Topic: Bo Carter Lyrics

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Bo Carter accompanied himself out of DGDGBE tuning for "Trouble In Blues", a very unusual cut in that it is an 8-bar blues in DGDGBE tuning.  It is an 8-bar progression of the "Crow Jane" type, going to the V7 chord in the second bar, and unlike the "How Long" type, which goes to a I7 chord in the second bar.  Bo really had a huge range and vocabulary in the G6 tuning, and he showcases it on this track.

Oh, if I should get able, I'm gonna build me a Heaven of my own
So these brown-skin women can gang around my throne

I'm gonna build a-my nest in some brown-skin woman's hair
So when these nights get cold, I'm goin' gon' stay right there

Oh, if I should get lucky, hooo man, should happen to win
I'm going right back home, gon' fix my good girl up again

I'm gonna lay my lonesome head on some southern railroad track
So if my baby ever quit me, I'm sure gonna snatch it back

SOLO (Spoken during solo:  Yes!)

Babe, I'm troubled, in the blue, and it sure do worry my poor mind
When you hear me whistlin', I'm whistlin' to keep from cryin'

Now, I'm tellin' you, uh sweet baby, I don't love no one but you
But if you tired of me, baby, your daddy have to get tired of you

My good girl, she done got rowdy, and it sure do worry my poor mind
Sometime I feel like livin', sometime I feel like dyin'

OUTRO

All best,
Johnm

[mr mando]

I don't have all of Bo's recordings on Document, but I suspect this tune was recorded very close to the same time as "Pretty Baby" because its solo works very much the same territory as the solo on "Pretty Baby", and the two songs share one verse in common, as well.

I don't remember exactly, but I'm quite sure that "Spotted Sow Blues" and "Pretty Baby" were recorded a couple of years apart. Will check my document CDs tonight.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
For "Last Go Round", Bo Carter accompanied himself out of A position, flat-picking.  Bo was such an adroit fingerpicker, it's a bit of a surprise to hear him have a go with the flat pick, but he really does that well, too, and gets into it, playing a solo (essentially the same one) after each of his sung verses.  He opens with an intro that includes a full pass through the form, talking as he goes.



INTRO SOLO:  (Spoken during solo:  Boy, you know you sings to your guitar, but I makes mine sing, itself.  Well, let's try it out a little bit, Sis.)

Says, when I first come here, baby, you was strollin' from hand to hand
When I first come here, baby, you was strollin' from hand to hand
Says, I been your little dog now, ever since I've been your man (Spoken: Goin' to get you fixed.)

SOLO

Now, it's hard time, baby, 'most any old place you go
I mean, it's hard time, baby, any old place you go
And if you're doin' very well, baby, now, you'd better have let that do

SOLO

Now listen, baby, I'm on my last go-round, eeee
Mmmmmm, baby, I'm on my last go-round
If you tell me, don't want me, baby, now, surely gonna blow this town

SOLO + OUTRO

Edited 4/3 to pick up corrections from banjochris

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Bo backed himself out of Vestapol tuning for "Sorry Feeling Blues".  He makes a lot of use of a nifty 6th chord voicing:  0-0-4-3-2-0, rolling from the third string in that position up to the first string and then immediately bending the first string at the third fret.  I particularly like the lyrics on this one and Bo's vocal; it's nice to hear him in a more contemplative mood, and his vocal delivery is almost reminiscent of Scrapper Blackwell or Walter Davis.  I don't know many Bo Carter songs that have this kind of sound.



INTRO

Hey, early last night, the blues came fallin' down
Hey, early last ni-eeeght, the blues came fallin' down
I heard a ramblin' like thunder, was my baby jumpin' down

I went home last night, I had to be there alone
I went home last night, I had to be there alone
Lord, I felt for my baby, mmmm, she was gone

Baby, I may never see your face again
Baby, I may never, eeee, see your face again
But you always must say, I really have been your friend

SOLO (Spoken during solo:  Lord, Lord, how can I stay here?)

Mmmm, some of these days, baby, I know it won't be long
Hey, some of these days, baby, I know it won't be long
You gonna want for me, baby, but you will be gone

Every time I go home now, I miss you more and more
Every time I go home now, eeee, I miss you more and more
I believe you misses me but you hate to tell me so

OUTRO

All best,
Johnm

[banjochris]

Says, when I first come here, baby, you was throwin' from hand to hand
When I first come here, baby, you was throwin' from hand to hand
Says, I been your little dog now, ever since I've been your man (Spoken: I don't want to get you pissed.)

