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The minstrel and annex bands were features at the show grounds. Here were a group of colored minstrels, players, band people, under the direction of Edward Rucker... The band plays pretty airs of all kinds, suiting the music nicely to the work in hand. When the snakes were exhibited it played a charming waltz; somehow it fitted the exhibit; others were of similar propriety - The Indianapolis Freeman, July 4th, 1914, quoted in Ragged But Right by Lynn Abbott and Doug Seroff

Author Topic: Dock Boggs Lyrics  (Read 17299 times)

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Offline banjochris

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Re: Dock Boggs Lyrics
« Reply #120 on: March 23, 2014, 10:42:46 PM »
Interesting, too, because it's the only number from his Brunswick session that he didn't record in the '60s to my knowledge. John, I think it's his "board" bill that's due along with the whiskey.
Chris

Offline Johnm

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Re: Dock Boggs Lyrics
« Reply #121 on: March 24, 2014, 09:41:01 AM »
Thanks for the help, Chris.  "Board" bill it is, and I will make the change.
All best,
Johnm

Offline Johnm

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Re: Dock Boggs Lyrics
« Reply #122 on: March 26, 2014, 02:25:35 PM »
Hi all,
Dock Boggs played "Lost Love Blues" as a brisk waltz in D.  I'm not confident I have his banjo tuning correct, but he may be playing in gDGBD tuning.  The song is not a blues in the structural sense, but is more like a parlor song.  Dock's quick tempo enables him to get in a lot of verses, and his banjo playing is so relatively simple that he takes no solos.  The sensibility of this song seems very 19th century as opposed to Dock's "rounder" songs, which seem more modern.
NOTE:  Banjochris has identified Dock's tuning as gCGBD tuned a minor third low, and played in the F position, so eAEG#B, with the F position sounding at D.



I lost you, darling true love,
And now I'm growing old
My pockets are all empty
Of both silver and gold

While my money lasted
You gave my heart ease
But since I have nothing
You go with who you please

I'm heart-broken and lonely
No one can take your place
Everywhere I chance to look
I can see your smiling face

Darling, oh darling sweetheart
Your name I'll never tell
If you don't change your cruel ways
My soul is doomed for hell

Don't shed a tear, my darling,
As the daisies o'er me grows
Just decorate my lonesome grave
With a wilted, faded rose

If I had a pass to Glory
And it did not read "For Two"
I'd trade it all for your true love
And stay on Earth with you

Your eyes, they shine like diamonds
Your cheeks are like a rose
The way I love you, darling girl,
Great God in Heaven knows

Lost love, lost love, my darling,
How can you treat me so?
To leave your own true lover
And with a false one go

Many times over you I've pondered
Happy hours with you I've spent
You won my heart forever
While yours was only lent

There'll come a time, my darling,
In just a few short, more days
You'll hang your head in sorrow
As I'm lowered in my grave

Keep all the little tokens
I have so fondly gave
Just grant to me my last request
Take them with you to your grave

Don't shed a tear, my darling,
As the daisies o'er me grows
Just decorate my lonesome grave
With a wilted, faded rose

Edited to pick up corrections from banjochris, 3/26

All best,
Johnm


 
« Last Edit: July 14, 2020, 05:35:55 PM by Johnm »

Offline banjochris

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Re: Dock Boggs Lyrics
« Reply #123 on: March 26, 2014, 06:38:30 PM »
John, a couple of small suggestions:

in 1.4 Of BOTH silver and gold
and in 11.3 Just grant to me MY last request

also, on the banjo tuning, I think he's playing out of F position in gCGBD tuned down. He tunes quite low on that Lonesome Ace session, especially for "Old Rub Alcohol," and it sounds to me like the low root of the V chord (the lowest note he plays) is an open string.

The melody for this song is the same as the much better known "Short Life of Trouble," which was recorded by Grayson and Whitter, Buell Kazee, Tom Ashley, the Blue Sky Boys, just about everybody.

Offline Johnm

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Re: Dock Boggs Lyrics
« Reply #124 on: March 26, 2014, 09:31:26 PM »
Hi Chris,
Thanks for the help with the lyrics and the banjo tuning.  I agree that that low root of the V chord rings like an open string.  I transcribed "my last request" and typed "one last request"--doh.
I'll make the changes. 
All best,
Johnm

Offline Johnm

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Re: Dock Boggs Lyrics
« Reply #125 on: March 28, 2014, 10:48:11 PM »
Hi all,
Dock Boggs recorded "False Hearted Lover's Blues" utilizing essentially the same accompaniment as he had used for "Country Blues", but with his banjo tuned a fourth low, at c#GDEA.  The song's lyrics were evidently shopped to Dock by a store owner named W.E. Meyer, who also composed the John Hurt songs "Richland Woman Blues" and "Let The Mermaids Flirt With Me".  I believe Dock is accompanied on the song by a barely-audible Emry Arthur, on guitar.  In the repeated verse, "sink" would seem to make more sense, but Dock consistently pronounces the word "sing", so I've transcribed it that way.



