Topic: Miller's Breakdown

[David Kaatz]

Sounds like he sings "I'm sittin' here counting" to me. Doesn't make a lot of sense, except perhaps as, I'm counting my money made busking, not singing any more.

Dave

[Bunker Hill]

Hi all,
For John Dudley's "Cool Water Blues":
   * His playing position was E position in standard tuning, as all who responded had it--well done!
   * In the first line of each verse, John Dudley fretted the fourth fret of the fifth string, as Dave and Old Man Ned had it--well done!

I think Phil's question as to why Lomax didn't record more titles by John Dudley is a good one.  Everything I've heard that Dudley recorded was stellar.  This song is a cover of Tommy Johnson's "Cool Drink of Water Blues", and it just seems spectacular to me, in many ways stronger and with more "juice" than Tommy Johnson's own version of the song.  What heavy time--whew!  Listen to the fill he plays from :21--:27; it doesn't get much better than that.

All best,
Johnm   

FWIW in the 70s John Cowley unearthed a very short interview with John Dudley held at the LoC. Is it possible that this is it? Or have you folk already discussed this? I'm so out of touch.......

http://clio.lib.olemiss.edu/cdm/ref/collection/lomax/id/2063

[blueshome]

Thanks for your comments on Santa Fe John. I couldn't hear that bass move until I played back through a speaker rather than my computer.

I always find the analyses in the is thread fascinating and well worth putting the head above the parapet for.
Best, Phil

[jpeters609]

FWIW in the 70s John Cowley unearthed a very short interview with John Dudley held at the LoC. Is it possible that this is it? Or have you folk already discussed this? I'm so out of touch.......

During the brief interview, Alan Lomax is asking Dudley where he learned these songs, etc., and Dudley replies that he learned them himself, so to speak. Dudley says they would sing these songs "out in the fields." Most interestingly, he says that he was actively playing as early as 1925 or 27 in Tunica. So we was certainly a contemporary of Patton, etc...

At that time, Lomax must have known precious little about Charley Patton or Tommy Johnson. If he had, he would surely have pursued this matter more thoroughly, as Dudley's "Clarksdale Mill Blues" sounds as if it were learned at Patton's knee. It is of course possible that Dudley was a contemporary of Patton; at the time of his recording (1959) he was supposedly 50 years old and serving the last months of his sentence. As it is, I am unaware of any additional investigation that Lomax (or anyone) did into the background of John Dudley. (In his very brief liner-note comments, Lomax states that Dudley seems to have been influenced by Blind Lemon Jefferson ? a truly flummoxing statement for anyone who has heard Charley Patton alongside Dudley's "Clarksdale Mill Blues"!)'

In Blues Unlimited 27 (November 1965), Dr. Ross recounts to Simon Napier the guitarists he knew around Tunica: "He went on to describe another such artist - a John Dillon, also from Tunica. He said Dillon was a 'bit wild, y'know. Killed a guy playing Georgia Skin .... he was off a farm out of Dundee, well they worked for him, Dillon and Johnny Jackson. Well this Jackson was a big gambler, always winnin' and Dillon didn't think he done it right. Got 7 years, but he's out now, I seen him. Now he was a guitarist, man he could PLAY!' Asked where Dillon was jailed he went on - 'he weren't jailed. Sent him to Parchman, y'know out there you work.' He thought Dillon would have been in Parchman from around 1956/57 and left about '63-64. As he was adamant about this, I wondered if this could be the 'John Dudley' recorded by Lomax in Parchman." (As written by Simon Napier)

Here is the original reel-to-reel box from Lomax's recording of Dudley in Parchman in '59. Note the writing: "Knew Robt. + Son House, Muddy Waters. Played for country dances." From research.culturalequity.org

[Johnm]

Thanks, Dave, for the help with the lyrics on "Santa Field Blues".  Re-listening, "counting" does sound like the missing word, so I've made the change.  Thanks!  Like you said, he could have been counting busking earnings or maybe counting train cars, or who knows, but the sound is sure right.
Thanks also to Alan and Jeff for the additional information on John Dudley.
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I have a new set of puzzlers for folks who are interested.  The first one is Yank Rachell's "38 Pistol Blues", on which he was joined by Sonny Boy Williamson 1 on harmonica and a washboard player (Amanda Sortier?).  Here is the track:



