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I have the freight train blues, boxcars on my mind - Bill Jackson, Freight Train Blues

Author Topic: Mance Lipscomb Lyrics  (Read 38045 times)

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Offline ksherlock

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Re: Mance Lipscomb Lyrics
« Reply #120 on: June 07, 2022, 03:37:22 PM »
Thank you!  That was on my short list but I didn't think many women, crooked or otherwise, would fit in a paint can.

Offline banjochris

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Re: Mance Lipscomb Lyrics
« Reply #121 on: June 08, 2022, 02:43:37 PM »
Thank you!  That was on my short list but I didn't think many women, crooked or otherwise, would fit in a paint can.

Ha! Not too many, no!

Offline Blues Vintage

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Re: Mance Lipscomb Lyrics
« Reply #122 on: July 09, 2022, 05:50:40 AM »
Blues In G


Mance Lipscomb – Vocals, Guitar

November 26-28, 1964
The Cabale, Berkeley, California

Standard Tuning
G Position








INTRO

Walked all night long with my, pistol in my hand (Spoken: Made me feel good, ‘cause he gon' do the same thing, look for the woman)
Walked all night long with my, pistol in my hand
When I find my woman, she’s with some other man

Shot that woman, man, I thought she died
Shot that woman, man, I thought she died
And I hit her ‘cross the head, know, I blacked her eye

It’s a low-down, low-down dirty shame
It’s a low-down, low-down dirty shame
Have a half bad woman, and you scared to call her name

My baby done quit me, put all my clothes outdoor
My woman done quit me, throwed my clothes outdoor
That’s alright, mama, you gonna reap just what you sow

Well, last winter, when it was chilly and cold
Well, last winter, when it was chilly and cold
My woman put me out, didn’t have nowhere to go

I didn’t have no money, my shoes had done wore thin
I didn’t have no money and my shoes had done wore thin
Didn’t have a decent pair of pants, to go to Sunday School in

That’s alright, things ‘bout to come my way
That’s alright, baby, things ‘bout to come my way
Got money in my pocket, change clothes every day

SOLO

OUTRO
« Last Edit: November 03, 2022, 10:56:12 AM by Blues Vintage »

Offline Old Man Ned

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Re: Mance Lipscomb Lyrics
« Reply #123 on: July 09, 2022, 12:20:41 PM »
Hi Blues Vintage,

A couple of things I'm hearing:
In the 3rd verse "Have a half bad woman, and you scared to call her name"
In the 6th verse "Didn’t have a decent pair of pants, to go to Sunday school in"
and the last verse "Got money in my pocket, change of clothes every day"

All the Best,
Ned

Offline Johnm

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Re: Mance Lipscomb Lyrics
« Reply #124 on: July 09, 2022, 01:15:53 PM »
Blues Vintage, the video you posted of "Blues in G" won't play in the U.S.

Offline Blues Vintage

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Re: Mance Lipscomb Lyrics
« Reply #125 on: July 09, 2022, 02:05:01 PM »
I added another video. Hopefully this one works in the U.S. Can't find another one.
The track is from the CD release by Mack McCormick and Chris Strachwitz, "Mance Lipscomb - Texas Songster".

Thanks for the suggestions Old Man Ned, I'll listen closely at a later time.

Offline Blues Vintage

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Re: Mance Lipscomb Lyrics
« Reply #126 on: July 10, 2022, 09:00:01 AM »
I made the changes, Ned. Except for the last line where just sings "change clothes every day" I think.

What is a "half bad woman"?

Offline Blues Vintage

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Re: Mance Lipscomb Lyrics
« Reply #127 on: July 10, 2022, 09:02:30 AM »
Texas Blues


Basically the same song as "Blues in G".
According to my research the video should work in both Europe and the U.S.


