Topic: Blind Gussie Nesbit

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Blind Gussie Nesbit was a musician who recorded only religious songs. He was from South Carolina. He recorded "Pure Religion" at a session in Atlanta on December 4, 1930, accompanying himself with a slide in Vestapol. He had an eerie vocal sound, partially because he centered on many of his melody notes a bit sharp of pitch, especially if the melody note was the V of the chord over which it was being sung. I find transcribing his lyrics difficult, so I'd very much appreciate help with anything I'm missing or have wrong. Here is "Pure Religion":



INTRO SOLO

All I want is that pure religion, hallelu, hallelu
All I want is that pure religion, hallelu, hallelu
All I want is that pure religion, pure religion carry you home to heaven
All I want is that pure religion, hallelu, hallelu

Crossing Jordan you have no fear, hallelu, hallelu
Crossing Jordan you have no fear, hallelu, hallelu
Crossing Jordan you have no fear, Jesus gonna be my engineer
Then you're gonna need that pure religion, hallelu, hallelu

Facing Jordan you can't go 'round, hallelu, hallelu
Facing Jordan you can't go 'round, hallelu, hallelu
Facing Jordan you can't go 'round, ain't got religion you'll surely drown
Then you're gonna need that pure religion, hallelu, hallelu

Doctor standing, looking sad, hallelu, hallelu
Doctor standing, looking sad, hallelu, hallelu
Doctor standing, looking sad, "Hardest case I ever had."
Then you're gonna need that pure religion, hallelu, hallelu

Your mother and father 'round your bed, a-cryin', hallelu, hallelu
Mother and father 'round the bed, a-cryin', hallelu, hallelu
Mother and father 'round the bed, a-cryin', "Lord, have mercy, my child are dyin'."
Then you're gonna need that pure religion, hallelu, hallelu

Death is movin' on through the land, hallelu, hallelu
Death is movin' on through the land, hallelu, hallelu
Death is movin' on through the land, ain't gon' spare no gamblin' man
Then you're gonna need that pure religion, hallelu, hallelu

Ride on, Death, don't you ride so slow, hallelu, hallelu
Ride on, Death, don't you ride so slow, hallelu, hallelu
Ride on, Death, don't ride so slow,  just when you're not ready to go
Then you're gonna need that pure religion, hallelu, hallelu

Train is coming 'round the curve, hallelu, hallelu
Train is coming 'round the curve, hallelu, hallelu
Train is coming 'round the curve, fixin' to leave this sinful world
Then you're gonna need that pure religion, hallelu, hallelu

(Moaning)
Oh, Lord
(Guitar finishes verse)

Edited 11/16/24 to pick up corrections from Blues Vintage

All best,
Johnm

[Blues Vintage]

Haunting to say the least

Hard to hear indeed, suggestions;

Verse 3

Place in Jordan       Facing Jordan

Verse 6

on through the land         All through the land

6.2 6.3 starts with "Jesus" instead of "death"

Verse 7

starts with "ride on" instead of "got on"  7.1 7.2 7.3

[Johnm]

Thanks for the help, Blues Vintage. I agree with almost all of your suggestions and have made the changes except for verse six, which I think is correct as is.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Blind Gussie Nesbit recorded "Motherless Children" at a session in New York City on September 9, 1935, accompanying himself with a slide in Spanish tuning, pitched at C. His rendition has such an eerie sound, part of which derives from the difference in pitch between his vocal rendition of the melody and his playing of the melody with his slide. Even more, though, the peculiar and striking sound his rendition has is a result of him playing the melody as an inversion of the melody as it was played and sung by other people who did the song--basically he is playing and singing the song's melody for the most part a third higher in the key in which he is accompanying himself than the song is usually performed. So instead of having a melody which resolves to the I note and which has a high point of the octave I note, Blind Gussie Nesbit resolves his melody to a III note and the melody's high point is a major VII note. The combined effect of the intonation variation between his singing and his playing and his inversion of the melody is unique, at least in my experience. As with some other recordings that come to mind, like Red Hot Old Mose's "Molly Man" and Kelly Harrell's "Wild Bill Jones", it seems amazing that this was released as a commercial recording. I'm certainly glad it was, though, and even over the course of one listening to the performance, I began to become accustomed to the sound and feel "Well, that's just the way it goes." I'd very much appreciate help with the gap in verse two and anything else I've gotten wrong. Here is "Motherless Children":

     

(Guitar plays opening line)
Motherless children, hard time, when mother is dead
They don't have nowheres to go, only to run from door to door
(Guitar starts line) hard time, when the mother is dead

Friend don't treat you like mother will, when (guitar finishes line)
Friend don't treat you like mother will, when mother is dead
Friends will say just what they would do, but they will turn thei' backs on you
Nobody treats you like your mother will, when (guitar finishes line)

Motherless children have hard time, when mother is dead
Motherless children have hard time, when mother is dead
They don't have nowheres to go, only to run from door to door
(Guitar starts line) hard time when mother is dead

Jesus said he'd be a husband for widows when mother is dead
Jesus said he'd be a husband for widows when mother is dead
Jesus said that if they do right, they can walk with him in white
Nobody treats you like your mother will, when (guitar finishes line)

