Hi all, Ed Bell did a session for QRS where he was backed by Clifford Gibson on "Shouting Baby Blues", and several other songs. If you are a fan of Clifford Gibson's playing and haven't heard these tracks you need to seek them out, because his playing on them is sensational, even when compared with the very best of his own solo performances. This is some of the strongest playing in Spanish you will ever hear. In a way the pairing is an odd one, for Ed Bell was a fine guitarist in his own right, though more "country" than Clifford Gibson. Musically, the duo works out really well, with each performer able to devote his full attention to the task at hand.
I know my baby, she's gon' jump and shout I know my baby, she's gwon' jump and shout When that train rolls up and I come walkin' out
I wouldn't have a rooster if, he won't crow for day I wouldn't have a rooster if, he won't crow for day And I wouldn't have a hen, wouldn't cackle when she lay
SPOKEN: Play that thing, Mr. Clifford! Y' know we're a long way from home--got to play it or walk back home.
I wouldn't have a cook, wouldn't cook three meals a day I wouldn't have a cook, wouldn't cook three meals a day I wouldn't have a woman if she couldn't do what I say
Haven't seen her at the station, ain't seen her out on the road Haven't seen her at the station, ain't seen her out on the road And I'm sittin' here wonderin', "Will a matchbox hold my clothes?"
When I leave town, I'll leave somebody cryin' Ooooooh, leave somebody cryin' Oh, hollerin' and a-screamin', "Where that long tall man of mine?"
Edited 10/30 to pick up corrections from dingwall
All best, Johnm
« Last Edit: August 24, 2023, 10:52:45 AM by Johnm »
Hi all, "House Top Blues" was another collaboration of Ed Bell (Sluefoot Joe) with Clifford Gibson backing him in Spanish. Once again, Gibson's playing is stellar; his playing fully deserves Ed Bell's enthusiastic reaction. On these pieces, at least, Bell likes to employ a mannerism in which he starts the repetition of the A line of his verses with an "Oooooh", and then sings the second half of the line. It sounds great, because he really puts something into those "oohs".
Gonna climb on some housetops, gonna roll down to the ground Gonna climb on some housetops, gonna roll down to the ground 'Cause my gal done quit me and she don't 'low me in town
I got a evil-hearted mama, just as wicked as she can be Ooooooooh, just as wicked as she can be And ain't a day pass, that she don't put that thing on me
SPOKEN: Play that thing, Mr. Clifford! Play 'em hard, boy! Folks, just listen at that boy!
She got a .38-40, just as long as my right arm She got a .38-40, long as my right arm She says she bought it especially for to keep her man at home
I'm leavin' you, baby, kill you if I die Oooooh, kill me if I die I mean I'm leavin', and I don't mean good-bye
Edited 10/31 to pick up corrections from dingwall
All best, Johnm
« Last Edit: August 24, 2023, 10:53:05 AM by Johnm »
As I hear it, what you have for the last verse of "House Top Blues" is correct. Thinking about it, I assume that the first line is correct and has the sense of "I'm going to kill you even if I'll get caught and be executed for the crime", and the second line is mis-sung.
That's some incredibly cool imagery in the first two lines of the first verse!
« Last Edit: August 24, 2023, 10:53:23 AM by Johnm »
Hi, dj, Thanks for giving "House Top Blues" a listen. If it's good enough to suit you, I'll take it, as is! I agree re the A lines of the first verse--it's great the way one can continue to hear new lyrics even after listening to this music for many years. All best, Johnm
« Last Edit: August 24, 2023, 10:53:42 AM by Johnm »
Hi all, Ed Bell recorded the oddly titled "Tooten Out Blues" as Sluefoot Joe, with Clifford Gibson accompanying him on piano while Bell handled the guitar accompaniment. This one certainly qualifies for the "Mystery Titles" thread for at no point during the course of the song is any mention made of the title phrase, which would seem to be more appropriately rendered as "Tootin' Out", as in going on a toot. It seems unlikely we'll ever know the origin of the title for sure. EDITED TO ADD: Banjochris's lyrics catch on the conclusion of the third verse provides the basis for the song's title.
Clifford Gibson proves to be a really nice pianist, with beautiful touch and tone. Bell's guitar part is uncharacteristically subdued. The major part of the lyrics here show up in Ed Bell's "Mamlish Blues". Once again, I have blank or uncertain spots enclosed in bent brackets, and any help would be appreciated.
