Some of you might be interested in my take on Kid Man Blues, which I recorded in 2011 and is my album of the same name. This song is a standard one in my repertoire, using blues mandolin, although he recorded it playing guitar on the album I have.
Hi all, Carl Martin accompanied himself out of A position in standard tuning for "That New Kind Of Stuff". His playing from his 1934 sessions reminds me a little of Buddy Moss's playing; not that Carl Martin played the same licks Buddy did or was otherwise derivative of Buddy's playing, but rather that his playing just had a sparkle and sheen as did Buddy's. Here is the song:
INTRO
(Spoken) Now listen here, boys, this ain't no joke I been out all night long, so this morning I'm broke REFRAIN (Sung): I been buyin' that new kind of stuff Oh, that new kind of stuff And when you get it, you just can't get enough
I know you will like it, it's the talk of the town It'll make you go back home and smack your old lady down REFRAIN: Now, that new kind of stuff Ooooo ooooo, that new kind of stuff And when you get it, you just can't get enough
There was an old man, 'bout the age of seventy-eight He went in walkin' bow-legged, he came out walkin' straight REFRAIN: He been buyin' that new kind of stuff Oooooo ooooo, that new kind of stuff And when you get it, you just can't get enough
SOLO
If you meet her on the street and you want to have some fun Just pay off in front and she will sell you some REFRAIN: Of that new kind of stuff Ooooo ooooo, that new kind of stuff And when you get it, you just can't get enough
Now, I'm gonna play at policy, four-eleven-forty-four And when I hit, I'm goin' back and buy some more REFRAIN: Of that new kind of stuff Ooooo ooooo, that new kind of stuff And when you get it, you just can't get enough
All best, Johnm
« Last Edit: July 12, 2020, 06:46:41 AM by Johnm »
Hi all, I'm glad you're enjoying the Carl Martin songs, Bert. Carl Martin accompanied himself out of E position in standard tuning for "You Can Go Your Way", using a simpler, more strummy right hand approach than he used on most of his songs. He leaves the IV chord early, returning to the I chord at the end of his sixth bar. Here is the song--sorry for the sound quality:
INTRO SOLO
You say you're going to leave me 'cause you found a better man I did all I could, still you keep raisin' sand REFRAIN: You can go your way, you can go your way You can go your way, but you'll need my help someday
I love you, woman, but you won't do right I'd rather see you getting out of my sight REFRAIN: You can go your way, you can go your way You can go your way, but you'll need my help someday
I give you all my love and my money, too What more, baby, can a poor man do? REFRAIN: You can go your way, you can go your way You can go your way, but you'll need my help someday
SOLO
I took you in, baby, when you didn't have a dime You won't stay, come up and see my some time REFRAIN: You can go your way, you can go your way You can go your way, but you'll need my help someday
If you would treat me right like you treat me wrong We could be together in a happy home, but REFRAIN: You can go your way, you can go your way You can go your way, but you'll need my help someday
SOLO
Just before you go, come and shake my hand That' all right, baby you just don't understand REFRAIN: You can go your way, you can go your way You can go your way, but you'll need my help someday
All best, Johnm
« Last Edit: July 12, 2020, 06:47:32 AM by Johnm »
Yes some of his stuff is quite idiosyncratic, going back to the 1 early here, and that is the charm of his music. i found that Kid Man Blues was quite hard for my fellow musicians to learn because of the seemingly simple signature lick on the IV chord, and going to the I chord instead of the V after the IV. Actually very cool!
