Topic: Little Hat Jones lyrics

[banjochris]

Here's my take on the "Corpus Blues" words, see what you think.

I remember one time people, oh it was in 19 and 24.
I say I remember one time people, oh it's in 19 and 24
Somethin' happened that year that I never want to see no more.

I 'member one time, ahh it is in 1921
I 'member one time, ahh it is in 19 and 21
It's then I started to watch my sweet woman, people from sun to sun.

I thought that my woman, ahh would treat me right
I thought that my baby, ohh was treating me right
But oh when I went down to Corpus we didn't do nothing but fuss and fight.

And I never had nothin', mmm to hurt me so
I never had nothin', aw to mind to hurt me so*
Aw, when I was talkin' to my babe that mornin' and she told me that I couldn't do no more.

Mmmmm, baby what's on your mind?
Mmmmm, baby what's on your mind?
Aw, you want to be mean to me, and won't give me a good word all the time.**

Woman: Oh, play that thing, Little Hat, that's the talk of the town.
Little Hat: I can't pick it, I'm just learnin' how but I will go 'head on and boot it.

*I think he means here he can't remember anything so bad, meaning "to my mind to hurt me so"
** What sounds like the word "woman" here is him singing "and won't" almost as one word.

Chris

[GhostRider]

Banjochris:

Here's my take on the "Corpus Blues" words, see what you think.

I think (as in the Guiness commercial)-brilliant!-, you made so great calls which I never came close to, but are right on the money.

Verse 1: Your call on the third line is perfect.

Verse 2: third line. I still hear "b'ball" instead of "people", but people makes more sense.

Verse 4: third line, third last word. I still hear "be" not "do", minor point.

Verse 5: third line: Your hearing of this is outstanding, something I wouldn't have got in a million years, but obvious when you see it in print.

LHJ spoken aside: I don't hear the "it" at the very end.

I've stolen banjochris's version and, with minor mods made it the version so far.

Corpus Blues
Little Hat Jones
June, 1929

Standard tuning, E position.

1) I r?member one time people, aw it is in 19 and 24.
I say I 'member one time people, oh it's in 19 and 24
Somethin' happened that year that I never wanna see no more.

2) I 'member one time, ahh it is in 1921
I 'member one time, ahh it is in 19 and 21
It's then I started to watch my sweet woman, people from sun to sun.

3) I thought that my woman, aw was treatin? me right
I thought that my baby, aw was treating me right
But aw when I went down to Corpus we didn't do nothing but fuss and fight.

4) And I never had nothin', mmm to hurt me so
I never had nothin', aw turnout to hurt me so
Aw, when I was talkin' to my babe that mornin' and she told me that I couldn't be no more.

5) Mmmmm, baby what's on your mind?
Mmmmm, baby what's on your mind?
Aw, you want to be mean to me and won't, gimme a good word all the time.

6) Instrumental verse

Spoken :(woman) Aw, play that thing, Little Hat, that's the talk of the town.
(Little Hat Jones) I can't pick it, I'm just learnin', aw but I will go 'head on and boot.

7) Boogie instrumental verse and end.

Thanks again,
Alex

[tenderfoot84]

hi there,

has anyone put down the line in kentucky blues "course the bloodhounds just could not catch my scent".

the latest quote i can see on this thread is "course the blindest", which does make some sense, but i always hear bloodhound said again.

[GhostRider]

Hey 'Foot:

I'll check this out tonight, and maybe post the Kentucky Blue MP3 tomorrow.

I suppose we should finish off the LHJ lyrics one of these days.

Alex

[GhostRider]

Here's the MP3 for LHJ Kentucky Blues and the latest version of the lyrics. See what you all think.

Alex

Kentucky Blues
Little Hat Jones
1930

solo acoustic guitar
E position, pitched at F


Introduction (instrumental)

(1) Instrumental

(2) Well, whilst we here tryin' 'a have our fun, s'pose the law jump up and said "Nobody run!"
Well you know I'm long gone, from Kentucky, long gone and then got away lucky
'Cus I gonna leave Seguine, I'll be just like a submarine

(3) Well my woman poked her head out from way under the bed. She said "Please don't let 'em kill Mr. Little Hat dead"
I said "No use to worryin' sweet mama, ain't gonna be here long"
Told her not to sing this worried song
'Cus I'm gonna leave Seguine, I'll be just like a submarine.

(4) I once'd to know the man they call him Austin Jack
Stop and put the bloodhounds right on my track
Course the blindest could not catch my scent
Do you know they couldn't tell where the Little Hat went
'Cus I left Seguine, people I's just like a submarine.

