Indeed an amazing list. There was mention of slide, John Lee Hooker did a version at I think Newport in '91 or '92 and I believe John Hammond backs him on slide. I have it somewhere in the realm of my bootlegs, I could dig it out if anyone's interested?
Edit: never mind, here's the film of it. Love the move with the fingers at the start!
« Last Edit: September 26, 2015, 09:41:37 PM by StoogeKebab »
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Confident that I'm probably almost definitely the youngest record label owner in my street
Wonderful choice and selection, Pan. I've been playing around with BBF's version for a while but keep getting tangled up in the lyrics!
Charlie Burse recorded Oil It Up and Go on July 8th 1939 in Memphis. I wonder if this is the version JB Long remembers? I've attached here (I hope!) It's on The Memphis Shakedown box from JSP as are the two Picaninny Jug Band tracks.
Lyrics are something like:
I got a phrase I used it before I was singing what'll make it go I better oil it up and go And oil it up and go No use to walk around with it Oil it up and go
I started downtown the other day I met a chick - funny that way I had to oil it up and go I had to oil it up and go No use to fool around with it Got to Oil it up and go
I don't chew tobacco and I don't dip snuff put the stopper on the bottle - I've got enough I got to oil it up and go Got to oil it up and go Don't you walk around with it Got to Oil it up and go
Got it gal, this was hunka man??? Can't stay long I got a bad old man Bottle up and go oil it up and go No use to fool around with it Oil it up and go
some help with the opening lines of verses 1 and 4 would be useful!
« Last Edit: September 27, 2015, 04:36:27 AM by Gumbo »
There is a 4th version on that same box set, called Get Up and Go. This time by The Delta Boys - Son Bonds vcl with Sleepy John Estes, recorded in September 1941
His version reminds me of the Snooks Eaglin one, which was recorded a few years earlier, in 1959.
I like the little treble lick he does in the middle of the song, and again in the end. It adds an element of surprise, because you almost expect him to end the song, but then he just goes on.
I'm a little surprised that we don't have more member's takes than Harry's very nice one. I thought everybody and his brother play the tune!
Having said that, I realize that I'm not going to come up with a recording of my own for some time, so this video snippet from my gig from last summer will have to do. It was late in my set, and the camera's battery died in mid-song, but you get the drift!
Hi all, Here's one with Josh Graves (vocal and dobro) and Kenny Baker (guitar--most folks don't know what a good 4 finger guitarist he was). Josh told me his favorite musician during his teen-age years was BBF. Josh grew up near Tellico Plains, TN., just the other side of the mountains from North Carolina.