Now I am going to make a statement here. I don't know whether it fits into the category of other people's statements or not. But whether it fits into their category or whether it doesn't, it obviously fits into some category. So in that respect, it is no different from their statements. However, let me try making my statement... - Chuang Tzu: Basic Writings, Translated by Burton Watson (New York: Columbia University Press, 1964)
Hi all, For "Piggly Wiggly", Lil' Son Jackson accompanied himself out of A position in standard tuning, capoed up, and worked in a duo setting with a drummer. It's a cool sound and would be worth exploring by other players. Is this song a cover? I know Bessie Jackson sang a song that alluded to Piggly Wiggly, but don't know if her song was entitled "Piggly Wiggly" or mentioned that grocery franchise in more than one verse.
INTRO
Yes, my name is Piggly Wiggly, got-a groceries all on my shelf Yes my name is Piggly Wiggly, got-a groceries all on my shelf I got a sign on my door, "You can come in and help yourself"
I got the sale on tomorrow, baby, please come out my way I got a sale on tomorrow, baby, please come out my way I want you to be my best customer and come back every day
SOLO
I got cream in my icebox, got meat that's good to go I got cream in my icebox, got meat that's good to go Baby, you try my good groceries, you will sure be back for more
SOLO
All best, Johnm
« Last Edit: November 16, 2014, 03:14:23 PM by Johnm »
Jackson's (Lucille Bogan's) version is called "Groceries on the Shelf" and has quite a few Piggly Wiggly references, but Lil Son's verses are different. Only the first verse is similar. Chris
Lil' Son Jackson's version of Piggly Wiggly shares a general melodic idea and the first two lines of the first verse with "Specks" McFadden's 1937 version of Groceries On The Shelf (Piggly Wiggly). If Mcfadden's song was the source for Jackson's Piggly Wiggly, I'd guess that Jackson had heard it years before and only vaguely remembered it.
By the way, McFadden's Groveries On The Shelf/Piggly Wiggly was apparently a pretty big hit. He recorded 4 versions of it between 1929 and 1937.
Thanks dj and banjochris for the information. Piggly Wiggly is such a great name--it was made for blues lyrics, sort of like Goo Goo Cluster or Coca Cola.
« Last Edit: February 21, 2014, 04:06:45 PM by Johnm »
Hi all, Lil' Son Jackson accompanied himself out of A position in standard tuning for his recording of "Messin' Up". This is a remarkable song and performance in so many ways. First of all, it is a story song, something you don't encounter all that frequently in blues lyrics. Secondly, it is structurally innovative. Each verse opens with a lyric break, with Lil' Son singing right across the first four bars. In the remainder of the form, he then sings essentially the same lyrics, but taking eight bars to sing them. It is a tough, tough story, but it has an unfortunate ring of truth. And it's a devil for compression; the whole thing delivers in 2:33. I'll attach the rendition here:
I went up on the mountain, see what Paul Kelly done Well, he shot his woman and he refused to run I went up on the mountain, just to see what Paul Kelly done Well now, you know he shot his woman, and he refused to run
I say, "Kelly, ain't you sorry?" The poor boy shook his head He said, "The way she been messin' up, Son, know she oughta be dead." I said, "Kelly, ain't you sorry?", and the poor boy shook his head He said, "The way she been messin' up, you know, she oughta be dead."
I say, "You got yourself in trouble. Don't you know, "Thou shalt not kill."?" He said, "The less you say to me, Son, the better I feel." "Now, you have got yourself in trouble. Don't you know, "Thou shalt not kill."?" He said, "The less you say to me, Son, well now, the better it make me feel."
Hi all, Lil' Son Jackson backed himself out of A position in standard tuning for his "Rocky Road". As with most of his Imperial tracks, it is quite short. For someone whose lyrics are interesting, like Lil' Son, this ends up being a shame. He takes a beautiful solo on this one.
