Topic: Booker White Lyrics

[Kokomo O]

On the 2:39 timed version from the Blues with Bukka CD I definitely hear "make it."

The words aren't anywhere near as clear on the 2:54 timed version from the The Complete Bukka White CD. I could go either way on that one, but having heard the clear "make it" in the shorter version I have to assume he's saying the same thing here.

This thread has reminded me what a fun tune this is to play--gotta get back to work on it.

[Rivers]

Thanks y'all, "Make it..." it is, I will amend. I originally copped it from 'The Complete...' so I guess I can be forgiven for the misread.

Later, done.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I merged a thread on Booker White's "Special Streamline" into Booker White's Lyrics thread here.  The newly-merged thread immediately precedes this post.
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
There are some wonderful later performances by Booker White on "Furry Lewis, Bukka White & friends:  Party!  At Home", Arcola CD A CD 1001.  Booker does "Grey-Haired Woman" accompanying himself out of cross-note tuning, and essentially playing the same part he used to back up "Aberdeen Mississippi Blues".  I think this song has an unusually sweet set of lyrics.  Booker delivers it so strongly, both in his playing and his singing.  Here is "Grey-Haired Woman":



I got old lady and her head is turnin' grey
Well, I've got an old lady and her head is turnin' grey
Well, it makes no difference, I ain't gon' throw you away

Oh, listen, old lady, don't worry 'bout your head turnin' grey
Aw, listen, old lady, don't worry 'bout your head turnin' grey
Don't you know if you keep on livin' your head sure is gon' turn grey?

You don't have to worry, babe, 'cause you gettin' old
Well, you don't have to worry 'cause your baby gettin' old
I got a brand new Ford will take you on down the road

Hush, hush, little papa, don't nothin' get old but clothes
Uh-huh, listen, old lady, don't keep on talkin' 'bout old
I don't b'lieve I'll be gettin' your baby special clothes

Baby, it's turnin' cold, you're welcome knock on my door
Well, it's turnin' cold, you've got to knock, baby, on my door
Well, it makes no difference, babe, 'cause your head is turnin' grey

OUTRO (Spoken: She goin' out now, tonight.)

All best,
Johnm

 

[StoogeKebab]

Thanks for sharing Johnm, those are a beautiful set of lyrics. It's a shame that Arcola is hard to find down under, Bob West is such a wonderfully kind man and has sent me a couple throughout the Son House documentary's process, but I'm hoping to get my uncle in Chicago to get me all of the CDs. Thanks also for noting that it was similar to Aberdeen blues, as now I'll be able to try it for myself!

[banjochris]

Here's my crack at "I Am in the Heavenly Way." This one is just as big a pain as "Promise True and Grand" despite having fewer words. Something about the way this song is recorded doesn't help intelligibility and I own four different remasterings of it, the best being Yazoo on "Masters of the Delta Blues," with "Goodbye, Babylon" not too far behind.

Booker recorded this again in the '60s; I only have one version from then, and unfortunately he doesn't sing one of the verses he repeats in the 1930 version, plus he sings one verse differently. I can't find any printed source for this song, either. You'll see the brackets where I can't make things out, I've offered some phonetic approximations, none of which are worth much of anything as actual suggestions!

Any suggestions or help would be much appreciated; I've transcribed both the version on 78 (I did not transcribe the female singer's responses) and the version from Booker's first "rediscovery" album. Also, it's very difficult sometimes to tell whether he's singing "movin' on" or "goin' home," especially because of the "r" sound he puts into "goin'," so I'm sure I've missed a few.


Victor 78

I am in the heavenly way
Travelin 'long from day to day
And I'll say [the weary load? that we below? that we in love?]
Oh this joy, I?m movin? on

Oh the joy, the joy, the joy
Oh goin' home
Oh these joy, great joy,
I?m goin? home.

Happy and I?ll sing this song
Try and [?]
Oh these joy, great joy,
I?m goin? home


Day by day, oh where I see [there I stay?]
Heavenly things unfold to me,
[Meet my fate they?ll be more strong?]
Oh the joy, I?m movin? on


Oh the joy, great joy,
I?m goin? home.
Oh the joy, great joy,
I?m goin? home.

