Topic: Julius Daniel Lyrics

[Norfolk Slim]

No wonder I struggled to figure it out 

In my defence- I've only heard it once on the juke- and it dropped out a couple of times! 

There certainly seems to be some interesting melody picking- and the Smither version shifts the alternating bass about a bit as well...  I'll have to sit down and listen very carefully.

[frankie]

Daniel was born in Denmark, S.C., in 1902, but moved to Pineville, N.C., near Charlotte at 10 years old. Bruce Bastin says that Daniels lived in Charlotte working at menial jobs until he died in 1947 from heart failure. All of his recordings were done in Atlanta, in Feb and Oct 1927 (hence the inclusion on this compilation I guess). Also according to the liner notes, Paul Oliver outlined the roots of 99 Year Blues in the notes to Matchbox LP MSE-219 (don't know what that is by name) and connects it to "Reuben," "The Longest Train," and "900 Miles".

I was just thinking the other day of 99 Year Blues and that I felt the melody was a dead ringer for another tune...  it wasn't "Train That Carried the Girl From Town," but something else and it was really nagging at me.  Later, it dawned on me that the tune I was hearing in my head was JP Nestor's "Train On The Island."  Interestingly, the similarity seems not to have eluded Harry Smith.  Those tunes seem much more related to me than 99 Year Blues and any version of Reuben that I've heard.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I am having to get the lyrics to "Ninety-Nine Year Blues, Take 2".  I've found it on the JSP "Atlanta Blues" set.  It's hard to tell from the front end of this thread if a consensus was ever reached as to the lyrics.  Here's what I have for Take 2.  If anyone would care to check it, I'd very much appreciate it.  It's interesting that on Take 1, Julius Daniel inadvertently starts the song with the opening of the third verse, catches himself and instantly switches to the opening verse.  What a tremendous song and performance, both takes, so strong, and great singing!  Here is "Ninety-Nine Year Blues, Take 2":



   Bring me my pistol, three rounds of ball
   I'm gonna kill everybody whopped the poor boy along
   Poor boy along, poor boy along, poor boy along

   On a Monday I was arrested, on a Tuesday I was tried
   And the judge found me guilty and I hung my head and cried
   Lord, and cried, Lord, and cried, Lord, and cried, Lord, and cried

   SOLO

   Says, I asked the judge what would be my fine,
   Says, "A pick and a shovel way down Joe Brown's coal mine."
   Coal mine, coal mine, coal mine, coal mine, coal mine

   SOLO

   "Be light on me, judge, I ain't been here before.
   "Give you ninety-nine years, don't come back here no more."
   No more, no more, no more, no more, my Lord

   SOLO

   "Be light on me, judge, ain't been here before."
   "Give you ninety-nine years, don't come back here no more."
   No more, no more, no more, my Lord, no more

   SOLO

All best,
Johnm

   

[creaminjaysquawkins]

From memory (!) the second line runs:

"I'm gonna kill everybody walked this poor boy's log"

JN.

[phhawk]

Johnm, After listening to this a number of times, (I have take 2), I think you are pretty close. I'm still not sure wether the start is "I bring my pistol" or "I ----- my pistol" but I'm sure that "I" is the first word. Anyway, here's how I hear it. You'll notice a few changes. 

I bring my pistol, three rounds of ball
go'in kill everbody, whopped the poor boy along  (I'm relatively sure that part is right)
poor boy along, poor boy along, poor boy along

On a Monday I was a'rested, on a Tuesday I was tried
Judge found me guilty and I hung my head and cried,
Lord and cried, Lord and cried, Lord and cried, Lord and cried, Lord and cried

Judge, what'll be my fine
Says, "A pick and a shovel way down Joe Brown's coal mine."
Coal mine, coal mine, coal mine, coal mine, coal mine

Be light on me judge, ain't been here before
Give ya ninety nine years, don't come back here no more
No more, no more, no more no more, my Lord

Be light on me judge, I ain't been here before
Give ya ninety years, don't come back here no more
No more, no more, my Lord

[Johnm]

