Hi all, Scrapper Blackwell accompanied himself out of D position in standard tuning for his "Springtime Blues". Even by his very high standards, this is spectacular guitar playing. He hits an E7 in the ninth bar of his form that gives things a nice color, and accords almost equal space to guitar solos and verses. He plays really hard from the right hand, as was his wont, but is still immaculately clean and has a non-buzzy tone, never bottoming out. How did he do that? The song is a chorus blues. Here is his performance, and unfortunately, the record it was copied from is kind of whupped:
INTRO
Come here, baby, sit down on my knee I want to tell you how you jivin' me REFRAIN: 'Cause I'm quitting you, babe, I'm quitting you now I'm getting tired of your jive, you don't mean me no good nohow
SOLO
When you get your money, you have your fun You ain't got no money when I'll send some REFRAIN: Because I'm quitting you, baby, I'm quitting you now I'm getting tired of your jive, you don't mean me no good nohow
SOLO
I'm getting tired of you parkin' on my white shoes And doin' nothin' but runnin' up and down the good streets REFRAIN: Because I'm quitting you, babe, I'm quitting you now I'm getting tired of your jive, you don't mean me no good nohow
SOLO
It's springtime now and summer's gonna come I've stood your jive all winter, now I've got you, love's all gone REFRAIN: And I'm quitting you, babe, I'm quitting you now I'm getting tired of your jive, you don't mean me no good nohow
I am working on Scrapper Blackwell?s ?Backstep blues? (1960). I have problems hearing some of the lyrics, so please fill in.
Where I don?t have a clue, I put ?---?, otherwise, interrogation marks.
I only found the song on a compilation of songs on youtube. It is the third song (at 6:48) if the link doesn?t take you there directly:
Revised version follows:
Backyard backstep, look what you done done Backyard backstep, look what you done done Lord, and brought and broke my leg, and the police come
Should I fill you up, baby, when you first began? Should I fill you up babe, lord when you first began? But I?m afraid to pay you no mind, lord, I believe you?ll be back again
Lord, lost to me, baby, I just don?t know what to do Lord, lost to me, babe, I just don?t know what to do Lord, I'm alright with me - I bet I'm alright with you
Solo twice
Lord, when I get to walking ? I?m gonna break you up like wood Lord, when I get to walking ? I?m gonna break you up like wood I?ll have me a little fire, babe - that might do you some good
Solo once
All you girls, you want to see me here All you girls, you wanna see me here Come around to the front door - and I go anywhere
- Modified 2nd of Sept 2016 with corrections from JohnM (see below)
« Last Edit: July 24, 2022, 11:27:15 AM by Johnm »
Hi Kadens, Here is what I'm hearing on "Backyard Backstep":
1.3 He mis-speaks at the front end of the line, sounds like he's saying, "Lord, AND BROUGHT AND broke my leg, and the POLICE come
2.1 Should I fill you up, BABY, when you first begin? 2.2 Should I fill you up, babe, Lord, when you first begin? 2.3 BUT I"M AFRAID TO PAY YOU NO MIND, Lord, I believe YOU'LL be back again
3.1 Lord, LOST TO ME, BABY, I just don't know what to do 3.2 Lord, LOST TO ME, BABY, I just don't know what to do
4.3 I'LL have me a little fire, babe, that might do you some good
These lyrics are pretty cryptic. It's hard to know what the hell he's singing about.
Hi all, Scrapper Blackwell recorded "Bad Liquor Blues" at a session in Chicago on July 7, 1935, for which he was backed by Dot Rice, playing piano in F. Scrapper accompanied himself out of D position in standard tuning, capoed up and his playing is really stellar, one of his finest performances in D position. Here is "Bad Liquor Blues":
INTRO
Listen here, people, listen to what I have to say Listen here, people, listen to what I have to say If you drink bad whiskey, it will do you this-a-way
Make you lose your money, make you lose your best friend Make you lose your money, make you lose your best friend And when you get sober, swear you'll never get drunk again
Lay down in the evenin', wake up in the mornin', feelin' bad Lay down in the evenin', wake up in the mornin', feelin' bad It's just some bad liquor, partner, that you've had
Get up in the mornin', your head goin' 'round and 'round Get up in the mornin', your head goin' 'round and 'round Buy more bad liquor, stand and drink it down
Better stop that drinkin', before it goes to your head Better stop that drinkin', before it goes to your head Wake up some mornin', find your own self dead
CODA
Edited 7/24 to pick up correction from Blues Vintage
All best, Johnm
« Last Edit: July 24, 2022, 11:16:52 AM by Johnm »
Thanks for the fix on "Bad Liquor Blues", Blues Vintage, I have made that change. On "Backstep Blues", I agree with "burned" rather than "bought" and will make that change, but don't hear "and then" at all. What he says has a closed "m" sound. I'll change it to "burned and" in Weeniepedia.