Happy and I?ll sing this song
Try and [?]
Oh the joy, great joy,
I?m goin? home

Day by day, oh where I see [there I stay?]
Heavenly things unfold to me,
[Meet my fate they?ll be more strong?]
Oh the joy, I?m movin? on

Oh the joy, the joy, the joy,
I?m goin? home.
Oh the joy, great joy,
I?m goin? home.

Happy and I?ll sing this song
Try and [?]
Oh the joy, great joy,
I?m goin? home

And at last, when labor is done,
And a crown in heaven is won,
I will sing the wonderful song,
Oh the joy, I?m movin? on.

Oh the joy, great joy,
I?m goin? home.
Oh the joy, great joy,
I?m goin? home.

Happy and I?ll sing this song
Cryin? Try and ??
Oh the joy, great joy,
I?m goin? home


Oh the joy, the joy, the joy,
I?m goin? home.
Oh the joy, great joy,
I?m goin? home.

Spoken: Pick it!

Joy, great joy
I?m goin? home.
Oh the joy, great joy,
I?




'60s version

I am in the heavenly way
Travelin 'long from day to day
And I'll say that [?]
Oh the joy, I'm movin? on

Oh the joy, the joy, the joy
The wonderful joy I'm goin' home
Oh the joy, great joy
The peace and joy I'm going home

Happy and I sing this song
And I'm going home
Oh the joy, great joy
Oh, I'm goin' home

And I'll sing the wonderful song
Oh I'll sing the wonderful song
Oh the joy, the joy, the joy
The peace and joy I'm goin' home
Oh the joy, great joy
Oh I'm movin' home [it sounds like he starts to sing ?movin?? but changes partway through so it sounds like a combo of movin? and goin? (with the extra ?r? in it)]

And at last, when labor is done
And a crown in heaven is won
I will sing the wonderful song
Oh, the joy, I'm movin' on

Oh the joy, the joy, the joy
The peace and joy I'm goin' home
Oh the joy, great joy
Oh, I'm goin' home
Happy and I sing this song
And am sing song [Booker obviously blows the line here]
Oh the joy, great joy
Oh, I'm goin' home

And at last, I'll sing that song
And at last, I'll sing the song
Oh the joys I'm goin' home,
Oh the joys I'm goin' home,
Oh the joy, great joy
Oh, I'm goin' home

And at last, when labor is done
And a crown in heaven is won
And I'll sing the wonderful song
Oh, the joy, I'm movin' on
Oh the joy, the joy, the joy
The wonderful joy I'm movin' on
Oh the joy, great joy
The peace and joy I'm movin? on

Happy and I sing this song
The wonderful song I'm movin' on
Oh the joy, great joy, the peace and joy
I'm goin' home

And at last, when labor's done
And a crown in heaven is won
And I'll sing the wonderful song
Oh, the joy, I'm movin' on

Oh the joy, the joy, the joy
The wonderful joy I'm movin' on
Oh the joy, great joy
The peace and joy I'm goin' home

Happy and I sing this song
The wonderful song I'm movin' home
Oh the joy, great joy
I'm goin' home

And at last, when labor's done
And a crown in heaven is won
I will sing the wonderful song
Oh, the joy, I'm movin' on
Oh the joy, the joy, the joy
The wonderful joy I'm movin' on
Oh the joy, great joy
The peace and joy I'm goin' home

Happy and I sing this song
The wonderful song I'm movin' home
Oh the joy, great joy
Oh I'm goin??

[Johnm]

Whew, re-listening to this one I can see why you took some time off from it, Chris!  I'll see if I hear anything.

