Topic: Big Bill Broonzy Lyrics

[Blues Vintage]

Mountain Blues


Big Bill Broonzy – Vocals, Guitar
Black Bob – Piano

July 3, 1935
Chicago, Illinois

Piano in C





Now some of these mornings it won’t be long
You gon’ and look for me baby Lord and I’ll be gone
Because I’m gon’ leave here in the morning I’m going way out west
Lord I’m going up in the mountain where the eagle builds his nest

Lord my home ain’t here and I ain’t gon’ stay
My woman done got so that she treats me any old way
You know I’m gon’ leave here in the morning I’m going way out west
Up in the mountain where the eagle builds his nest

Now listen here woman let me tell you a thing or two
You gon’ find you another man cause I’m through with you
Because I’m gon’ leave here in the morning I’m going way out west
Lord I’m going up in the mountain where the eagle builds his nest

Now let me tell you woman what you must do
You go find you someone else ‘cause I’m through with you
Because I’m gon’ leave here in the morning I’m going way out west
Lord I’m going up in the mountain where the eagle builds his nest

Lord if I could holler like a mountain jack
When I get up in the mountains I would call my baby back
Because I’m gon’ leave here in the morning I’m going way out west
Lord I’m going up in the mountain where the eagle builds his nest

[Blues Vintage]

Match Box Blues


Big Bill Broonzy – Vocals, Guitar
Black Bob – Piano
Bill Settles - Bass

February 12, 1936
Chicago, Illinois

Piano in F





Standin’ here wonderin’ will a match box hold my clothes Lord mama don’t you know your daddy cryin’ baby
Standin’ here wonderin’ will a match box hold my clothes
When I leave this town I don’t need no suitcase I know

Hey pretty mama tell me what’s the matter now Lord mama don’t you know your daddy cryin’ baby
Hey pretty mama tell me what’s the matter now
Cause’ you tryin’ quit your daddy but good gal you don’t know how

I’m gonna cross Red River I’m sure gonna leave this town Lord mama don’t you know your daddy worry
I’m gon’ cross Red River I’m sure gonna leave this town
Because the gal that I’m lovin’ she done tore my featherbed down

There's a bull dog in the alley jumpin’ up against the chain Lord mama ain’t that a cryin’ shame baby
Bull dog in the alley jumpin’ up against the chain
And I have got a brownskin woman that’s doin’ me just the same

If my train don’t run baby I’ve got a doggone mule to ride Lord mama goodbye fare-thee-well baby
My train don’t run I’ve got a doggone mule to ride
Lord I don’t have to catch him cause he’s already tied

[Johnm]

Hi Harry,
I've got a couple of suggestions for "Matchbox Blues":
   3.1, 3.2, Red River should be capitalized since it is the proper name of a river
   3.3 BECAUSE THE gal that I'm lovin' . . .
   4.1 THERE'S A bulldog in the alley
   4.3 . . . 'cause he's already TIED
All best,
Johnm

[Blues Vintage]

Thanks John

[Blues Vintage]

W.P.A. Blues


Big Bill Broonzy – Vocals, Guitar
Black Bob – Piano
Bill Settles - Bass

May 27, 1936
Chicago, Illinois

Piano in G





Everybody working in this town and it's worryin’ me night and day
Everybody working in this town and it's worryin’ me night and day
That’s that mean housewrecking crew hey that work for the W.P.A.
 
The landlord come this morning he knocked upon my door
Asked me was I going to pay my rent no more
He said you'll have to move if you can't pay
Then he turned and he walked slowly away
Then I know I have to try to find me some place to stay
Cause they gon’ tear my house down hey that crew from the W.P.A.

So I went to the relief station I didn't have a cent
They say stay on where you stayin’ you don't have to pay no rent
Then when I got back home  they was tacking a sign on my door
Say this old house is condemned and you can't live here no more
Then a notion struck me I’d better be on my way
Cause they gon’ tear my house down hey that crew from the W.P.A.

Well I started out the next morning I put a lock on my door
So I wouldn’t move but I haven’t got no place to go
The real estate people they done got so
They don't rent to no relief clients no more
And I know then I could walk the streets night and day
Cause they gon’ tear my house down hey that crew from the W.P.A.

A notion struck me to stay on a day or two
But I soon found out that that wouldn't do
Early the next morning I was laying in my bed
I heard a mighty rumbling and bricks come tumblin’ on my head
I start ducking and dodging tryin’ to get out of the way
Cause they tearing my house down hey that crew from that W.P.A.

[islandgal]

Hi Harry,

I would like to suggest that, in Matchbox Blues, Big Bill Broonzy is singing

Standin’ here wonderin’, will a match box hold my clothes...

Cheers,

Jean

[Blues Vintage]

Thanks Jean, it really sounds like he's singing "with" the first time.
But he got the lyrics from Jefferson I bet who sang "will" and "would" on different takes of the song.
I'll make that change.