This rocky road I travel, I begun when I was six years old This rocky road I travel, I begun when I was six years old You know, I didn't have no friend or no relation, people, I didn't have no place to go
You know, I often wonder when I wasn't nothin' but a child People, you know, I often wonder when I wasn't nothin' but a child Now, why should I keep on living when life didn't seem worthwhile
SOLO
Look like everybody in this world was down on me Well, look like everybody in this world was down on me Until one day I met a little girl, and they call her Sadie Lee
Hi all, Lil' Son Jackson accompanied himself out of A position in standard tuning, capoed up, for his recording of "Wondering Blues". At least in a statistical sense, A position looks to have worked out as his favorite playing position, though his more striking sound may arguably be said to be his playing in the DGDGBE tuning. His lyrical stance reminds me a bit of Clifford Gibson's, really blue, and most often coming from a place of no power. Those no power blues are the bluest blues, I think.
INTRO
You know, a little girl, she caught the Katy, she caught the Katy, well now, she left here a-flying You know, my little girl, she caught the Katy, she caught the Katy well man, she left here flying Well now, you know, she left me at the station, I was hangin' my head and cryin'
Sometime I wonder, I wonder will she come back home You know, sometime I wonder, I wonder, wonder will she come back home Well now, she left me without a cause, man, I haven't even done nothin' wrong
SOLO
Maybe the day that she left, man, she wa'n't even payin' me no mind Well now, the day she left, man, she wa'n't even payin' me no mind Well now, you know, I want to go to my little baby, but I swear I gotta take my time
Hi all, Lil Son Jackson backed himself out of DGDGBE tuning for "Confession", and it is a rocking tune. This is another one that sounds like it could be a cover. The words have a great rhythmic flow that dovetails beautifully with the groove. Here is Lil' Son's performance:
SOLO
Baby, here I stand before you with my heart all in my hand I'm confessin' that I love you, hope that you will understand It's the truth, baby? Well, I wouldn't tell you no lie Well now, if I do not love you, sho' enough, I hope to die
Oh, when those days are dark and dreary and the sun refuse to shine Well, I never be blue and lonely if I knowed that you was mine That's the truth, baby. Well now, love me all the time Well now, I never be blue and lonely if I knowed that you was mine
Yes, I woke up early this mornin' and I was cryin' on my head I could see you leavin', baby, and I almost thought I was dead That was true, baby. Well, I wouldn't tell you no lie Well now, if I do not love you, sho' enough, I hope to die
This is another one that sounds like it could be a cover.
Confession is based on Jay McShann's Confessin' The Blues. The first line of the first verse is identical melodically and lyrically, then Jackson goes his own way with the lyrics.
Thanks for that information, dj. I was reasonably certain I'd heard the front end of the song somewhere before and your answer shows where I did. Thanks! All best, Johnm
Hi all, Lil' Son Jackson accompanied himself out of E position in standard tuning on "Two Timin' Woman", and he got a spooky sound, especially in his intro, by heavily emphasizing the II or IX note, F#, at the second fret of his first string relative to his playing position, in the runs he was playing. It's an illustration, in a way, of how little you need to expand the customary blues scale vocabulary to get interesting and novel sounds. And it may be that the continuation of the music having an identifiable blues sound is dependent to some extent on not enlarging that blues scale vocabulary too much all at once. Structurally, the song is unusual. The first verse follows a routine AAB lyric phrasing, but then is excerpted, in its second and third lines to provide a chorus for the subsequent verses, each of which starts with a lyric break over its first four bars. As per usual in such instances, the chorus arrives along with the IV chord.
INTRO
Hey, hey, hey, pretty mama, baby, you can't two-time me Hey, hey, hey, pretty mama, baby, you can't two-time me Well now, you just well's to be fishin', for catfish in the deep blue sea
You know, when I first met you, baby, it was plain to see That you was my type of woman, but we just can't agree REFRAIN: Hey, hey, hey, pretty mama, baby, you can't two-time me Well now, you just well's to be fishin', for catfish in the deep blue sea
Now when you do your jivin', baby, you know, you do it 'most too bold Now, you know, when two horses don't pull together, they can't pull no heavy load REFRAIN: Hey, hey, hey, pretty mama, baby, you can't two-time me Well now, you just well's to be fishin', for catfish in the deep blue sea
Hi all, Lil' Son Jackson accompanied himself out of A position in standard tuning for "Young Woman's Blues". He takes no solo on this song, which was unusual for him. Robert Curtis Smith covered this song on his album on Prestige Bluesville, and if I remember correctly, even seemed to make an effort to capture something of Lil' Son's vocal sound.