Hi all, Carl Martin accompanied himself out of A position in standard tuning for "You Can't Play Me Cheap". If one operates on the assumption that Carl Martin's lyrics actually bore some relation to his life as he lived it, he had contentious relationships with women. He utilizes a lot of ideas in his accompaniment that he used elsewhere on A tunes; like a lot of players in the style he made sure to get a lot of mileage out of his ideas. He sounds as though he changes the tail end of the first line of the refrain as he makes his way through the song. Here is the song:
INTRO SOLO
Now listen here, baby, violence on my mind My eves are wide open, I'm warning you this time REFRAIN: That's all right babe, how much I'm seein' You'll soon find out that you can't play me cheap
Just because I gets my money and let you have your way Don't think one time, darling, that everything is okay REFRAIN: That's all right babe, how much I bleed You'll soon find out that you can't play me cheap
SOLO
I'm tired of that jive, baby, you goin' to the store Leavin' home at ten, comin' back at four REFRAIN: But that's all right babe, some day you'll weep But not until you've found that you can't play me cheap
I know plenty women that would give me a break But, I'll play along with you, darlin', as long as you go straight REFRAIN: That's all right babe, how much I'll keep You can always bear in mind that you can't play me cheap
All best, Johnm
« Last Edit: July 12, 2020, 06:48:14 AM by Johnm »
Hi all, For "High Water Flood Blues", Carl Martin was accompanied by piano and saxophone.. Carl Martin's guitar is very far back in the mix, almost inaudible. Here is his performance of the song:
INTRO
Well, it rained, it rained, and the rivers began to rise, Banks began to overflow thousands lost their lives REFRAIN: So what a terrible flowing, flowing on and on There's thousands of people, have done lost their happy homes
Well, the whistles began blowing, and the bells began to ring, People running and screaming, but they couldn't do a thing REFRAIN: 'Cause the water kept on flowing, flowing on and on There's thousand of people, have done lost their happy homes
PIANO/SAXOPHONE SOLO
Well, the downtown floods out, the people, in an awful fix Something like that flood started in Pittsburgh, in 1936 REFRAIN: The water kept on flowing, flowing on and on There's thousands of people, have done lost their happy homes
Well, high water's here, high water's everywhere High water's here, high water's everywhere I believe if you go to China, you'd find high water there
Edited 1/24 to pick up correction from harry
All best, Johnm
« Last Edit: July 12, 2020, 06:49:06 AM by Johnm »
Hi all, For "I'm Gonna Have My Fun", Carl Martin is once again joined by a pianist, and once again his guitar is almost inaudible. He begins each verse with an 8-bar lyric break, a device of which he was fond. Here is the song:
When I get my bonus, tell you what I'm gon' do Get me another woman and quit foolin' 'round with you You can't spend my money, 'cause you don't treat me right Go out with your boyfriends, come in high as a kite REFRAIN: So when I get my bonus, I'm sure gon' have my fun I'm just sitting here, waiting, waiting until my bonus comes
Just like I found you, baby, I can find someone else That's why, baby, I'm gonna put you on the shelf You've been spendin' my money and doin' the mess-around So if you're planning on my bonus, that's the coldest stuff in town REFRAIN: Because when I get my bonus, I'm sure gon' have my fun I'm just sitting here, waiting, waiting until my bonus comes
PIANO SOLO
Now listen all you veteran soldiers, who live in this town Let's take off our hats, thanks to Uncle Sam Lots of you are crippled, yes, blind and can not see But we came back home with the victory REFRAIN: So when I get my bonus, I'm sure gon' have my fun I'm just sitting here, waiting, waiting until my bonus comes
Ain't gon drink no moonshine, nothin' but bottled in bond Kick up my heels, pitch a boogie-woogie, boys, from sun 'til sun Ain't had no good times, since 1929 Times have been so tight, couldn't save a lousy dime REFRAIN: So when I get my bonus, I'm sure gon' have my fun I'm just sitting here, waiting, waiting until my bonus comes
All best, Johnm
« Last Edit: July 12, 2020, 06:49:53 AM by Johnm »
Hi all, Carl Martin played "Good Morning, Judge" out of E position in standard tuning, using the same accompaniment he used for "Crow Jane" and "Kid Man Blues". His finger-snapping during the course of his accompaniment was a pretty cool trick. The lyrics are unusual in that they are all addressed to the judge. Here is his performance of the song:
INTRO SOLO
(SPOKEN: Boys, ain't it hard when your best girl gets a tough break? I'm goin' down, see the judge before the trial comes on.)
"They arrested my baby, accused her of sellin' moon. They arrested my baby, accused her of sellin' moon. Judge, they found whiskey, but it wasn't even in her room."
SOLO
"Now, good morning, Judge. Judge, how do you do? Good morning, Judge. Judge, how do you do? I just came here to have a few words with you."
SOLO (Spoken, during solo: My baby's in, Judge, she didn't do any wrong.)
"Please, kind Judge, listen to my plea. Please, kind Judge, listen to my plea, And let my baby go back home with me."
All best, Johnm
« Last Edit: July 12, 2020, 06:50:38 AM by Johnm »
Hi all, I was surprised to find that Carl Martin's version of "Crow Jane" had never had its lyrics transcribed here. Here is his performance of the song, followed by his lyrics:
INTRO SOLO
Crow Jane, Crow Jane, don't hold your head so high Crow Jane, Crow Jane, don't hold your head so high For you must remember, you've got to come down and die
SOLO
If you don't want me, baby, just give me your right hand If you don't want me, baby, just give me your right hand I'll go back to my woman, you go back to your man
SOLO
My Mama she told me, when she shook my hand My Mama she told me, when she shook my hand "If you get in trouble, son, do the best you can."
Hi John, I transcribed Crow Jane when I recorded it in 2006, the version that Carl Martin does on the album done in 1966 on Testament. Some added verses.