INTRO

Now run and get my .38 pistol, my woman ridin' 'round, a V-8 Ford
Now run and get my .38 pistol, you know my woman ridin' 'round, a V-8 Ford
Well, that must've been my woman gettin' away a while ago, I heard somebody, Lord, at my back door

You know, I had a little trouble, 'way down, 'bout Tom Wilson's place
You know, I had a little trouble, 'way down, 'bout Tom Wilson place (Spoken, Sonny Boy: You better have thought about them people. They won't let you come back there no more.)
You know, it was just on this side of the road, it was right down below Mays' place (Spoken, Yank:  Lord, have mercy!)

Now, I got a sweet little sweet thing, Sonny Boy, lives down on Lover's Lane (Spoken, Sonny Boy:  Oh, what you mean?  Tell me what you mean!)
Lord, I got a sweet little thing, and that woman lives down on Lover's Lane
You know, I'm so crazy about that woman, Lord, I'm scared to call that woman's name (Spoken, Sonny Boy: Yank, let me play one for you, you know I'm gonna do the best I can, watch!  (Spoken, Yank:  Do the best you can.)

HARMONICA SOLO

That's the reason I tote my .38 pistol, that's the reason I carries it every day (Spoken, Sonny Boy:  Oh, you must to be goin' out bear huntin' or something or other.)  (Spoken, Yank:  I can do this thing now.)
That's the reason I carry my .38 pistol, that's the reason I carries it every day (Spoken, Sonny Boy:  I'm glad I didn't meet you when you had it!)
But if I catch my baby below Tom Wilson again, Lord, somebody's sure gonna pay the way

The questions on "38 Pistol Blues" are:
   * What playing position/tuning did Yank Rachell use to play the song?
   * Where did Yank fret the triplets he brushes in the treble from :52--:54?

The second puzzler is J B Lenoir's "Remove This Rope", from his album "Alabama Blues".  Here it is:



INTRO

Remove this rope from 'round my neck, it is almost 'bout to choke me to death
Remove this rope from 'round my neck, it is almost 'bout to choke me to death
Oh Lord, you know, you know I need me some rest

I have walked, and I've walked, 'til my feet is wet with sweat and full of soil
I have walked, and I walk, 'til my feet is wet with sweat and full of soil
Hungry and I haven't found no rest, and you know I'm a-still walkin' yet

I watch the sun rise in the mornin' in the East, I talks to my Father, He talks back at me
I watch the sun rise in the mornin', I talks to my Father, He talks back at me
He said, "Don't worry, J B, I will rise up and Nature will set you free."

I broke down and cried, I know now the sun won't have heard my prayer
I broke down and cried, I know now the sun won't have heard my prayer
He said, "Dry them eyes, 'cause your Gardener is by your side."

The questions on "Remove This Rope" are:
   * What playing position/tuning did J B Lenoir use to play the song?
   * Where did J B Lenoir fret his signature lick, which he uses to open the song?
   * Where did J B Lenoir fret what he plays behind his IV chord, from :24--:28?

The third puzzler is from Walter Roland and is his "Overall Blues".  Here it is:



INTRO SOLO

Says, mmm, baby, mmmm, baby, oh
Says, mmm, baby, mmmm, baby, oh
Says, you know the way you treat me, you act like you don't want me 'round you no more

For your part, woman, 'clare I done quit you now
I says, for your part, woman, 'clare I done quit you now
Just because I don't like no, evil woman nohow

Says, now, now, woman, let's shake hand in hand
Says, now, now, now, woman, let's shake good hand in hand
'Cause you know I'm goin' back to my woman, you better get you a man

For you know, wearin' overhalls, sure is against my health
Mmmm, baby, Lord, say it is against my health
And say, little mama, you better get you somebody else

SOLO

Edited 12/22 to pick up correction from Prof Scratchy

The questions on "Overall Blues" are:
   * What playing position/tuning did Walter Roland use to play the lead guitar part on the song?
   * Where is the run fretted that Walter Roland played over his IV chord from :07--:09?
   * Extra credit--what playing position/tuning did the under-recorded seconding guitarist (Sonny Scott?) use to play his guitar part?

