Topic: King Solomon Hill - Tell Me Baby, King Solomon Hill Lyrics

[blueshome]

I'm being fooling around with this for a while, it being perhaps Joe Holmes most accessible song in terms of trying to come up with a playable version, and so I just wanted to check out my version of the lyrics. The guitar is so integrated I've tried to show where it picks up the lines in place of vocal.  Here is "Tell Me Baby":



Tell Me Baby,  played out of Vastapol, ~E

1. Guitar intro verse

2. Ah, tell me baby, what fault you find by me?
   I'm gonna find my suitcase, beat it back to Tennessee

3. gtr...hold my hands and cry...gtr.....I've been treated so sly, now
   Tell me baby, what fault you find of me?
   I'm gonna pack my suitcase ......gtr...

4. Nickel is a nickel, dime is a dime, wish I had a lovin mama by me all the time
   Call her baby!
   I'm gonna pack my suitcase .....gtr....

5. Nickel is a nickel, dime is a dime, got a house full of children, nair one of them mine
   Oh tell me baby......gtr....

6. Baby I can't se, Honey to save my life, why we can't get along as just man and wife
   Ah tell me baby, what fault you find of me
   I'm gonna pack my suitcase ....gtr..

7. My Momma told me, Poppa told me too, told me whiskey and women gonna be ruin of   you
   I call my baby, what fault you find.....gtr......

8. Gtr verse

9. Gtr verse - end hurried. (I suppose the red light came on)

[Richard]

Any mp3's about?

[banjochris]

7. My Momma told me, Poopa told me too, all these Western women gonna be round on   you

Phil -- I think you've got most of this right, excepting a few words here and there (I'm pretty sure it's "beat it back" in the chorus, for instance), but this one line is pretty different -- it should be:

I say Mama told me, Papa told me too, told me whiskey and women gonna be the ruin of you,
etc.
Chris

[blueshome]

Thanks Chris, I've edited the above to include the changes. I knew it was "beat it" but always fall back on S.J.Estes' "ease it" hence to error.
Richard, I'll find the CD and post an mp3 because it's agreat performance and he has a terrific slide tone.

[Parlor Picker]

I'm anticipating the falsetto vocal with baited breath. 

[blueshome]

Anticipate all you like, I'm not having the surgery!

[Richard]

You could just put another spring in the truss and get the same effect

[Parlor Picker]

Apart from wit and abuse, Richard and I offer a nice line in cheap surgery. We've got a rusty old knife and fork, plus a hammer (for the hammersthetic) so you don't have to worry about the expense. As a friend, we might even offer you a freebie.

[Blind Arthur]

Trying my luck with this title here...what do you think? In the middle it changes the AAB-format. I think it?s a great song, like it much more than the flipside. Edited in corrections by banjochris, June 9.  Here is "Times Has Done Got Hard":



King Solomon Hill - Times Has Done Got Hard

[spoken]*Knocking* That?s the rent man! You know it must got tough if he comin? here befo? rent?s due!

Aaaah baby, darling, we got to move,    (2x)
It?s something wrong, must be no good, that mailman is ridin? through.

I say, that rent man, he won?t stand no square,
I say, that rent man, he say he ain?t goinna stand no square,
And I ain?t gonna stand none of his foolishness, I?ll move before I?ll stay here.

Time has got so tough, I can?t pay my rent,
And my old brownskin worries me so bad that I ain?t got my real good sense.

I done spent my money, then I done pawned my clothes,
Soon as I told my brownskin ?bout it she kicked my clothes outdoors.

[spoken] Boys, these times is tough!

[record skips]

Hmmmm, I won?t be bad no more,
Mama, don?t get mad with me, yet you kick my clothes outdoors. 

Lord, I?m blue, I won?t try that kid no more,   
I say doggone a woman ain?t got no more care than to kick my clothes outdoors.

[spoken] Baby, these tough times will make you do most anything! Won?t me!

