Topic: Barbecue Bob Lyrics

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Barbecue Bob recorded "Bad Time Blues" on October 27, 1928, in Atlanta, backing himself out of Spanish tuning, capoed up.  He begins the first two four-bar phrases singing over the IV chord and answers his singing with a signature lick that he plays with a slide.  His thumbwork is heavily accented and syncopated.  He really was an excellent lyricist, and a number of his verses here are both original ( I think) and memorable.  The word "panic", as used in this context, has a very heavy connotation, with a lot of dread built into it.



Bad time are foll'in' me, tell the world the panic is on
Bad times are foll'in' me, tell the world the panic is on
I feel so disgusted, all the good times done gone

Everybody is crying, they can't get a break
Everybody is crying, they can't get a break
Tell me, what's the matter, everything seems too late

When you hear me howlin', then you know something's going on wrong
When you hear me howlin', then you know something's wrong
Bad time has got me, 't's why I sing this song

I can't make a nickel, I'm flat as I can be
I can't make a nickel, I'm flat as I can be
Some people say money is talkin', but it won't say a word to me

I ain't had a paycheck since the devil was a boy
I ain't had a paycheck since the devil was a boy
And if I get a real job, I'd pass out with joy

Bad times are foll'in' me, I can't get a gal
Bad times are foll'in' me, I can't get a gal
You know gals cost money, when she'll be your pal

Bad times are foll'in' me, baby needs some shoes
Bad times are foll'in' me, baby needs some shoes
I've had enough hangin' around, keep me singin' Bad Time Blues

Edited 1/14/18 to pick up correction from kentuckybluesboy

All best,
Johnm

[tenderfoot84]

Not sure if I'm just havering but does anyone else hear a similarity in the vocal delivery of cold wave blues / begging for love (essentially the same with different lyrics and maybe a slightly differing rhythm in parts) and ishmon bracey's leaving town/brownskin mama?

This has been nagging me all day as I can't describe the similarity more clearly and the songs are certainly very different musically and in terms of overall singing style. Can anyone else hear this?!!

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Barbecue backed himself out of Spanish tuning with a slide for "Me and My Whiskey".  His lyrics make only passing references to whiskey--they're more concerned with a yen for sexual adventures.  Musically he was so comfortable working in this tuning and style, he sounds completely loose and strong at the same time, and what a terrific singer!  Here is his performance:



SOLO

When I'm in my whiskey, I don't care what I say
When I'm in my whiskey, I don't care what I say
'Cause me and my whiskey, we going to have our way

Please tell me, mama, what kind of lovin' you crave
Ah, tell me, mama, what kind of lovin' you crave
I've got the pattern of a dozen different ways

I'm down here in Atlanta where the womens all, they knows me
I'm down here in Atlanta where the women all knows me
I'm goin' up by Detroit, get me, you, a gal you ain't seen

SOLO

Don't you never want new lovin' sometimes?
Ah, don't you never want new lovin' sometimes?
They moves it a little different, but it's all the same old kind

Don't your gal treat you like my gal treats me
Don't let your gal treat you like my gal treats me
She made me love her, now she's 'way down in Tennessee

Wild women out West, where I so long to be
They tell me wild women out West, where I so long to be
Wild women and whiskey can make a fool out of me

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Barbecue Bob backed himself out of Spanish tuning with a slide for "We Sure Got Hard Times".  Here is his performance:



Got a song to sing you, and it's no excuse
I've got a song to sing you, and it's no excuse
And it sure is the devil, I b'lieve he's got a-loose

You want a drink of liquor, you think it's awful nice
When you want a drink of liquor and you think it's awful nice
You put your hand in your pocket and you ain't got the price

You heard about a job, now you is on your way
You heard about a job, now you is on your way
Twenty mens out for the same job, all in the same old day

Hard times, hard times, we got hard times now
Hard times, hard times, we've sure got hard times now
Just think and think about it, we've got hard times now

