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I went to the country, broke into a chicken coop. Stole a dozen chickens, put 'em in a pot of soup - Me And My Tapeworm, Sylvester Weaver 1927

Author Topic: Curley Weaver Lyrics  (Read 9871 times)

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Offline Bunker Hill

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Curley Weaver Lyrics
« on: December 10, 2005, 03:18:15 AM »
About 20 years ago I had to transcribe No No Blues for another purpose. This was prior to the advent of the CD and is that on the second Story Of The Blues double set. It is the 1928 Columbia version rather than the one the following year for QRS with Eddie Map on harmonica or that with second guitarist recorded in 1933, both of which have two takes. Haven't got time to re-check, please feel free to amend:

Got up this mornin', my good gal was gone.
Got up this mornin', my good gal was gone.
Stood by my bedside, hung my head and, hung my head and moaned.

Went down the street, I couldn't be satisfied.
Went down the street, I couldn't be satisfied.
Had the no no blues, just too mean to, just too mean to cry.

Take a mighty crooked woman, treat a good man wrong.
Take a mighty crooked woman, treat a good man wrong.
Take a mighty crooked woman, treat a good man, treat a good man wrong.

Ain't none o' my business, but it sure ain't right.
Ain't none o' my business, but it sure ain't right.
Take another man's woman, walk the streets all, walk the streets all night. .

If I mistreat you, I sure don't mean no harm.
If I mistreat you, I sure don't mean no harm.
I'm a motherless child, don't know right from, don't know right from wrong.

I'm a stranger here and just come in your town.
I'm a stranger here, I just come in your town.
 If I ask for a favour, don't turn me, don't turn me down.

I'm long and tall like a Cannonball.
I'm long and tall like a Cannonball.
Take a long tall fellow make a good gal, make a good gal squall.

I ain't no gambler, I don't play no pool.
I ain't no gambler, I don't play no pool.
I'm just a roller, jellybakin', jellybakin' fool.

I'm a stranger here, just come on this train.
I'm a stranger here, I just come on this train.
I long to hear some gal call my, gal call my name.

My mama's told me, papa told me too.
My mama's told me, papa told me too.
Don't let no woman make a fool outa, make a fool outa you.

Offline paulreso1

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Re: Curley Weaver Lyrics
« Reply #1 on: April 24, 2009, 03:54:56 AM »
Hi folks

I am new to the Weenie Campbell forum.  I'd like some help with the lyrics to Curly Weaver's Hard times. (BTW I think Little Brother does a nice version on youtube)....does anyone have the lyric?

thanks for your help

Paul
« Last Edit: April 24, 2009, 03:57:10 AM by paulreso1 »

Offline Slack

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Re: Curley Weaver Lyrics
« Reply #2 on: April 24, 2009, 07:09:52 AM »
Hi Paul, welcome to WeenieCampbell.  What do you have so far?

Offline paulreso1

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Re: Curley Weaver Lyrics
« Reply #3 on: April 24, 2009, 10:28:09 AM »
Hi here's what I have so far

Hard times hard times,
?bout to drive me wild
?????????
?????????
I keep on drinkin? tryin to drive my blues away
And the sun?s going to shine, In my back door someday

Say I wouldn?t keep on drinkin
If I could help my ?????self
I wouldn?t be lovin? you if I could love someone else
I keep on drinkin? tryin to drive my blues away
Said  the sun?s going to shine In my back door someday

(Play that thing boy)

Say I ain?t going to tell nobody I ain?t going to drink no more
I don?t feel welcome no place I go
I keep on drinkin? tryin to drive my blues away
Said  the sun?s going to shine In my back door someday

Said I may be crazy, but I ain?t nobody?s fool
Why take a dog and ??? like a????????Georgia mule
I keep on drinkin? tryin to drive my blues away
Said  the sun?s going to shine In my back door someday

Offline Johnm

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Curley Weaver's "Ticket Agent"
« Reply #4 on: May 09, 2010, 12:49:30 PM »
Hi all,
I've loved Curley Weaver's recording of "Ticket Agent" since I first heard it, about forty-five years ago on the great old anthology, "Country Blues Classics, Vol. 1" on Chris Strachwitz's Blues Classics label.  The song can currently be found on the JSP "Atlanta Blues" set. "Ticket Agent", played out of A position in standard tuning, is one of the great set piece eight-bar performances, and Curley Weaver's time and the lift he was able to get on his brushed, damped upbeats has never been bettered, to my ear. 
Lyrically, the song works much of the same territory as Buddy Moss' "New Lovin' Blues" and Willie McTell's "Searchin' The Desert For The Blues", though it also grabs some lines from Sylvester Weaver's "Can't Be Trusted Blues."  Like them all, it's a great bragging song.  This one rivals Peg Leg Howell's "Coal Man Blues" for number of verses--seventeen (!) here.  The bent bracketed lines I'm not sure of, and I'd appreciate corroboration/correction.  Here is "Ticket Agent":



   "Good Lord, good Lord, send me a angel down"
   "Can't spare you no angel, but I'll spare you a teasing brown."