I?m goin? sing this song, I?m goin? moan for joy,
I say goodbye brownskin, hello high brown, hello boys,   (end???)
From Brewers Hill, Milwaukee, I?m goin? back to Chicago.

[banjochris]

Blind Arthur see what you think of these suggestions:

spoken: if HE COMIN' here befo' rent's due

2.2 he SAY HE ain't gonna stand no square
2.3 And I ain?t gonna stand none of HIS foolishness, I?ll move before I?ll STAY HERE.

3.2 And my old brownskin worries me so bad TILL I ain?t got my real good sense.

4.2 Soon as I told my brownskin 'BOUT IT she kicked my clothes outdoors.

spoken: I don't hear THESE

6.1 Lord I BELIEVE, I WON'T TRY THAT KID NO MORE
6.2 I say doggone a woman ain?t got no more CARE than to kick my clothes outdoors.

spoken -- I think he says WON'T ME at the end, in other words the tough times won't make him stoop so low

7.1 I?m goin? sing this song, I?m goin? moan FOR joy,
7.2 Not sure of this line.

Chris

[Blind Arthur]

True...after some more more repeated rererelistening, I must say I agree with the following, and have edited them in:

spoken: if HE COMIN' here befo' rent's due

2.2 he SAY HE ain't gonna stand no square
2.3 And I ain?t gonna stand none of HIS foolishness, I?ll move before I?ll STAY HERE.

4.2 Soon as I told my brownskin 'BOUT IT she kicked my clothes outdoors.

6.1 Lord I BELIEVE, I WON'T TRY THAT KID NO MORE
6.2 I say doggone a woman ain?t got no more CARE than to kick my clothes outdoors.

spoken -- I think he says WON'T ME at the end, in other words the tough times won't make him stoop so low

7.1 I?m goin? sing this song, I?m goin? moan FOR joy,

All additions highly welcome. Yes, the second last line causes me a lot of headache.

There is an essay by Alex van der Tuuk on the Paramount?s Home-site and he cites the very last line with the "from Milwaukee to Chicago" in it. I?ll look for it, it was about some suburb of Milwaukee, and maybe edit it, too.
EDIT Done. I guess I should have thought of this before, he is THE authority on the Paramount label : http://www.mainspringpress.com/nyrl-L.html

Artists were sent to Milwaukee?s black district, around Third Street, close to the railroad station, known as Brewers Hill.
..
On King Solomon Hill?s recently found Pm 13125, ?Times Has Done Got Hard,? Hill refers to this district:

    From Brewers Hill, Milwaukee, I?m going back to Chicago.

[banjochris]

I don't hear that "Brewer's Hill" at all in the last line -- I hear

For I'm fixin' to leave Milwaukee...
Chris

[Blind Arthur]

Yeah, that?s what I had in there earlier...hmmm.

[blueshome]

v1 3rd line, I hear "There's something wrong, must be the office, and the mailman......etc"

[elhotrod]

It's Open-G.  Tell Me, Baby is one of the best examples of a vocal-guitar exchange:  sometimes he sings a line, sometimes he plays it; his high voice only serves to accentuate this.  Absolutely brilliant!  Even though there's a sameness to most of his recordings (Gone Dead Train, the exception), they're very haunting.

[Johnm]

Hi elhotrod,
Welcome to Weenie Campbell.  You're mistaken, though, all of Joe Holmes' tunes were played out of Vestapol.
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I thought I would try to transcribe King Solomon Hill's "My Buddy, Blind Papa Lemon". I'd very much appreciate help with the bent bracketed places in the lyrics, or any other place I have them wrong. As always, he was playing in Vestapol here, and his time and the way he was making his notes show an unearthly degree of control.  No solos, per se, here--just a constant call-and-response between the voice and the guitar. It's the kind of performance that it would be absolutely futile to try to copy or cover--and I fervently hope never to hear someone try! Here is "My Buddy, Blind Papa Lemon":



Mmmmmmm, said the mailman brought a misery to my head
Mmmmmmm, said the mailman brought a misery to my head
When I received a letter that my friend, Lemon, was dead

I was standin' with my friends, they would mention his name
I say, "That cruel man that you call Death done taken my boy's, his name."