Thanks for the help, Phil.  I'll re-listen and compare one more time (at least) and make the necessary changes.
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I've particularly enjoyed this performance for a while.  It was recorded in Atlanta in February, 1927.  For the song, the duo employed the same playing set-up as did the Beale Street Sheiks on many of their records:  Daniel plays out of G position in standard tuning, sounding at B flat, and Torrence accompanies out of C position tuned a whole step low.  Their duet sound is terrific, and both guitarists vary their playing a lot.  Julius Daniel was a wonderful singer, and it's interesting to run into some unfamiliar verses.  Here is "My Mama Was A Sailor":



   My mama was a sailor, she loved the ocean wide
   Lord, my mama was a sailor, she loved the ocean wide
   She ride top and bottom, sometime on the side

   Says I'm goin' uptown, want me to bring you back?
   Says, I'm goin' uptown now, honey, what you want me to bring you back?
   Says, a box-tail coat and a high priced Stetson hat

   Lord, I told Mr. Russell, "Don't you broke my plow."
   Said, I told Mr. Russell, "Don't you broke my plow."
   Says, he got bull-headed and broke it off anyhow

   SOLO

   Standin' on the corner, talkin' with my brown
   Standin' on the corner, talkin' with my brown
   Up stepped a policeman, hit both of us down

   Honey, now where was you when 30 blows for town?
   Honey, now where was you when 30 blows for town?
   Standin' on the corner, teasin' with my brown

   Lord, a low-down fireman, dirty engineer
   Lord, a low-down fireman, dirty engineer
   Say, they took my brown, left me standing here

   All you jealous men try to keep your women tied
   All you jealous men try to keep your women tied
   If they flag my train, I sure gonna let them ride

   If anybody asks you, who composed the song
   If anybody asks you, who composed the song
   Tell 'em Julius Daniels done been here and gone.

Edited 6/19 to pick up correction from Johnm

All best,
Johnm

[blueshome]

Sweet melody.

Is it "high crown Stetson"? I'm not sure what I hear , but makes sense.

[Johnm]

You're right, Phil, "high crown" makes a lot more sense than "high brown" in describing a Stetson hat.  I unfortunately left the disc on which I have this song in Seattle when I came back home to Bellingham yesterday, so I can't re-listen for a little bit.  I originally had "high bride", which made no sense at all.  Anyone else care to give it a listen, too?

Re the melody, I agree it's a beauty.  I like everything about this duo's music--their material, the way they sing and play.  They strike a balance between looseness and tightness that seems just about perfect to me.
All best,
Johnm

[Richard]

Great song, by sheer coincidence I was so taken with it I played it several times last week   

[Johnm]

Hi all,
An .mp3 of the song was kindly sent to me (thanks, Stuart!) and I think I've heard the two words I was missing.  I believe it is a high PRICED Stetson hat, and he was TEASIN', not "peepin" with his brown.
All best,
Johnm

[Stumblin]

Which album is this on?
I used to have Daniel's "sweeter than sugar cane" song on tape, yes, I'm that old!
How many sides did Julius Daniel make? Was he ever subjected to the new-fangled process of photography?
While the moon am a shiinin',
And my heart am a twinin' etc.
Sublime. I must find his complete extant recordings. Kindly assist me in this endeavour.

[Johnm]

Hi Andy,
I don't know which Document CD Julius Daniel's recordings can be found on, but all of his recordings are available on the JSP "Atlanta Blues" set, which also includes all of Peg Leg Howell's recordings, and a lot of other outstanding stuff.
All best,
Johnm

[Stuart]

I have it on both the JSP "Atlanta Blues" set that John mentioned:

http://www.amazon.com/Atlanta-Blues-Various-Artists/dp/B0009XPB0W

and the Catfish "East Coast Blues" CD set. Stefan has a page on Julius Daniels:

http://www.wirz.de/music/daniefrm.htm

Document has it on:

http://www.document-records.com/fulldetails.asp?ProdID=DOCD-5160

[Stumblin]

Oh, my memory had played me false - again!
I now see from the above info that the song I was thinking of is by Lil McClintock.
That was a great cassette until it wore out/went obsolete.
I'll get that JSP set soonish, thanks for the tip off.