He sings "strollin'" instead of "throwin'" in the first two lines, I do believe. The spoken aside sounds to me more like says "goin' to get yo' fist," which I don't think is right, but I hear an "f" sound there and not the "p" of pissed.
Chris

[uncle bud]

I agree on "strollin'" and am hearing "goin' to get yo' fist" as well. Not sure that's wrong, though can't really say it's right either.

A great tune!

[banjochris]

I wonder if he meant to say "fixed"?

[Johnm]

Thanks, Chris and Andrew, for the help.  "Strollin'" is certainly right, and I believe the spoken comment is, "Goin' to get you fixed.", with "fixed" pronounced "fissed".  I've made the changes.  It's cool to hear Bo flat-pick, isn't it?
All best,
Johnm

[banjochris]

Absolutely. A great tune.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Bo Carter backed himself out of G position in standard tuning for "I've Got The Whole World In My Hands", for which he put a new set of lyrics to Walter Vinson's "Sitting On Top of the World".  Bo flat-picks his accompaniment on this one, showing comfort and facility with that technique.  Bo goes to the IV chord for his solo, playing a little bridge accompaniment that is never sung in his version of the song.  The opening line of his next-to-last verse is some unusual social commentary.



INTRO SOLO (Spoken during solo:  Boy, you know times got so tight 'round here 'til I had to compose me a song, just on the account of I was in such a good shape.)

These times and days, I can't understand, just 'cause times is hard, the women wanta change men
'Cause times is hard, but I don't worry, I've got the whole world in my hand

These times and days worried everybody's mind, you often find men haven't got a dime
'Cause times is hard, but I don't worry, I've got the whole world in my hand

I'm tellin' you the truth, to the Good Lord who's above, the women all sayin', "Can't live offa love."
'Cause times is hard, but I don't worry, I've got the whole world in my hand

SOLO (Spoken during solo:  Man, I mean I got the whole world in my hand.)

Let me tell you one thing, woman, surely true, that is, after you change men, you won't have no more
'Cause times is hard, but I don't worry, I've got the whole world in my hand

Their clothes gettin' raggedy, no shoes on their feet, but that ain't the question, man, they want something to eat
'Cause times is hard, but I don't worry, I've got the whole world in my hand

It was late last night, heared my baby cryin', "Lord, it's all night long, daddy, please take your time."
'Cause times is hard but I don't worry, you've got the whole world in your hands

OUTRO

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Bo played "Rolling Blues" in the relatively seldom-used D position in standard tuning.  Bo's approach in that position shows some Lonnie Johnson influence, particularly in what he plays behind his IV (G) chord.  The song is a 12-bar chorus blues.  His solo is one of his rare ones without any spoken interjection.  Bo ends his outro or coda with a very uptown D6 chord. 
Transcribing a number of Bo's lyrics consecutively has shown what a creature of habit he was in the studio.  All of his songs that I've transcribed in the most recent batch have intros and outros, and usually (with the exception of "Last Go Round") one solo in the middle of the song, in 12-bar blues almost always following the third verse.  Having a more or less set approach to the delivery of a recorded performance is an indication of the thorough-going professional that Bo was.  He had one of the longest recording careers of any of the Country Blues musicians who first recorded in the '20s who did not benefit from a re-discovery period, and his work habits in the studio no doubt contributed to his longevity as a recording artist.  Recording companies really value musicians who can dependably produce in the studio, or put another way, they soon drop musicians who are unable to produce dependably in the studio.

 


INTRO

A-listen here, women, I want you to know,
I've got a new woman just to roll my dough.
REFRAIN: 'Cause she's got a case of rollin', oh, she's got a case of rollin'
I mean, she's got a case of rollin' and your green women can't catch on

She roll me every mornin', she roll me every night,
She never like to roll me unless she roll me just right
REFRAIN: I mean, she's got a case of rollin', oh, she's got a case of rollin'
I mean, she's got a case of rollin' and the green women can't catch on

A-listen, here, baby, I want you to know
There's no other woman can do my rollin' like you
REFRAIN: 'Cause you've got a case of rollin', oh, you've got a case of rollin'
I mean, you got a case of rollin' and the green women can't catch on

SOLO

She shook me this mornin', a-half past one
"Uh, wake up, daddy, rollin' must go on."
REFRAIN: "Cause I got a case of rollin', oh, I got a case of rollin'
I mean, I've got a case of rollin' and your green women can't catch on."

