Topic: Sam Chatmon lyrics

[ScottN]

Hi Frankie and John - thanks for all the help on Ashtray Taxi and Franie Jean.  I have incorporated all the changes.

I love Sam's voice as well - very powerful and seems to cut through very well. John, do you know if he sang on the street at all or just developed that voice performing with his family?

Thanks again,
                     Scott

[Slack]

Hi all,
Apropos of Frank's comment regarding Sam's accompaniment to "Ashtray Taxi", there is a related post in the "Slow Blues in G Standard" thread, at:  http://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=1236.msg63426#msg63426 .
All best,
Johnm

Hi Johnm, something to sort out or correct?  In the above thread you reference both Hollandale Blues and Ashtray Taxi in G.  Hollandale, we know form the musicians doing puzzler, is in A. Might Ashtray Taxi also be in A?  (Which might make for your surprise at Sam's prediction for G?)  Ashtray has a similar rock, but it's not the same rock.... so I don't know.  different V7 chord too I think, but I haven't spent much time listening. 

G and A positions are tough to decipher - especially when the musician is playing out of A tuned a step down!   Anyway, Slow A or G is a great style Sam has regardless. 

[Johnm]

The version of "Hollandale Blues" that we did the puzzler on Sam chose to play out of A position, John.  But the one I transcribed for a lesson, he played out of G position, as he did "Ashtray Taxi".  It is relatively rare for a player to play the same song out of two different playing positions/tunings, but you run into it occasionally.  John Hurt played "Frankie" out of Spanish and G in standard tuning, and Snooks Eaglin played "Careless Love" out of two different positions.  Sam especially liked G in standard tuning for slow blues and used the same accompaniment for many of the songs he did there.
All best,
Johnm

[Slack]

Well, thanks for that!  It would never have occurred to me that a musician would play the same song out of two positions (but why not!?)... you learn something every day.

[frankie]

Sam especially liked G in standard tuning for slow blues and used the same accompaniment for many of the songs he did there.

Oh, yeah.. Sam knows something about a slow blues in G:



There...  now ain't that better?

[Slack]

But the one I transcribed for a lesson, he played out of G position,

I'm going to fool around with A for awhile, mostly to see if i can get a decent vocal , but I think I'm going to have to come by your site and pick Hollandale in G.  Such a great style.

edit: Thanks for that frankie!

[ScottN]

Stoop Down Baby, Let Your Daddy See



Intro

Now stoop down baby let your daddy see
Hey yes stoop down woman let your daddy see
You've got somethin down there now woman worryin the hell out of me

Now two old maids layin up in the bed
One turned over t' the other one said
Wake up old maid don't sleep so damn sound
You know what you promised when you first laid down

Now just stoop down let your daddy see
You've got somethin down there now woman worryin the hell out of me

Now two little girls out playin in the sand
One told the other'n child I believe you's a man
She said no no child I ain't no man
Just be still baby do the best I can

Now just stoop down let your daddy see
You've got somethin down there now woman worryin the hell out of me

Now what did the goose tell that duck
You ain't so good lookin gal but you sure know how to strut

Just stoop down let your daddy see
You've got somethin down there now woman worryin the hell out of me

Now what did the frog tell that eel
The more you wiggle child the better it do feel

Just stoop down let your daddy see
You've got somethin down there now woman worryin the hell out of me

Now the monkey and the baboon out playin in the grass
The monkey shoved his finger in the baboon's ice cream

Just stoop down let your daddy see
You've got somethin down there now woman worryin the hell out of me

Oh stoop down baby


Thanks,
           Scott

[ScottN]

Cool song with three solos towards the end...

I Can't Use You No More




Intro

Said my baby told me she gonna leave me she didn't even tell me when - oh boy that's a mess when your biscuit roller gone
She done gon leave me she didn't even tell me when
But I want the good Lord to bless that woman maybe she'll come back home to me again

Well I know you didn't love me baby you didn't even give me no kind a sign
Oh oh I know you didn't love me woman you didn't even give me no sign
I can tell the way you're actin woman you've got another man in your mind

Well now is one thing baby I just cannot understand
Hey two little [nation] sure can't understand
That's a darn [clutch mouth] woman and a [dumb gum mouth] man

Well you come here this mornin baby knocking up on my door
Get away from there sweet baby I sure can't use your love no more
Now go home woman stop knocking on my door
Says I got me another woman sure can't use you no more

Well now you run in here woman beggin me to take you back
I've got a woman on my main line [i just keep to my sweet track]
Go on back baby hey can't use you no more
You better get away f' my window woman stop knocking on my door - oh yes you had baby

