Early Morning Blues is one of several songs I am revisiting after not playing them for several years.
I remembered that when Ari taught it at PT, he showed us more than one guitar break, so I came here looking for info on where to find alternative takes. GhostRider got an answer to the same question a long time ago. While looking around, I was surprised to find that no one had posted the lyrics here, at least as far as I can tell. If I'm wrong, let me know and I'll delete these.
Early Morning Blues Blind Blake -- 1926[?] Key of C
Early this morning, my baby made me sore. Early this morning, my baby made me sore. I?m going away to leave you, ain?t coming back no more.
Tell me pretty mama, where did you stay last night? Tell me pretty mama, where did you stay last night? (Spoken: Tell me where did you stay last night?) It ain?t none of your business, Daddy since I treat you right.
When you see me sleeping, baby don?t you think I?m drunk. (Spoken: No I?m not drunk, not a bit of it.) When you see me sleeping, baby don?t you think I?m drunk. I got one eye on my pistol, and the other on your trunk.
BREAK (Spoken: Play that thing [low? long?] and lonesome, boy.)
I love you pretty mama, believe me it ain?t no lie. (Spoken: I mean it ain?t no lie.) I love you pretty mama, believe me it ain?t no lie. The day you try to quit me, baby that?s the day you die.
Lindy
« Last Edit: June 17, 2023, 03:04:52 PM by Johnm »
Hi all, "Bad Feeling Blues" is a beautiful piece that Blake played in dropped-D tuning. It is an unusual rendition for Blake by virtue of having no guitar solo (though the guitar plays a lot of fancy fills throughout the course of the piece). Here is Blake's rendition:
INTRO
I've got the bad feeling blues, keeps me worried all the time I've got the bad feeling blues, keeps me worried all the time I can't get along with that high brown gal of mine
Looky-here, mama, done throwed your papa down Looky-here, mama, you done throwed your papa down I wouldn't hate it so bad, but the news is all over town
Looky-here, mama, what you want me to do? Looky-here, mama, what you want me to do? I work all the time, bring my money home to you
Lord, Lord, your papa done gone astray Lord, Lord, your papa done gone astray I ain't never thought you would treat your daddy this-a-way
I've got the bad feeling blues, keeps me so low-down I've got the bad feeling blues they keep me so low-down I'm gon' pack my grip, leave this lonesome town
All best, Johnm
« Last Edit: April 01, 2018, 06:45:10 AM by Johnm »
Hi all, Blind Blake played "Detroit Bound Blues" out of C position in standard tuning. The song was later covered (though not copied) by Bob Campbell, who called his version "Starvation Farm Blues". Roger Hubbard has been doing a wonderful job with the song for years. Blake's lyrics are interesting in that they are notably not "personal", and show him singing of his audience's life rather than his own (except for the last verse, possibly). Blake was really in top form, and the piece abounds in felicitous touches. Here it is:
INTRO
I'm goin' to Detroit, get myself a good job I'm going to Detroit, get myself a good job Tired of stayin' 'round here, with these starvations mobs
I'm gon' get me a job, up there in Mister Ford's place Gon' get me a job, up there in Mister Ford's place Stop these eatless days from starin' me in the face
I'm goin' to Detroit, get me a barrelhouse flat Goin' to Detroit, get me a barrelhouse flat I'm gon' take my baby, but I don't know where she's at
When I start to makin' money, you don't need to come around When I start to makin' money, you don't need to come around 'Cause I don't want her now, Lord, I'm Detroit bound
They got wild women in Detroit, that's what I want to see They got wild women in Detroit, that's all I wanta see Wild women and bad whiskey, will make a fool out of me
All best, Johnm
« Last Edit: April 01, 2018, 06:42:17 AM by Johnm »
Hi everybody! I'm a new member. Have been lurking for a month or so and found lots of good stuff here - great place!.
Not being a native English speaker myself I have been wondering about Blake's spoken aside at the end of Wabash Rag: "Everybody set 'em" or possibly "Everybody's had 'em". Is this a dance promt or something else?
He repeats "set 'em" in a rythmic fashion during instrumental breaks in the song. This has had me puzzled for years - hope weenies can help clear it up.
Thank you JB
« Last Edit: April 01, 2018, 04:51:10 AM by J?rn Bonne »
Hi Jorn, Welcome to Weenie Campbell. In fact, I don't know the answer to your question, but it could be that Blake was telling a bartender to keep setting up drinks, and keep the liquor pouring, as in the repeated command, "Set 'em!". Like I said, it's just a guess. All best, Johnm
There are two reasons I had thought it could have to do with dancing, apart from the fact that Blake was known to have done quite a bit of playing for dances, even before he started to record in 1926: 1) As a child in Denmark in the '50s I remember older folks dancing what was called 'formation dances' at bigger country parties. A 'prompter' would call the different sections of the dance, when to move to the left or right in a ring of dancers, when and how to change partners etc. 2) In Samuel Charters interview with Lightnin' Hopkins in 1959 Lightnin' relates that his father was a 'prompter' at country dances and briefly explains what that entailed.
