Topic: Blind Blake Lyrics

[Stuart]

Hi John: Re: "[went and gone?]" in "Dissatisfied Blues," I believe I'm hearing something that rhymes with "town" or "down" or possibly "now," where you have "gone." I initially guessed it might be, "let me down" or "left this town," but I think this is another case where my mind was filling in what the ear didn't actually hear. 

You're correct about the quality of the record and the skips. The distortion and surface noise from being played makes some parts unintelligible--But for some reason, his playing sounds much clearer than his voice.

I have it on the Blues Images Vol. 11 CD. I'm sure John Tefteller had it remastered to make the recording as listenable as possible, but almost everything has its limitations. Here's Marshall Wyatt's page re: the 78:

http://www.oldhatrecords.com/blindblakediscoveries.html

[Johnm]

Hi Stuart,
In that place, I'm hearing the first of the three syllables beginning with "w". I originally thought it was "wasn't home". I don't know, but I think someone will be able to hear it.

[MarkC]

Sounds like it might be “went and gone” to me.

[Stuart]

Hi John:

It sounds like an initial "w" to me as well, both at 100% and at lower speeds. But I'm at a loss as to what the word is. My level of confidence is somewhat higher re: a word that rhymes with "down," which Blind Blake sings in the first two lines. "Went to town"?? --well, maybe, but that's just a possibility.

Perhaps you had it right the first time and Mark is correct as well. "Gone" is a close rhyme and the meaning certainly fits the context.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I returned to a couple of transcriptions we got really close on but did not complete. For verse eight of "I Was Afraid of That, Part 2", way earlier in this thread, a transcription was almost completed with the line ending in "riz". It occurred to me that if you're talking about a braid or hair, the line would probably end like so:
   Some folks don't know what a good gal is, you ought seen that gal with her braid half-frizzed.
It fits the sound better than did "slipped" which is the way we had the line ending to date. Frizzy hair was, and for the most part is, I think, held in low regard.

For "Hookworm Blues" I incorporated most of Blues Vintage's last suggestions with one exception. For the last line, I'm hearing
  He got up on his PADS, people, and I don't mean maybe.
It fits the sound and graphically hooks up with the activity he was engaged in.

[Johnm]

I think in "Dissatisfied Blues", the missing phrase is "wasn't home". "Wasn't home" makes a nice parallel construction with "wasn't satisfied" in the second half of the line.

[Stuart]

Hi John:

I listened several more times, using the headphones and at various speeds and I'm pretty sure "wasn't" is correct, but now I think it may be, "wasn't there."  --Such is a life of uncertainty...

I agree about "half frizzed." It matches the final I hear at the end of the line.

[Stuart]

A couple of quotes by John that I wanted to respond to:

Considering how many titles he recorded, it's surprising the extent to which on almost every track he played something you don't recall having heard him do on any of his other records.

I've always been impressed with his rich and fertile musical imagination. I'm sure that many of his songs were well thought out in advance, yet his playing sounds so natural and spontaneous. And there's much more going on than at first listen with even his simpler sounding pieces. Mastery.

Another thought occurs, though--Blake, for some reason is almost never mentioned when people discuss blues musicians who came up with their own lyrics, and yet his lyrics very seldom draw from the common pool of blues cliches.

Definitely. I think if we were to put his playing aside and only focus on the lyrics, we might conclude that we've been overlooking the obvious, so to speak. He really was creative and clever, and had a way with words.

[Johnm]

Hi Stuart,
You nailed "Dissatisfied Blues" with "wasn't there", which matches the sound perfectly. I'll make the change. Thanks!

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Blind Blake recorded "Panther Squall Blues" at a session in Chicago in May of 1929, accompanying himself out of G position in standard tuning and, as surmised in DG&R, playing harmonica on a rack. Whether or not it was Blake playing the harmonica, it is accorded a lot of space in the performance. Here is "Panther Squall Blues":



INTRO AND INTRO SOLO

I've got a sweet mama, she ain't long at all
I've got a sweet mama, she ain't long at all
She got the kind of lovin', that'll make a panther squall

HARMONICA SOLO

She got Elgin movements, a twenty-year guarantee
She got Elgin movements, a twenty-year guarantee
I bet my last dollar, she done put them jinx on me