False hearts have been my downfall, pretty women have been my crave
I'm sure my false-hearted lover will drive me to my lonesome grave

They'll bite the hand that feeds them, spend all the money you can save
From your heartstrings weave silk garters, build a doghouse on your grave

When my earthly stay is over, sing my dead body in the sea
Just tell my false-hearted lover that the whales will fuss over me

Ragged clothes dropping from my body, the wolf howlin' around my door
The man who won my darling girl, feel the bite of my .44

Corn whiskey has wrecked my body, a false-hearted lover is a-preyin' on my mind
I've roamed the whole world over, pleasure on Earth I can not find

When my earthly stay is over, sing my dead body in the sea
Just tell my false-hearted lover that the whales will fuss over me

If I meet my darling girl again, I'll tell her all about my troubles
Give her the false-hearted lover's blues and leave her standing on the pebbles

All men take this timely warning, it's good for young and old
Don't try to buy a woman's love with the last dollar of your gold

Take warning, you fair young ladies, if your love and honor you have sold
The men will have no use for you when your dark hair turns to gold

When my earthly stay is over, sing my dead body in the sea
Just tell my false-hearted lover that the whales will fuss over me

All best,
Johnm






« Last Edit: July 14, 2020, 05:36:43 PM by Johnm »

Offline Johnm

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Re: Dock Boggs Lyrics
« Reply #126 on: April 09, 2014, 06:07:10 PM »
Hi all,
I believe the lyrics to "Old Rub Alcohol Blues" were also written by W. E. Meyer.  Indeed, he used almost the very same verse as his verse eight here for "Let The Mermaids Flirt With Me".  I believe Dock is tuned c#ADEA and playing out of a D position here, but I'm not at all sure of that.  This song has many, many words.  At the end of the second line of verse three it sounds as through Dock couldn't decide between "sail for some foreign shores" and "sail for some far distant shores", and so sang, "sail for some far din shores".  I'd appreciate help with any of the bent bracketed places in the lyrics.



Troubles up and down the road, and trials all the way around
Never knew what troubles was, 'til my darling threw me down

With nothing but old ragged clothes, my heartstrings broken to shreds
Blues are creeping over my body, queer notions flying through my head

If ever I meet that girl again, our troubles will all be o'er
I'll steal her out away from home, we will sail for some parting shore

When my worldly trials are over, and my last goodbye I've said
Bury me near my darling's doorstep, where the roses blooms and fade

My pockets all are empty, like they've often been before
If ever I reach my home again, I'll walk these ties no more

The easiest thing I ever done was lovin' and drinkin' wine
The hardest thing I ever done was working out a judge's fine

The cheapest thing I ever done was sleeping out amongst the pines
The hardest thing I ever tried was keeping pork chops off of my mind

I've never worked for pleasure, peace on Earth I can not find
The only thing I surely own is a worried and troubled mind

If wine and women don't kill me, there's one more plan to find
Soak up the old rub alkyhol, ease the troubles all off of my mind

When my worldly trials are over, and my last goodbye I've said
Bury me near my darling's doorstep, where the roses blooms and fade

Edited 4/9 to pick up corrections from banjochris

All best,
Johnm


« Last Edit: July 14, 2020, 05:37:22 PM by Johnm »

Offline banjochris

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Re: Dock Boggs Lyrics
« Reply #127 on: April 09, 2014, 07:46:26 PM »
Pretty sure that is the tuning, John. He doesn't do his trademark lick when the 4th string is lower.
It's been a little while since I've listened to this but I have a couple suggestions:
Could it be "parting shore"?
The other two I'm pretty sure are "queer notions" and keeping "pork chops off of my mind."
There is an alternate take of this on the Revenant release, and if I remember rightly the only difference is the timing of how Dock sings the first verse.

Offline Johnm

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Re: Dock Boggs Lyrics
« Reply #128 on: April 09, 2014, 08:00:07 PM »
Thanks for the help, Chris.  I thought I had the tuning right, like you say he doesn't do that fourth string hammer from the bVII up to the I.  "Queer notions" is probably right--I was sort of hearing "weird notions" but dismissed it as too modern a usage.  I'll listen for "parting shore".  And if the hardest thing Dock ever tried was keeping "pork chops off of my mind", then he and I have had more in common than I would have thought!
All best,
Johnm
« Last Edit: April 09, 2014, 10:16:25 PM by Johnm »

Offline uncle bud

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Re: Dock Boggs Lyrics
« Reply #129 on: April 09, 2014, 08:09:37 PM »
I'm definitely with Chris on the pork chops.

Offline banjochris

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Re: Dock Boggs Lyrics
« Reply #130 on: April 09, 2014, 11:30:33 PM »

And if the hardest thing Dock ever tried was keeping "pork chops off of my mind", then he and I have had more in common than I would have thought!

Absolutely!

 


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