I?m going to leave you sweetheart you can have your way and I?ll have mine
Every cloud baby don?t you know it has a silver lining, mama why don?t you try and wait til until the lovin? sun shine I mean baby shine through
You can find you somebody else then sweetheart I?ll try to find me somebody too
Scat
He Wouldn?t Stop Doing It (Take 1)
Now history tells it bout old black Joe he walked bent over with his head bowed low
Cause he wouldn?t stop doing it, cause he wouldn?t stop doing it
He chopped too much cotton but he?ll stop doing it now
Our neighbour?s rooster kept chasin? our hen, we told him not to never let him do it again
But he wouldn?t stop doing it, cause he wouldn?t stop doing it
Llast night we had stew and he?ll stop doing it now
Old Aunt Jane she?s got a pain in her back her face looks just like a funeral pack
Cause she wouldn?t stop doing it, cause she wouldn?t stop doing it
She lifted too many ash cans but she?ll stop doing it now
He Wouldn?t Stop Doing It (Take 3)
Now history tells it bout old black Joe he walked bent over with his head bowed low
Cause he wouldn?t stop doing it, cause he wouldn?t stop doing it
He chopped too much cotton but he?ll stop doing it now
Now our neighbour?s rooster kept chasin? our hen, we told him not to never let him do it again
But he wouldn?t stop doing it, cause he wouldn?t stop doing it
Now last night we had stew and he?ll stop doing it now
Now old Aunt Jane she?s got a pain in her back her face looks just like a funeral pack
Cause she wouldn?t stop doing it, cause she wouldn?t stop doing it
She lifted too many ash cans but she?ll stop doing it now
You?re Bound To Look Like A Monkey
I can tell by your face you belong to the monkey race
So you?re bound to look like a monkey when you get old
When you get old, when you get old, oh Lord
You?re bound to look like a monkey when you get old
I can tell by your hair you got a monkey in you somewhere
So you?re bound to look like a monkey when you get old
When you get old, when you get old, oh Lord
You?re bound to look like a monkey when you get old
I can tell by your feet that you ain?t had much to eat
So you?re bound to look like a monkey when you get old
When you get old, when you get old, oh Lord
You?re bound to look like a monkey when you get old
I can tell by your jaw that a monkey must a been your pa
So you?re bound to look like a monkey when you get old
When you get old, when you get old, oh Lord
You?re bound to look like a monkey when you get old
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Ikey Robinson recorded two songs with pianist, singer and songwriter Alex Hill in Chicago on December 10, 1929 which were released by Victor as by the "Down Home Boys". Both songs are available on DOCD-5236 (The Hokum Boys). The first song recorded, It's All Gone Now, is a fairly typical hokum tune with a chorus blues form very similar to "Tight Like That". Ikey Robinson seems to play a National tenor guitar, which sounds rougher than the tricone tenor on his recordings from earlier that year, so it might be an early single cone. The tune is played in C and Ikey is easily recognisable. If, like the discographies state, Ikey is indeed the guy who also sings the second voice, his single note playing must have been quite independant from his singing, as the vocals and tenor guitar playing overlap quite freely.
There's a phrase in the third verse which I didn't get and would appreciate some help with.
It?s All Gone Now - Down Home Boys
My gal had money she used to give me some
But now that ain?t where I?m getting it from
?Cause it?s all gone now, ooh it?s all gone now
Ooh it?s all used up and it?s all gone now
I went to the bootlegger I knocked on the door
He says stop knocking I ain?t got no more
?Cause it?s all gone now, ooh it?s all gone now
Ooh it?s all used up and it?s all gone now
Mary Brown used ???
She could really pour that stuff to satisfy you
But it?s all gone now, ooh it?s all gone now
Ooh it?s all used up and it?s all gone now
Oh my baby used to love me morning, noon and night
But that was long ago and she was just about right
But that?s all gone now, ooh it?s all gone now
Ooh it?s all used up and it?s all gone now
Millie used to shake it and she?d shake it just so
But she?d lost her tempo forty years ago
?Cause it?s all gone now, ooh it?s all gone now
Ooh it?s all used up and it?s all gone now
Old Ann Liza was the beauty of the town
But all those years ran her beauty down
And it?s all gone now, ooh it?s all gone now
Ooh it?s all used up and it?s all gone now
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Mary Brown used TO HANDLE IT TOO
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By the way, I think the first line of the last verse is:
Old AUNT Liza was the beauty of the town
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dj, thanks a lot, listening again I think you nailed it! I also changed "that's" in the chorus after the fourth verse back to "it's", as I'm now sure they don't vary it. Here's the corrected version:
It?s All Gone Now - Down Home Boys
My gal had money she used to give me some
But now that ain?t where I?m getting it from
?Cause it?s all gone now, ooh it?s all gone now
Ooh it?s all used up and it?s all gone now
I went to the bootlegger I knocked on the door
He says stop knocking I ain?t got no more
?Cause it?s all gone now, ooh it?s all gone now
Ooh it?s all used up and it?s all gone now
Mary Brown used to handle it too
She could really pour that stuff to satisfy you
But it?s all gone now, ooh it?s all gone now
Ooh it?s all used up and it?s all gone now
Oh my baby used to love me morning, noon and night
But that was long ago and she was just about right
But it?s all gone now, ooh it?s all gone now
Ooh it?s all used up and it?s all gone now
Millie used to shake it and she?d shake it just so
But she?d lost her tempo forty years ago
?Cause it?s all gone now, ooh it?s all gone now
Ooh it?s all used up and it?s all gone now
Old Aunt Liza was the beauty of the town
But all those years ran her beauty down
And it?s all gone now, ooh it?s all gone now
Ooh it?s all used up and it?s all gone now
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The second song Ikey Robinson recorded with pianist, singer and songwriter Alex Hill in Chicago on December 10, 1929 as the "Down Home Boys", You Do It, is a variation of a chorus blues form (similar to "Tight Like That") in that it repeats the chorus, resulting in a 20 bar format (I-I-I-I-IV-IV-I-I-V-V-I-I-IV-IV-I-I-V-V-I-I). Ikey Robinson plays a National tricone tenor guitar, and I'd revise my statement that it was an early single cone on It?s All Gone Now, it's clearly the same instrument (I should have listened to it through my usual hi-fi setup).