In 1.3, it sounds like it might be
   And I'M CARRYIN' A WEARY LOAD
1.4
   Oh, these joys, at movin' time

In the first chorus, I think it might be
   Oh, THESE joys, the joys, the joy
   OF goin' home
   Oh, these joys, great joy
   OF goin' home
   Happy and I'll sing THESE SONGS
   'TIL I CAN HAVE THAT THRONE
   Oh, these JOYS, great joy
   OF goin' home

In the second verse, it sounds like Booker sings in the first line:
   Day by day, oh THERE I see
with Miss Minnie responding WHERE I see, which doesn't help matters at all.
I think the third line might be
   MAKE MY FAITH BE A LITTLE MORE STRONG
followed by
   Oh these joys, AT MOVING TIME

Second chorus:
   Oh, these joys, great joy
   Of goin' home
   Oh, these joys, great joy
   Of goin' home
   Happy, and I'll sing these songs
   'Til I can have that throne
   Oh, these joys, great joy
   Of goin' home

Verse three is a pretty close repetition of verse two, it seems
   Day by day, oh there I see
   Heavenly things unfold to me
   Make my faith, little bit more strong
   Oh these joys, at movin' time

Chorus pretty much the same
   Oh these joys, joys, the joys
   Of goin' home
   Oh, these joys, great joy
   Of goin' home
   Happy and I'll sing these songs
   'Til I can have that throne
   Oh, these joys, great joy
   Of goin' home

fourth verse is as you have it, but I hear the last line as:
   Oh, these joys at movin' time

Next chorus:
   Oh, these joys, great joy
   Of goin' home
   Oh, these joys, great joy
   Of goin' home
   Happy, and I'll sing these songs
   'Til I can have that throne
   Oh, these joys, great joy
   Of goin' home

Next chorus:
   Oh, these joys, the joys, the joy
   Of goin' home
   Oh, these joys, great joy
   Of goin' home (SPOKEN: Pick it)
   Joys, great joys
   Goin' home
   Oh, these joys, great joy
   ---( Guitar finishes chorus)

All best,
Johnm
   

[Johnm]

Hi Chris,
Any thoughts on the suggestions I made for the lyrics to "I Am In The Heavenly Way"?
All best,
Johnm

[banjochris]

John -- I meant to write back sooner -- I agree with most of what you have but have been going back and listening again. I'll try to post revisions tonight. It is a tough one!
Chris

[banjochris]

Here's a re-done version of the 1930 version of "I Am in the Heavenly Way" -- John, I incorporated most of your suggestions and thanks! The two I didn't hear at all were "moving time" and the "carrying" a weary load in the opening verse. I'm pretty sure he says "say" there both on the 78 and in the '60s version. "Weary load" seems the most logical thing there, however, I agree.  Here is "I Am In The Heavenly Way":



I am in the heavenly way
Travelin 'long from day to day
And I'll say the weary load
Oh this joy, I?m movin? on

Oh these joy, the joys, the joy
Of goin' home
Oh these joy, great joy,
Of goin? home.

Happy and I?ll sing this song
So I can have that throne
Oh these joys, great joy,
Of goin? home.

Day by day, oh there I see
Heavenly things unfold to me,
Make my faith, it?ll be more strong
Oh these joys, I?m movin? on

Oh these joys, great joy,
Of goin? home.
Oh these joys, great joy,
Of goin? home.

Happy and I?ll sing this song
So I can have that throne
Oh these joys, great joy,
Of goin? home

Day by day, oh there I see
Heavenly things unfold to me,
Make my faith, it?ll be more strong
Oh these joys, I?m movin? on

Oh these joys, the joy, the joy,
Of goin? home.
Oh the joy, great joy,
Of goin? home.

Happy and I?ll sing this song
So I can have that throne
Oh these joys, great joy,
Of goin? home

And at last, when labor is done,
And a crown in heaven is won,
I will sing the wonderful song,
Oh these joys, I?m movin? on.

Oh these joys, great joy,
Oh goin? home.
Oh these joys, great joy,
Oh goin? home.

Happy and I?ll sing this song
So I can have that throne
Oh these joys, great joy,
Of goin? home


Oh these joys, the joy, the joy,
I?m goin? home.
Oh these joys, great joy,
Of goin? home.

Spoken: Pick it!

Joys, great joys
I?m goin? home.
Oh these joy, great joy,
Oh?