You started in moochin', but your mooching's in vain
You started in to moochin', but your mooching's in vain
Be careful with yourself, you'll get a ball and chain

Lard and bacon goin' to a dollar a pound
Well, lard and bacon goin' to a dollar a pound
Cotton has started to sellin', but it keeps goin' down and down

Just before election, you was talkin' how you was going to vote
Just before election, you was talkin' how you was going to vote
And after election was over, your head down like a billygoat

Hard time, hard time, sure got hard time now
Hard time, hard time, we've got hard time now
Once you think and think about it, we've sure got hard times now

Edited 2/15 to pick up correction from banjochris
Edited 2/16 to pick up correction from dj

All best,
Johnm

[banjochris]

"Hard Times" is such a great number, great lyrics and performance both. Couple of small suggestions:

in 1.3, should be "got a-loose"
in 6.1 and 6.2, he says "the" before "election," but he kinda swallows it.


Are there any other pre-war blues songs that make any reference to voting in a serious way, other than In the Jailhouse, etc.?
Chris

[Johnm]

That's a great catch on "got a-loose", Chris, and makes much more sense.  Can you re-listen to the election verse?  I hear not a trace of anything resembling "the", or even "th" preceding any of the places he says "election". 
You're certainly right about elections being notable for their absence in blues lyrics.  Even in this instance, there's a certain graveyard humor in Barbecue Bob's mention of an election and voting, "You talked like you were going to vote and it would make a difference, huh."
All best,
Johnm

[banjochris]

It's less hearing a "th" than hearing 2 separate "e" vowel sounds to me, John. I can hear it in both lines, especially in the second line. Doesn't make any difference to the meaning of the line, of course.

Bob really was a great singer and lyricist. I can listen to him for quite a while, even though many or most of his songs are very similar. In a way that I can't listen to, say, Kokomo Arnold for very long.

[dj]

To my ears, "just before election" in 7.1 and 7.2 is correct.

In 1.3, I hear "And IT sure IS the devil"

And in 6.1 and 6.2, I hear "Lard and bacon GONE to a dollar a pound", though I admit that the distinction is pretty subtle.

[Johnm]

Thanks for the catch in the first verse, dj.  I have made the change.
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Barbecue Bob played "Yo Yo Blues" out of Spanish tuning with a slide, and musically, it is essentially the same piece that Curley Weaver recorded as "No No Blues". It's such a strong piece that it can easily support different versions.  Here is Barbecue Bob's version:



SOLO

Got up this mornin', my yo yo mama was gone
I got up this mornin', my yo yo mama was gone
I stood by my bedside and I hung my head, my head and mourned

SOLO INTERLUDE

Walked down the streets, I couldn't be satisfied
I walked down the streets, I couldn't be satisfied
I had some yo yo blues, just to mean to, just to mean to cry

SOLO INTERLUDE

It ain't none of my business, but it sure ain't right
It ain't none of my business, but it sure ain't right
Take another man's woman, and play your yo yo, play yo yo all night

SOLO INTERLUDE

I'm a stranger here, I just blowed in your town
I'm a stranger here, I just blowed in your town
I wants to yo yo, please don't turn me, please don't turn me down

SOLO INTERLUDE

And if I mistreat you I sure don't mean no harm
If I mistreat you I sure don't mean no harm
I'm a yo yoin' daddy and I don't know right from, don't know right from wrong

SOLO INTERLUDE

I'm long and tall, like a cannonball
And I'm long and tall, like a cannonball
Takes a long tall papa to make a good gal, make a good gal squall

SOLO INTERLUDE

I'm a stranger here, I come in on this train
I'm a stranger here, I come in on this train
I long to hear some good gal call my, gal call my name

SOLO INTERLUDE

(Falsetto) Hee-ee-ee, ee-ee-ee
Hee-ee-ee, ee-ee-ee
Hee-ee-ee, ee-ee, ee-ee-ee

SOLO INTERLUDE

I got up this morning, I sure was feeling bad
When I got up this mornin, I sure was feelin' bad
But, honey, I couldn't do nothin' but wash my face and, my face and hands

