Topic: Ma Rainey Lyrics

[Johnm]

Thanks for the suggestions, Bruce and uncle bud.  I also considered "gatlin' gun", but the sound wasn't quite right.  I think the sound is closest to what I already have.  I think Ma just may have gotten uninspired, saying essentially, "Stack O'Lee was a bad man who was a bad man.", or maybe had a vapor lock on the lyrics.  When you can sing like Ma could, or like Blind Lemon could, good lyrics are a bonus, but not essential; you're always hearing something great just hearing their voices.
All best,
Johnm

[bnemerov]

Right, Johnm.

"Bad Man" or "Gat Lin"....sounds equally unlike the one as the other to me, which is why I put the ? after my suggestion.

But what's peculiar is that her diction is so good in the rest of the song except for this one phrase.
Makes me think the "vapor lock" theory is the correct one.

Every performer's "gone up" on lines during  performance and mumbled through a few words 'til back on track.

best,
bruce

[Johnm]

Oof, you're right about that, Bruce.  Being able to recover from screw-ups in a relatively inconspicuous way is an essential survival skill for the performing musician.
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Ma Rainey recorded "Lucky Rock Blues" in 1924, backed by a particularly fine ensemble featuring Tommy Ladnier on cornet and Lovie Austin on piano, among others.  The song sounds to be a product of Tin Pan Alley, with a very uptown lyric that calls to mind Peg Leg Howell's "Low-Down Rounder Blues".  The verse to "Lucky Rock Blues" is exceptionally pretty and goes some surprising places, chordally.  Once the song gets to the chorus, it becomes a fairly conventional 12-bar blues, though the band's arrangement is pretty spiffy.  I'd appreciate help with the bent bracketed words--I'm not at all sure they're correct.



VERSE: Feelin' kind of melancholy, made up my mind to go away
And though some folks says it's folly, sometimes it helps, and fades away
To forget the man you love, although he may be mean
Goodbye folks, I'm on my way, straight down to New Orleans

CHORUS: Goin' to New Orleans to find that lucky rock
Goin' to New Orleans to find that lucky rock
Tryin' to rid myself of this bad luck I've got

CORNET SOLO

On my way to find that lucky rock
Oh, I'm on my way to find that lucky rock
Just to ease my mind off all this trouble I've got

Edited 3/14 to pick up corrections from banjochris

All best,
Johnm

[banjochris]

It's either "fades away" or "sails away" -- I think you have it right as "fades." Pretty sure the last verse starts with "to find that lucky rock" and it sounds to me like "off" instead of "of" in the last line.
Chris

[Johnm]

Thanks for the help, Chris.  All the changes you suggested were right on, and I've made them.  Also heard "straight" down to New Orleans in the last line of the verse and made that change.
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Ma Rainey and Papa Charlie Jackson recorded "Big Feeling Blues" around October of 1928.  The song is included on the Document "Papa Charlie Jackson Complete Recordings, Vol. 3", but it seems more appropriate to treat it as a Ma Rainey number with accompaniment and some vocals supplied by Papa Charlie.  Papa Charlie accompanies Ma out of F position in standard tuning, and the key suits her vocal range beautifully.  Ma sounds so grand, and sad.  She sings all of the refrains.  There is one line of Papa Charlie's I'm not sure about and would appreciate correction or corroboration on it.



INTRO: (Spoken by Ma: All these many years I been slavin' for a man.  How come I can't get me a real monkeyman?  I'm not no triflin' woman.)

(Ma)I been lookin' for a man I can call my own
Been married many times but they left my home
REFRAIN: Ahh, Big Feelin' Blues, worst I ever had
I got the Big Feelin' Blues, I mean, I've got 'em bad

(Charlie) If you looking for the brown, come get this chocolate cream
I'm a big kidman, just out of my teens
REFRAIN: Ahh, Big Feelin' Blues, worst I ever had
I got the Big Feelin' Blues, I mean, I've got 'em bad

(Ma) I'm lucky with my yellows, I'm lucky with my browns
The blacks, they just keep on throwin' me down
REFRAIN: Ahh, Big Feelin' Blues, worst I've ever had
I got the Big Feelin' Blues, I mean, I've got 'em bad

(Charlie) If you need a good man, why don't you try me?
I sure can put you out of your misery
REFRAIN: Ahh, Big Feelin' Blues, worst I've ever had
I got the Big Feelin' Blues, I mean, I've got 'em bad

(Ma) There's a whole lot left, what's left is good
Give me a chance, honey, I'll make you change your neighborhood
REFRAIN: Ahh, Big Feelin' Blues, worst I've ever had
I got the Big Feelin' Blues, I mean, I've got 'em bad

Edited 4/11 to pick up correction from banjochris

All best,
Johnm

[banjochris]

Sounds like "just out of my teens" to me.
Chris

[Johnm]

Thanks for the help, Chris, I'm hearing that too after re-listening.  I've made the change.
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I've recently been listening to Ma Rainey's recording of "Dead Drunk Blues" on one of the Tefteller calendar CDs.  She does the piece as a duet with a piano accompanist; does anyone know who played the piano on that cut?  To say that Ma was in good voice for this song would be an extreme understatement--she sounds perfectly amazing, and has such vitality she sounds like she would never die.