And it's too sad and lonesome, all we got to go
I say when Death come and rap at your hand, he knockin' on your door

I followed him, I want to know why he's lookin' so poor
Here, I got a notice in my mind, and I sure got to go

I heard a bell last night, tollin' in my sleep
And I heard a bell last night, tonin' in my sleep
I been worryin' the whole day long, and I feel like I'm losin' steam

You can hear friends cryin', Lord, you can hear them screamin'
'Cause everybody's got to go
But it's too sad when you lose one of your best friends, and you got to take it dry, just long so

Edited 8/10 to pick up corrections from jpeters609 and Johnm
Edited 8/11 to pick up corrections from banjochris

All best,
Johnm


 

[jpeters609]

In the fourth stanza, he seems to be singing about an encounter he had with Blind Lemon:

"I [    ] him, I wanna know why he lookin' so poor."


In the last stanza, I hear:

"You can hear friends cryin', Lord you can hear them screamin'."

Jeff

[Johnm]

Wow, thanks, Jeff, that is great hearing!  I think the missing word in that earlier verse you got is "followed".  Thanks so much--I expected this one to take a while! I think we got it, and I've made the changes. Thanks!
All best,
Johnm

[banjochris]

Few more suggestions for Papa Lemon:

3.2 I say when DEATH COME AND RAP AT YOUR HAND, HE knockin' on your door

4.2 HEAR or HERE, I got a notice...

5.1 I HEARD a bell LAST NIGHT, tollin' in my SLEEP
5.2 And I HEARD a bell LAST NIGHT, TONIN' in my SLEEP
(He sings "heard" more like "hear-ed" but very quickly)

Chris

[dj]

I'm not at all sure of the first word of 4.2, but otherwise I agree with Chris's corrections.

That sure is a great performance!

[Johnm]

Thanks very much for the catches, Chris, they both better matched the sound and made more sense. I've made the changes, thanks!

[Johnm]

Hi all,
King Solomon Hill's "Tell Me Baby" started this thread, but was never really put in a final form. Once again, he was working in Vestapol with a slide, supposedly fashioned from a cow bone. Places where the guitar is used to fill in vocal phrases are shown parenthetically.  Here is "Tell Me Baby":



INTRO SOLO

Aw tell me, baby, what fault you find by me?
I'm gon' pack my suitcase, beat it back to Tennessee

(Guitar), wrung my hands and cry, (guitar), I've been treated so sly, now
Aw tell me, baby, what fault you find of me?
I'm gonna pack my suitcase, (guitar)

Nickel is a nickel, dime is a dime, wish I had a lovin' mama t' love me all the time, call her, "Baby"
(Guitar)
I'm gonna pack my suitcase, (guitar)

Nickel is a nickel, dime is a dime, got a house full of children, ain't nar' one mine
Aw tell me, baby, (guitar)
(Guitar)

Babe, I can't see, honey, to save my life, why we can't get along as just like man and wife
Aw tell me, baby, what fault you find of me?
I'm gonna pack my suitcase, (guitar)

I said Mama told me, Papa told me too, told me, "Whiskey and women gonna be the ruin of you."
I call my baby, "What fault you find?" (guitar)
(Guitar)

SOLO X 2

Edited 8/19 to pick up correction from Lyndvs
Edited 8/19 to pick up correction from waxwing

All best,
Johnm

 

[Lyndvs]

Nickel is a nickel, dime is a dime, wish I had a lovin' mama ta(to) love me  all the time.
I say Mama told me.... "Whiskey and women gonna be the run of you."
To have the run of something or someone means to have complete control or dominance over it/them.Whiskey and women will control/dominate your life.