You used to be my sugar, but you ain't sweet no, mamlish more Used to be my sugar, you ain't sweet no more You got another joker hangin' 'round your door
Say, I know my baby, world's in all of, mamlish me I know my baby thinks the world's in all of me 'Cause every time she grin she shine her light on me
SPOKEN BY BELL DURING PIANO SOLO: Play that thing, Mr. Clifford! Ed is feelin' mistreated!
Talkin' 'bout your rider but you just ought to see, mamlish mine You talkin' about your woman, just ought to see mine She's a long, tall woman and she toot way out behind
She ain't so good lookin', she ain't got no great long, mamlish hair She ain't so good-lookin' she got no great long hair She ain't got nar' gold teeth, you can find her anywhere
Well, she stood on a corner between 25th and, mamlish Main She stood on a corner 'tween 25th and Main Then a blind man saw her and a dumb man called her name
And the dumb man asked her, said, "Who's your regular, mamlish,be?" Dumb man asked her, said, "Who's your regular be?" And the blind man told her, said, "You sure look good to me."
Edited 1/18 to pick up lyric from banjochris Edited 1/29 to pick up corrections from dingwall
All best, Johnm
« Last Edit: August 24, 2023, 10:53:59 AM by Johnm »
I can't really help with that last verse of "I Don't Like That," unfortunately, but it sounds like the word "twist" in there plus "tell Dave ? ain't got none yet."
However, I have some other suggestions:
3rd verse: Can't make up my mind I love no one but you
4th verse: Now, you taken him for your sweetback, me to be your slave
5th verse: better stop your whuppin' bring it right back home
Also, I think the missing words in "Tooten Out" also conveniently explain the title of the song. I'm about 95% sure he sings: She's a long, tall woman and she toot way out behind.
I think he means that there's a shelf there, not that she has an intestinal problem. Chris
« Last Edit: August 24, 2023, 10:54:19 AM by Johnm »
Thanks so much for the help, Chris. Your suggestions are excellent and I've made the changes. I wouldn't have gotten that line in "Tooten Out" in a million years. It sounded to me like "two gray eyes behind", which was completely mystifying. I don't know that my dictionary has "protrude" as one of the meanings of "toot", but it works that way here. Great work! All best, Johnm
« Last Edit: August 24, 2023, 10:54:35 AM by Johnm »
I was listening to Ed Bell recently and "Leaving Train Blues" jumped out at me as a real pretty song. I came to this thread to check for lyrics and found they weren't here so took a stab at them. It's a duet with Clifford Gibson. Hard to tell how much playing Bell does on it. A lot of the intricate riffs sound like Gibson for sure.
Help needed with a couple parts:
Leaving Train Blues - Ed Bell
I asked the agent what train must I ride I asked the agent what train must I ride "It don't make no difference, oh, you'll be satisfied"
Now the train I ride don't pull no [coach?] at all Now the train I ride don't pull no [coach?] at all It's a deluxe special [t???] next with the Cannonball
I'm leavin' town on the mornin' train I'm leavin' town on that mornin' train And the place [might stop??] they don't know no women's name
Now if you think I'm lovin' you, sugar change your mind If you think I'm lovin' you, sugar change your mind 'Cause when you think I'm lovin' you, I'm quittin' you all the time
Now you see that train makin' up in that yard Now you see that train makin' up in the yard It's gonna take me where it takes two dollars to send a postal card
« Last Edit: August 24, 2023, 10:54:52 AM by Johnm »
I don't have the track in question, but FWIW, I remember that Blind Lemon Jefferson has a similar line on "Easy Rider Blues", which goes something like: "The train that I ride don't burn no coal at all. (2x) The coal I burn, everybody say, is the Cannonball."
« Last Edit: August 24, 2023, 10:55:10 AM by Johnm »
I don't have the track in question, but FWIW, I remember that Blind Lemon Jefferson has a similar line on "Easy Rider Blues", which goes something like: "The train that I ride don't burn no coal at all. (2x) The coal I burn, everybody say, is the Cannonball."
Hi Pan - It was that similar line which caught my ear in the first place with this song. I've never been completely satisfied with the transcription of the Lemon line, and thought maybe Bell would offer a clue, but it is in the end only a similar line. Bell certainly could be singing "coal", though I'm not hearing it at the moment.
