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This song was covered by a famous rock and roll musician who became a folk singer because he can afford to - Roy Book Binder, introducing Delia, a Gary Davis song

Author Topic: Frank Stokes Lyrics  (Read 96750 times)

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Offline PattonsDaimon

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Re: Frank Stokes Lyrics
« Reply #300 on: March 27, 2016, 06:25:12 PM »
John,

Going all the way back to your "Stomp That Thing" post, you have the first line of the first verse as:

Now, my sons got tight, they won't treat me right

I have always heard:

Now, the law got tight, they won't treat me right

Thanks for this wonderful thread, and for anyone who loves Frank's music, please consider contributing to the Mt Zion fund for Frank's gravestone, funding for which is currently being requested. Link below:

http://www.mtzionmemorialfund.org/p/donate.html

Best,
Jon
« Last Edit: March 27, 2016, 06:27:40 PM by PattonsDaimon »
"To be is to be the value of a bound variable." -- W.V. Quine

Offline Johnm

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Re: Frank Stokes Lyrics
« Reply #301 on: March 28, 2016, 09:19:11 AM »
Hi PattonsDaimon,
I hope folks do contribute for Frank Stokes' headstone.  I am definitely not hearing "law got tight" in "Stomp That Thing", there doesn't appear to be any "l" sound at the front of the word at all, and it concludes with an "s" sound.  Re-listening just now, it sounds much more like:
    Now, my SONG'S got tight, they won't treat me right

All best,
Johnm

Offline One-Eyed Ross

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Re: Frank Stokes Lyrics
« Reply #302 on: April 05, 2016, 10:05:46 AM »
I agree, "songs got tight" is what it sounds like....and for those of us that have played the streets know all too well that the whiskey can keep the songs from being right.....
SSG, USA, Ret

She looked like a horse eating an apple through a wire fence.

Offline Chezztone

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    • Steve Cheseborough 1920s-30s-style blues
Re: Frank Stokes Lyrics
« Reply #303 on: April 28, 2016, 02:47:20 PM »
On "Frank Stokes' Dream," I'm pretty sure it's
     I wouldn't have a motherless dollar to give your houserent man.
People who wrote here that they heard it as "motless" were on the right track!
If you think about the previous line together with this as a verse:
     Ever dream that you're lucky, and wake up cold in hand?
     I wouldn't have a motherless dollar to give your house-rent man.
I think what he is saying that he (or you, it's inconsistent in the second line, I wonder if he meant to sing "I...my" or "You...your") woke up so broke, despite dreaming about being lucky, that he doesn't have even one "motherless" (= "damn") dollar for rent. "My last" doesn't quite make sense. "Mamlish" does make sense, as it is an intensifier like "motherless," but the recording is clear, I give the nod to "motherless" on the combination of logical and aural evidence. Cheers, Chezz

Offline banjochris

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Re: Frank Stokes Lyrics
« Reply #304 on: April 28, 2016, 03:38:00 PM »
Agree on "motherless" and "song's got tight" both.
Chris

Offline Chezztone

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Re: Frank Stokes Lyrics
« Reply #305 on: May 18, 2016, 09:56:59 PM »
Speaking of Frank Stokes...Mike Brosnan took a crack at "Downtown Blues" Take 1 a while ago on this thread. But I don't see any suggestions or corrections. Here is my take on that song, similar to Mike's fine job but with a few differences:



Downtown Blues, take 1
Frank Stokes

(inst.)

And I don't drink whiskey but I'm crazy 'bout my beer
And I don't drink whiskey but I'm crazy 'bout my beer
This is 1928 and it must be a brand new year

And if I's younger I'd take me to your back door
Ah, now I?d take me to your back door
As the times get rough I ain't gon' make the trip no more

(inst.)

And I'm goin' downtown, gon' stay 'round there 'til dark
And I'm goin' downtown, gon? stay 'round there 'til dark
You don't like my treatment you can make you another start

And I'm sittin' right here, now, look straight in your face
And I'm sittin' right here, now, look straight in your face
If you gon' do better, girl, it's time for to you make haste

(inst.)

Now when you lay down at night, lay down early, try to take your rest
Now when you lay down at night, lay down early, try to take your rest
You?ll get a call, be four o'clock, wake up you gotta try to do your best

Now what make I know that my good gal like me so
Now what make I know that my good gal like me so
Because she takes her time, she do work everywhere she go

(double inst.)
« Last Edit: July 13, 2020, 08:04:31 AM by Johnm »

Offline JoanieR

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Re: Frank Stokes Lyrics
« Reply #306 on: June 17, 2017, 09:39:51 PM »
Andrew I still hear 'bully steamers', not 'bullyin' steamers'. I've tried listening to it loud, soft, every which way but standing on my head. Perhaps a few others here could listen to it and chime in.

I'm still hearing "bullyin'" though it leans towards bull'in'. My Wilkins reference for this line is not the one that probably pops into most people's heads from Alabama Blues -- "Saw a bullyin' alligator doin' the shivaree" -- but from Long Train Blues which has almost the same verse as Sweet to Mama and goes:

It's two bullyin' freight trains runnin' side by side
It's two bullyin' freight trains runnin' side by side
They done stole my rider and I guess they's satisfied

Wilkins clearly says bullyin'. First line is more like bull'in' but the second line is clearly bullyin'. I guess I just don't see why Stokes would have a different usage. Plus I hear it. :)

Stokes recorded Sweet to Mama in 1927, Wilkins did Long Train Blues in '29. I suppose either could have got the verse from the other, although it seems to me to be a stock (perhaps stock Memphis?) verse. Anyone have any other occurrences of "bullyin'" in a lyric from any prewar artists, particular Memphis players?