SPOKEN:  My man is freakish drunk this mornin'.  Daddy say, "Be yourself."

Oh, give me Houston, that's the place I crave
Oh, give me Houston, that's the place I crave
So when I'm dry, I drink whiskey is just made

Oh, whiskey, whiskey, is some folk's downfall
Oh, whiskey, whiskey, is some folk's downfall
But if I don't get whiskey, I ain't no good at all

When I was in Houston, drunk 'most every day
When I was in Houston, drunk 'most every day (Spoken: Lord, where the police?)
I drank so much whiskey, I thought I'd pass away

Have you ever been drunk, slept all in your clothes?
Have you ever been drunk, slept all in your clothes?
And when you woke up, felt like you's out of doors

Daddy, I'm gon' get drunk, just one more time (Spoken: Where's the whiskey bottle?)
Honey, I'm gonna get drunk, Papa, just one more time
'Cause when I'm drunk, nothin' don't worry my mind

All best,
Johnm

[banjochris]

Claude "Hop" Hopkins I believe was the pianist on that.

[Johnm]

Thanks for that information, Chris.  I like to acknowledge the piano accompanists on these recordings, when they are known, especially considering how expertly they play.
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Ma Rainey sang "Blues, Oh Blues" in C, accompanied by a small Jazz ensemble.  As has been noted elsewhere here, the song is sung to the melody of "Careless Love".  The tuba player in the band is a stand-out, and every time the band goes to the bVI chord in the 12th bar of the 16-bar form, it's a great sound.  Ma is in wonderful voice, as per usual, and the lyrics of the song are nothing much, but her rendition shows once again that in this music, it's not so much what is being sung as it is how it is being sung.



INTRO: (Spoken: Now's the blues, boys, play 'em whilst I sing 'em!)

Oh blues, oh blues, oh blues
Oh blues, oh blues, blues, oh blues
I'm so blue, so blue, I don't know what to do
Oh blues, oh blues, oh blues

I'm going away, I'm going to stay
I'm going away, I'm going to stay
I'm going away, oh, mama's going to stay
I'm gonna find a man I love, some sweet day

SOLO (SPOKEN: Lord, people, I've changed my mind.)

Oh blues, oh blues, oh blues
Oh blues, oh blues, blues, oh blues
Oh blues, oh blues, poor mama don't know what to do
Oh blues, ah blues, oh blues

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Ma Rainey recorded "Booze and Blues" in 1924 with a small Jazz ensemble, and as with most of her recordings of that era, it is impossible to imagine, for me, at least, how her singing could be any better.  The song has one of the most beautiful of blues melodies and it was to prove to be the model for many songs later recorded; melodically, Blind Blake's "Georgia Bound", Jesse Wadley's "Alabama Prison Blues" and Robert Johnson's "From Four Until Late" come right out of it, and Charley Patton's "High Sheriff Blues" and "Tom Rushen Blues" are more thoroughgoing covers, to the extent of re-using some of her verses slightly modified and copying the little melodic tag she put on the end of the opening line of each verse.  Here is Ma's rendition:



Went to bed last night, and folks, I was in my tea-ea-ea
I went to bed last night, and I was in my tea
Woke up this morning, the police was shakin' me

I went to the jailhouse, drunk and blue as I could be-e-e
I went to the jailhouse, drunk and blue as I could be
But this cruel old judge sent my man away from me

They carried me to the courthouse, Lordy, how I was fly-y-in'
They carried me to the courthouse, Lordy, how I was flyin'
They give me sixty days in jail and money couldn't pay my fine

Sixty days ain't long when you can spend them as you choose-oo-oose
Sixty days ain't long when you can spend them as you choose
But they seem like years in a cell where there ain't no booze

My life is all a misery, when I can not get my booze-oo-ooze
My life is all a misery, when I can not get my booze
I can't nev' be 'thout my liquor, gots to have the booze to call these blues

All best,
Johnm

[mwbutter]

Does anyone know anything about "Hellish Rag," by Ma Rainey's Georgia Band? Paramount 12612, mx. 20231-2. I don't know who the singer is, but it ain't Ma. I took a stab at the lyrics, but could use some help with text in [brackets]:

Now the Devil and his pappy, three days ago
They gave a holiday there below
And as the music played, everybody swayed
To that tune they never heard before

Now the Devil, he got [full of] whiskey and gin
Everybody went straight up in the wind
And old Jasper cried, when he heard him sigh
?Mister, play it again!?

Aw, play that rag, Mister [Rooster] please
Play that rag!
Now that?s the only tune I love to hear you play
I was about to holler, but hey, hey, hey!

Play that rag, Mister [Rooster] please
Play that rag!
Now the devil he got happy, got way back
Want everybody to ball the jack

Hate to see him happy
[Then I ain?t happy]
I mean a hellish rag all day,
I mean a hellish rag

Aw, play it! Play it now! Play that thing, boy!
Ah, that?s the only tune I love to hear you play
That?s the only thing I love to hear you play
I was about to holler, but hey, hey hey!

Play that rag, Mister [Rooster] please
Play that rag!
Now the devil he got happy, got way back
Want everybody to ball the jack

Hate to see him happy
[Then I ain?t happy]
I mean a hellish rag all day,
I mean a hellish rag