[Johnm]

Thanks for the suggestions, Lyndvs. I've made the change on "t' love". I'm going to stick with "ruin" in the last verse, both because I've heard so many other singers sing the same line using the word "ruin" and because he pronounces the vowel sound making it two syllables, not something you would do if you were saying "run". I think it's just his way of saying "ruin". Thanks!

[waxwing]

In 2.1 I don't really hear anything before the "ung" of the first word. Generally the expression is "wringin' my hands and cryin'" as in  Willie Newburn's Roll and Tumble ("wring your hands and cry"). I would extrapolate it to be "wrung", not "hung", and also add the "in'" to make it "cryin" which seems clear. So the start of 2.1 could be: "Wrung my hands and cryin'"

Regarding "run" vs "ruin" in 6.1, I often wonder about lines, verses or whole songs being rewritten by the A&R people. Particulaly where an artist plays virtually the same arrangement and sings the same melody in most of his material. I know there are anecdotes regarding Blind Boy Fuller being whispered the lyrics written by his A&R guy (can't remember his name, Art something?) because they just wanted to record as many sides as possible as he sold so well. Possibly this is a case where A&R was trying to get him to sing "ruin" but it was outside KSH's vocaulary and he sang "ru-un" as the closest thig that made sense to him. I've heard "ruin" often pronounced as "rune" but never "run". Tough call.

Wax

[Johnm]

Thanks for the suggestions, Wax. Re-listening, I think it is "wrung my hands and cry", and will make the change. I heard, or thought I heard a hard "h" at the beginning of the word, but I'm not hearing that now, rather more like an Elmer Fudd "r". And I should have thought, heads are hung, hands are wrung.
"Run" doesn't make sense to me in the other context--to have the "run" of something is to have complete access to it, like the "run of the country". What's more, "run" would never be pronounced with a draggy, two-syllable vowel sound.

[banjochris]

For what it's worth, I hear "ruin" plain as day in that last verse, pronounced maybe a little oddly because he's singing a two-syllable word in a one-syllable space, common enough in singing – he's still making two distinct vowel sounds there, and neither of them are the "uh" of "run."
Chris

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Earlier in this thread, King Solomon Hill's "Times Has Done Got Hard" was started, but never exactly finished, and I thought I would see if we could get it done. I'd appreciate correction or corroboration of what I have.  Here is "Times Has Done Got Hard":



INTRO Guitar imitates knocking (Spoken: That's the rent man! You know it must got tough, he's comin' here before rent's due.)

Aaaah baby, darling, we've got to move
Aah baby, darling, we got to move
It's something wrong, must be in the office, that mailman is riding through

I say, that rent man, he won't stand no square
I say, that rent man, he say he ain't gonna stand no square
And I ain't gonna stand none of his foolishness, I'll move 'fore I'll stay here

Time has got so tough, I can't pay my rent
And my old brownskin worries me so bad, 'til I ain't got my real good sense

I done spent my money, then I done pawned my clothes
Soon as I told my brownskin 'bout it, she kicked my clothes outdoors (Spoken: Boys, these times is tough!)

GUITAR INTERLUDE (Record skips)

Oooooooo, I won't be bad no more
Mama, you don't get mad with me, yet you kick my clothes outdoors

Lord, I believe, I won't try that kid no more   
I say, doggone a woman, ain't got no more care than to kick my clothes outdoors

GUITAR INTERLUDE (Spoken: Say these tough times'll make you do most anything! Won't me!)

I'm gon' sing this song, I'm gon' moan for joy
I say, "Goodbye, brownskin.", ha ha, "Hello, boys."
For I'm fixin' to leave Milwaukee, I'm goin' back to Chicago

Edited 8/24 to pick up corrections from banjochris

All best,
Johnm

[banjochris]

Only two pretty minor suggestions, John, otherwise I think you've got it.

6.1 I think is Lord, I BELIEVE, rather than "I'm blue"

and that last spoken aside I hear SAY rather than "Baby" at the beginning.

Chris

[Johnm]

Thanks, Chris, I re-listened and your two suggestions are spot on. I've made the changes. Thanks!