Mance Lipscomb – Vocals, Guitar

November 20, 1969
Berkeley, California

Standard Tuning
G Position





INTRO

I was raised in Texas, schooled in Tennessee
I was raised in Texas, schooled in Tennessee
I’m ‘gon let you women, make a fool out of me

Well, last winter, when it was chilly and cold
Well, last winter, when it was chilly and cold
My woman put me out, didn’t have nowhere to go

Didn’t have no money, my shoes have done wore thin
Didn’t have no money, my shoes have done wore thin
Didn’t have a decent pair of pants, to go to Sunday School in

That’s alright, baby, things coming back my way
That’s alright, baby, things coming back my way
Have money in my pocket, change clothes every day

SOLO

Take me back, baby, I tell you what I’ll do
Take me back, baby, I tell you what I’ll do
I’ll steal and beg, baby, bring it home to you

She looks at me, she give me one sweetest smile
She looks at me, give me one sweetest smile
I’ll take it back, for your lowdown dirty lie

Oo-wee, I feel alright today
Oo-wee, I feel alright today
My woman come back, say she’s goin to stay

Oh, one of these days, baby, it won’t be long
One of these days, baby, I’m afraid it won’t be long
You gonna call me, baby, yes, and I’ll be gone

SOLO

Mama told me, when I was {one of the child}
Mama told me, when I was a child
{Wine and whiskey and} women gonna kill you after while

Goodbye, if I never see you no more
Goodbye, baby, if I don’t see you no more
‘Member my footprints, tramping ‘round your door

OUTRO SOLO

Offline banjochris

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Re: Mance Lipscomb Lyrics
« Reply #128 on: July 11, 2022, 11:20:00 AM »
I made the changes, Ned. Except for the last line where just sings "change clothes every day" I think.

What is a "half bad woman"?

I'd suggest that's from saying at some point "she's not half bad," kind of a back-handed compliment.

Offline Blues Vintage

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Re: Mance Lipscomb Lyrics
« Reply #129 on: July 11, 2022, 02:02:50 PM »
Thanks, Chris.

Offline ksherlock

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Re: Mance Lipscomb Lyrics
« Reply #130 on: July 16, 2022, 04:12:52 PM »
Farewell Blues (from Captain, Captain!)
E, tuned up to F



Fare ye well, fare ye well, to the whole round world
Fare ye well, mama to the whole round world
Oh fare ye well, mama to the whole round world
And it's farewell, babe, to the whole round world

Look down, look down, that lonesome road
Look down the road until my eyes got sore
Look down the road until my eyes got sore
She don't come tomorrow, next day I believe I'll go

You done broke the heart of a many poor man
Oh now girl, trying to break the heart of mine
Oh now, trying to break the heart of mine
Go down, trying to break the heart of mine

mmm-mmm, mmm-mmm, mmm-mmm, mmm-mmm

Knowed you when you didn't have a dime
Mama, she told me, when I was a child
Oh mama told me when I was a child
Oh mama told me when I was a child
Son the lies your living going to kill you after a while

Me and my baby, me and my gal, somehow can't get along
Oh me and my baby just can't get along
Oh me and that woman just can't get along
Everything I do she says I do it wrong

mmm-mmm, mmm-mmm, mmm-mmm, mmm-mmm

I knowed you when you didn't have a dime
This may well be your last time
Baby your last time
This may well be, baby, your last time
Well your last time rollin' in a bed of mine

Bye bye, bye bye, hate to see you go
Goodbye babe I hate to see you go
Oh goodbye, sure hate to see you go
Well I may not never see you no more

mmm-mmm, mmm-mmm, mmm-mmm, mmm-mmm

Knowed you when you didn't have a dime
Look down, look down, that lonesome road
Look down that long old lonesome road
As I look down that long old lonesome road
Wondering which-a-way did my baby go


Offline Blues Vintage

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Re: Mance Lipscomb Lyrics
« Reply #131 on: October 28, 2022, 01:04:29 PM »
Shake, Shake, Mama


This is one of my favorite pieces from Lipscomb and has some great lyrics. I’m learning the song at the moment and Jas Obrecht is writing an article on Lipscomb’s first recording session for the upcoming issue of Living Blues Magazine so this should be a perfect time to post it.
This classic was never really finished here at Weenie Campbell and never entered into Weeniepiedia. Thanks to Lignite, Banjochris and Bent Note for the heavy lifting.  Please suggest anything you think I got wrong.


