Topic: Pete Franklin Lyrics

[Johnm]

Hi all,
"Rocky Mountains" appeared on Pete Franklin's one solo album, "The Blues of Pete Franklin--Guitar Pete's Blues", recorded on July 12, 1961 by Art Rosenbaum in Indianapolis and released on Prestige Bluesville. The album's program is split between pieces in which Pete Franklin accompanied himself on guitar and ones on which he accompanied himself on piano, of which he was also an accomplished player. For "Rocky Mountains", he accompanied himself out of E position in standard tuning, which appeared to be his favorite playing position. He was really an exciting and dynamic player, with a varied picking technique, sometimes employing flamenco-ish rasguedo strumming and occasionally hitting extravagant bends in the left hand. He definitely did not play it safe instrumentally and took a lot of curves on two wheels. He was also an expressive singer. Here is "Rocky Mountains":



INTRO

Babe, these Rocky Mountains, Lord, they way out in the West
Eeee, these Rocky Mountains, Lord, they way out in the West
I gotta leave here now, baby, this wine-head woman won't let Pete have no rest

I can't sleep, these Rocky Mountains on my mind
Eeee, I can't sleep, baby, these Rocky Mountains on my mind
I gotta leave here now, baby, woman, you keep me worried all the time

Operator, operator, what time will the next train leave here going west?
Operator, operator, what time will the next train leave here going west?
Lord, I got to leave here now-how, baby, woman, I believe that'll be the best

SOLO

Goodbye, baby, you gonna miss Pete when he's gone
Goodbye, baby, you gonna miss Pete when he's gone
I'm gon' find somebody new, woman, just to carry your lovin' on

CODA

edited 2/22 to pick up correction from Blues Vintage

All best,
Johnm

[Blues Vintage]

Sounds like Scrapper Blackwell (He lived in Indianapolis too?),

I hear "just" in that final line,

I'm gon' find somebody new, woman, says just to carry your lovin' on

[Johnm]

Thanks for the catch, Blues Vintage, I agree with you and will make the change.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Pete Franklin accompanied himself on piano, in Eb, for "My Old Lonesome Blues", which he got from Leroy Carr. I really like his piano playing, and he gets adventurous occasionally in his fills and solo. Here is "My Old Lonesome Blues:



INTRO

Did you ever wake up in the mornin', baby, your mind rollin' two different ways?
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, baby, your mind rollin' two different ways?
One mind to leave here, baby, and one mind to stay

Well now, tell me, baby, what can I do to change your mind?
Mmmmmmmmmm, what can I do to change your mind?
I could learn to love you, baby, if you'd only treat me nice and kind

Well now, tell me, woman, baby, what have I done wrong?
Mmmm, now tell me, baby, baby, what have I done wrong?
Now I tried so hard, baby, in this wide world to get along

SOLO

You told me this morning, baby, woman, to pack my rags and go
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm, told me to pack my rags and go
And as I leave here, baby, don't you bother with Pete no more

CODA

All best,
Johnm


 

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Pete Franklin opened his program on his Prestige Bluesville album "Guitar Pete's Blues" with "I Got To Find My Baby", and it's a spectacularly strong cut, for which he chose to accompany himself out of E position in standard tuning. The song was originally recorded by Doctor Clayton.  Pete Franklin's solo is a real barn burner. Here is "I Got to Find My Baby":



INTRO

Well, I searched this town, from door to door, love I crave I can't, find no more
REFRAIN: I got to find my baby, I declare I wouldn't lie
Ain't had no real good lovin', since that gal said good bye

When the sun starts sinking, I grab my hat and coat, 'cause cocaine and reefers can't reach my case no more
REFRAIN: I got to find my baby, I declare I wouldn't lie
Ain't had no real good lovin', since that gal said good bye (Spoken: I think I'll just play the blues for a while here)

SOLO (Spoken: Well, shake it up, baby. Go! Go! Go!)

When the sun start a raisin', I grab my hat and coat, because, cocaine and reefers can't reach my case no more
REFRAIN: Got to find my baby, (Spoken: I'm gon' say that twice, I might) I declare I wouldn't lie
Ain't had no real good lovin', since that girl said good bye

I don't care if it's the last thing I ever will do in my life, I'm going to find that big-legged brownskin, Lord, and make her my wife
REFRAIN: I've got to find my baby, I declare I wouldn't lie
Babe, I ain't had no real good lovin', since that gal said good bye

CODA

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Pete Franklin accompanied himself on piano in Ab  for his version of Curtis Jones' hit "Lonesome Bedroom Blues". He must have been facing away from the microphone when he began singing, but soon gets on it. Here is "Lonesome Bedroom Blues":



INTRO

Lord, it's lonesome in my bedroom, baby, woman, just for me and myself, alone
Lord, it's lonesome in my bedroom, baby, just for me and myself alone
I got no-one to love me, baby, just me and myself, alone

Lord, my room is nice and clean, baby, that don't mean one thing to me
Lord, my room is nice and clean, baby, that don't mean one thing to me
I just need some sweet woman, just to come and keep my company

The woman that I was lovin', I don't know what she is going to do
Lord, the woman I am lovin', I don't know what she is going to do
Lord, she act just like the March wind, she always keep me feeling blue

SOLO

Lord, you go your way, baby, woman, I'll get along somehow
Lord, you just go your way, baby, baby, and I'll get along somehow
I used to be a fool about you woman, woman, but that's all over now

CODA

All best,
Johnm
   

[Johnm]

Hi all,
For his cover of Georgia Tom's [correction from Thomas8] "Grievin' Me", Pete Franklin once again chose E position in standard tuning. Once again, Pete Franklin plays a stellar solo. Here is his performance:



INTRO

Well now, I went down on the corner, with my shotgun in my hand, goin' to kill my woman 'cause she's with another man
REFRAIN: You know it's grievin' me, yes, it's grievin' me
I'm gonna pack my suitcase, beat it back to Tennessee

T for Texas, T for Tennessee, I ain't after your woman, man, Lord, she's after me
REFRAIN: You know it's grievin' me, yes, it's grievin' me
I'm gonna pack my suitcase, beat it back to Tennessee

Sister's in the basement, Papa's has got the rug, Brother got the stopper, Lord, and Grandpa got the jug
REFRAIN: You know it's grievin' me, yes, it's grievin' me
I'm gonna pack my suitcase, baby, beat it back to Tennessee

Well now, they cal me Pretty Papa, from 29th Street, and my style of lovin', baby, I swear, can't be beat
REFRAIN: You know it's grievin' me, mmmm, it's grievin' me
Babe, I'm gonna pack my suitcase, beat it back to Tennessee

SOLO

I'm gon' sing this verse, baby, and I ain't gonna sing no more, they call me Pretty Papa and I swear I got to go
REFRAIN: You know it's grievin' me, yes, it's grievin' me
I'm going to pack my suitcase, baby, beat it back to Tennessee

CODA

All best,
Johnm

   

[eric]

I really like Pete's playing and singing, I wasn't aware he had so much material out there (thanks Art Rosenbaum).

[Thomas8]

Grievin' me is a Georgia Tom song

[Johnm]

Good catch, Thomas. Georgia Tom did have the first recording out of it, for which he was joined by Tampa Red. I don't know which one of the two wrote it, but there is publishing on it still, perhaps.

I couldn't agree more with your thanks to Art Rosenbaum, Eric. Without his work in the late '50s and early '60s, we might have missed out altogether on post-rediscovery Scrapper Blackwell, Pete Franklin, Shirley Griffith and J. T. Adams.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Pete Franklin accompanied himself on piano in Ab for "Six White Horses", which is neither a version of "See That My Grave Is Kept Clean" or "St. James Infirmary". He has some beautiful ideas in his solo, and the way he anticipates the V chord is really pretty. Here is his rendition of "Six White Horses":



INTRO

Baby, it's six white horses, marching side by side
Six white horses, mmm, woman, marching side by side
They done stole my baby, Lord, now I guess they satisfied

When I die, baby, woman, please don't wear no black
When I die, baby, woman, please don't wear no black
I want you come down Indiana Avenue, six white horses tacklin' back

SOLO

Six white horses, with a coach all painted black
Six white horses with a coach all painted black
They takin' your daddy to a place, where he ain't never comin' back

When I die, baby, dig my grave with a silver spade
When I die, baby, dig my grave with a silver spade
Just fall on your knees and pray, forgive him for the mistakes I made

CODA

Edited 3/3 to pick up corrections from Old Man Ned, Blues Vintage and waxwing

All best,
Johnm

[Old Man Ned]

Hi John,

Thanks for posting the Pete Franklin recording of "Six White Horses". It's beautiful.

On the last line of the 2nd verse I'm hearing 'six white horses' between "Indiana Avenue" and  "tacklin' back"

All the Best,
Ned

[Johnm]

Yup, I hear that too, Old Man Ned, thanks for the catch. I will make the correction.

[Blues Vintage]

In verse three I hear;

Six white horses, with a coach all painted black

All instead of a for 3.1 for sure

[waxwing]

I want you to come down to Indiana Avenue

Wax

[Johnm]

Thanks Blues Vintage and waxwing for the catches. I have made the corrections you suggested.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Pete Franklin accompanied himself on the piano in Db for his beautiful rendition of "Black Gal". The lyrics paint a conflicted state. Here is "Black Gal":



INTRO

Babe, I woke up this mornin', Lord, when I woke up this mornin', couldn't even get out of my bed
Baby, I woke up this mornin', woke up this mornin', couldn't even get out of my bed
I thought about my sweet black woman, Lord, and it almost killed me dead

I cried, "Lord, have mercy, oh Lord, have mercy. Where in the wide world can that black gal be?
Oh Lord, have mercy, mmmmm-mmm-hmmm, where in the wide world can that black gal be?
She's no-good, black and evil, Lord, but I swear she means the world and all to me."

She may be over to her mama's, she may be over at her mama's, Lord, and she may be out with somebody else
She may be home with her mama, mmmmmm-hmmm, home with her mama, and she may be out with somebody else
But I ain't gon' take no doggone chances, 'til I have that black gal all by myself

SOLO

She caught that Katy, Lord, she caught that Katy, Lord, and I swung on behind
She caught that Katy, mm-mm-mm-hmm, she caught that Katy, Lord, and I swung on behind
I'm gonna get that sweet black woman, or else lose my black life tryin'

Yes, I'm going to have her, yes, I said I'm gon' have her, everyone in Indianapolis knows
Yes, I'm gonna have her, mmm-hmmm, everyone in Indianapolis knows
I'm going to have that sweet black woman or else, take my switchblade and cut her no-good throat

CODA

Edited 3/6 to pick up correction from Blues Vintage

All best,
Johnm


 

[Blues Vintage]

Playing piano in Db, that's tough.

I don't hear "but" in 2.3

5.1   I swear said I'm gon' have her,

[Johnm]

Thanks for the suggestions, Blues Vintage. I hear "but" clearly in 1.3, but I agree with your catch in the first line of the last verse and have made that change. Thanks.

[Blues Vintage]

I noted 2.3 not 1.3

She's no-good, black and evil, Lord, but I

[Johnm]

I mis-typed 1.3, but meant 2.3. I still hear "but" clearly in between "Lord" and "I". I'm not changing that.

[Blues Vintage]

Re-listening, I agree.