Topic: Mississippi John Hurt Lyrics

[Johnm]

Hi all,
John Hurt recorded "Waiting For You", a waltz with a sort of Jimmie Rodgerish sort of sound at his Library of Congress recordings, accompanying himself in G position in standard tuning.  This song has many lyrics.  Here is that performance:



SPOKEN:  I want to do this one on account I know my wife's waiting for me.  This is "Waiting For You".

INTRO

Will you be faithful to me?
Is your heart good and true?
While it's in sorrow, and in pain
Darling, I'm waiting for you
REFRAIN: Because of your cruel ways
I may never live to know
In justice to my true love
I'll forgive you before I go

My heartbeat would quicken
My cares would all fly away
If you would kindly let me know
That you welcome me today
REFRAIN: Because of your cruel ways
I may never live to know
In justice to my true love
I'll forgive you before I go

Weigh that leisure, my darling
Let your thoughts drift to me
Why it's I have parted from you
Happiness I never will see
REFRAIN: Because of your cruel ways
I may never live to know
In justice to my true love
I'll forgive you before I go

The days are dreary
The nights are so long
With the heartache for you
I'm singing this sad song
REFRAIN: Because of your cruel ways
I may never live to know
In justice to my true love
I'll forgive you before I go

If we can not meet again
'Til our troubles are all through
Beyond the river of Jordan
I'll still be waiting for you
REFRAIN: Because of your cruel ways
I may never live to know
In justice to my true love
I'll forgive you before I go

When you see my grassy mound
Then our troubles, all through
My days have been shortened
Whilst I've been waiting for you
REFRAIN: Because of your cruel ways
I may never live to know
In justice to my true love
I'll forgive you before I go

If I had a pass to Glory
And it did not read "for two"
I would trade it off, dear darling
And stay on Earth with you
REFRAIN: Because of your cruel ways
I may never live to know
In justice to my true love
I'll forgive you before I go

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Mississippi John Hurt recorded "I Shall Not Be Moved" at the Oberlin concert released on Vanguard, accompanying himself out of C position in standard tuning.  Here is that performance:



SPOKEN:  I shall not be moved.

INTRO SOLO

Oh, I shall not, I shall not be moved
I shall not, I shall not be moved
Just like a tree, planted by the water
I shall not be moved

SOLO

I'm on my way to Heaven, I shall not be moved
On my way to Heaven, I shall not be moved
Just like a tree, planted by the water
I shall not be moved

Oh, I shall not, I shall not be moved
I shall not, I shall not be moved
Just like a tree, planted by the water
I shall not be moved

Oh preacher, I shall not be moved
Oh preacher, I shall not be moved
Just like a tree, planted by the water
I shall not be moved

SOLO

I'm sanctified and holy, I shall not be moved
Sanctified and holy, I shall not be moved
Just like a tree, planted by the water
I shall not be moved

Oh I, (guitar) I shall not be moved
I shall not, I shall not be moved
Just like a tree, planted by the water
I shall not be moved

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
John Hurt re-recorded "Got The Blues, Can't Be Satisfied" for "The Immortal Mississippi John Hurt" on Vanguard, after first recording it in 1928 for Okeh.  He played the song in G position in standard tuning.



INTRO SOLO

I've got the blues and I can't be satisfied
Got the blues (guitar finishes line)
Well, some old day, gonna catch that train and ride

SOLO

Yes, whiskey straight will drive the blues away
Whiskey straight will drive the blues away
That be the case, I wants a quart today

SOLO

I bought my babe a great big diamond ring
Bought my babe a (guitar finishes line)
Come right back home and caught her shakin' that thing

I said, "Babe, what make you do me this-a-way?
Babe, what make you? (guitar finishes line)
Well, that I bought and now you give it away."

SOLO

I took my gun, and I broke the barrel down
Took my gun (guitar finishes line)
I put that joker six feet in the ground

Yes, got the blues and I still ain't satisfied
You got the blues (guitar finishes line)
Well, some old day, gonna catch the train and ride

SOLO

All best,
Johnm

[jtbrown]

Hi, John,

One small correction to the lyrics for "Funky Butt": if you listen closely, I think you'll find that Hurt sings "I thought I heard somebody say," rather than "some boys." This is perhaps slightly clearer when he repeats the line in the third verse than when he sings it in the first verse.

Also, I'm not sure why you say Dave Van Ronk "turned ['Buddy Bolden's Blues'] into the instrumental 'St. Louis Tickle,'" as I believe Theron Bennett published the sheet music for "St. Louis Tickle" in 1904. What Van Ronk did was arrange Bennett's piece (which of course makes use of the "Buddy Bolden" melody as one of its themes) for solo guitar.