[Johnm]

Hi all,
King Solomon Hill recorded "The Gone Dead Train" in Grafton, Wisconsin in January of 1932, accompanying himself, as he did for all of his recorded numbers, in Vestapol tuning with a slide. The song is a one-chorder, and is very freely phrased, with lots of spoken asides. I'm going to give it my best shot, but fully anticipate some blank spots and mistakes, so any help is appreciated. Here is "Gone Dead Train":



INTRO

Lord, I'm goin' way down, Lord, I'm gonna try to leave here 'day
Tell me that's the mean old fireman, and that train is just that way

That gone dead train, I say that even broke my trunk
Boys, if you have been runnin' 'round in this world, these trains will wreck your mind (Spoken: Your lives, too!)

Lord, I once was a hobo, I crossed so many points
But I decided I'd go down for a fast life, and take it as it comes

INTERLUDE (Spoken: I reckon the mean old fireman, and the engineer would, too.)

There's so many people, have gone down today
And this fast train, North and Southern, certainly loud and clear

Ooo-ooo, "I want to ride your train."
I say, "Look here, engineer, can I ride your train?"
He said, "Look here, you oughta know this train ain't mine, and you're askin' me in vain."

Say, "If you go up to the Western Union, you might get a chance." (Spoken: I didn't know the Western Union run no trains.)
Say, "They go to the Western Union, you might get a chance.
You might to wire some of your peoples, and your fare will be sent right chere [sic]" (Spoken: I thought it, that's the way it was.)

I wanta go home and that train has done gone dead
I wanta go home, that train has done gone dead
I done lost my wife and my three little children, and my mother's sick in bed

Oooo, hooo, help me with my fare
'Cause I'm a travelin' man, boys, I can't stay here

CODA

Edited 2/15 to pick up corrections from Blues Vintage and banjochris

All best,
John
 
 

 

[Blues Vintage]

Best I can do at the moment,

that's -a- mean old fireman

I say that even broke my -trunk-
-Boys if you have to run around in this world this train will wreck your mind-

Lord, I once was a hobo, I caught so many ponys/   I crawled to {Minneapolis}

And this fast train, North and Southern, -certainly/tellin' it loud and clear-

You might have to wire to some of your people, and your fare would be send right here/there

[Blues Vintage]

Another option for 3.1

I crossed so many points

[banjochris]

I purposely didn't look at BV's so here's what I'm hearing, there's still bits I'm missing:

1.2 Tell me that's THE mean old fireman...

2.2 Boys, if YOU HAVE BEEN runnin' 'round in this world, THESE TRAINS will wreck your mind (spoken: Your LIFE, too!)

3.1 Lord, I once was a hobo, I CROSSED a-MANY POINTS

INTERLUDE (Spoken: I RECKON the mean OL' fireman, and the engineer would, too.)

5.1 missing "TO" after want

6.1 I think there's a swallowed "the" before Western Union in the spoken part

Chris

[banjochris]

I agree I think 6.3 starts "You might to wire to some of your people" – "fare" would be pronounced sort of oddly there but it parses to me as "and your fare would be sent right here" (pronounced "chere").

[banjochris]

This might be a better sounding recording too:

[Johnm]

Thanks so much, Blues Vintage and banjochris for the help! Your suggestions were great! That is great work, guys. I've been kind of dreading this transcription and I think it's pretty much spot on now. Thanks!