Motherless children have hard time when (guitar finishes line)
Motherless children have a hard time, when mother is dead
They don't have nowheres to go, only to run from door to door
Motherless children have a hard time, when (guitar finishes line)

Jesus said he'd be a mother for mothers when (guitar finishes line)
Jesus said he'd be a mother for mothers, when mother is dead
Jesus said if they do right, they can walk with him in white
Nobody treat you like mother will, when (guitar finishes line)

Lord motherless children, hard time (guitar finishes line)
Mmm-mm-mm-mmm-mm (guitar finishes line)
Ah-mmm-mm-mm-mm, only to run from door to door
(Guitar starts line) Lord, Lord, (guitar finishes line)

Lord, Lord, Lord (guitar finishes line)
Motherless children have hard time, when mother is dead
They don't have nowheres to go, only to run from door to door
(Guitar plays last line)

Some say that sister will do (guitar finishes line)
Some people say that sister will do when mother is dead
Some people say that sister will do, soon as she married, she turn her back on you
Nobody treat you like your mother will, when (guitar finishes line)

Edited 11/18/24 to pick up correction from Blues Vintage

All best,
Johnm








 
 

[Blues Vintage]

Friends will say just what they would do

[Johnm]

Thanks very much for the help, Blues Vintage, I have made the change.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Blind Gussie Nesbit recorded "Canaan Land" at his second recording session, on September 9, 1935, in New York City. He accompanied himself in G position in standard tuning. I really like his singing and playing, but find him hard to understand sometimes, so I'd very much appreciate help with anything I'm missing or have wrong. Here is "Canaan Land":



REFRAIN: I'm on my way, to Canaan land, I'm on my
Way, to Canaan land, I'm on my
Way, to Canaan land, I'm on my
Way, praise God, I'm on my way, oh

Joseph was the richest man, he had trouble at home and all over the
Land, Joseph was afflicted from his head to his feet, his servants came
In, saying, "Joe, how you feel?", old Joe begin to shout, 'bout, "I'm on my
Way, to Canaan land, I'm on my
Way, to Canaan land, if Jesus
Will, my leader be, I'm on my
Way, praise God, on my way", oh

Joseph, your cattles is dead, they both come in, while he's lyin' on the
Bed, say "The Lord give the greatest and the Lord give the smallest, and
Blessed be the name of the Lord, give it up, hardly anybody
Here, wants to go with me, hardly anybody
Here, wants to go with me, if nobody
Here, I'll journey on, I'm on my
Way, praise God, I'm on my way", oh

Joseph, your childrens is dead, they both come in, while he's lyin' on his
Bed, say "The Lord hath giveth, He taketh away,
Blessed be the name of the Lord that giveth, nothin' you can
Say, can change my mind, people, nothin' you can
Say, can change my mind, not either will it
Change, this heart of mine, I'm on my
Way, praise God, I'm on my way", oh

Joseph, your wife want to know, if you got your right mind, she let your place go,
Joseph looked around at his wife with a smile, "You speak as a foolish, and not as a
Wise, but there's nothin' you can
Say, can change my mind, there's nothin' you can
Say, can change my mind, not either will it
Change, this heart of mine, I'm on my
Way, praise God, I'm on my way" old

Joseph, what do you suppose? Old Satan comin' for to try your
Soul, Joseph thanked God, said, I'll clear out of the town, I'm goin' to the
Country, no sickness found. Hardly anybody
Here, wants to go with me, hardly anybody
Here, wants to go with me, if nobody
Here, I'll journey on, I'm on my
Way, praise God, I'm on my way"

REFRAIN: I'm on my way, to Canaan land, I'm on my
Way, to Canaan land, I'm on my
Way, to Canaan land, I'm on my
Way, praise God, I'm on my way

Edited 1/6/25 to pick up corrections from Blues Vintage and Doug

All best,
Johnm






     

[Blues Vintage]

I'll keep listening, tough one.

This is what i have to offer for now


He may begin most of his verses with "oh" instead of "old"

2.3 Joseph gave a shout    -Old Joe begin to shout-

3.1 Joseph your ? is dead     gals or cows?

Report came in ?

3.3 give it -all-

"here" instead of "else" for 3.4 3.5 3.6  (also for the 6th verse)

4.1 Joseph [killed] -your- childrens is dead

4.5 -ain't- instead of "people"

6.1 -Old Satan- comin' for to try your soul

6.2 take me clear out of the town ?

[Doug]

I don't know if it helps, but the lyrics are about the biblical story of Job (chapter 1), even though Blind Gussie is singing "Joseph" throughout.

In 3.1, I first heard "Joseph killed his callouses dead..."   I suspect callouses should be "cattle is." Listening to 4.1, I think both verses start with "Joseph your [catttle/children] is dead..."

For what Joseph says in verse 5, is it "not as a wife" or "not as a wise" ?  (The second is closer to the biblical story, but it might not be what is being sung)

I agree with Blues Vintage about Old Satan in verse 6.

Cheerily,

Doug

[Johnm]

Thanks so much for the help, Blues Vintage and Doug, it made a huge difference. I thought I had done fairly well, but there was so much that I had missed. I think it's really good now, based on your fixes. Thanks!