The piano may do for lovesick girls who lace themselves to skeletons, and lunch on chalk, pickles, and slate pencils. But give me the banjo... When you want genuine music - music that will come right home to you like a bad quarter, suffuse your system like strychnine whiskey . . . ramify your whole constitution like the measles, and break out on your hide like the pin-feather pimples on a picked goose - when you want all this, just smash your piano, and invoke the glory-beaming banjo! - Mark Twain, Early Tales and Sketches, Vol 2 (1864-65)
Could I have your collective help in the lyrics to Salty Dog Blues. Here is what I have so far. Any help with the blanks or any corrections would be appreciated. I'm very unsure about the whisky, gin verse.
Salty Dog Blues (Take 2) Papa Charlie Jackson, Document Vol 1
Won?t you let me be your salty dog I don?t want to be your man at all You salty dog, you salty dog Oh honey babe, let me be your salty dog You salty dog, mama you salty dog
Said it ain?t but the one thing grieves my mind All these women and none is mine You salty dog, you salty dog
Why don?t you let me be your salty dog I don?t want to be your man at all You salty dog, mama you salty dog
Said little fish, big fish, swimming in the water, Come on back here man, and give me my quarter, You salty dog, you salty dog
Why don?t you let me be your salty dog I don?t want to be your man at all You salty dog, mama you salty dog
Just like hunting for a needle in a bed of sand Trying to find a woman hasn?t got no man You salty dog, you salty dog
I would say some of the occurrences of "you salty dog" above are probably "your salty dog", more like "yoor" with the 'r' bering swallowed. Minor quibble, could be wrong.
Three BARRELS OF YOUR whisky, four BARRELS of gin SAID THE HEADKNOCKER'S HOME AND you can?t come in You salty dog, mama you salty dog
(Re. the above, compare Papa Charlie's Coffee Pot Blues)
Quote
Now ..................... lady Been sowing ............. on my plantation You salty dog, you salty dog
Can't figure out the above at the moment, perhaps someone else can, although it is a variation of a rude verse from, ahem, Uncle Bud, something about a turd on pa's plantation.
Now the SCAREDEST I ever been in my life, Uncle Bud MIGHT?? to caught me kissin' his wife You salty dog, you salty dog
(Not sure about might)
Now if this was a coffee pot and that was the spout I?ll be the waiter FOR TO?? pour the coffee out You salty dog, mama, you salty dog
Now who in the ham and the confound nation, Turned them taters on my plantation, You salty dog, you salty dog [turned meaning dug up, in other words stole]
Now the scaredest I ever been in my life, Uncle Bud like to caught me kissin' his wife, You salty dog, you salty dog [you can hear this quite clearly on the version with Freddie Keppard also]
Now if this was a coffee pot and that was a spout [he slips and says sprout] I?ll be the waitin' boy to pour the coffee out You salty dog, mama, you salty dog Chris
What about the first verse of Baby, Don't You Be So Mean? Can anyone hear the words at all? I'm just trying to work out a uke & kazoo version, just for the halibut. Any help appreciated, ta
« Last Edit: July 18, 2020, 10:22:52 PM by Johnm »
I got a gal, nice and [lean??] Meanest gal ever have seen She ain't good lookin' but she do go ['tween??] Aw baby, don't you be so mean Darling, baby, mama don't you be so mean
I got a gal, nice and [lean??] Meanest gal ever have seen She ain't good lookin' but she do go ['tween??] Aw baby, don't you be so mean Darling, baby, mama don't you be so mean
I don't have access to the song at the moment (at work), but the third line is in other songs as "ain't good lookin' but she do go clean" -- could that be it? Chris
I believe Papa Charlie cut the first recorded version of Spoonful, no? Text in square brackets is very dubious and any help appreciated.
All I Want Is a Spoonful - Papa Charlie Jackson Chicago, c. September, 1925 C position
I told you once, this makes twice That's last dime, don't you call or write 'Cause all I want, honey babe, is just a spoonful Spoonful
You can brown your gravy, fry your steak Sweet mama, don't make no mistake 'Cause all I want, honey babe, is just a spoonful Spoonful
Just as sure as the winter follows the fall There ain't no one woman got it all 'Cause all I want, honey babe, is just a spoonful Spoonful
Lucy Mae's a woman that you can't understand Well she's lookin' for you or a monkey man 'Cause all I want, honey babe, is just a spoonful Spoonful
Now, cool kind mama, says you needn't to stall Throw it out the window, I'll catch it 'fore it falls 'Cause all I want, sweet mama, is just a spoonful Spoonful
I got the blues so bad, I couldn't sleep last night My cool kind mama want to fuss and fight 'Cause all I want, sweet mama, is just a spoonful Spoonful
Now I'm so glad that the dog can't talk If you [can, keep him/it/'er staked, save a morning walk] 'Cause all I want, sweet mama, is just a spoonful Spoonful
Now if you don't believe that I can run mighty fast Ask that man that run me last 'Cause all I want, honey babe, is just a spoonful Spoonful
edited to pick up corrections from banjochris and dj
« Last Edit: July 18, 2020, 10:23:40 PM by Johnm »
Thanks, Chris, sounds right to me on the first two. The dog verse is close but not quite there yet I think. I am hearing "You can't give him a steak [?? ??] morning walk" now. It sounds like he sings something like "say" after steak. Not sure what.
Thanks, Chris, sounds right to me on the first two. The dog verse is close but not quite there yet I think. I am hearing "You can't give him a steak [?? ??] morning walk" now. It sounds like he sings something like "say" after steak. Not sure what.
I agree, I had the same problem on that one. Going back once again, I think the second line might be something like "If you can't give him steak save a morning walk," meaning his dog has to be bribed to go out - might not be right but at least it's closer to the sounds on the record.
Jeez I wish I had to bribe my dog to go out for a walk, I can't imagine what that's like. On that basis I'd guess it's something else, never met a dog like that.
« Last Edit: November 09, 2010, 07:25:28 PM by Rivers »
Jeez I wish I had to bribe my dog to go out for a walk, I can't imagine what that's like. On that basis I'd guess it's something else, never met a dog like that.
True, although who knows what Papa Charlie is actually referring to.
Chris, it's close enough for me now that I'm putting it in until something that convinces us more comes along.