Mance Lipscomb – Vocals, Guitar

June 30, 1960
Navasota, Texas

A Position
Dropped D Tuning





INTRO SOLO

Oh, I ain’t gonna give you, no more cherry ball
Oh, ain’t gonna give you no more cherry ball
You got drunk and showed your Santa Claus

Oh, little bitty woman, hip just like a snake
Oh, little bitty woman, hip just like a snake
Come little women, baby, really take

Oh, late last night my love come falling down
(Guitar plays the IV)
Me and my baby on our last go round

Oh, shake, shake, mama, buy you a diamond ring
Oh, shake, shake, mama, I buy you a diamond ring
You don’t shake, ain’t gon’ buy you a doggone thing

Oh, my clutch starts slipping and my coil won’t even sing
Oh, my clutch starts slipping and my coil won’t even sing
Losing compression from my piston ring

Oh, rider, you ain’t fooling me
Look-a-here, rider, you ain’t fooling me
You been slipping to your all-time used to be

SOLO

Oh, I like my babe but I don’t like her teddy bear
Oh, I like my woman but I don’t like her teddy bear
I’m gonna buy her a box-back nittie to wear
« Last Edit: October 28, 2022, 03:34:20 PM by Blues Vintage »

Offline Johnm

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Re: Mance Lipscomb Lyrics
« Reply #132 on: October 28, 2022, 01:19:53 PM »
Hi Blues Vintage,
I quite agree with you about this track--it's one of my very favorites of Mance's. I only have a couple of puny things I'm hearing differently:

   In 2.1 and 2.2, I'm hearing "hips" rather than "hip"

   In the tagline to the last verse I'm hearing:
    I'm gonna buy her A box-back NITTY to wear

 
« Last Edit: October 28, 2022, 02:44:59 PM by Johnm »

Offline Blues Vintage

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Re: Mance Lipscomb Lyrics
« Reply #133 on: October 28, 2022, 03:51:41 PM »
Thanks for the suggestions. I'm still hearing "hip". I agree with the tagline and made that change.

I just realized how good the quality is from Chris Strachwitz’s equipment, recorded right there in Mance’s living room. Maybe he had state of the art stuff at the time. Every nuance of the voice and guitar beautifully documented.
Mance in some way picked up the first verse from Mississippi Bracey’s “Cherry Ball”. Cherry Ball – cherry wine or brandy; from the use of ball to mean “[a] glass of (Irish) malt whiskey”, the expression was corrupted by Skip James to denote an attractive female (Stephen Calt).
In 2.3 I think Mance misspeaks a bit. Perhaps he was planning to sing something like “Come little woman, you got just what it takes”.
Verse 5 has some great car symbolism which I like better than any verse from Robert Johnson’s “Terraplane Blues”. I didn’t understand that verse at all until I found the meaning of the different automobile parts. 
Mack McCormick's liner notes to Lipscomb's Arhoolie LP discusses "one verse lauding the 'box-back nittie' which replaced the 'teddy bear' garment which men found unappealing." So "nittie" could refer to a knitted garment, or to a nightie. Box-back nitties were probably long flannel underwear with a flap in the back. From the biography of Jelly Roll Morton, Jelly's Blues, "Unfortunately, Lila instantly realized that the blade had merely ripped the loose, boxed-back suit Mills was wearing, not the flesh she had intended to rip. 'The coat was split from end to end but the knife didn't cut Billy because of the box back coat,' Morton later explained."

Offline Stuart

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Re: Mance Lipscomb Lyrics
« Reply #134 on: October 29, 2022, 09:23:51 AM »
Thanks for the refinements, Blues Vintage and for taking it over the finish line. As for car symbolism, in the interest of thread drift, Myrtle Kahea Hilo, "The [Hawaiian] Singing Cab Driver," recorded "Will You Love Me (When My Carburetor is Busted)." It's a fun song and is on YT. With the shift to EVs, I suspect the symbolism will expand somewhat and also present rhyming challenges. 

 


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