As always, please use only your ears and your instruments to arrive at your answers.  Please don't post any answers before 8:00 AM your time on Saturday, December 17.  And please don't feel you have to respond to all of the puzzlers or all of the questions on any given puzzler.  Participate to the extent that feels comfortable for you.  Thanks for your participation.

All best,
Johnm
   

[banjochris]

Thanks, Dave, for the help with the lyrics on "Santa Field Blues".  Re-listening, "counting" does sound like the missing word, so I've made the change.  Thanks!  Like you said, he could have been counting busking earnings or maybe counting train cars, or who knows, but the sound is sure right.
Thanks also to Alan and Jeff for the additional information on John Dudley.
All best,
Johnm

Pretty sure he's singing "I'll sing this song and I ain't gonna sing no more" and "gonna sing..." in those lines in "Santa Field." He sings so loud there's some distortion there.

Also the mountain verse is similar to one Fred McDowell used to sing:
On the mountain, tryin' to keep my way
Say the rocks and the gravel whupped me all in my face.

Chris

[Johnm]

Thanks very much for the help, Chris.  I re-listened several times, and I think you're suggestions are pretty much right on so I made the changes.  The one difference I was hearing in re-listening  was in the singing verse--I think he sings
   . . . THEN I ain't gonna sing no more
All best,
John

[eric]

The questions on "Overall Blues" are:
   * What playing position/tuning did Walter Roland use to play the lead guitar part on the song?

I"ll say C position capoed at the 4th fret.  My thinking is that since it seems to be in E, the logical positions would be E,  D, or C; G and A not being practical.  I'm not that conversant in vestapol, so didn't try that one.

   * Where is the run fretted that Walter Roland played over his IV chord from :07--:09?
Still working on that...

[Old Man Ned]

For "38 Pistol Blues" I'm going for G standard as the playing position/tuning that Yank Rachell used and fretting the triplets brushes from :52--:54 on the first and second strings, first and third frets respectively.

For "Remove This Rope" I'm hearing out of D, dropped D tuning as I'm pretty sure I'm hearing a low D on the 6th string in places.

His signature lick, which he uses to open the song, I've come up with:
-----------------2-3-5
--------------3-------
2-4-4-2-2-4---------
0-0-0-0-0-0---------
----------------------
----------------------
and where J B Lenoir frets what he plays behind his IV chord, from :24--:28, as something along the lines of:
---------------
---------------
---3--5-3-----
-5--5-----5-3-
----------------
---------------5
ending on the G on the lowered 6th string.

For "Overall Blues" I agree with Eric, playing out of C position with the capo up the neck so it's sounding in E
The run played over his IV chord from :07--:09 I'm hearing as:
------3-1---------
---1------4-3-1--
-2---------------2
-------------------
-------------------
-------------------
relative to the capo.

Sonny Scott's playing position/tuning I'm thinking is E standard played down around the first fret (first position?).  This is based on his wee bass run near the end of the tune.

[eric]

For Overall Blues, I had this:
------3-1---0-----
---1------3----1--
-2----------------2
-------------------
-------------------
-------------------

But I think Old Man Ned is closer to the mark.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Any other takers for the Yank Rachell, J B Lenoir and Walter Roland puzzlers?  Come one, come all--answer just one question or all, as you wish.
All best,
Johnm

[Prof Scratchy]

Still limited in what I can do with guitar in hand, but I'll have a go at the keys etc! I'm going to agree with everyone that Yank is in G standard, I'm going to say drop D for JB, and (going out on a limb -encased in plaster) DGDGBE capoed at the second fret for Walter, with Sonny in E standard. Ever hopeful ....

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I think that everyone who intended to respond to the Yank Rachell, J B Lenoir and Walter Roland puzzlers has done so, so I'll post the answers:

For Yank Rachell's "38 Pistol Blues":
   * Yank's playing position was G position in standard tuning, which was a favorite playing position for him back on the early recordings on which he played guitar, like this one or "Squeaky Work Bench Blues", one of his duets with Dan Smith.  Congratulations to Old Man Ned and Prof Scratchy, who had it right.
   * For the brushed triplets at :52--:54, Yank was fretting the third fret of the third and second strings and the first fret of the first string.  If you look at those three notes, they form a Bb major chord, going from the third to the first string, Root-3-5, but since they're played over a G chord, the sound ends up being a very dark Gm7.  I first heard this same voicing, though done one whole step higher, in the key of A, by Snooks Eaglin, on his recording of "Come Back, Baby" on the old "New Orleans Streetsinger" album on Folkways, but Yank's use of the voicing pre-dates Snooks' use of it.