She shook me again at half past two
"Uh, wake up, daddy, rollin' ain't near through."
REFRAIN: "Cause I got a case of rollin', oh, I got a case of rollin'
I mean, I've got a case of rollin' and your green women can't catch on."

She don't roll it too high, or either too low
She roll it good and easy and it ain't too slow
REFRAIN: I mean, she's got a case of rollin', oh, she's got a case of rollin'
I mean, she's got a case of rollin' and your green women can't catch on

OUTRO

Edited 4/6 to pick up correction from banjochris

All best,
Johnm

 

[banjochris]

John, this is from memory so I'm not 100% sure, but I think 5.2 should be "...daddy, rollin' ain't near through."
Another great song, and I don't believe he uses this accompaniment anywhere else. 
Chris

[Johnm]

Thanks for the help, Chris, I think you're right, though Bo doesn't put the "t" on "ain't", and the two interpretations sound so much the same.  I will make the change. 
I think a lot of players shied away from D in standard tuning because they didn't like having the lowest root of the I chord pitched so high, at the open fourth string.  If you're like Bo, and don't care about hitting the root of the chord in the bass on strong beats, it makes less of a difference.  I agree, it's an especially spiffy guitar part.
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Bo Carter accompanied himself out of A position in standard tuning for "Tush Hog Blues".  It works a lot of the same territory in the left hand as "All Around Man", but is less simple.  Lyrically, this song is operating from a mighty thin premise, sort of a "one-half trick pony".



INTRO (Spoken during intro:  Mama, here come that old tush hog.)

Mama, can't you see this tush hog, walkin' up your back road?
Mama, can't you see this tush hog, mama, walkin' up your back road?
But if you give him what you promised him, mama, he won't have to walk no more

Mama, can't you hear this tush hog, rootin' on your back door?
Mama, can't you hear this tush hog, mama, rootin' on your back door?
But if you give him what you promised him, mama, he won't have to root no more

SOLO (Spoken during solo:  Yeah! . . . Yeah!)

I done rooted so long, mama, done made my rooter sore
I rooted so long, mama, done made my rooter sore
But if you give me what you promised me, mama, I won't have to root no more

I rooted so long, mama, done rooted a hole through your door
I rooted so long, mama, I done rooted a hole through your door
But if you give me what you promised me, mama, I won't have to root no more

SOLO (Spoken during solo:  Yeah, mama!)

Mama, can't you hear this tush hog, prizin' on your back door?
Mama, can't you hear this tush hog, prizin' on your back door?
But if you give him what you promised him, mama, he won't have to prize no more

Can't you hear this old tush hog, gruntin' all 'round your home?
Mama, can't you hear this tush hog, gruntin' all 'round your home?
But if you give him what you promised him, mama, he will soon be gone

SOLO (Spoken during solo:  Yeah!)

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Bo Carter accompanied himself out of DGDGBE tuning, in G, for his recording of "A Girl For Every Day of the Week".  It seems like most "Every Day of the Week" songs are done to an 8-bar form, but Bo used a 12-bar form for his version.  Considering how much Bo recorded in the DGDGBE tuning, his ability to keep coming up with fresh-sounding ideas there was really impressive.  This one has just such a solo, with a lot of ideas I'd not heard him play elsewhere, as well as some you may have heard before if you've listened to a lot of his music.  I've never heard Bo's version of this song covered.  Bo has a pronounced intervallic r when he sings "every day rin the week", each time he comes to that line.

INTRO

Boy, you know I got a girl, for every day in the week
Boy, you know I got a girl, for every day in the week
So I don't have to worry 'bout my clothes, man, a little something to eat

My little old Monday girl, buy me my diamond ring
My little old Monday girl, buy me my diamond ring
And my little old Tuesday girl, bring me my spendin' change

My little old Wednesday and Thursday girls, buy me my clothes and my shoes
My little old Wednesday and Thursday girls, buy me my clothes and my shoes
And my little old Friday girl, sing me those old worried blues

SOLO

My little old Saturday girl, buy me my whiskey, beer, and my wine
My little old Saturday girl, buy me my whiskey, beer, and my wine
And my little old Sunday girl, want to love me all the time

Boy, you know I got a girl, for every day in the week
Boy, you know I got a girl, for every day in the week
I don't have to worry 'bout my clothes, a little money, man, and a little something to eat

OUTRO

All best,
Johnm