Chris

[banjochris]

I needed to cleanse the mental palate after "Heavenly Way" so I transcribed one of my favorite of Booker's 1960s recordings, "Columbus Mississippi Blues" off the Memphis Swamp Jam/Kings of Country Blues set. It's played just like "Aberdeen" but he's having a lot of fun with it. I have a couple spots in brackets I'd appreciate some help with -- I assume the missing first one is some kind of liquor.  Here is "Columbus Mississippi Blues":



Columbus Mississippi Blues
Well, I was fixin' to cross Tombigbee (Booker says Tombigbo) River on down,
I am fixin' to cross Tombigbee River goin' on 'cross,
Well I'm goin' to Columbus, baby, I'm goin' to settle on down.

Well, Columbus, baby, Columbus is my old home
Well I'm goin' to Columbus, I'm goin' down to Sandy Land,
You know that?s where they all, old drunkards hang around.

Goin' down to Columbus, that ain't but 20 miles from Aberdeen

Well I was over in Columbus down in Sandy Land,
Well I was over in Columbus, down in Sandy Land,
That's where all the poor peoples go, down where they raisin' sand.

Play it now!

Well, you take Columbus broads, cat scratch on your line,
When you take Columbus broads, cats scratchin' on the line,
What they men buys old [?] on Tom River bridge
That ain't no lie boy!

Hey you Columbus women, you watch what's comin' down,
Oh, listen, Columbus, tell the women what's comin' down,
Well, Booker's sending them blues down, in Columbus town.

Play it!

Sell about four or five [?]

Co-lumbus my home, but I used to hang around,
Columbus was my home, but I used to hang around,
'Cause where you find a good time, down in Sandy Land.

They ain't lyin', that's what it was!

Go down in Sandy Land and tell Booker, I said, "Come there and ask for it.", yes!

[Johnm]

Thanks, Chris, for doing the additional slog on "I Am In The Heavenly Way".  I'm still hearing "at moving time" ("at" rather than "I'm" especially) at the end of the verses, but I can certainly live with the difference.  Thanks!
All best,
Johnm

[banjochris]

Thanks, Chris, for doing the additional slog on "I Am In The Heavenly Way".  I'm still hearing "at moving time" ("at" rather than "I'm" especially) at the end of the verses, but I can certainly live with the difference.  Thanks!

I see how you're hearing the "at" but I think it's another instance of Booker's weird vowel articulation; his "a" sound is very, very nasal.

This was a tough one, for sure!
Chris

[DavidR]

Hi, folks. I would be delighted to receive any feedback on my transcription of the performance of "Aberdeen, Mississippi Blues" linked below. My mode here tends more to transcribing the words that White is singing rather than trying to reflect his distinctive delivery of them. Thanks!

"Aberdeen, Mississippi Blues"
Bukka White
1967 television performance (?)

Aberdeen is my home, but the men don?t want me around.
Aberdeen is my home, but the men don?t want me around.
?Cause they?ll come and take their women, I will take them out of town.

I was over in Aberdeen on my way to New Orleans.
I was over in Aberdeen on my way to New Orleans.
Then them Aberdeen women told me they would buy my gasoline.

Aberdeen is my home, but the men don?t want me around.
Aberdeen is my home, but the men don?t want me around.
?Cause they know I?ll take their women, I will take them out of town.

Hush, hush, hush, I?somebody?s knocking on my door.
Oh, hush, oh, hush, somebody?s knocking on my door.
Well, I believe that?s my woman coming to tell me she don?t want me no more.

Oh, look over yonder where we used to live.
Oh, look over yonder where we used to live.
Don?t you know it?s killing me, baby, we won?t live there no more.

I?I?hush?I?somebody?s tipping up to my door.
Oh, hush, oh, hush, somebody?s tipping up to my door.
Well, I believe that?s my woman coming to bring me all of my clothes.

(She?s going out on red, now.)

[Johnm]

My mode here tends more to transcribing the words that White is singing rather than trying to reflect his distinctive delivery of them.

Hi DavidR,
What do you mean by the statement quoted above?  How can a transcription reflect a singer's "distinctive delivery" of the words?
All best,
Johnm