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
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
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 »
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.
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
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 »
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 »
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.
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 »