Topic: Buddy Boy Hawkins lyrics

[blueshome]

I'm on a Buddy Boy trip at the moment and wondered if anyone had any of his lyrics down (i know you do Prof S!).

As a starter, here's my take on Shaggy Dog Blues recorded in Chicago in 1927. I notice on his later recordings he capoes quite a bit lower and changes his style slightly. His songs are  short by standards of the day, coming in between 2.30 and 2.50 mostly as against the normal 3.00 minutes.


I'm goin up on the mountain, I'm gonna roost just like a hawk
I say, I'm goin up on the mountain, tryin to roost just like a hawk
Because the women round here treat a good man like a dog

Scat verse

Say, I'd rather be shaggy, mama just like a dog
I say, I'd rather be shaggy, mama just like a dog
Than to hear my jet black woman say "Buddy Boy", she don't need me no more

When you see two old jet black women standing up talkin so long
When you see two old  black women standing up talkin so long
Sp: How come I say that!
Bet your life there's something going on wrong

My mama told me, my papa told me too
I say, my mama told me, my daddy told me too
Sp: What she told you now?
These women round here just simply won't do

[blueshome]

Snatch it Back Blues was recorded in Chicago in 1927. He manages to make it the full 3 minutes on this occasion. I have the Document cd and some is very unclear both from the accent and the distortion. (Edited with changes from dj & JM.)

Sp:
Listen here people, these are my blues, I brought them all the way from Birmingham.
You know when it feels good to me it's bound to feel good to you
I'm goin to see how'd you like that?

I'm gonna lay my head out on some lonesome railroad track
I say, I'm gonna lay my head, mama, ah out on some railroad track
Well when that train come along, I'm gonna snatch it back

Tell me brownskin mama where did you stay last night?
I said, tell me  mama where did you stay last night?
With your hair all down, your face ain't ever wiped

I say I love you pretty mama, ah'ou'ah don't care what you do
I say I love you pretty , ah'ou'ah don't care what you do
You go to your black man mama, I stick to my gal

I say if you don't need your black woman you gonna have to carry some heavy stall
If you don't want me mama you got to carry some heavy stall
Sp: How come I say that?
Because I can get more jet black women than a freight train can haul

Scat/hummed verse

[dj]

I don't have time to listen really closely right now, but here are a few suggestions:

Intro:

You know when it feels good to me IT'S BOUND TO feel good to you

Verse 3:

You go to your black man mama, I'LL STICK to my gal

[blueshome]

Thanks dj I've popped them in.

[LeftyStrat]

With your hair all damp[?], your face ain't ever [....]

I Hear:

"With your hair all down, your face ain't never washed"

Sound good?

Lefty

[dj]

A few more suggestions:

Last line of intro:

I'M GON' SEE HOW you like that.  The "gon'" or "goin'" or "gonna" os pretty garbled, coming out more like "awn"

Last line of verse 2:

With your hair all DOWN, your face ain't ever WIPED.  Incidentally, the second line of this verse omits "brownskin".

Verse 3:

Second line omits "mama".   

Verse 4:

I say if you don't need your black woman you GONNA HAVE TO CARRY SOME HEAVY STONE
If you don't want me mama you GOT TO CARRY SOME HEAVY STONE

I'm not sure about "stone in these two lines.  Could be "stones", could possibly be something else.  I want to hear "load" but there's an "s" on the front of whatever the word is.

I hope this helps.

[Johnm]

Hi dj,
I think the last word in the line you cite is not "stone" but "stall", in this context referring to putting the brakes on somebody's moves.  I've heard the rhyme used elsewhere in the same context.
All best,
Johnm 

[blueshome]

 Working on the Railroad was recorded in Chicago in September 1927. Buddy Boy is now capoes much lower than at the previous session where he was up at Eb/E in Spanish and has changed his accompaniment style slightly.
Edited to include suggestions from banjochris,dj&UBud.


Working on the railroad, boys sure will give you the blues
I'm talking about working on that railroad bend, it sure will give you the blues
Just walk up and slide the track, until you wear out your shoes.

Now when you hear the captain call "you men, let's move that rail"
You can hear the captain call "you men, let's move that rail"
And if you don't do what he says, you have to get somebody else to go your bail

My black woman she needs the money that's why I work so hard
Oh, my black woman she needs the money that's why I work so hard
And if I don't keep on rolling, she'll have another black man in my yard

When your black woman says bring it home partner, railroad is all you know
When your woman says bring it home Buddy Boy, railroad is all you know
Just get out on the hot track and work your hands to the crow

[banjochris]

Here's my suggestions for "Working on the Railroad." Also, just to remind everyone, somewhere on the forum we already transcribed the spoken part of "A Rag Blues"; hopefully that'll save someone the effort.

1.1 "sure will" not will surely
1.2 ...railroad bend, it sure will...
1.3 Just walk up and 'side the track, until you wear out your shoes.

2.3 take out "got"

4.1 When your black woman says "bring it home, partner," railroad is all you know
4.2 When a woman says "bring it home, Buddy Boy," railroad is all you know
4.3 I think the missing word is "coal."

[blueshome]

Thanks Chris, changes in except for "coal" - it sounds as if it could be but doesn't really make any sense. "bone" would be the obvious word from normal usage but it doesn't sound like that at all.

[dj]

That questionable last word of the final verse might be "close" as in "work until the end of the day".

And the last line of the first verse might be "Just walk up and s' line the track...", where the work being performed is lining track, and Buddy Boy either starts to sing the wrong word or heavily elides a "just" in front of "line".  Could also be "slide the track", i.e. be on the crew that puts the rails in place to be spiked on new construction.  At any rate, I hear a bit of an L in there.   

[blueshome]

dj

I've listened again and I still can't be sure whether we've got it as written or "inside" instead of "an' side" or "slide".
I think I've got another copy of the recording, I'll listen if that's any clearer.

[uncle bud]

Just pointing out that the last verse is as Chris has it:

4.1 When your black woman SAYS "Bring it home, partner" etc.
4.2 When a woman SAYS "Bring it home, Buddy Boy" etc.

That last word in 4.3 sure sounds like "coal" to me as well, though the meaning of that certainly isn't clear to me.

Also, in 1.2 there's an IT missing. "IT sure will..."

[dj]

I put the song on Transcribe!, slowed it way down, and the mystery word at the end of the fourth verse definitely starts with a "cr" sound, which brings everything into focus.  The verse is: 

Just get out on the hot track and work your hands to the CROW

Of course!  The crow is the long prybar used to move the rails into position when laying track.

[dj]

After further listening to verse 1 at various speeds, my preferred interpretation is:

Just walk up and SLIDE the track, until you wear out your shoes.