Pretty sure it's "study/studyin'," which also makes sense – he's watching and thinking about the rain.
Chris
Chris
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He was a sinful boy, good-hearted but had no soul. His heart was hard and cold like ice - Willie McTell, Dying Crapshooter's Blues
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic. Pretty sure it's "study/studyin'," which also makes sense – he's watching and thinking about the rain.
Chris Thanks for helping out everybody.
Re listening I hear 1.1 "got" up this mornin' and 1.2 "I's" up this mornin' 1.3 I hear "worried" 4.2 I don't hear "but" I took "Michael Taft, Talkin' to Myself: Blues Lyrics, 1921–1942” (Revised Edition) from the shelf. For some reason he transcribed 2 versions of Preachin' Blues although the lyrics are identical. Take 2 (SA-2632-2) was never found (but probably was recorded) so I'm not sure why this was done. He transcribed 5.2 Now if it's starting a-raining I'm going to drive my blues away. Pretty sure it's "study/studyin'," which also makes sense – he's watching and thinking about the rain.I agree.I`ve always thought that last verse was about distilling shine.He`s waiting for the rain to stop so that he can go out and cook up a batch of shine and have a good old booze(drive my blues away).You can`t run a still successfully in the rain as it cools the still and ruins the batch(or so I`m told!!). Last Fair Deal Gone Down
Not sure about some words. Don't mind the truck engine from Houston Street at the end of verse 1. November 27, 1936 San Antonio, Texas Robert Johnson - Vocals, Guitar INTRO It's the last fair deal goin' down Last fair deal goin' down It's the last fair deal goin' down, good Lord On that Gulfport Island Road Eh, Ida Belle don't cry this time Ida Belle don't cry this time If you cry about a nickel you'll die 'bout a dime She wouldn't cry but the money won’t mind I like the way you do I love the way you do I love the way you do, good Lord On this Gulfport Island Road My captain's so mean on me My captain's so mean on me My captain's so mean on me, good Lord On this Gulfport Island Road Take camp A, B and C Camp A, B and C There's camp A, B and C, good Lord On that Gulfport Island Road Ah, this last fair deal goin' down It's the last fair deal goin' down It’s the last fair deal goin' down, good Lord On this Gulfport Island Road I'm working my way back home I'm working my way back home I'm working my way back home, good Lord On this Gulfport Island Road And that thing don’t keep-a ringin' so soon That thing don't keep ringin' so soon And that thing don’t keep-a ringin' so soon, good Lord On that Gulfed and Port Island Road Alexei McDonald
I think Mr Johnson sings verse 5 as:
Take Camp A B and C Camp A B and C That's Gal A B and C good Lord On that Gulfport Island Road It sounds a lot clearer if you take it down to 0.75 speed, in particular the G of 'gals' really stands out. Thanks for the suggestion Alexei but I don't hear it and it doesn't make sense either. I'll stick with "camp".
I hear "That's gal" pretty clearly, Harry, without any slowdown. The fact that he has a girl in each camp makes perfect sense. RJ was a man with options.
Wax I'm wondering if that "camp A B C" is really an abbreviated "Cabin A, B, C"
I checked on google "cabin A, B, C on train" and those letters are sometimes used to refer to types of cabin, but I don't know about Johnson's time. HArriet Could camps A, B and C be work camps? He says he's working his way back home. And his reference to the mean captain and thing ringing so soon (so early?), could be the wake-up call at the work camp?
I think you have it right, Jean. There was a discussion earlier in the thread that noted that at Parchment Farm at that time there were work camps with letter designations and the thought was that the railroad may have used the same naming practice.
All best, Johnm taft
I took "Michael Taft, Talkin' to Myself: Blues Lyrics, 1921–1942” (Revised Edition) from the shelf. For some reason he transcribed 2 versions of Preachin' Blues although the lyrics are identical. Take 2 (SA-2632-2) was never found (but probably was recorded) so I'm not sure why this was done. I just checked my source for Preachin' SA-2632-2. It was Columbia C-30034 (RJ Vol. 2), but take 2 is not on that album. 45-50 years later, I have no idea why I thought there was a take 2 on that album. One of many slip-ups and mis-transcriptions in my anthology! Sorry folks. OK, thanks for clarifying that Michael.
For a moment I thought there was a take 2 of Preachin' Blues out there that I missed somehow. Preachin' Blues SA-2632-2 among others (8 songs total) was disposed by Columbia Records and utilized in WWII. Of 9 songs (among them takes 2 of "Terraplane Blues" and "Walkin' Blues") there is no further documentation of their ultimate fate. dj
Quote Preachin' Blues SA-2632-2 among others (8 songs total) was disposed by Columbia Records and utilized in WWII. Harry, where'd you get that info? I've never seen any listing of what the various record companies disposed of for the war effort. Booklet from "Robert Johnson – The Centennial Collection (CD Version)" written by Stephen C. LaVere. Walkin’ Blues
Robert Johnson – Vocals, Guitar November 27, 1936 San Antonio, Texas I woke up this mornin’ feelin’ ‘round for my shoes Know by that I got these old walkin’ blues Woke up this mornin’ feelin’ ‘round oh for my shoes But you know by that I got these old walkin’ blues Lord I feel like blowin’ my woh-old lonesome horn Got up this mornin’ now little Berni-ice was gone Lord I feel like blow-hoo my lonesome horn Well I got up this mornin’ woh-all I had was gone Well leave this mornin' if I have to woh-ride the blind I’ve been mistreated an’ I don’t mind dyin’ Leavin’ this mornin’ I have to ride a blind Babe I been mistreated baby and I don't mind dyin’ Well some people tell me that the worried blues ain't bad Worst old feelin’ I most ever had Some people tell me that these old worried old blues ain't bad It's the worst old feelin’ I most ever had She got a Elgin movement from her head down to her toes Break in on a dollar most anywhere she goes oh Ooh from her head down to her toes (oh honey) Lord she break in on a dollar most anywhere she goes
Tags: Robert Johnson
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