« Last Edit: August 24, 2023, 10:55:28 AM by Johnm »
Hi Andrew, Thanks very much for posting the lyrics to "Leaving Train Blues". The only reason I never finished off this thread with the complete Ed Bell lyrics is that there are five of his titles that are only available on his Document complete recordings CD, which I don't have, and keep forgetting to order. If you or anyone else would like to post the lyrics to those tunes, we could transfer the lot over to Weeniepedia. I should say, too, that dingwall and banjochris provided great help in the transcriptions I did earlier in the thread. all best, Johnm
« Last Edit: August 24, 2023, 10:55:45 AM by Johnm »
Oops, I had the title right in my intro paragraph but confused it with Ishmon Bracey's Leavin' Town Blues in the transcription. I've corrected the title, which is Leaving Train Blues.
EDITED later to add:
BTW, the Ed Bell songs still waiting to be transcribed are:
- an earlier version of "She's a Fool" (similar lyrics to "She's a Fool Gal", verses in different order, some variations I think) - "Grab It and Run" (good luck to whoever takes it on, what a mess that record is) - "Rocky Road Moan" (large number of skips, also a mess, probably untranscribable) - "Rosca Mama Blues" (guitar part influenced by Blind Lemon's material in E like Piney Woods Money Mama. Can't think of anyone else who has taken on that particular Lemon guitar theme).
« Last Edit: August 24, 2023, 10:56:01 AM by Johnm »
I don't have the track in question, but FWIW, I remember that Blind Lemon Jefferson has a similar line on "Easy Rider Blues", which goes something like: "The train that I ride don't burn no coal at all. (2x) The coal I burn, everybody say, is the Cannonball."
Hi Pan - It was that similar line which caught my ear in the first place with this song. I've never been completely satisfied with the transcription of the Lemon line, and thought maybe Bell would offer a clue, but it is in the end only a similar line. Bell certainly could be singing "coal", though I'm not hearing it at the moment.
As another point of reference for Bell singing "don't pull no coach at all" in "Leaving Train Blues", Frank Hutchison, my lookalike, sings in "Cannonball Blues":
That train I ride, she's called the Cannonball That train I ride, she's called the Cannonball Carries sixteen coaches, she carries no blinds at all
« Last Edit: August 24, 2023, 10:56:17 AM by Johnm »
Great job, guys! I have the Document Records Ed Bell disc and often find it hard to understand some of the lyrics. You're making listening to this disc much more fun for me. Thanks! I'll try to listen to some Ed Bell today and contribute to the lyrics we don't know yet.
« Last Edit: August 24, 2023, 10:56:39 AM by Johnm »
Logged
"There ain't no Heaven, ain't no burning Hell. Where I go when I die, can't nobody tell."
I just listened to three of the four songs that need lyric transcriptions, and here's what I've come up with: Grab It And Run
I left my baby in the back door crying ...bothered all the time
...Mama...and a railroad man Every Sunday, dollar in your hand (this line appears in the work song, "Rosie")
I asked my captain for the time of day And he just laughed and throwed his watch away (Texas Alexander, among others)
no idea spoken: no idea
Rosca Mama Blues
Well, the girl I love, she's gone back to... I wouldn't hate it so bad but the fool's...
She got ways like...she bad like Jesse James You don't pay her fare nowhere on the passenger train
She ain't good looking, she don't wear big (these?) fancy clothes But she makes more money than millionaire-ee do (pronounced as "dough")
Mama, that train that runs from coast to coast And she can break in on your pocket, I don't care where she goes
Well, my lawyer in the courthouse, trying to plea on my baby's case And I'm down here working hard on the...
Black rascal and a... That's where she...
She's A Fool
See that man called Silas Green, ain't never been down to New Orleans
I went down that smokey road, brought me back on the cooling board
You better not think because you're black, I'm gonna beg you to take me back
You better not think because you yellow, you gonna get my last half dollar
See that woman all dressed in red, what caused a man to lose his head
See that woman all dressed in blue, can't put up with the way she do
See that woman all dressed in white, bet you five dollars she won't treat you right
spoken: Boy, you a fool, gal!
Go to town and hurry back, my buddy got a girl I really like
You neither think 'cos you look sweet, you can make a fool of me
See that woman all dressed in green, ain't never been to New Orleans
I got a gal she ain't no fool, head...golden mule
You see that woman all dressed in..washing cars (?)
That's the best I could do on first listen. Is it "you better not think..."? It sounds more like "You neither think...". The sound quality is pretty bad. Feel free to comment or correct me! Thanks!
« Last Edit: August 24, 2023, 10:56:55 AM by Johnm »
Logged
"There ain't no Heaven, ain't no burning Hell. Where I go when I die, can't nobody tell."