Hello, I'm reasonably sure Stokes is saying "bullion" when referring to bullion freight or a bullion steamer. Gold and silver bullion freight cars were a common sight in mining communities, with their precious, heavy cargo in plain sight. Then the bullion was often loaded onto steamers. Lots of examples if you google these phrases.

Offline Johnm

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Re: Frank Stokes Lyrics
« Reply #307 on: June 17, 2017, 09:44:34 PM »
Hi JoanieR,
An interesting theory, but surely there were no "bullion alligators" as per Robert Wilkins' lyric.
All best,
Johnm

Offline harriet

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Re: Frank Stokes Lyrics
« Reply #308 on: June 19, 2017, 05:24:56 AM »
Bullyin' also appears in Joe Callicott - last line of Country Blues.
"Well, you leave me strandin' with the bullyin' old Gulfport Blues"

Offline Suzy T

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Re: Frank Stokes Lyrics
« Reply #309 on: May 24, 2020, 10:43:19 PM »
Here are words to Rockin' On the Hill, incorporating suggestions from John and Chris.  Anybody's satisfied when they got a good mind!!

Rockin’ on the Hill - Beale Street Sheiks
Stokes A, Sane D

Now listen baby, I wanna come back home
Hey listen baby, I wanna come back home
Then I’ll tell you what happened baby, since your man’s been gone

Now listen baby, you so good and sweet
Hey listen baby, you so good and sweet
I wanna stay round you if I, have to sleep in the street

Stokes: It’s all right if you TREAT ’em right
(Sane says something like “Keep ’em happy” at the same time.)

Sane: Fiddle it all right boy, fiddle it careful for ’em

Take me back baby and try me one more time
I said take me back, baby try me one more time
And I think I know something that’ll (Bout?) satisfy your mind

Stokes: Rock right, [rock until you can’t set still]
Do the rock until they rock on the hill!

Sane: Say, fiddle like you live, you know how you live, live hard, fiddle hard!

Stokes: Hey rock, church, rock!

Cmon take me back baby, and try me one more time (I like that!)
Take me back baby, try your baby just one more time
And I think I know something’ll satisfy my good gal’s mind

Sane: Anybody’s satisfied when they got a good mind!

Oh lord, lord ….


« Last Edit: May 25, 2020, 10:02:38 PM by Suzy T »

Offline Johnm

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Re: Frank Stokes Lyrics
« Reply #310 on: May 25, 2020, 01:25:13 PM »
Hi Suzy,
I think the last line of the second verse is:

   I wanna stay 'round here IF I HAVE TO SLEEP IN THE STREET

Those spoken comments are tough to get!

All best,
Johnm

Offline Suzy T

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Re: Frank Stokes Lyrics
« Reply #311 on: May 25, 2020, 02:22:02 PM »
Thanks, John. I modified my original post to incorporate your suggestion

Offline banjochris

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Re: Frank Stokes Lyrics
« Reply #312 on: May 25, 2020, 08:53:24 PM »
Suzy, I have some suggestions and I got quite a few of the spoken asides – I wish there was a better copy of this available. I put some bits in brackets were I'm unsure of what I've written (especially the "can't sit still" I'm pretty sure is not right).
Chris

1.1, 1.2 COME back home
1.3 THEN I’LL tell you...

Stokes: Somethin’ happened bad to me now!

2.1 NOW LISTEN BABY (no “to me” – he just extends the “listen”)
2.3 I wanna stay around YOU if I have to sleep in the street

Stokes: It’s all right if you TREAT ’em right
(Sane says something like “Keep ’em happy” at the same time I can’t quite catch)

Sane: Fiddle it all right boy, fiddle it careful for ’em

3.2 I said take me back, BABY try me one more time
3.3 And I think I know something BOUT satisfy your mind

Stokes: Rock right, [rock until you can’t set still]
Do the rock until they rock on the hill!

Sane: Say, fiddle like you live, you know how you live, live hard, fiddle hard!

Stokes: Hey rock, church, rock!

Sane: Anybody’s satisfied when they got a good mind!
Sane: Oh, lord, [lord again]

Offline Johnm

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Re: Frank Stokes Lyrics
« Reply #313 on: July 26, 2022, 09:11:04 AM »
Hi all,
In my transcription of "Downtown Blues, Take 2", I think I got the lyric in this verse wrong:

   And I'm goin' downtown, gon' stay 'round there 'til dark
   And I'm goin' downtown, gonna stay 'round there 'til dark
   I don't want no trouble, don't want you to drive me on

Re-listening, I think the lyric is:
   And I'm goin' downtown, gon' stay 'round there UNTIL DAWN
   And I'm goin' downtown, gon' stay 'round there UNTIL DAWN
   I don't want no trouble, don't want you to drive me on

Here is the track. I'd very much appreciate correction or corroboration before I make the change in Weeniepedia. Thanks for any help.



All best,
Johnm
« Last Edit: July 26, 2022, 09:30:03 AM by Johnm »

Offline Old Man Ned

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Re: Frank Stokes Lyrics
« Reply #314 on: July 26, 2022, 09:26:24 AM »
Hi John,
I'm hearing 'until dawn' at the end of the first 2 lines if that's any help.

All the Best,
Ned

 


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