[Blues Vintage]

Oh Yes


Big Bill Broonzy – Vocals, Guitar
Fred Williams – Drums

September 14, 1939
Chicago, Illinois





INTRO

My woman goes to club meetin’, Lord, and she goes to parties too
But I never seed a/the party last as long as my woman’s, parties do

Poor me, I can’t raise no cotton, Lord, and I can’t raise no corn
‘Cause these long billed/built boll weevils they won’t leave my, crops alone

Mmm hmm, oh yes little buddy, oh yeah, oh yes little buddy
You’ve been out, eatin’ up what I had to buy now I’m gonna kill you when I get you home

SOLO

Ah when, my baby come home, Lord, me and her had a fight
I just had to hit that poor girl ‘cause she stayed out, all night

I went, to a/her place, Lord, and I didn’t knock on the door
‘Cause I peeped to the crack and there was a pallet, down on the floor

Oh yes, mmm hmm little baby, oh yeah, oh yes doggone you
Gal, you’ve been out, trucking all night long you know I’m gonna whup you when I get you home

OUTRO SOLO

[Johnm]

Thanks for posting that song, Harry. It's pretty cool the way that Broonzy starts his verses on a III7 chord, goes to a sort of ambiguous VI minor chord which morphs into a IV7 chord and then straightens out on the back end of the form. In a short form like this, he ends up going pretty far very fast, in the chordal sense. For his solos, he switches to the progression of "Keep Your Hands Off Her". Considering how prolifically Broonzy recorded we have relatively few of his song lyrics transcribed, so it's always nice to get a new one.
All best,
Johnm

[Blues Vintage]

The Southern Blues


Anyone knows the name of the town in 4th and 5th verse?


Big Bill Broonzy – Vocals, Guitar
Black Bob – Piano

February 26, 1935
Chicago, Illinois

Piano in Bb
Guitar in standard tuning





INTRO

When I got up this mornin’, I hear the old southern whistle blow
When I got up this mornin’, I hear the old southern whistle blow
Says, I was thinkin’ ‘bout my baby, Lord, I sure did wanna go

I was standin’, lookin’ and listenin’, watchin’ the Southern cross the Dog
I was standin’, lookin’ and listenin’, watchin’ the Southern cross the Dog
If my baby didn’t catch that Southern, she must have caught that Yellow Dog

Down at the station, looked up on the board, waitin’ for the conductor just to say, “All aboard”
Down at the station, Lord, I looked up on the board
I don’t know my baby left from here, oh, but I was told

GUITAR SOLO

I’m goin’ to Moorhead, get me job on the Southern line
Said, I’m goin’ to Moorhead, get me job on the Southern line
So that I can make some money, just to send for that brown of mine

The Southern cross the Dog in Moorhead, mama, Lord, and she keeps on through
The Southern cross the Dog in Moorhead, mama, Lord, and she keeps on through
I say my baby’s gone to Georgia, I b'lieve I’ll go to Georgia too

[MarkC]

BV -
I searched for “where did the Southern cross the Dog” and Moorhead Mississippi came up in some of the results.

[eric]

Moorhead.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moorhead,_Mississippi

[Blues Vintage]

Thanks. Moorhead it is.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Big Bill Broonzy recorded "Long Tall Mama" at a session in New York City on March 30, 1932, accompanying himself out of C position in standard tuning. I was a little surprised the other day to discover that we've never transcribed the lyrics to this song, for it is one of the greatest performances ever in C by a Country Blues guitarist, I think. Broonzy accords about equal space throughout the course of his rendition to sung verses and solos, and his rhythmic sense is so deep, solid and secure that when taken in conjunction with his abundance of ideas and ability to execute them perfectly the result is a pure pleasure. Here is "Long Tall Mama":



INTRO SOLO

Got a long tall mama, she stands about seven feet, nine
Got a long tall mama, she stands about seven feet, nine
And when she get to lovin', holler, "Papa, won't you take your time?"

Oh, when she start to lovin', she sure can do her stuff
Oh, when she start to lovin', Lord, she sure can do her stuff
And she squeeze me so tight, holler, "Mama, Lordy, that's enough!"

SOLO

Got a brand new move is, Lord, it's one that she calls her own
Got a brand new movement, one that she calls her own
And when she start to kissin', make a poor man leave his home

SOLO

And she do a little this, and mama, and she do a little that
Son, she do little this, mama, Lord, and she do a little that
And when she put on full steam make a freight train jump a track

SOLO

Says she's long and tall and handsome, sweet as she can be
Son, she's long and tall, mama, handsome, sweet as she can be
To satisfy that woman takes more than a bumble bee

SOLO

All best,
Johnm



 

[GhostRider]

Hi Suzy,
I think it is "I will be seldom seen".  I've heard that line sung elsewhere, too.
All best,
Johnm

I think that in the background of the sung verses of Sweet to Mama, especially verses 4 ad 5, one can hear the fiddle "riffing" behind the vocals.

Alex