Topic: Sam McGee Lyrics

[boots]

Hi! Weenies,

In "Railroad Blues" Sam McGee sings 'here comes Deforce Bailey (or similar) on the harmonica'. This is followed what sounds like a guitar to a non-muscian . I think I've lost the plot.
Anyone got any ideas.

Boots

[Slack]

Hi Boots,

It is a guitar - this CD is just Sam McGee and his guitar.  It was a common technique, maybe a sign of virtuosity, or at least a crowd pleaser to immitate other sounds on whatever musical instruemnt you played -- train sounds, churchbells, a chicken clucking etc... in this case a harmonica - you have to use your imagination a bit.

It might make a fun topic:  Different examples of Imitatiing sounds - there are lots of examples.

Cheers,
slack

[boots]

Hi! Slack,
Thanks for your erudition & putting be back on track.

Boots

[uncle bud]

Deford Bailey was a harmonica whiz. Maybe Sam thoght he was there... 

[boots]

Deford Bailey was a harmonica whiz. Maybe Sam thoght he was there...

Thanks for the info. Nice to learn anew name.

Boots

[outfidel]

"Sam's spoken 'Here comes DeFord Bailey, now' between the second and third stanzas is a reference to one of the early Grand Ole Opry mouth-harp virtuosos, a player noted for his imitation of trains." -- Mike Seeger, liner notes to Old Timers of the Grand Ole Opry by the McGee Brothers and Arthur Smith (Folkways F2379)

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Tom Paley, who was one of the original members of the great Old-Time revivalist band, the New Lost City Ramblers, recorded a sensational version of "Railroad Blues" on their old Folkways album, "New Lost City Ramblers, vol. 3".  Gosh, it was good.  He also recorded versions of John Hurt's "Stackerlee", "Louis Collins", Clarence Greene's "Johnson City Blues".  You don't hear a lot about Tom now, I think he may be residing in Sweden or England, but he sure was a good guitar and banjo player--probably still is.
All best,
Johnm

[Alexei McDonald]

As far as I know he's still living in London, and playing old-timey music there.

[Dan Gellert]

"Sam's spoken 'Here comes DeFord Bailey, now' between the second and third stanzas is a reference to one of the early Grand Ole Opry mouth-harp virtuosos, a player noted for his imitation of trains." -- Mike Seeger, liner notes to Old Timers of the Grand Ole Opry by the McGee Brothers and Arthur Smith (Folkways F2379)

DeFord Bailey was unique among the early Opry cast, being a black man!

If you can find any of his few early sides, give them a listen. He was indeed a virtuoso, and an influence on a lot of harp blowers including Sonny Terry.? There is a CD out of some recordings made late in his life (1970s?) on which the harmonica isn't quite up to the level of his old records, but he does play some great banjo!

Dan

[Johnm]

Hi all,
This topic has been here for almost nine years, and the lyrics never have been transcribed.  Sam McGee recorded "Railroad Blues" at a session in Richmond, Indiana on August 15, 1934.  He played the song out of E position in standard tuning and boy, is it spectacular.  Sam really pulls out all the stops on the train imitations.  Seek it out if you haven't heard it before or listened to it in a while.



Went to the depot, looked up on the board
Went to the depot, looked up on the board
It read, "Good times here, but better down the road"

Loo-doo, loo-doo, loo-doo (falsetto)

Well you can't do me like you done poor Shine
You can't do me like you done poor Shine
You took poor Shine's woman, but you sure, Lord, can't take mine

SPOKEN: Here comes DeFord Bailey, now, with the harmonica .   Tom Long comes through Nashville, a load of pig iron

Where was you, mama, when the train left the shed?
Where was you, mama, when the train left the shed?
Standing in my front door, wishing I was dead

Two little monkeys, playing up in a tree
Two little monkeys, playing up in the tree
One said to the other, "Come on let's make whoopee."