For J B Lenoir's "Remove This Rope":
   * His playing position was D position in dropped-D tuning, as Old Man Ned and Prof Scratchy had it--well done!
   * J B Lenoir fretted his signature lick as follows:  (I think the clip on youtube omits the first brushed note of his opening triplet.)  On beat one, he brushes a triplet with his thumb, hitting the open fourth string, the fourth fret of the third string and the third fret of the second string.  On beat two, he brushes the same three strings in another triplet, hitting the open fourth string, the second fret of the third string and the first fret of the second string.  On beat three, he plays another triplet, brushing the open fourth string, fourth fret of the third string and third fret of the second string on the first note, hitting the open sixth string on the second note, and pinching the open sixth string with the third fret of the second string on the third note of the triplet.  On beat four, he plays a final triplet, pinching the open sixth string with a slide into the second fret of the first string on the first note of the triplet, hitting the open sixth string and third fret of the first string on the second note of the triplet, and pinching the open sixth string and fifth fret of the first string on the final note of the triplet.  Old Man Ned had the tail end of the lick right on.
   * Behind his IV chord, at :24--:28, J B Lenoir played the following:  He first hits the fourth string, fifth fret and then brushes the fifth fret of the third and second strings, resolving them downward to the fourth fret of the third string and third fret of the second string.  He then plays a nifty bass run, hammering from the third to the fifth fret on the fifth string, going from the third fret of the fourth string back to the fifth fret of the sixth string, and then playing a descending run going from the fifth fret of the fourth string to the third fret of the fourth string, then to the fifth fret of the fifth string and third fret of the fifth string, concluding the run at the fifth fret of the sixth string.  When J B Lenoir goes from 5-5-5 on the fourth, third and second strings to 5-4-3 on the fourth, third and second strings at the beginning of the phrase, that 5-5-5 is a C chord, which he treats as a IV of the IV chord, G, that he resolves it into--it's a great sound!

For Walter Roland's "Overall Blues":
   * His playing position, was C position in standard tuning, as Eric and Old Man Ned had it--well done!
   * The run Walter Roland played over his IV chord, from :07--:09 was fretted as follows:  On the + of beat four in the fourth bar of the form, he played the open third string.  On 1 +, he went from the second fret of the third string to the third fret of the first string.  On 2 +, he went from the first fret of the first string to the fourth fret of the second string.  On 3 +, he went from the third fret of the second string to the first fret of the second string.  On beat four, he resolved the run to the second fret of the third string, and on the + of beat four he struck the open third string to start the run again.  For a guy who was known primarily as a pianist, he sure was a spiffy guitar player!
   * I believe the seconding guitarist, Sonny Scott (or whoever it was if it wasn't Sonny Scott) was playing out of G position in standard tuning, but tuned quite low.  He keeps walking chromatically down from the fifth of the I chord to its third, which in G position would involve going from the open fourth string down the fifth string from its fourth fret to the third fret and then the second fret.  He also could have been playing out of F position in standard tuning, where the same run would sit very easily, walking from the third fret of the fifth string chromatically to the open fifth string.  I'm a little dubious that Sonny Scott played in F at all, based on his solo recordings, but he may have done so..

Thanks to Eric, Old Man Ned and Prof Scratchy for participating, and I hope folks enjoyed the songs.  I think I will hold off posting any new puzzlers until after the New Year, since the holiday season is such a busy time for most people.

All best,
Johnm   

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I have been working on transcribing the lyrics from the most recent set of puzzlers and I'm stuck on a word in the second verse of Walter Roland's "Overall Blues".  I sure would appreciate some help.  You can listen to the track at:  http://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=10188.msg99518#msg99518 .  Thanks for any assistance.
All best,
Johnm