[Blues Vintage]

An even better copy available through our good friend John Tefteller (Volume 3).
Wished I thought about that yesterday, oh well.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
King Solomon Hill (Joe Holmes) recorded two takes of "Whoopee Blues" for Paramount around January of 1932. He accompanied himself out of Vestapol tuning with a slide, as he did for all of his recordings. I don't know which take I'm posting here. Holmes switched to two-line stanzas for the last three verses, an unusual sort of change to make, mid-rendition. I'd very much appreciate help with any of the lyrics I'm missing or have wrong. Here is "Whoopee Blues":



INTRO

Honey, you been gone all day, that you may make whoopee all night
Baby, you been gone all day, that you may make whoopee all night
I'm gon' take my razor and cut your late hours, you wouldn't think I been servin' you right

Undertaker been here and gone, I give him your heighth and size
I say the undertaker been here and gone, I give him your heighth and size
You'll be makin' whoopee with the devil, in hell tomorrow night

You done made me love you, now you got me for your slave
Baby, you done made me love you, now want me for your slave
From now on you'll be making' whoopee, baby, in your lonesome grave

Baby, next time you go out, carry your black suit along
Mama, next time you go out, carry your black suit 'long
Coffin gon' be your present, hell gon' be your brand new home

I'd say the devil got ninety thousand women, he just need one more
He's on a mountain callin' for you, baby, broke down, surely must go

Cuckoo was howlin', sun was almost down
Then I got to go through Death Valley, there ain't a house for twenty-five miles around

My poor feet is so tired, Lord, help me some way
Then I got three hundred miles to go, travelin' through this mud and clay

Ooo-ooo-ooo, ooo-ooo-ooo-uh-ooo

CODA

Edited 3/13 to pick up corrections from Blues Vintage

All best,
Johnm



 

[Blues Vintage]

Lonnie Johnsons sings in his version   "I'm gon' take my razor and cut your late hours"

2.3 You'll be makin' whoopee with the devil, in (the early morning hour) -hell tomorrow night-

3.2 Baby, you done made me love you, now (got) -want- me for your slave

5.1 I'd say the devil got (ninety-five of womens) -ninety thousand women-
5.2 (You got a mockin') He's on a mountain callin' for you

6.2 Then I got to go through Death Valley, -there ain't a house- for twenty-five miles around

[Blues Vintage]

This is take 2.  I'm guessing for the reason but his vocals sound a lot different on take 1.

He clearly sings "I'm gon' take my razor and cut your late hours" on take 1

Caught one more,

3.3 Some night, From now on you'll be making' whoopee

[Johnm]

Thanks very much for the help, Blues Vintage. That is tremendous hearing! I made the changes you suggested.

[banjochris]

Just a little note on the verses at the end of "Whoopee" – the flip side of Lonnie Johnson's "She's Making Whoopee in Hell Tonight" is "Death Valley Is Just Halfway to My Home."

[Johnm]

Hi all,
King Solomon Hill recorded two takes of "Down On My Bended Knee" in Grafton around January of 1932. As with "Whoopee Blues", I don't know which take this is. Hill (Joe Holmes) accompanied the song out of Vestapol tuning with a slide, as he did his entire recorded repertoire. I'd very much appreciate help with any blank places in the transcription or places I've heard the lyrics incorrectly. Here is "Down On My Bended Knee":



INTRO

At last, at last, down on my bended knee
At last, at last, down on my bended knee
I worry about my baby, bring her back to me

You know I love my baby, that's why we can't get along
You know I love my baby, that's why we can't get along
Looks like everything I do, something's goin' on wrong

Ahh-ahh-oh, down on my bended knee
I worry about my baby, bring her back to me

I can see the sun a-shinin', leaves shakin' on the tree
I can see the sun a-shinin', leaves shakin' on the tree
I got a letter from my daddy, my baby sent her trunk to me

Ahhh, thievin' man, hear my lonesome plea
Ahh-ahh-oh, down on my bended knee
I worry about my baby, bring her back to me

Mmm-mmm-mmm, hear my lonesome plea
I worry about my baby, down on my bended knee

SOLO AND CODA

Edited 3/18 to pick up correction from Blues Vintage

All best,
Johnm

   

[Blues Vintage]

Hill's "Down On My Bended Knee" seems to be borrowed from Texas pianist Jack Ranger's "Thieving Blues".

Ahhh thievin' man, hear my lonesome plea

[Johnm]

Thanks very much for the help, Blues Vintage. Great hearing on your part, once again. Jack Ranger is a new name to me.