Topic: Scott Dunbar Lyrics

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Scott Dunbar's version of "Forty-Four Blues" comes from his Fat Possum CD (originally released on Ahura Mazda) "From Lake Mary". Scott Dunbar evidently lived his life away from the mainstream areas of blues activity in Mississippi, which probably accounts for the extent to which he sounded so different from most of the recorded blues from Mississippi. He accompanied himself out of D position in standard tuning for "Forty-Four Blues", and does something I don't recall having heard anyone else do--pretty much from the beginning to the end of his rendition, he sings in unison with his instrumental time stroke, do-do-do-do-dee, and quite often sings in unison with his bass runs as well. He reduces the form to single-line verses answered by his time stroke, vamping away. Rather than transcribe his non-verbal vocalizations, I'll just transcribe his sung words. I'd appreciate help with any of them I get wrong. Here is "Forty-Four Blues":



INTRO

Yes, that .44's so long, made my shoulder sore

(Guitar and scatting of second line)

Lord, now hey, mama, I've got .44 no more

'Cause that .44's so long, it made my shoulder sore (Spoken: Hey!)

Lord, I cried last night, I ain't gon' to cry no more

Lord, if I get drunk, baby, who's gonna carry me home?

Call, my whippoorwill calls, and my whippoorwill calls

Lord, I hey-ey-ey-ey-ey-ey, mama, what in the world's the matter now?

'Cause nothing's the matter, something goin' on wrong (Spoken: That's the truth!)

Oh now, Lordy, mama, see what you done done (Spoken: Whee!)

GUITAR/SCAT SOLO

Lord, I wonder, mama, wonder for my .44 (Spoken: What .44?)

'Cause that .44's so long, it made my shoulder sore

Lord, now hey, mama, see what you done done (Spoken: Don't you see?)

'Cause that .44's so long, and my whippoorwill call

GUITAR/SCAT CODA

SPOKEN: Oh, gettin' too heavy, oh, to carry. That's the .44.

Edited 1/28 to pick up corrections from Blues Vintage

All best,
Johnm




   
   

[Blues Vintage]

2. -Lord now- hey mama -I got- .44 no more

4. Lord I cried last night -I- ain't gon' to cry no more

6. -Call- my whippoorwill calls   second calls is call

7. -wonder what's- the matter now?

8. Lord, -'cause- nothing's the matter

9 -oh now- lordy

(Spoken: What .44?)  oh .44

12. Lord now hey mama

13. 'Cause that .44's so long, -and- my whippoorwill call

[Johnm]

Thanks for help, Blues Vintage. I made most of the changes you suggested.

[Forgetful Jones]

Hi John-
Robert Cage is an artist who similarly sings in unison with many of his guitar lines through the course of his songs. I took a quick look at each artist's biography on the Fat Possum label website. It is specifically mentioned that Cage watched Dunbar "play and sing" on the porch of his father's grocery store.

I didn't get a chance to see most of the musicians we talk about here, but I was fortunate enough to see Cage play a show with RL Burnside back in the late 90s.

[Johnm]

Thanks for that additional information, Forgetful Jones. It's kind of exciting when musical lines of transmission are so clear. All of the "non-face-to-face in the same location" ways of communicating information available to us now via modern technology can make us forget sometimes the power of seeing and hearing someone do something in person. Evidently Scott Dunbar made a big impression on Robert Cage (whom I never heard of before).