Well, the "set 'em" bit in Wabash Rag may have nothing to do with this, like you said - just a thought I have pondered over the years.
Best J?rn
« Last Edit: April 01, 2018, 02:25:14 PM by J?rn Bonne »
Hi all, Blind Blake recorded "Tampa Bound" at a session in Chicago in October of 1926, accompanying himself out of G position in standard tuning. As with many of his slowish medium tempo tunes, he chose to accompany it with an underlying triplet feel, though it was not a shuffle, despite a shuffle also having the underlying triplet feel. Blake's feel is more straight-up-and-down, and doesn't have the "leaning forward" quality that a shuffle has. When I haven't listened to him for a while and I return to his music, I have the pleasant experience of being re-awed by his musicianship and originality. God, what a player! The lyric break he goes into after the second verse was stolen by a lot of subsequent lyricists. Here is "Tampa Bound":
INTRO
I'm going back to Tampa, to that girl I left behind I"m going back to Tampa, to that girl I left behind I'm going back to Tampa, just to cure my worried mind
Did you ever lie down at night, thinkin' about your brown? Did you ever lie down at night, thinkin' about your brown? You commenced rollin' and tumblin', I guess I'm Tampa bound
The bridge washed out, the wires all down, my gal is in the flood, and I'm Tampa bound
SOLO (Spoken: Play that thing, Mr. So-and-so. You know you can play.)
I got up this mornin', put on my walkin' shoes I got up this mornin', put on my walkin' shoes I"m going back to Tampa, just to cure my low-down blues
Hi all, Blind Blake recorded "One Time Blues", accompanying himself out of A position in standard tuning at a session in Chicago around March of 1927. A position was very seldom recorded in by Blind Blake, but you would never guess that from the caliber of his playing on this track. It seems like the tagline to the next-to-last verse should have started with "You", rather than "I". Here is "One Time Blues":
INTRO
Ahhhhhh, the rising sun goin' down Ahhhhhh, the rising sun goin' down I ain't got nobody, since my baby blowed this town
Ahhhhhh, mama, love me one more time Ahhhhhh, mama, love me one more time You give me a little chance, maybe you will change your mind
I done called you, 'til I almost lost my mind I done called you, mama, 'til I almost lost my mind I ain't gon' call no more, good man is hard to find
Ahhhhhh, mama, who can your reg'lar be? Ahhhhhh, who can your reg'lar be? I ain't got no reg'lar, baby, please take me
Take me, mama, I'll tell you what I'll do Take me, mama, I'll tell you what I'll do I'll get up every mornin', work hard all day for you
CODA
Edited 6/28 to pick up correction from banjochris
All best, Johnm
« Last Edit: June 29, 2022, 06:30:58 AM by Johnm »
I wish he had done more in A, D and especially open D! Couple suggestions on "One Time" – first, if you think of the last line of the second to last verse as a reply from her to him it makes sense with the "I" – doesn't matter too much there!
second, I think 2.3 is You give me A LITTLE chance...
Thanks for the 2.3 fix, Chris, I have made the change. I thought about that tagline being her response to his query, but the rest of the lyrics imply that he's the one having to do the selling on the idea of him being her regular. Plus, everyone else I've heard sing that verse begins the tagline with "you".
Hi all, Blind Blake recorded "Steel Mill Blues" at a session in Chicago in October of 1927, accompanying himself out of G position. While he doesn't take any solos after his intro, his accompaniment is ever-changing, and he has enough material for about three songs in his accompaniments. The way he goes between the prevailing underlying triplet feel and a deeper duple subdivision of the beat is masterful (and no surprise). Here is "Steel Mill Blues":
INTRO
Working in the steel mill, making pig iron all day Working in the steel mill, making pig iron all day When I come home, mama, have somewhere for me to lay
Get my dinner ready, don't let my coffee be cold Have my dinner ready, don't let my coffee be cold Don't forget, mama, please save my sweet jellyroll
When I look into that blast furnace, it's all red hot with ore When I look into the blast furnace, it's all red hot with ore If I catch you stealing, ain't going back no more
Every payday, mama, when I get my check Every payday, mama, when I get my check After I pay your bills, I'm a nervous wreck
Pig iron and bills, eatin' out all of my shoes Pig iron and bills, eatin' out all of my shoes That's the reason why I got those low-down steel mill blues
CODA
Edited 5/27 to pick up corrections from Blues Vintage