Topic: Sam Collins Lyrics

[blueshome]

I'm most of the way through working out Sam Collins' "Slow Mama Slow", but I'm having trouble with the words of the 3rd verse:? help?

Pull down your window, lock up all your doors 2x
I got ways like the devil, I'm ..............?

[waxwing]

Can you post an mp3?
All for now.
John C.

[uncle bud]

Hiya Blueshome,

Sackheim in The Blues Line has the third verse as:

Pull down your window, lock up on your door
Lock up on your window, lock up on your door
I got ways like the devil, I'm slipping on the floor

Haven't compared it to the recording....                                                   

cheers,
uncle bud

[Johnm]

Hi all,
This response isn't directed to "Slow, Mama, Slow", but rather another Sam Collins tune with the same title as another song discussed elsewhere in this section by Frank Stokes, "It Won't Be Long".  I'm sorry I don't have the computer capability to post an mp3 file of it, but it is really an amazing song and performance.  It has this weird "talking-to-itself" quality, and at two or three different points, Sam sounds like he is grinding to a halt, only to start up again.  He does some unbelievable singing, too, in a class with Robert Pete Williams for hitting eerie notes.  Seek it out if you can, it's kind of a one-of-a-kind cut.
All best,
Johnm

[HardLuckChild]

Hello. My name's Dan and this is my first post on this site. I'd like to say that WeenieCampell.com is amazing! This site really blows away BigRoadBlues, which is a website/forum I've been reading and participating in for years. To me, it sounds like Crying Sam Collins is singing "I got ways like the Devil, I'm creepin' on all fours."

[Slack]

Welcome to Weenie Campbell Dan!

To me, it sounds like Crying Sam Collins is singing "I got ways like the Devil, I'm creepin' on all fours."

Oooh, I like that!   

cheers,
slack

[uncle bud]

Hi Dan. Welcome aboard!

[HardLuckChild]

I read online that Crying Sam Collins recorded about 80 songs. However, there are only about 23 songs of his that are available on cd. Does anyone know what the story is?

[Richard]

According to G&D and the fact my counting went slightly amiss at the end, he did no more than 50 sides.

And, of those he recorded more sides as Big Boy Woods than Sam Collins also just to confuse he also recorded as Jelly Roll Hunter and Jim Foster 

Is the CD any good?
rt

ps BigRoadBlues ... no comment!

[HardLuckChild]

The Crying Sam Collins cd on Document Records is pretty good. His real strength is pure slide guitar blues, as well as his haunting, hi-pitched voice. His covers of more traditional, folk music-ish pieces aren't as impressive as his straight-ahead blues: "Devil in the Lion's Den," "Jailhouse Blues," "Loving Lady Blues," "My Road is Rough and Rocky (How Long, How Long?)," "Slow Mama Slow," and "Signifying Blues." And of course, "Lonesome Road Blues" is gorgeous.

[bnemerov]

This interesting novelty tune is undecipherable on the ragged dub I've got (very poor cond. 78) & I haven't seen it on any CD comps (like Yazoo) where care was taken in audio restoration.
Other than the refrain "Need a Pork Chop poultice and a stewing beef in your stomach three times a day" and the (common) couplets (Preachers in the cornfield etc.) the lyrics are obscure.
Any lyric ideas or direction to a clean copy?



Bruce Nemerov

[dingwall]

Here is "Pork Chop Blues":

   

PORK CHOP BLUES

I went out west just about a year ago.
I've taken sick and I'm like to die.
Had the rheumatism all in my breast.
It's caused bruises all in my spine.

I went to the doctor, doctor said,
"Boy, what's the matter with you?"
That doctor looked around at me.
I said, "Oh, doctor, what do I need?"

That doctor shook his head and said,
"You need a pork chop porter sendin' a soothin' balm,
To your stomach three times a day.
If you hadn't have been doney-in' all the time,
You'd have been a healthy child today.

When a man gets sick and is about to die.
A cupful of your first calf's cream in his chocolate pie.
You need pork chop porters, soothin' balm,
To your stomach three times a day."

Lord, some folks say that a preacher won't steal.
And I caught two in my cornfield.
One went a-butcherin' and the other one had a sack.
They both had duffle bags around their neck.
Pork chops porters send a soothin' balm,
To your stomach three times a day.

"Needs a pork chop porter to send a soothin' balm,
To your stomach three times a day.
If you hadn't have been doney-in' all the time,
You'd have been a healthy child today.

When a man gets sick and is about to die,
Cupful of your first calf's cream into his chocolate pie.
You need some pork chop porters, soothin' balm,
To your stomach three times a day."

Do you know last winter when the time was tough,
Pork and beans in the kitchen was the Sunday stuff?
Pork chop porters sends a soothin' balm,
To your stomach three times a day.

[bnemerov]

OK Dingwall,
Thanks for the starting place. I'd like to modify some of what you hear with what I think I hear and indicate some other places where I don't hear what you hear, but I don't know what I'm hearing either. I hope that's clear (as mud?) The copy I'm listening to has some stripped grooves and is really tuff going, which is why there are places where I don't think it matches the Dingwall transcription, but I have nothing better to offer. [my thoughts in brackets.]