The tune is played in Eb and Ikey's fills are very characteristic of his playing. I'm not so sure about the "smack some ham" part in verse two, as I've never heard the expression. If this is right, could somebody explain to me what it means?
You Do It - Down Home Boys
I?m tired of hustlin? and runnin? to
Just to lay it on the wood for you
Now you do it, oh you do it, oh you do it, oh baby you can do that thing yourself
Now you do it, oh you do it, oh you do it, that?s the only way to get it done
You asked me to go out and smack some ham
Now what kind of fool do you think I am
Now you do it, oh you do it, oh you do it, oh baby you can do that thing yourself
Now you do it, oh you do it, oh you do it, that?s the only way to get it done
You asked me to hit your husband in the jaw
And tell him I?m your man outside the law
Now you do it, oh you do it, oh you do it, oh baby you can do that thing yourself
Now you do it, oh you do it, oh you do it, that?s the only way to get it done
You asked me to buy you a diamond ring
While you keep your roll of money just to pet that thing
Now you do it, oh you do it, oh you do it, oh baby you can do that thing yourself
Now you do it, oh you do it, oh you do it, that?s the only way to get it done
You asked me to go out and shovel coal
Just to give you money for your jelly roll
Now you do it, oh you do it, oh you do it, little baby you can do that thing yourself
Now you do it, oh you do it, oh you do it, that?s the only way to get it done
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I believe the line in question is:
You asked me to go out and SNATCH A ham
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dj, thanks! That would make sense: She wants him to steal for her. I'll listen to it again this afternoon and will make the correction if I'll be hearing the same as you.
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Having listened again I agree with you, dj. I also noticed that there is no "baby you can do that thing yourself" in the third chorus but a scat instead. Here's the final version:
You Do It - Down Home Boys
I?m tired of hustlin? and runnin? to
Just to lay it on the wood for you
Now you do it, oh you do it, oh you do it, oh baby you can do that thing yourself
Now you do it, oh you do it, oh you do it, that?s the only way to get it done
You asked me to go out and snatch a ham
Now what kind of fool do you think I am
Now you do it, oh you do it, oh you do it, oh baby you can do that thing yourself
Now you do it, oh you do it, oh you do it, that?s the only way to get it done
You asked me to hit your husband in the jaw
And tell him I?m your man outside the law
Now you do it, oh you do it, oh you do it, deep de doo doo doo doo
Now you do it, oh you do it, oh you do it, that?s the only way to get it done
You asked me to buy you a diamond ring
While you keep your roll of money just to pet that thing
Now you do it, oh you do it, oh you do it, oh baby you can do that thing yourself
Now you do it, oh you do it, oh you do it, that?s the only way to get it done
You asked me to go out and shovel coal
Just to give you money for your jelly roll
Now you do it, oh you do it, oh you do it, little baby you can do that thing yourself
Now you do it, oh you do it, oh you do it, that?s the only way to get it done
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The 2nd line in this 2nd verse begins "You don't wanna rock...", but the ending is tricky. I don't hear "rubbin' kind".
The ending of this line in "Rock Me Mama" is indeed tricky.
"You don?t wanna rock you?re just a rotten kind" or is it "...rotter kind"??? or even "a-rather kind"??? Help with this missing bit would really be appreciated!!
it sounds like
"you don't wanna rock, you just rock - that('s) kind"
which fits with the previous line where he is enquiring "what's on your worried mind". OK that's somewhat inverted logic but i can't make it work any other way!
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Gumbo, thanks for the reply!!
For the line in question, JohnM suggested: "You don't-a rub, you're just the rockin' kind" having added that: "The word I'm least certain of is "rockin'", but it seems to make sense in the context of the song."
To my ears, he's dead on the money for the "You don't-a rub, you're just" part and for the word "kind", but what's inbetween??
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I think you have mississippimoan to thank for my reply!! ;D
Curious. it's the word 'kind' i'm least sure of!
I'm trying but i don't hear rub. There's a hard k sound before 'you just' and i am pretty sure there is a 'wanna' in there too
As close as i can get it:
"You don't wanna rock, you just ..."
a-rock the kin' or
a-rock that kin' or even
a-rock that guy at a push but it sounds like kind - a hard 'k' and the 'd' is lost from the end
so in an attempt to think outside the box for a mo'
it is possible that it's not a-rock but d-rop but it takes me about 50 listens to get to there!
another way it might work is if the 'k' of kind is actually the end of the previous word making the last syllable (perhaps) 'high' or even just a rhyming sound like 'aye'
so
(phonetically) drop deck high
robbed the guy
etc
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I'm working on an arrangement of My Four Reasons & have been going through this thread.
Apologies if this was answered & I missed it but Mr. Mando asked about 'Joe' as a slang word for a drug . . . Joe is slang for coffee, so she's addicted to caffeine.
Also, am I missing something? Mr. Robinson has four reasons to stay away from the gal . . . they appear to be that she has an addictive personality, is sexually promiscuous & has bad breath . . . what's the fourth reason?
Oh yeah & one more thing . . . she uses 'Nos'? Is that laughing gas?