HARMONICA SOLO

Edited 6/20 to pick up corrections from Blues Vintage

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Blind Blake recorded "Playing Policy Blues" in Grafton in December of 1930, accompanying himself in G position, standard tuning. The eight-to-the-bar boogie bass pattern that he kept going under the first eight bars of each of his verses is unique in his recorded performances, and his solo is spectacular, startling, really. Here is "Playing Policy Blues":



INTRO

Numbers, numbers, 'bout to drive me mad
Numbers, numbers, 'bout to drive me mad
Thinkin' about the money, that I should've had

I dreamed last night the woman I love was dead
I dreamed last night the woman I love was dead
If I'd have played the dead row, I would come out ahead

I acted a fool and played on 3-6-9
I act a fool and played on 3-6-9
Lost my money, and that gal of mine

SOLO

I played on clearing house, couldn't make the grade
I played on clearing house, couldn't make the grade
Lord, think of the money, that I should have made

I begged my baby to let me in her door
I begged my baby, let me in her door
Wanted to put my  25-50-75 in her 7-17-24

I want 15, 50, and 51
I'm goin' 15, 50, and 51
I'm gon' keep playin' policy, 'til some good luck come

CODA

Edited 6/20 to pick up corrections from banjochris

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Blind Blake recorded "Doggin' Me Mama Blues" at a session in Chicago in April of 1928 for which he was joined, on this track by Jimmy Bertrand on xylophone and spoken commentary, while Blake accompanied himself out of C position, standard tuning. If it was Jimmy Bertrand doing the commentary, his speaking voice sounds very much like the spoken voice on William Moore's "Old Country Rock" and "Barbershop Rag". Blake's playing is sensational and his singing is particularly strong. It would seem to be incredibly distracting, trying to maintain concentration against the gabby commentary and meandering xylophone playing. I'd appreciate some help with some of the spoken commentary--I think I have most of it. Here is "Doggin' Me Mama Blues":



INTRO AND INTRO SOLO (Spoken: Play them things, boys. Worried, I'm worried. . . I'm blue this morning. Aw, show it in the basement with me. Aw, play 'em. Aw, doggin' me. Doggin' me. Sing 'em, Mister Blake, sing 'em.)

There's no need of you doggin' me, mama, I ain't done nothin' to you (Spoken: No, I guess not.)
There ain't no need of you doggin' me, mama, I ain't done nothin' to you (Spoken: Aw, dog it, dog it.)
If you keep on doggin' me, no tellin' what I'll do (Spoken: Aw, you'll mildew!)

SOLO (Spoken: Get in the gutter. Shake 'em on down in the basement and dog 'em some more. Aw, dog me, mama, dog me.)

You dog me in the mornin', mama, you dog me late at night (Spoken: Aw, gonna dog you some more, too.)
You dog me in the mornin', you dog me late at night (Spoken: You ain't been half-dogged yet!)
And if you keep on doggin' daddy, I sure ain't gon' treat you right (Spoken: You ain't the right-treatin' kind. Dog him some more, dog him!)

SOLO X 2 (Spoken: Play 'em long and lonesome. Play 'em a long time, boy. Can't play 'em a long time, play 'em two times. Aw, whip it! Whip it to a cream gravy.)

Edited 6/20 to pick up corrections fro banjochris

All best,
Johnm   

 

[Stuart]

Hi John:

Re: The voice on "Doggin' Me Mama Blues" and on William Moore's songs, they sound very similar--if not the same--to me. Jimmy Bertrand was based in Chicago and William Moore recorded for Paramount in Chicago in January of 1928, a few months before Blind Blake's session in April, so there's some circumstantial evidence to support your opinion. A couple of links:

https://syncopatedtimes.com/jimmy-bertrand-1900-1960/

http://www.rroysters.com/billmoore.htm

[banjochris]

John –
Couple suggestions on the spoken parts of "Doggin'"

Aw, play 'em. Aw, DOGGIN' ME. DOGGIN' ME. SING 'em, Mister Blake, sing 'em.


If you keep on doggin' me, no tellin' what I'll do (Spoken: Aw, you'll MILDEW!)


Can't play 'em a long time, play 'em TWO TIMES.

Chris

[banjochris]

couple very minor suggestions for "Playing Policy," John –

4.1 and 4.2 I played ON clearing house...

6.2 I'm GON' 15, 50 and 51