Solo

Solo
Whoa get on that thing boy
[Let her loose sho]
Now listen

Solo
[I'm picking losing sho enough now]

I got something to tell you baby please don't get mad
I got something to tell you woman please don't get mad
Say you [can't get favor Sam] now both us once have had

Thanks,
           Scott

[ScottN]

Black Night



Intro
This is my [favorite]

Oh used to be I could call you mine alone - oh yes I could baby
But it's plain to see now you want to be left on your own
You must have someone new to make me go blue black night

Oh used to be we could have so much fun - oh yes we could
Just you and me when my workin day be done
But when I come home you tired [ a bone] black night

Oh used to be see my face you'd smile
And run to me run to me just like you was my child
But now you're in some kind of daze have changed your ways black night

Oh used to be you the blackest night ever been known - oh yes you was [?]
But it's plain to see I'll have the blues from this day on
But the lovin you have left and you'll be gone yourself black night


Thanks,
           Scott

[ScottN]

That's All Right



Intro

Well you told me woman once upon a time
If I'd be your'n you'd sure be mine
But that's all right
Yeah I know you got another man but that's all right
Every now and then I 'gin to wonder who gon love you tonight

Well I come t' your house late last night knocked upon your door
I heard a strange voice say "Get away from there you can't get in here no more"
But that's all right
Yeah I know you got another man but that's all right
Every now and then I 'Gin to wonder who gon love you tonight

Well it's one thing f' certain woman without a doubt
If I can't come in he sure better not come out
And that's all right
I know you love another man but that's all right
Every now and then I 'gin to wonder who gon love you tonight - oh yes I do baby you know I asked the woman about you like I love you

Solo
Whoa [down] make certain boy

Well he done somethin in my house never happened before
He broke down my bed and loved my woman on my floor
But that's all right
I know you love another man but that's all right
Every now and then I 'gin to wonder who gon love you tonight

Well I knocked on the front I run out to the back
He passed by me runnin fast as any darn Cadillac
But that's all right
I know you got another man but that's all right
Every now and then I 'gin to wonder who gon love you tonight

Thanks,
           Scott

[Johnm]

Good work, Scott!  When I get home I'll listen to these tracks and see if I can get any of those bent bracketed places.  It looks like you pretty much have these ones transcribed!
All best,
Johnm

[One-Eyed Ross]

That's All Right is my all time favorite Sam Chatmon song, although I don't play it anywhere near as well as he did.  Love the lyric "He sure better not come out"

[Johnm]

Hi Scott,
I listened to the four songs of Sam's and all I could find was really little stuff except his spoken comment after the first line of the first verse in "I Can't Use You No More":
   Oh boy, that's a mess when YOUR BISCUIT ROLLER GONE
It occurs to me that maybe I was listening to a different version than you did.
I entered the songs in Weeniepedia.  Thanks for doing the transcriptions!
All best,
Johnm

[ScottN]

Hi John - thanks I made the change. I should do a better job of labeling where each recording is from as there are multiple versions of some of his songs.

Ross - related to multiple versions of That's All Right, my favorite take on that lyric is "If I can't come in that BASTARD better not come out!"  No need to mince words in that situation ;-)

Thanks again,
                     Scott

[ScottN]

Good Eat Meat Boy - from Hollandale Blues. This is the same recording as Good Eating Meat from Blues At Home 2. In fact, all of Hollandale Blues is included in the Blues At Home 2 album, don't buy both (pretty sure Sam isn't getting a cut..).



Spoken: You know my baby cooked some meat the other morn. It was good eatin meat boys but it sure tastes bad

Well I eat some meat at twelve I had some at four
I'm gettin pretty hungry I'm goin back and eat some more
Because it's good eatin meat boys and just tastes so doggone bad
It's got the strongest old taste whoa any meat I've ever had

Now some men don't like meat when it ain't seasoned just right
But I'll eat anything through the day please give me my strong meat at night
I mean it's good eatin meat boys yeah I swear it tastes bad
It's got the strongest old taste oh any meat I ever had

Now you can soak it all day get up late and wash it at night
But when you get to eatin it it still don't taste right
I mean it's good eatin meat boys yeah but it just tastes so darn bad
It's got the strongest old taste eee-yu any meat I ever had
Spoken: second voice [?]

Well you can soak it all night get up and wash it the next day
But ain't no soap and water gon get that strong taste away
I mean it's good eatin meat boys yeah I mean it just tastes bad
It's got the strongest old taste whoa any meat I've ever had


Thanks,
           Scott