Topic: Sam Collins Lyrics

[dj]

I've been looking at your transcription of "Lonesome Road Blues", preparatory to putting it in Weeniepedia

Hi, John,

I really need to go back and update both the transcriptions I did.  I'll try to get to it over the weekend.

[GhostRider]

Well, I might's well get in on this.

This is the only Sam Collins tune I have (I guess he's not a big favorite on anthology compliers), Graveyard Digger's Blues.

Very unusual. The repeated line (I ain't got no lovin' baby now) is the last line of one verse and the first line of the next.

Guitar could use a tuning.

I have trouble with the bracketed parts. I'll post an .MP3 a bit later.  Here is "Graveyard Digger's Blues":



Graveyard Digger's Blues

Sam Collins

Introduction (2 bars)

1) I went to the grave and I fell down on my knees.
I said "Graveyard digger, give me back my fair brown please".
Lord I ain?t got no lovin? baby now.

2) I ain?t got no lovin? baby now.
I went to the line, Lord some old train will run.
Take me back, to my baby, honey where I come from, Lord.
I ain?t got no lovin? baby now.

3) I ain?t got me no mo? lovin? baby now.
I?d rather be dead, and buried in my grave.
Then to be ?round here, mama treated this a-way, honey.
I ain?t got no lovin? baby now.

4) Instrumental verse

5) I ain?t got no lovin? baby now.
Said I dreamed last night, my bed was fallin? down.
But it ?twas my woman, she was makin? her last go round, Lord.
I ain?t got no lovin? baby now.

6) ?Cus I ain?t got no lovin? baby now.
I?d rather see my coffin come rollin? in my door.
Hear my woman say, that she don?t want me no more, Lord.
I ani?t got no lovin? baby now.

7) I ain?t got no lovin? baby now.
My baby done quit me, b?lieve she throwed me down.
It would hurt me so bad, but the talk?s all over town, Lord.
I ain?t got no lovin? baby now.

Alex

Note: edited to reflect Johnm comments below.


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[Johnm]

Good on you, Alex, thanks for joining in.  I'll give it a listen, too, and see what I hear.
all best,
Johnm

[dj]

Alex, I think you've got a typo in there.  The last line of verse 2 should be:

I ain?t got no LOVIN? baby now

[Johnm]

Hi Alex,
I heard just a couple of things differently in "Grave Yard Digger's Blues".  I'll use the method of citing stanzas and capitalizing the changed words that dingwall and uncle bud have been using in the Lemon Jefferson Lyrics thread.

   5.2 Said, I DREAMED last night, my BED was falling down

   7.3 It WOULDN'T HURT ME so bad, but the talks all over town, Lord

Those two places were all that I could hear differently from your transcription, and I think the parenthetic "line" you have in 2.2 and "mo'" you have in 3.1 are both correct.
all best,
Johnm   

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Sam Collins recorded "The Jailhouse Blues" in Vestapol, playing with a slide.  It remains something of a mystery how he could play so impeccably in tune with his slide when his second and third strings were notably flat when strummed open.  This is particularly mysterious when he plays a barred IV chord, which sounds fine but which should by all rights be just as compromised as the strummed open strings were.  Perhaps his instrument had some sort of intonation problem at the nut that required a weird tuning of the open strings to obtain in pitch playing up the neck.  Of course a slide is more forgiving than are frets--you can just go to the in-tune spots, even if they don't coincide with the fret placements.  "The Jailhouse Blues" follows a more conventional AAB lyric phrasing scheme than do his "Yellow Dog Blues" and "Loving Lady Blues", but it is still very loosely structured harmonically, with IV chords in some verses but not others and no V chords in sight.  Here is "The Jailhouse Blues":



   When I was layin' in jail with my back turned to the wall
   When I was layin' in jail with my back turned to the wall
   I could'n' lay down and dream, I could hear my good gal squall

   Lord, she brought me coffee and she brought me tea
   Lord, she brought me coffee and she brought me tea
   Fell dead at the door with the jailhouse key

   I'm going down to the courthouse, see the judge and the Chief Police
   Going down to the courthouse, see the judge and Chief Police
   My good gal fell dead and I sure can't see no peace

   I'll tell you what I'll do and I, sure God, won't tell no lie
   Tell you what I'll do and I, sure God, ain't gonna lie
   I b'lieve I'll lay down, take morphine and die

All best,
Johnm
 
   

[GhostRider]

Hi Alex,
I heard just a couple of things differently in "Grave Yard Digger's Blues".  I'll use the method of citing stanzas and capitalizing the changed words that dingwall and uncle bud have been using in the Lemon Jefferson Lyrics thread.