Carl Martin: Crow Jane Blues
Crow Jane Crow Jane, don’t hold your head so high Well you must remember got to come down and die
I woke up this morning, blues all around my bed Went to eat my breakfast, blues all in my bed
My mamma she told me when she shook my hand If you get in trouble try and do the best you can
My mamma, she dead, pappa won’t allow me home Ain’t got nobody teach me right from wrong
When you see me coming, hide your window high When you see me leaving, hang your head and cry
Crow Jane Crow Jane, don’t hold your head so high Well you must remember to come down and die
« Last Edit: July 12, 2020, 06:51:34 AM by Johnm »
Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out (parody)
I've giving credit to Carl Martin because I transcribed it from his version, on Martin, Bogan and Armstrong's 2nd album. Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out was written in the early 20's by Jimmie Cox, but this version adds 3 extra verses. MB&A sang a few well-known songs with extra verses, not sure what to call them, maybe someone else knows. These lyrics are half recited and half sung. They expand on the original lyrics in amusing ways, and all three songs BM&A did were really well-crafted. In addition to Nobody Knows You, they also had extra verses like this in The Sweetheart of Sigma Chi and That Old Gang of Mine. I'm calling them parody lyrics, because in Sweetheart they are a straight-up parody. The ones added to Nobody Knows You (the middle three verses) take the theme of the song to a comical level of cynicism and self-pity. I have no idea who wrote them, but Carl Martin sang the tune, so I'm giving him nominal credit. What's below pretty close. There's a bracketed bit where Carl Martin drops a line. Anything others know about lyrics in this tradition, I would love to be educated. I assume professional songwriters or parodists created these versions, maybe in the 20s when the tunes were widely known and still popular in their original versions. I don't know how they made money from what seems like a lot of work.
There's an unrelated but fascinating African-American tradition dating back to early in the century, where the singer extensively expands upon a well-known song, like Stack O'Lee, into a sort of story-poem. From what I've read, these versions were a part of the 'hustler' lifestyle, which well describes the character of our friend Stack. These creations are violent, profane and obscene, more of a spoken work or “toast” while retaining the cadence of a song lyric, and were performed in the kinds of establishments where patrons might appreciate poetry steeped in toxic masculinity. Nick Cave was aware of this tradition when he did his 'Bucket of Blood' version of Staggerlee - worth a look on YT. I promise not to transcribe that one. If anyone is interested in that musical tradition, you can read about it on Paul Slade's website: http://www.planetslade.com/stagger-lee.html
Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out
Once I lived a life / Of a millionaire Spending my money / I didn’t care Taking my friends out / Having a good time Drinking corn whiskey / Champagne and sometimes wine Boys but when I fell / Yes I fell so low I couldn’t find a friend / No place I’d go If I ever get my hands / On a dollar again I’m gonna hold on to it / Until the eagle grins
Because nobody knows you / When you’re down and out I search my pockets / Had not one penny I look for my good friends / Gee but I had not any Oh but if I ever get lucky again just again / And get up on my feet All of my good friends then (or there) / I know I'm bound to meet Gee but it’s hard / Without a doubt Nobody knows you / When you’re down and out I mean when you are down and out.
Now there comes cold, rain / sleet and snow The rent man he keeps knocking / On your front door The weather’s cold / Its below zero You know how it is in Chicago if you ain’t for that money / Out on the street you go You can be blind, lame / And cannot see Both your legs can be cut off / Up above your knee You can have (the?) tuberculosis / Or the German flu Death can be on your body / Playing yankee doodley doo
Lord there's nobody knows you / When you’re down and out Your friends will all tell you / That you been a good old scout But what was it to them because you played dumb / And got tapped out When you ask one for a dime, just a dime / He’ll point right to the dust Show you right where the good book says / That alone In God We Trust But when I had my money / Boys it was a perfect handout Now I’m broke, I’m busted / I’m down, I’m out
Nobody knows you / When you’re down and out Aunties, sisters, cousins, brothers / Treat you all alike Treat you just like you’re a stepchild / And try to drive you from their sight Boys when you get old / You know and you just have to hobble around All of your old time friends then / They can’t be found If you should see one on the corner / With his weekly pay If he see you first (he) curves / And goes some other way
Nobody knows you / When you’re down and out [Dropped line]. / Yes! Have not one penny You look for your good friends / Boys but I had not any But if I ever get lucky again just again / And get up on my feet All of my friends / I know I’m bound to meet Gee but it’s hard / Without a doubt Nobody knows you / When you’re down and out I mean when you're down and out
« Last Edit: December 19, 2022, 12:21:16 PM by JoeCigueno »
Thanks for the post of the performance and the transcription, JoeCigueno. The transcription needs a lot of work in order to reflect accurately what Carl Martin sang. The first bent bracketed phrase is AUNTIES, sisters, cousins, brothers All best, Johnm