Topic: Papa Charlie Jackson Lyrics

[uncle bud]

Hello all,

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)

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

[Papa John]

Thanks Uncle Bud!

I've listened to the missing verse several times and I've now got this:

Now who in the ham and the confoundation
Been sowing them potatoes on my plantation
You salty dog, you salty dog


Potatoes makes sense but, if that is the word, it's an odd pronunciation.  I think he sings 'ham' to replace the curse word 'hell'

Papa John

[mr mando]

I always thought I heard:

Now who WAS the ham WITH the ROUND foundation
Been sowing them potatoes on my plantation
You salty dog, you salty dog

Now the scaredest I ever been in my life,
Uncle Bud, THE NIGHT HE caught me kissin' his wife
You salty dog, you salty dog

Now if this was a coffee pot and that was the spout
I?ll be the waiter BOY to pour the coffee out
You salty dog, mama, you salty dog

[banjochris]

I hear this pretty clearly:

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

[Stumblin]

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 

[uncle bud]

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

[Stumblin]

Thanks.
That's been driving me nuts for a few days.

[banjochris]

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

[uncle bud]

Yes, I think that's it, Chris.

[uncle bud]

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

[banjochris]

Reasonably confident of the first two suggestions, less so for the last one.


That's the last dime, don't you call or write

Lucy Mae's a woman...

Now I'm so glad that the dog can't talk
You can't give a steak for his mornin' walk

[uncle bud]

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.

[banjochris]

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.

[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.

[uncle bud]

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.