   5.2 Said, I DREAMED last night, my BED was falling down

   7.3 It WOULDN'T HURT ME so bad, but the talks all over town, Lord

Those two places were all that I could hear differently from your transcription, and I think the parenthetic "line" you have in 2.2 and "mo'" you have in 3.1 are both correct.
all best,
Johnm   

John:

I think your hearing of 5.2 is right on.
In line 7.3 the addition of "me" is correct, but I still hear "would" rather that "wouldn't", although "wouldn't" would make much more sense.

I'll make the changes.

Alex

[dj]

After almost two years, I've finally gotten around to listening to everyone's suggestions and corrections of my two Sam Collins lyrics.  Here's what I'm hearing now.  Thanks to everyone who contributed way back then and to Johnm for reminding me that there was still work to do.  First, here's "Lonesome Road Blues":



LONESOME ROAD BLUES

I'm walking down that lonesome lane
Hung down my head and cried

I weeped and I cried under a willow tree
'n' my fate's¹ the deep blue sea

My mama's dead, papa can't be found
And my brother's on the county road

Says I done been to that long plank walk
And I'm on my way back home

You did cause me to weep you did cause me to moan
You did cause me to leave my home

I cried last night and the night before
And I swore not to cry no more

You did cause me to weep you did cause me to moan
You did cause me to leave my home

I got no money and they call me no honey
I have to weep and moan

In eighteen hundred in that ninety nine
He got killed on that streetcar line

They took him down that smoky road
Brought him back on that coolin' board

Instrumental verse

Says I been down to that water's edge
That's far as I care to go

Then run here mama 'n' fall in your daddy's breast
These blues gonna let me rest

Your fast mail train comin' round the curve
It done killed my little brownie dead

Her head was ground in that driver wheel
And her body it have never been seen

Instrumental verse

¹ Could be "I faced"

[dj]

And here's "My Road Is rough And Rocky (How Long, How Long)":



My Road Is Rough And Rocky
(How Long, How Long)

You don't b'lieve I'm travelin' on the road somewhere
Get your book and pencil and count the days I'm gone
I am gone, I'm long gone
My road is rough and rocky on my way

You can go to Memphis, find me there
Catch the first train smokin' find me on the road somewhere
And I am gone, I'm long gone
My road is rough and rocky on my way

You've been talkin' 'bout your brick house but you ought to see mine
It ain't so pretty but it's built up fine
I am gone, I'm long gone
My road is rough and rocky on my way

I got up this mornin' looked at the risin' sun
Can't nobody run me like them bloodhounds done
And I am gone, I'm long gone
My road is rough and rocky on my way

I got up in my stockings, tippin' 'cross the floor
Heared them bloodhounds a-rappin' upon my door
And I am gone, I'm long gone
My road is rough and rocky on my way

I have chicken's on my back and there's the hounds on my track
I dropped my hat¹ 'n' I couldn't stop to look back
And I am gone, I'm long gone
My road is rough and rocky on my way

I could hear them pistol balls zoomin' by² my head
I b'lieve to my soul they gonna kill me dead
And I am gone, I'm long gone
My road is rough and rocky on my way

I got up this mornin' just about the break of day
I could hear them there bloodhounds a comin' down my way
And I am gone, I'm long gone
My road is rough and rocky on my way

I got up this mornin', fell down 'cross my bed
I could hear somethin' perchin' all around my head
And I am gone, I'm long gone
My road is rough and rocky on my way

¹ Could be "head"
² Could be "'bout"

[uncle bud]

Hi Alex,
I heard just a couple of things differently in "Grave Yard Digger's Blues".  I'll use the method of citing stanzas and capitalizing the changed words that dingwall and uncle bud have been using in the Lemon Jefferson Lyrics thread.