SPOKEN:  Lord, Lord

I met a little gypsy in a fortune tellin' place
I met a little gypsy in a fortune tellin' place
She read my mind, then she slapped my face

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Sam McGee recorded "Salty Dog Blues" at a session in New York City on May 11, 1927.  He played guitar on the song while his brother Kirk fiddled and sang.  The song ends up being in C but starts out with a very strong A minor which it holds for a while.  The McGee's way of playing the song as been discussed in some detail in the "Harmony/Hearing Chord Changes" thread at http://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=707.msg59195#msg59195 .  The interesting thing is that the McGee's version was supposedly based on Papa Charlie Jackson's version, which is a pretty conventional circle-of-fifths raggy progression; the McGee's version is much more exotic sounding.



Won't you let me be your salty dog?
I don't want to be your man at all
REFRAIN: Salty dog, salty dog
My honey babe, just let me be your salty dog, salty dog
Salty dog, let me be your salty dog

Little pinch of powder and a little pinch of paint
Makes your complexion look what it ain't
REFRAIN: You salty dog, you salty dog
My honey babe, just let me be your salty dog, salty dog
Salty dog, let me be your salty dog

Like looking for a needle in a pile of sand
To find a woman ain't got no man
Salty dog, salty dog
Ain't but a-one thing bothers my mind
Man, all of these women and none is mine
REFRAIN: Salty dog, salty dog
My honey babe, just let me be your salty dog, salty dog
Salty dog, let me be your salty dog

Three barrels of whiskey and-a four barrels of gin
You h'ain't made it home and you can't get in
REFRAIN: You salty dog, you salty dog
My honey babe, just let me be your salty dog, salty dog
Salty dog, let me be your salty dog

Little fish, big fish swimming in the water
Come on back here, boy, and give me my quarter
REFRAIN: You salty dog, you salty dog
My honey babe, just let me be your salty dog, salty dog
Salty dog, let me be your salty dog

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Sam McGee recorded "Easy Rider" on July 25, 1928, at a session in Chicago, accompanying himself on banjo-guitar. He was one of those players like Hobart Smith who loved to play things really fast and really hard, especially at that period of his life, though he maintained that preference into his later years too, to the extent that he was able to do it. He devotes a great deal of his rendition to soloing, and occasionally goes into a sort of rhumba feel which is really cool. What a tempo he kept up for this rendition! Just listening to it, I get tired. The lyrics here just go whipping by, and if you hear something I've gotten wrong, please let me know. Here is "Easy Rider":



INTRO SOLO X 3

Standin’ on the corner with a dollar in my hand, just lookin’ for the woman ain’t got no man
REFRAIN: Oh, easy rider, don’t deny my name

SOLO X 2

Down on the river, settin’ on a log, sing the song called “Salty Dog”
REFRAIN: Oh, easy rider, don’t deny my name

SOLO

’T’ain’t but one thing bother my mind, the world’s full of women, and none of ‘em mine
REFRAIN: Easy rider, don’t deny my name

SOLO X 2

Come get your weenie, ‘cause they’re always hot, weenie in the middle and mustard on the top
REFRAIN: Easy rider, don’t deny my name

SOLO X 3

Two little chillen, lyin’ in the bed, one turned over to the other and said,
“You ain’t nothin’ but my salty dog.”

SOLO X 3

Two little chillen, playin’ in the sand, run and tell your mama, “Here the Nu-Grape man.”
REFRAIN: Easy rider, don’t deny my name

SOLO X 3

God made the woman and He made her mighty funny, juice around the mouth, just as sweet as any honey
REFRAIN: Easy rider, don’t deny my name

SOLO X 2

Well, to look a needle in a pile of sand, try to find a woman ain’t got no man
REFRAIN: Oh, easy rider, don’t deny my name

Edited 3/24 to pick up correction from Bruce Nemerov
Edited 3/26 to pick up correction from Harry

All best,
Johnm

[banjochris]

The only very minor suggestion I would offer, John is in the weenie verse it sounds more to me like "went in the middle." Such a great performance.
Chris

[Johnm]

Thanks for the help, Chris, I re-listened and have made the change. You're sure right about Sam's performance, so exciting!

[bnemerov]

Chris & John,
I'm hearing "weenie in the middle"  2nd syllable of "weenie' swallowed a bit, but clearly (to me, anyway) two beats.
Makes more sense as well. The dog's in the middle of the bun.
best,
bruce