(5) Instrumental

(6) Well yon' come the Santa Fe just passed me and flyin'
Oughta see me when I reach up and really caught them blinds
They said "There's another long gone, from Kentucky"
Long gone and then got away lucky
'Cus you left Seguine, you's just like a submarine

(7) Instrumental

Eight) I'm gonna sing this song, ain't gonna sing no more
(instrumental)
(instrumental)
(instrumental)
'Cus I'm leavin' San Antoine, I declare ain't comin' here no more

(9) Well I don't play the dozen and neither the ten.
'Cus she keep on talkin' I'll ease ya in.
Well you keep on talkin' 'till you make me mad.
Well I tell you 'bout the mother that your father had.
'Cus I don't play the dozen, I declare, man, and neither the ten.

(10) Instrumental

Outro

[GhostRider]

hi there,

has anyone put down the line in kentucky blues "course the bloodhounds just could not catch my scent".

the latest quote i can see on this thread is "course the blindest", which does make some sense, but i always hear bloodhound said again.

Just relistened to this and I think you could be right. I'll leave it open for a bit and see what others think.

Nice catch,
Alex

[GhostRider]

Hi:

"New Two Sixteen Blues" was the first tune LHJ recorded in his first session in San Antonio, Texas , June 15, 1929. I have a (ratty) box of pre-1941 Gibson Mona-steel guitar strings for the first person who can explain what the heck the title refers to.

This song uses virtually the identical acompanyment as "Corpus Blues" in E position, standard tuning.

New Two Sixteen Blues
Little Hat Jones
1929

E position, standard tuning.

Introduction

1) I got a woman in Dallas, got one in San Antone too.
I got a woman in Dallas, lived in one in San Antone too.
I figure this one in San Antone don?t know what this poor girl in Dallas gonna do.

2) She got nine gold teeth people, all that wavy hair.
That woman got nine gold teeth in, all that wavy hair.
And if you ever come to San Antone you?re gonna find my sweet woman there.

3) I never mistreat my (baby, woman), aw (when, said)  I do wrong myself. (x2)
Aww, if I be mean to my woman, she?ll really quit and take someone else.

4) Mmm baby (aw, baby) don?t you think I know. (x2)
That a woman c?n make a man love her, people, and shake hands and go.

5) I went to bed last night (and, listen baby) I rolled from side to side. (x2)
And I didn?t have no blues really but things wasn?t going on right.

6) Mmm, babe what?s on your mind?
Mmm, girl what?s on a roll?
Aw will you tell be baby why you wanna shake hands and go.

7) I want someone to tell me, aw what "Lord have mercy" mean (x2)
Who if it means anything, well lord have mercy on me.

Eight) (I say) I?m going back to Dallas, (aw, baby) don?t you want to go? (x2)
Honey, I gonna stop in a town I believe that I have never been before.

Outro

Notes: "Paris" in verse 1 is pronounced "Baris", but I googled and there is no Baris, Texas

In the second line of Verse 2 I hear...nine gold teeth pin, ... which makes no sense.

I'm a little unsure of the second line of Verse 6

The third line of Verse 7 is awkward.

I've added an .mp3 of the tune so any of you can see if you can check some of these doubtful bits.

Thanks,
Alex

Note: edited to reflect banjochris's corrections below.


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[banjochris]

Don't know what the title means, but I think can help on a couple of the verses:

In the third line of the first verse he's saying "Dallas" again, not "Baris" or "Paris"

Second line of the second verse he's saying "babe" not "pin"

In the sixth verse, the way he sings it he obviously has made a mistake with what he wants to be singing, and tries to take it back to repeating verse four, and gets tangled up. I think he's trying to say "don't you think I know" again in that second line but getting mixed up.

The last line of the seventh verse you have right, and it makes sense because the first and second lines are actually "I want someone to tell me, aw what 'Lord have mercy' means"
Chris

[GhostRider]

bc:

Thanks for your great help. I agree completely with the "Dallas in Verse 1 and "means" (I actually hear "mean", small point) in Verse 7.

I don't hear "babe" in Verse 3, even after trying to. Still hear "pin". I'll try again with fresh ears tomorrow.

Thanks again,
Alex

[banjochris]

Alex, going back and listening to that second verse again I think it's more likely he's saying "teeth and", and cutting off the "d" at the end of "and", and his nasal vowels make it sound like "in" -- I don't hear a "p" sound there, though. See what you think.
Chris

[GhostRider]

Alex, going back and listening to that second verse again I think it's more likely he's saying "teeth and", and cutting off the "d" at the end of "and", and his nasal vowels make it sound like "in" -- I don't hear a "p" sound there, though. See what you think.
Chris

Chris:
yes, I now hear "in". But it is poss. just in, not a corruption of "and".

"She got nine gold teeth in, all that way hair" in, as in, in her mouth.

I guess when one does this tune, just sing "in" and let the audience decide.