Todd Brown

[Johnm]

Hi Todd,
Actually, I hear John Hurt say "some boys" in both places, with no hint of a "d" or two syllables after "some".  I have listened closely.

The reason I said Dave Van Ronk turned "Buddy Bolden's Blues" into the instrumental "St. Louis Tickle" is because I never heard of the Theron Bennett tune of that name.  I stand corrected.
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
John Hurt recorded "Blue Harvest Blues" in 1928, and as far as I know, never played or performed it in his rediscovery period. He played it out of E position in standard tuning, and it has a very unusual rhythmic feel; I really don't know another piece by John Hurt or anyone else in the style that sounds like it, rhythmically. It's an unusually "down" set of lyrics for him. Mike Dowling does a really nice version of this song.  Here is "Blue Harvest Blues":



INTRO

Standing on the mountain, fur [sic] as I can see
Standing on the mountain, just as fur as I can see
Dark clouds above me, clouds all around poor me

Feeling low and weary, Lord, I've got trouble in mind
Feeling low and weary and Lord, I've got a troublin' mind
Everything's against me, everybody's so unkind

Harvest time's coming and will catch me unprepared
Harvest time is comin' and will catch me unprepared
Haven't made a dollar, bad luck is all I've had

Lord, how can I bear it? Lord, when will the harvest bring?
Lord, how can I bear it? Lord, what will the harvest bring?
Burned up all my money and I hasn't got a doggone thing

I'm a weary traveler, roamin' 'round from place to place
I'm a weary traveler, roamin' 'round from place to place
If I don't find something, death will end me in disgrace

Ain't got no mother, father left me long ago
Ain't got no mother, father left me long ago
I'm just like an orphan, where my folks is I don't know

Blues around my shoulder, blues are all around my head
Blues around my shoulder, blues are all around my head
With my heavy burden, Lord, I wished I was dead

Edited 9/27 to pick up corrections from Lyndvs
Edited 9/28 to pick up corrections from banjochris

All best,
Johnm

[Lyndvs]

In verse 4 I think he says BURNED up all my money.
In verse 5 I think he says DEBT will end me in disgrace.

[Johnm]

Thanks very much for the catches, Lyndvs. I re-listened and agree with both of your suggestions, and have made the changes. Thanks!

[banjochris]

On "Blue Harvest," 2.1 and 2.2 start with Feeling, not Getting. I think it's "death," not "debt," but it's a bit of a quibble.
Chris

[Johnm]

Thanks for the catches, Chris. I agree it is "feeling" in both those places, and "death" later on, which is what I had originally. I will make the changes--thanks!

[Johnm]

Hi all,
John Hurt's 1928 recording of "Ain't No Tellin'" is a real high water mark of those sessions. His playing and singing of the song is tremendously varied and loose-sounding, and he sounds more relaxed vocally than he did on many of the other songs from his 1928 sessions. I'd appreciate any help with his spoken comment in his second solo. John Hurt pronounced "stab" "stob".  Here is "Ain't No Tellin'":



INTRO

Don't you let my good girl catch you here
Don't you let my good girl catch you here
She might shoot you, may cut you and stab you too
Ain't no tellin' what she might do

(GUITAR BEGINS VERSE)
I'm up the country, where the cold sleet and snow
I'm up the country, where the cold sleet and snow
Ain't no tellin' how much further I may go

SOLO

Eat my breakfast here, my dinner in Tennessee
Eat my breakfast here, my dinner in Tennessee
Eat my breakfast here, my dinner in Tennessee
I told you I was comin', baby, won't you look for me

SOLO (Spoken during solo: Hey, hey, that's [ ?],

The way I'm sleepin', my back and shoulders tired
Way I'm sleepin', babe, my back and shoulders tired
The way I'm sleepin', my back and shoulders tired
Gon' turn over, try it on the side

SOLO

Don't you let my good girl catch you here
(GUITAR PLAYS LINE)
She might shoot you, may cut you, stab you too
Ain't no tellin', what she might do

SOLO

CODA

All best,
Johnm

[eric]

I hear "starve."

[Johnm]

Are you hearing that in the spoken line, Eric? The closest I can get to the sound there is:

              Hey, hey, that's soup, I declare

I don't know where you're hearing "starve".

All best,
Johnm

[eric]

Hi John, No, I'm hearing it where you note "stob." That always made more sense to me, with the long A.  But my ears aren't that good. [I've never been able to figure out the spoken line.]

[banjochris]

He's staying "stab" for sure but pronouncing it more like "staub"; I know I've heard that pronunciation regionally before.

John, I think he's complimenting his own playing there and it's something like
Hey, hey, such player

with him saying something like super-nee. It's always perplexed me, too.
Chris