Get you a real, real young woman, if you feel yourself growing old Oh, get you a real, real young woman, if you feel yourself growing old She will build you up where you torn down, Man, I, how in the world can you grow cold?
Boys, you know I'm a old, old man, oh yes, you know, I bound to know Yes, I'm a old man, boys, you know, I bound to know Well now, she will act so sweet she will thrill you any place you go
She will cook your breakfast and bring it to your bed She will cook your breakfast, she will bring it to your bed Boy, now, don't be nobody's fool, and don't let that swell your head
I say, get you a young, young woman, if you feel yourself growing old I say, get you a young, young woman, if you feel yourself growing old Well now, you know, she'll build up where you torn down, how in the world can you grow old?
Hi all, Lil' Son Jackson accompanied himself out of E position in standard tuning for his version of "Doctor, Doctor". Apart from his intro, his guitar is relegated strictly to an accompaniment role. I need to re-listen to Henry Townsend's version of "Doctor, Doctor" to see how similar his lyrics were to Lil' Son's. After checking Henry Townsend's lyrics, it turns out the sentiment of his song is pretty much identical to Lil' Son's, but his way of putting things is different, so Lil' Son's recording can't really be called a cover of Henry's song.
INTRO
Doctor, doctor, doctor, doctor, what can I do for myself? Doctor, doctor, doctor, what can I do for myself? Well now, you know, I ain't got no friends, well now, I know I need your help
Yes, I feel so lonesome, well now, seem like I'm gonna do Yes, I feel so lonesome, well now, seem like that I'm going to fade Because I need your help this morning, what can I do to be saved?
Well now, doctor, doctor, doctor, what could my trouble be? Well now, doctor, doctor, doctor, what could my trouble be? Well now, you know, my health ain't bad, my heart is all in misery
Well now, go and get my baby, bring her right back to me Go and get my baby, bring her right back to me Well now, that is the onliest thing, doctor, will make my poor life free
All best, Johnm
« Last Edit: February 27, 2014, 01:05:47 PM by Johnm »
Hi all, Lil' Son Jackson backed himself out of A position in standard tuning, capoed up, for his version of "Prison Bound", which is not the oft-covered Leroy Carr song of the same title. His version was shortened, for he was not given time to complete his last verse. The phrase "well, they locked me to a friend" really sticks in the mind.
If you see my little woman, while you're travelin' 'round, over town If you see my little woman, while travelin' 'round over town Tell there the last time you saw me, baby, I was prisoner bound
They lied [sic] my hands behind me, well, they locked me to a friend They tied my hands behind me, well, they locked me to a friend Tellin', my hearts was so much sorrow, I believed that was the end
Take these stripe from 'round me, and these chains from 'round my leg Git these stripe from 'round me, and these chains from 'round my leg Well, the stripes do not hurt me, but these chains 'bout to kill me dead
Hi all, Lil' Son Jackson played "New Year's Resolution" out of E position, standard tuning. Despite the song's title, Lil' Son says "New Year revolution" every time he uses the phrase in the song. Like "Two Timin' Woman", "New Year's Resolution" uses the lyrics of the first verse to make what ends up being a refrain for the subsequent verses, each of which has a stop-time lyric break at its front end. Lil' Son plays the song as a one-chorder.
I made a New Year revolution [sic], and I just opened it up today I made a New Year revolution, and I just opened it up today Well now, listen carefully, baby, into every word is said
You know, I promised I would quit drinkin', and stayin' out late at night Now don't worry, little baby, everything will be all right REFRAIN: Now, I made a New Year revolution, and I just opened it up today Well now, you know, I want you to listen closely, to every word is said
You know, I promised myself in secret, that I would live a better life So I can always be happy, baby, every Christmas with my wife REFRAIN: I made a New Year revolution, and I just opened it up today Well now, you know, I want you to listen closely, to every word is said
You know, I promised, baby, to never blow my top no more So I can have a friend now, darling, now any place I go REFRAIN: I made a New Year revolution, and I just opened it up today Well now, you know, I want you to listen closely, to every word is said