Alex

[GhostRider]

Howdy:

Slow day at work today, so I thought I'd figure out the lyrics to another one of LHJ's pieces, Little Hat Blues. Another titular enigma, the song is mostly about trains and leaving women (aren't they all).

Anyway LHJ plays this one in E position, again the same accompaniment as Corpus Blues and New Two Sixteen Blues. Jones takes some liberties with the bar structure. It's a 12 bar blues but the intro, outro and one of the instrumental breaks are 8 bars.

He also does an unusual, spoken, sermon-like admonition at the end

Little Hat Blues
1929

E position, standard tuning

Instrumental introduction (8 bars)

1) (Well, I said) the train passed by, aw (had, with) my sweet (baby, woman) inside (x2)
And when I looked up and seen her, couldn?t help but hang my head and cry.

2) I said mmmm, wonder what?s going to become of me?
Mmmm, look at my baby wavin? her hand.
I guess I'll have to get me another woman, ?cus she's gone back to her man.

3) Believe I'll beat the train to the track son, aw I'm gonna take my stand.
Peoples, I'll beat the train to the track honey, aw I'm gonna stand right here.
Aw I don't want to kill nobody but that fireman and engineer.

4) She gets her water at Fairmen (), coal at th' 'bama mine. (x2)
And I would let everybody ride, people, b' you know the train ain't mine.

5) I said ?Good morning conductor, aw (please) let a broke man ride". (x2)
All?s I wanna see my sick woman one more time before she die.

6) Instrumental verse

7) Instrumental verse (8 bars)

Eight) Some time you hear me singin? ?Our Father kingdom come". (x2)
Then again you hear me moanin? ?Lord let their will be done?.

9) Outro (8 bars)
Spoken: Listen women, you can't get to heaven triflin'.
If I's you women, I wouldn't try.

MP3 attached. Hope someone can help with the bits I can't get.

Thanks,
Alex

Note: edited to reflect bajochris's suggestions below.

[banjochris]

Missing in verse 2 is "wonder" -- pronounced almost as one syllable
Missing in verse 3 is "honey"

4) She gets  fareman  bear my mind. (x2)
And I would let everybody ride, people, you know the train was mine.

She gets her water in [Fairman, Perrman], coal at the 'Bama mine (x2)
And I would let everybody ride, people, but you know the train ain't mine.

Some time you hear me singin? ?Our Father  ? (x2)
"Our Father kingdom come"

Spoken: Listen women, you can't get to heaven 
missing word is "triflin'"

I can't make out the city name in the fourth verse but it sounds something like what I've put in brackets -- I'm at work and don't have time to look at maps of Texas right now 
Chris

[GhostRider]

Banjochris:

As usual, your suggestions for "Little Hat Blues" are great. Can't completely hear "honey", but seems reasonable.

I Googled around on Fairmen etc. as a Texas town, but came up empty.

I've made the changes above.

Thanks,
Alex

[GhostRider]

How's it goin', eh:

Waaay back at the beginning of this thread, lindy had a go at "Cherry Street Blues". Waxy added some things as well. I've taken this start and tried to figure out some of the other things.

Cherry Street Blues was the last tune LHJ recorded, in June 1930. He again recycled the "Corpus Blues" accompanyment in E position, standard tuning

Cherry Street Blues
1930
E position, standard tuning

Introduction (8 bars)

1) Train come to San Antone, man, and stop in the yard.
Just as sure as the train come to San Antone, man, and stop in the yard.
It's gonna take two dollars and a quarter, I declare to send me a poster card

2) Mmmmmmm baby, aw honey what's on your mind?
Mmmmmmm baby, honey what's on your mind?
?Cus you really keeps me in trouble, really thinkin? about you all the time.

3) I?m gonna move to the bottom, camp out on the ground.
I'm gonna move to the bottom, man, and camp out on the ground.
Every morning I?ll call my woman just to hear my echo sound.

4) Instrumental verse

5) I?ve got a woman in San Antone, I declares, really sweet to me.
I?ve got a woman in San Antone, man, really sweet to me.
?Cus you people don't know she's here, but she lives on Cherry Street.

6) Instrumental verse

7) Mmmmmmmm, oh lawd lawdy lawd.
Mmmmmmmm, oh lawd, lawdy lawd.
I want Eddy Duncan, listen, to be my brother-in-law.

Eight) Instrumental verse

9) Now, you men got these women, aw treat them nice and kind.
Say you men got these sweet women, how come you don't be nice and kind?
?Cause don't you know Little Hat?s got something that'll change your sweet woman's mind.

10) Mmmmmmmm, know you ain't gonna think it's so.
Well I'm gonna tell you men something, I know you ain't gonna think it's so.
(instrumental line)

How's that look?

Alex


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