SOLO INTERLUDE

(Falsetto) Hee-ee-ee, hee-ee-ee
Hee-ee-ee, hee-ee-ee
Hee-ee-ee, hee-ee, hee-ee-ee

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Barbecue Bob was working out of his favorite tuning, Spanish, with a slide on his "Waycross Georgia Blues".  Hi accompaniment was one that he used for many of his songs.  Here is his rendition:



INTRO

Down in Waycross, Georgia, where I so long to be
Oh, down in Waycross, Georgia, where I so long to be
There's a Waycross mama, waiting down there for me

She's long and she's tall, Sweet Mama Jellybean
She long and she's tall, Sweet Mama Jellybean
She knows just how to get me out of New Orleans

I never had her quit me, 'cause she knows her stuff
I never had her quit me, because she knows her stuff
When she starts to lovin' me, I can't get enough

I'm goin' back to Waycross, goin' back there today
I'm goin' back to Waycross, goin' back there today
Then when I find my mama, no more will I stray

She sure put it on me, I can't rub it off
She sure did put it on me, I can't rub it off
I used to be hard boiled, but now she made me soft

SOLO INTERLUDE

Oh, listen here, Waycross mama, please wait, wait for me
Listen, Waycross mama, please wait for me
I'm headed for Georgia, where I so long to be

SOLO

Mmmmm, mmm-hmmm, hmmm-hmm
Mmmm-hmm-mmm, Lawd, Lawd, Lawd Lawd
Mmm-mm-mm-mm-mm-mm, hmm-hmm-hmm, mm-mm

Edited 5/14 to pick up correction from LeftyStrat

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
For "Thinkin' Funny Blues", Barbecue Bob once again chose to accompany himself out of Spanish tuning with a slide.  For some reason, his heavy reliance on a couple of accompaniments doesn't cause his music to pall, at least for me; maybe it's because of the tremendous vitality he always brought to his renditions.  He never sounded like he was mailing it in.  He was such a good lyricist, too.  He sang quite a lot of verses that I've not heard anyone else sing.  Here is his performance of "Thinkin' Funny Blues":



INTRO

You may think funny, may think funny, you may think funny 'bout me, gal,
You may think funny, may think funny 'bout me
But you can hide yourself, better that you see

If you didn't want me, gal, you didn't want me, what make you say you do?
If you didn't want me, what make you say you do?
Take your time, little girl, nobody's rushin' you

I may look crazy, may walk crooked, may lie down crossways, my bed
May act funny, may walk crooked, lie down crossways, my bed
You better stop rockin', you heard what daddy said

Goin' up the country, up through your country, sorry I can't carry you
Goin' up the country, sorry I can't carry you
Nothin' up the country, monkey gal can do

My home ain't here, my home ain't here, gal, far, far, far 'way
My home ain't here, it's far, far away
You don't suit me, gal, and I ain't obliged to stay

SOLO

You see me coming, see me coming, gal, heist your window high
You see me coming, heist your window high
You see me leaving, hang your little head and cry

SOLO

Before this time, 'fore this time, may be another year, gal,
'Fore this time, brown, may be another year
I be up the country, drinkin' that cool can beer

SOLO

Got two women, got two women, I can't tell 'em apart, Lord,
Got two women, can't tell 'em apart
One in my bosom, the other 'un in my heart

All best,
Johnm




 
 

[Blues Vintage]

Maybe I'm a nitpick but we want everything as accurate as possible I guess.


"Waycross Georgia Blues"

I used to be a hard boy

[Johnm]

I have no idea what you're talking about, Harry.

[Blues Vintage]

Hi John

In "Waycross Georgia Blues"

I used to be hard boy instead of I used to be a hard boy. The a before hard boy