   "Ticket agent, ticket agent, how long that train been gone?
   Ticket agent, tell me the road she's on."

   I went to the station with my guitar in my hand
   Crowd of women run to me, said, "Mr. Weaver, won't you be my man?"

   There's a crowd on the corner, d'you reckon, who could it be?
   Wasn't nothin' but a crowd of women tryin' to get to me

   This new way of lovin', Great God, it must be best
   'Cause Atlanta women just won't let poor Curley Weaver rest

   My baby, she got a mojo, tryin' to keep it hid
   Papa Weaver got somethin' to find that doggone mojo with

   My Mama, she told me, I's a boy playin' mumble-peg
   "Don't drink no black cow's milk, don't eat no black hen's egg."

   Let me tell you, good buddy, double-crossin' women will do
   They will have your buddy, come on play all sick on you

   I don't believe no woman in the whole round world do right
   Act like a angel in the daytime, but they's hell at night

   I used to, to thought, married woman's the sweetest woman was born
   I changed that thing, you'd better leave married womens alone

   Now listen, good buddy, huh, let all married women be
   'Cause their husband'll grab you, beat you ragged as a cedar tree

   I will back-bite you and gnaw you to the bone
   Got ways like my Daddy and I can't leave womens alone

   You may trust me, buddy, but I won't trust you
   Get a chance wit' your woman, gnaw your backbone half in two

   A hen at my home, she laid thirteen eggs a day
   Old rooster got jealous and the doggone fool walked away

   It makes no difference, baby, 'bout you change your lock and key
   'Cause too many women want a hotshot like me

   My Mama, she told me, I's just a boy 'bout nine years old
   Says, "Son, you're gonna be some woman's sweet jellyroll."

   A woman, she'll swear, loves you 'bout all her life
   Meet that man 'round the corner, tell that doggone same lie twice.

Edited, 5/9, to pick up corrections from uncle bud.

All best,
Johnm


« Last Edit: June 25, 2020, 07:46:11 AM by Johnm »

Offline uncle bud

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Re: Curley Weaver's "Ticket Agent"
« Reply #5 on: May 09, 2010, 06:20:31 PM »
Hi John - thanks for the reminder of this one. I haven't listened to it very often. A couple suggestions:

My baby, she got a mojo, tryin' to keep it hid
Papa Weaver got somethin' to find that mojo with

Papa Weaver got somethin' to find that DOGGONE mojo with  (you were just missing a word)

Quote
Let me tell you, good buddy, double-cross women will do
They will have your buddy, come on play all sick on you

I think he swallows the '-in' in double-crossin'

Quote
You may trust me, buddy, but I won't trust you
[You trust] a woman, gnaw your backbone half in two

GET A CHANCE WIT' YOUR woman, gnaw your backbone half in two

Curley runs this together really fast, more like " get chance 't' yo' woman", but that's what I think he sings. Cf. Willie McTell's Talkin' to Myself: "'Cause if you  allow me a chance, I'll gnaw your backbone half in two"

Quote
It makes no difference, baby, 'bout you [chain your lovin'] key
'Cause too many women want a hotshot like me

It makes no difference, baby, 'bout you CHANGE YOUR LOCK AND key

Again, compare to McTell in "Cold Winter Day":

Make no difference mama, change your lock and key
Too many women want a man like me
Still you'll need me some old cold winter day


Offline Johnm

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Re: Curley Weaver's "Ticket Agent"
« Reply #6 on: May 09, 2010, 07:14:01 PM »
Thanks so much, uncle bud!  I had that "doggone", and neglected to type it in.  These suggestions are all spot on and really do it up nicely.  I'll make the changes.
All best,
Johnm

Offline jelly roll

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Curley Weaver lyrics; Who stole de lock?
« Reply #7 on: March 06, 2012, 03:19:14 PM »
Anyone know the actual lyrics which Curley sings on this song? All i can find on the net so far is who broke the lock which is a very old folk song from the 19th century. I think he changed them.
Dont suppose it matters much but it's nagging me.
Any ideas??
jelly roll