   5.2 Said, I DREAMED last night, my BED was falling down

   7.3 It WOULDN'T HURT ME so bad, but the talks all over town, Lord

Those two places were all that I could hear differently from your transcription, and I think the parenthetic "line" you have in 2.2 and "mo'" you have in 3.1 are both correct.
all best,
Johnm   

John:

I think your hearing of 5.2 is right on.
In line 7.3 the addition of "me" is correct, but I still hear "would" rather that "wouldn't", although "wouldn't" would make much more sense.

Hi Alex - I hear "wouldn't". Collins sings it fast but it's there. It would also of course be the standard form of the familiar line, whereas, as you point out, "would" does not make sense.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Sam Collins recorded "Devil in the Lion's Den" in Vestapol, playing with a slide.  He does some extravagant fills here, and since he habitually went long on his instrumental reponses to his vocals he may have felt less of a need to play full solos than some players in the style.  He does some beautiful singing here, as was his wont.  Here is "Devil In The Lion's Den":



   My mama's dead and my papa can't be found
   My mama's dead and my papa can't be found
   I ain't got me nobody, throw my arms around

   Yond' come the devil, gonna set this town on fire
   Yond' come the devil, gonna set this town on fire
   "'Low me a chance, conductor, to bid this town good-bye."

   I got ways like a devil, sleep in the lion's den
   I got way like a devil, sleep in a lions' den
   If I can find me a good gal, I'm gonna take her in

   Let me tell you, mama, what you said last night
   Lay down on my bedside, cried to treat me right

   Lord, I'm goin' up the country, but cryin' won't make me stay
   I'm goin' up the country, cryin' won't make me stay
   More you cry, the further I ride away

All best,
Johnm

[GhostRider]

Hi Alex,
I heard just a couple of things differently in "Grave Yard Digger's Blues".  I'll use the method of citing stanzas and capitalizing the changed words that dingwall and uncle bud have been using in the Lemon Jefferson Lyrics thread.

   5.2 Said, I DREAMED last night, my BED was falling down

   7.3 It WOULDN'T HURT ME so bad, but the talks all over town, Lord

Those two places were all that I could hear differently from your transcription, and I think the parenthetic "line" you have in 2.2 and "mo'" you have in 3.1 are both correct.
all best,
Johnm   

John:

I think your hearing of 5.2 is right on.
In line 7.3 the addition of "me" is correct, but I still hear "would" rather that "wouldn't", although "wouldn't" would make much more sense.

Hi Alex - I hear "wouldn't". Collins sings it fast but it's there. It would also of course be the standard form of the familiar line, whereas, as you point out, "would" does not make sense.

Hey Unkie Bud:

Strange 'cus I can't even hear a hint of the "n't" part of wouldn't. We need a tiebreaker. I've added a mp3 of this tune to the lyric page.

Alex

[uncle bud]

Hi Alex,
I heard just a couple of things differently in "Grave Yard Digger's Blues".  I'll use the method of citing stanzas and capitalizing the changed words that dingwall and uncle bud have been using in the Lemon Jefferson Lyrics thread.

   5.2 Said, I DREAMED last night, my BED was falling down

   7.3 It WOULDN'T HURT ME so bad, but the talks all over town, Lord

Those two places were all that I could hear differently from your transcription, and I think the parenthetic "line" you have in 2.2 and "mo'" you have in 3.1 are both correct.
all best,
Johnm   

John:

I think your hearing of 5.2 is right on.
In line 7.3 the addition of "me" is correct, but I still hear "would" rather that "wouldn't", although "wouldn't" would make much more sense.

Hi Alex - I hear "wouldn't". Collins sings it fast but it's there. It would also of course be the standard form of the familiar line, whereas, as you point out, "would" does not make sense.

Hey Unkie Bud:

Strange 'cus I can't even hear a hint of the "n't" part of wouldn't. We need a tiebreaker. I've added a mp3 of this tune to the lyric page.

Alex

Well, I was backing up JohnM's hearing of it. Only in Calgary would 2-1 be a tie.  But other ears always welcome!

[Johnm]

Hi Alex,
I re-listened, and I think you are right.  Maybe what he meant was, "It would hurt me so bad, but the fact that the talk's all over town makes it hurt considerably less."  Yeah, right.  Actually, I think he probably just mis-heard or mis-spoke the conventional line, but in any event, I think your hearing of it was correct in the first place.  I think your transcription is good to go.
All best,
Johnm

[uncle bud]

I'm still hearing "wouldn't". Definitely hear an N. I'd vote for a note in Weeniepedia.