PORK CHOP BLUES

I went out west just about a year ago.
I've taken sick and I'm like to die.
Had the rheumatism all in my breast.
[So far this is also what I hear]
It's caused bruises all in my spine.
[I don't hear this as the last line; but ?]

I went to the doctor, doctor said,
"Boy, what's the matter with you?"
That doctor looked around at me.
I said, "Oh, doctor, what do I need?"
[This all sounds right]

That doctor shook his head and said,

"You need a pork chop porter sendin' a soothin' balm,
[You need a pork chop poultice and stewin' meat (beef??)]

To your stomach three times a day.
[In]
If you hadn't have been doney-in' all the time,
You'd have been a healthy child today.

When a man gets sick [and is about to die.]
                              [??]
A cupful of your first calf's cream in his chocolate pie.
[Again, I don't hear this line this way but ?]

You need pork chop porters, soothin' balm,
                           [poultice, stewing meat/beef]
To[In]your stomach three times a day."

Lord, some folks say that a preacher won't steal.
And I caught two in my cornfield.

One went a-butcherin' and the other one had a sack.
[One had a bushel and the other had a (sack/peck?)]
They both had duffle bags around their neck.
[They both had croaker sacks round their neck]

Pork chops porters send a soothin' balm,
[Pork Chop poultice and stewin' meat/beef]
To [In] your stomach three times a day.

"Needs a pork chop porter to send a soothin' balm,
To your stomach three times a day. (same as above)
If you hadn't have been doney-in' all the time,
You'd have been a healthy child today.

When a man gets sick and is about to die,
Cupful of your first calf's cream into his chocolate pie.
You need some pork chop porters, soothin' balm,
To your stomach three times a day."
[as above, I hear "When a man gets sick" but after that ]

Do you know last winter when the time was tough,
Pork and beans in the kitchen was the Sunday stuff?
Pork chop porters sends a soothin' balm,
To your stomach three times a day.
[This sounds good to me with changes in last two lines as above]

Anybody else want a crack at this??
Thanks Dingwall.
bruce

[banjochris]

I also transcribed the Two Charlies version from later in the '30s, which is related and easier to understand.

Collins' version:
I went out west just about a year ago.
I've taken sick and I'm like to die.
Had the rheumatism all in my breast.
It's caused bruises all in my side.

I went to the doctor, doctor said,
"Boy, what's the matter with you?"
That doctor looked around at me.
I said, "Oh, doctor, what I need?"

That doctor shook his head and said,
"You need the pork chop poultice and the stew and beans [or stewin' beans]
To your stomach three times a day.
If you hadda been doin' it all the time,
You'd have been a healthy child today.

When a man gets sick and about to die.
Pop in my swell cafe and eat his chocolate pie.
You need a pork chop poultice, stew and beans,
To your stomach three times a day."

Lord, some folks say that a preacher won't steal.
And I caught two in my cornfield.
One had a bushel and the other one had a peck
They both had croaker sacks around their neck.
Pork chop poultice and the stew and beans
To your stomach three times a day.

"Needs a pork chop poultice and the stew and beans
To your stomach three times a day.
If you hadda been doin' it all the time,
You'd have been a healthy child today.

When a man gets sick and is about to die,
Pop in the swell cafe and get his chocolate pie
You need some pork chop poultice, stew and beans
To your stomach three times a day."

Do you know last winter when the time was tough,
Pork and beans in the kitchen was a-struttin' they stuff.
Pork chop poultice and the stew and beans
To your stomach three times a day.


The Two Charlies' version:
Folks you ought to know three weeks ago
I was sick and was 'bout to die,
I had a stomach trouble from missing my meals
I feels all in my side.

The doctor he came and he felt-a my pulse
And he sat down on my bed
And just the time when mother walked in,
This is the word he said:

You need some pork chop poultice, and some pork and beans
To grease your stomach three times a day.
If you hadda been doin' it three weeks ago,
This boy'd been well today.

When the man is sick
And about to die
Just mix him up some
Of the potato pie

I heard the voice of a pork chop say
Come unto me and rest, I mean
Come unto me and rest.

Yeah!

Folks you ought to know three weeks ago
I was sick and was 'bout to die,
I had a stomach trouble from missing my meals
I feels all in my side.

The doctor he came and he felt-a my pulse
And he sit down on my bed
And just 'bout time when mother walked in,
This is the word he said:

He needs some pork chop poultice, and some pork and beans
To grease his stomach three times a day.
If you hadda been doin' it three weeks ago,
This boy woulda been well today.

When the man is sick
'Bout to die
Just mix him up some
Of the potato pie

I heard the voice of a pork chop say
Come unto me and rest, I mean
Come unto me and rest.

Edited 6/18 with corrections/suggestion from dj

[dj]

I substantially agree with banjochris's transcription of Collons's version of "Pork Chop Blues", with one minor and one fairly major exception:

The minor one:  "stew and beans" is pronounced "stew an' beans" by Collins.  While I'd agree that "stew and beans" makes better sense, "stewin' beans" also makes sense in the context and could be what Collins is singing.

The major one:  I love the word "doney-in'", but I just don't hear it.  I don't hear any hint of the "y" sound, and the final syllable sounds to me like it cuts off more sharply than an "n" sound would.  So as much as I love the term "doney-in'", I think Collins is singing "doin' it", with "doin'" being pronounced "doan'".