Offline Rivers

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Re: Curley Weaver lyrics; Who stole de lock?
« Reply #8 on: March 06, 2012, 05:20:17 PM »
Usually we ask the original poster to have a stab themselves and post a starter version. You'll find that will tend to get folks listening and chiming in. Put '??' or some such in the places you can't get. Guidelines here: http://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6575.0
« Last Edit: March 06, 2012, 05:52:31 PM by Rivers »

Offline Johnm

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Re: Curley Weaver Lyrics
« Reply #9 on: March 09, 2012, 06:50:21 AM »
Hi all,
It's been a while since this request for lyrics help was posted, but I think I have some of the missing lines.  For ease of formatting, I'll re-enter the whole song, with the suggested lines added in CAPs.  It sure sounds like Curley Weaver is using "fuc*in'" as an adjective, pronounced "fuhggin'".  I've heard this done somewhere else and can't recall where.  Maybe some of you will remember other songs that use it.  I'd appreciate help with any remaining bent bracketed passages.  Curley Weaver is definitely playing out of G position in standard tuning on this one, and I have a hard time hearing McTell's playing position.  This performance can be found on the JSP set, "Atlanta Blues".  Here is "I Keep On Drinking":



   Hard time, hard time, 'bout to drive me wild
   TAKE A BIG FAT WOMAN, WORKIN' DOWN TO MY BOOGIEIN' SIDE
   REFRAIN: I keep on a-drinkin', try to drive my blues away
   Say, the sun's going to shine in my backdoor someday

   Says, I wouldn't keep on a-drinkin', if I could help my BOOKIN' self
   Wouldn't be lovin' you if I could love someone else
   REFRAIN: I keep on drinkin', try to drive my blues away
   Say, the sun's going to shine in my backdoor someday (Spoken: Play that thing, boy!)

   SOLO

   Says, I ain't gonna tell nobody, I ain't gonna drink no more
   I don't feel welcome no place I go
   REFRAIN: I keep on drinkin', try to drive my blues away
   Say, the sun's going to shine in my backdoor someday

   SAYS, I may be crazy, but I ain't nobody's fool
   'FORE I'LL TAKE YOUR DOGGIN', I KICK LIKE A BUCKIN' GEORGI' MULE
   REFRAIN: I keep on drinkin', try to drive my blues away
   Say, the sun's going to shine in my backdoor someday

Edited 3/9 to pick up corrections from banjochris
Edited 3/9 to pick up corrections from uncle bud and Johnm

All best,
Johnm   

     
« Last Edit: June 25, 2020, 07:48:08 AM by Johnm »

Offline Johnm

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Re: Curley Weaver Lyrics
« Reply #10 on: March 09, 2012, 07:20:40 AM »
Hi all,
I realized there were a number of separate threads on Curley Weaver lyrics and decided to do a merged thread.  The last post prior to this one is in response to a request for lyrics help with Curley's version of "I Keep On Drinkin'", about four posts back.
All best,
Johnm

Offline banjochris

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Re: Curley Weaver Lyrics
« Reply #11 on: March 09, 2012, 10:20:57 AM »
It sure sounds like Curley Weaver is using "fuc*in'" as an adjective, pronounced "fuhggin'".

I'm pretty sure he's saying boogie-in' each time.
Chris

Offline Johnm

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Re: Curley Weaver Lyrics
« Reply #12 on: March 09, 2012, 11:05:53 AM »
Thanks for the correction, Chris.  Can you hear that missing place in the second line of the first verse?
All best,
Johnm

Offline uncle bud

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Re: Curley Weaver Lyrics
« Reply #13 on: March 09, 2012, 01:04:39 PM »
I hear "Take a BIG FAT woman..."

Cora Mae Bryant, Curley's daughter, also sang "Take a big fat man..." in her version of the song.  Her singing of the rest of the line sounds the same as Curley, but both are not exactly comprehensible to me. I do hear a B sound though. The only thing other than BOOGIE-IN'  that occurred to me as a possibility was BUCKIN', pronounced more like BOOKIN'. The Georgia mule in the last verse would make sense if it was buckin' perhaps. That line from the last verse sounds like it is:

4.2 'FORE I'll take your DOGGIN' I'LL kick like a boogie-in/BUCKIN' Georgia mule

Offline Johnm

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Re: Curley Weaver Lyrics
« Reply #14 on: March 09, 2012, 02:49:18 PM »
Your suggestions seem right on, uncle bud, both in terms of their sound and in terms of making more sense out of the lyrics.  Thanks very much for the help, and I'll make the changes.  On another issue, it's weird the way McTell starts his solo on a III chord, isn't it?  What's up with that?
All best,
Johnm
« Last Edit: March 09, 2012, 02:58:43 PM by Johnm »

 


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