Topic: Tommie Bradley/James Cole Lyrics

[dj]

I think 2.3 might be "Lord if I?m with you NIGHTS cry myself away". 

If this is what it is, I suppose there should be a comma either before or after "nights", depending on what meaning you prefer.  I'd put the comma before "nights", giving "Lord if I'm with you, nights cry myself away".

[thickpete]

I think you're probably right with "nights". I'd thought it might be that instead of "nice" but my brain never parsed the line the way you did. Makes sense!

[Gumbo]

If it had to make sense I would suggest:

"Lord, If cryin' would do, might ... cry myself away"

but I'm not convinced logic should play any part in this one!

[Johnm]

Hi all,
These Cincinnati-based players had three separate song lyric threads, so I merged them into one.
All best,
Johnm

[Suzy T]

Trying to decipher the last line of the second verse - here's what I've got so far. I must say that although I really like James Cole's fiddling on this one, I'd definitely have to do some rewriting if I was going to sing this. The misogynist attitude of some of these old songs makes me cringe!!

Four Day Blues -  Tommie Bradley & James Cole

Lord it?s early this morning, lord about four o?clock
Lord it?s early this morning, lord about four o?clock
There was something in my bedroom, began to reel and rock

Now have you ever been ?cused  baby, ain?t done nothing wrong (2x)
Lord it?s ??, lord just as sure as you born

Lord but you can?t see my baby and someone else?s too
Lord you can?t see mine and, somebody else?s too
There can?t no one get you baby , lord until I get through

Oh you can always tell when a, when a woman loves a man (2x)
Lord she?ll take bad treatment and she?ll do the best that she can.

Here's a Youtube link: 

[Pan]

Hi Suzy

Could it be

"Lord it?s a hard pill to swallow, lord just as sure as you born."?

Cheers

Pan

[Johnm]

Hi Suzy,
I think Pan got that one place, and I think in the third verse it is:
   Lord, but you can't BE my baby and someone else's too
   Lord, you can't BE mine and somebody else's, too

I"m not sure this is an improvement in terms of meaning!
I hope you're doing fine.

All best,
John

[Suzy T]

Thanks you guys!  All is good here, and I was so pleased to be part of Mary Flower's weekend blues camp, Blues in the Gorge, and especially to get reaquainted with Rev. Robert Jones, who I met a number of years ago at Blues Week in Port Townsend. I've also been singing with my daughter Allegra and we're going to try to record a family band album next winter.  And Eric and I are part of an amazing new band called Blue Diamond Strings with Jody Stecher, Kate Brislin, Paul Shelasky and Paul Knight. The six of us have an enormous shared history and the music-making is so joyful. 

[CookinSherry]

Folks, I need some help figuring out the lyrics to the first (and repeated) verse of James Cole's "Where Have You Been So Long"...

I've been hearing:
"The weddings coming
And I've been wondering
Where have you been so long..."

But not sold on the first phrase.
Any help with well trained ears would be appreciated!
Thx

[Johnm]

Hi CookinSherry,
It sounds to me like:
   Now, that is, darling,
   Lord, I've been a-wondering
   Lord, where have you been so long?

All best,
Johnm

P.S.  I moved this topic over to the Tommie Bradley/James Cole Lyrics thread.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Tommie Bradley did and ace version of "Nobody's Business If I Do", accompanying himself out of C position in standard tuning, capoed up a ways.  I don't know who the other players were on the track, but it sounds like it was just someone playing spoons or washboard.  Here is the recording:



INTRO SOLO

If I should take a notion, and jump into the ocean
Nobody's business if I do, do, love, do do
If I give her my last nickel, she leaves me in a pickle
Nobody's business if I do

SOLO

If I attend church on Sunday, and jamboree on Monday
Nobody's business if I do, do, love, do do
If I dislike my lover, and leave her for another
Nobody's business if I do

SOLO

My babes ain't got no money, I stake her all my money
Nobody's business if I do, do, love, do do
If I attend church on Sunday, and cabaret on Monday
Nobody's business if I do

SOLO

I'd rather she would hit me, then jump right up and quit me
Nobody's business if I do, do, love, do do
If I give her my last nickel, and, she leaves me in a pickle
Nobody's business if I do

SOLO

All best,
Johnm


 

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Tommie Bradley and James Cole's recording of "Adam and Eve" was discussed earlier in this thread, but was never exactly nailed down.  Tommie Bradley backs himself out of C position in standard tuning.  Here is the recording, which also featured Eddie Dimmitt on mandolin and an unknown alto saxophone player:



FIDDLE INTRO SOLO

Adam and Eve, there in the Garden of Eden, surely musta shook that thing
Adam and Eve, there in the Garden of Eden, surely musta shook that thing
Because Adam said to Eve, "You think you're so cute, you wouldn't give me none of that forbidden fruit."
Adam and Eve, there in the Garden of Eden, surely musta shook that thing, oh Lord, surely musta shook that thing

FIDDLE SOLO

Adam and Eve, there in the Garden of Eden, surely musta shook that thing
Adam and Eve, there in the Garden of Eden, surely musta shook that thing
They had one was named Cabel, one was named Nate, you know by that they musta shook that thing
Adam and Eve, there in the Garden of Eden, surely musta shook that thing, oh Lord, surely must shook that thing

FIDDLE SOLO X 2

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
On "Please Don't Act That Way", Tommie Bradley, accompanying himself out of C position in standard tuning, is backed by either one mandolin tuned in octave courses or two mandolins.  I think it is two mandolins, which suggests it might be Eddie Dimmitt, the group's regular mandolin player and perhaps James Cole, switching off from fiddle.  Here is the song, with apologies to non-U.S. weenies who may not be able to view the video:



INTRO

Sometimes I wander, I want to go back home
Sometimes I wander, I want to go back home
Because my baby, have left me all alone

The clothes look lonesome, hangin' out on the line
The clothes look lonesome, hangin' out on the line
You can tell by that I've got, ramblin' on my mind

DUO MANDOLIN SOLO

And I said, "Lord, please, babe, don't act that way."
And I said, "Lord, please, babe, don't act that way.
Baby, when I leave you, I'm goin' away to stay."

I said, "Lord, what you want me to do?
Lord, what you want me to do?
I've took all my money and I, brought it home to you."

GUITAR SOLO

DUO MANDOLIN SOLO

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
"When You're Down And Out" was Tommie Bradley's version of "Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out".  He played his version out of C position, where the song is most often played by guitarists working in the style, and he was backed once again by two mandolins (Eddie Dimmitt and James Cole?).  It doesn't sound like Tommie Bradley singing, but I don't know his musical associates well enough to hazard a plausible guess as to who else it might be.  Here is the group's performance of "When You're Down And Out":



INTRO

Lord, oncet I lived the life of a millionaire, spendin' my money, but I did not care
Take all my friends out for a good time, buyin' moonshine liquor, champagne and wine
But when I got busted then I fell so low, didn't have no friends and no place to go
If I get my hands on a dollar 'gain, gonna hold to it until the eagle grins

Nobody knows you, when you're down and out
In your pocket, not one penny, and your friends, you have not any
If I get lucky and I get on my feet again, then I want to meet my long-lost friends
Honest and true now, without a doubt, nobody knows you when you're down and out,
Lord, I mean when you're down and out

MANDOLIN SOLO

Well, I say nobody knows you, when you're down and out
In your pocket, not one penny, and your friends, you have not any
If I get lucky and I get on my feet again, then I want to meet my long-lost friends
Honest and true now, without a doubt, nobody wants you when you're down and out
Lord, I mean when you're down and out

MANDOLIN SOLO

All best,
Johnm