Topic: Sonny Jones Lyrics

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Sonny Jones was a North Carolina player who recorded four titles in the mid-late '30s, all of which can be found on the JSP set, "Blind Boy Fuller, Vol. 2".  He played "Dough Roller" out of dropped-D tuning, a playing position not encountered all that often among Carolina players.  His accompaniment, which shows a Buddy Moss influence in his right hand, is terrific, with some especially original harmonic ideas that are discussed in detail in this thread:  http://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?amp;Itemid=128&topic=6271.0.  He does his first verse starting on the IV chord, but playing a full 12-bar form, and then reverts to a more conventional 12-bar form for the subsequent verses.  The tagline to the next-to-last verse is an odd usage.

   You's a bakery woman, and you sure can roll your dough
   You's a bakery woman, and you sure can roll your dough
   I done had some of your cookin', and I sure do want some more

   Now, looky-here, woman, can I get a job with you?
   Now, looky-here, woman, can I get a job with you?
   I'm a bakery man and I knows just how to do

   Now when I roll dough, babe, I rolls it 'round and 'round
   When I roll dough, babe, I rolls it 'round and 'round
   And I can roll your dough better 'n any man in your town

   SOLO

   Now, if you hire me, woman, I'll tell you what I'll do
   Now, if you hire me, woman, I'll tell you what I'll do
   I'll exchange my clothes and roll your dough for you

   Because you's a nice-built woman, and a sportin' woman, too
   You's a nice-built woman, and a sportin' woman, too
   You needs a man like me to come and roll your dough for you

All best,
Johnm
   

 

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Sonny Jones recorded "Love Me With A Feeling" on July 12, 1939, in Memphis, the day before he recorded "Dough Roller".  He accompanies himself out of Vestapol with a slide for the song.  His use of the slide is pretty sparing--he pretty much utilizes it only after the second line of his refrain.  The song is a chorus blues, and it's nifty the way he alters the chorus to suit the different verses.  His playing, as on "Dough Roller", is very strong and assured.

   I want my baby to love me with a thrill
   If you don't, pretty mama, some other good woman will
   REFRAIN: You got to love me with a feeling, you got to love me with a feeling
   You got to love me with a feeling or let another woman move in

   When you see me coming, make a pallet on your floor
   And ask me in, pretty mama, turn the night lights on your door
   REFRAIN: And love me with a feeling, yes, love me with a feeling
   You got to love me with a feeling or let another woman move in

   I want you to kiss the bible and hold up your right hand
   And swear you'll never quit me for another man
   REFRAIN: And love me with a feeling, yes, love me with a feeling
   You got to love me with a feeling or let another woman move in

   Now looky here, pretty mama, I don't want no halfway stuff
   I want you to give me all your loving until I get enough
   REFRAIN: And do it with a feeling, yes, do it with a feeling,
   You got to love me with a feeling or let another woman move in

   If you get drunk, pretty mama, and have to go to jail
   I'll come down, pretty mama, and go your bail
   REFRAIN: If you love me with a feeling, if you love me with a feeling
   If you love me with a feeling, or let another woman move in

   I'll buy you high-priced slippers and a brand new V-8 Ford
   All your winter clothes and pay your room and board
   REFRAIN: If you love me with a feeling, if you love me with a feeling
   You got to love me with a feeling, or let another woman move in

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Sonny Jones recorded "Won't Somebody Pacify My Mind" on July 12, 1939, accompanying himself out of G position in standard tuning.  His playing on the tune was every bit as expert as it was on the two tunes already discussed in this thread.  I have heard, but don't know for a certainty, that Sonny Jones was the father of the musician who appeared at Port Townsend as Guitar Gabriel.  I'll try to find out if that was, in fact, the case. 

   I ain't got nobody to pacify my mind
   Lord, I ain't got nobody to pacify my mind
   And that's why I'm always wringin' my hands and cryin'

   I'm gonna leave here walkin', make home my second stop
   I'm gonna leave here walkin', make home my second stop
   I'm gonna find my Mother, she's the only friend I got

   Now, when I had money, I had a woman and plenty friends
   I said, when I had money, I had a woman and plenty friends
   Now they don't know me, 'cause I ain't got money to spend

   SOLO

   Lordy Lord, Lordy, Lordy, Lordy Lord
   Lordy Lord, Lordy, Lordy, Lordy Lord
   (Guitar finishes verse)

   And you talk about the blues, Lord, I keeps it day by day
   Say, you talk about the blues, Lord, I keeps it day by day
   And I want somebody's daughter, come and drive my blues away

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
For the fourth Sonny Jones title, "I'm Pretty Good At It", he was joined by Sonny Terry on harmonica.  The song is a chorus blues, for which Sonny Jones accompanied himself out of E position in standard tuning, and it is musically identical to a tune that Sonny Terry later recorded as a leader, titling it "Tater Pie".  It's fascinating to hear how fully formed Sonny Terry's style was at this relatively early date, in 1939.  Behind Sonny Jones' singing, Terry vocalizes a response in the sixth bar to the first line of the chorus, and in his solos, Terry vocalizes in the tenth bar of the form, something which I've realized he was wont to do for the remainder of his life when playing blues with this kind of feel.  Based on the amount of instrumental variety and expertise Sonny Jones showed in his four recorded titles, he was criminally under-recorded.  Here is "I'm Pretty Good At It":



   Now, mama, let me be your lemonade man
   I can squeeze your lemon better 'n a lemon squeezer can
   REFRAIN: Because I'm pretty good at it, yes, I'm pretty good at it
   Because I'm pretty good at it, I can cruise by my neighborhood

   If you don't b'lieve I'm a squeezing coon
   Take me in your squeezing room
   REFRAIN: Because I'm pretty good at it, yes, I'm pretty good at it
   Because I'm pretty good at it, I can cruise by my neighborhood

   GUITAR SOLO:

   All I want you to do is obey my rule
   I'm gonna show you I'm a squeezin' fool
   REFRAIN: Because I'm pretty good at it, yes, I'm pretty good at it
   Because I'm pretty good at it, I can cruise by my neighborhood

   Out of all the squeezers, I'm the best
   I squeeze different from all the rest
   REFRAIN: Because I'm pretty good at it, yes, I'm pretty good at it
   Because I'm pretty good at it, I can cruise by my neighborhood

   Spoken:  Ah, play it then.

   HARMONICA SOLO

   I want you to hold that pitcher nice and true
   So you won't waste this good old juice
   REFRAIN: 'Cause I'm pretty good at it, yes, I'm pretty good at it
   Because I'm pretty good at it, I can cruise by my neighborhood

   When I'm through squeezin' your lemon I go
   But you gonna want me to squeeze some more
   REFRAIN: Because I'm pretty good at it, yes, I'm pretty good at it
   Because I'm pretty good at it, I can cruise by my neighborhood

   SOLO X 2

All best,
Johnm

   
     

[dj]

Blues & Gospel Records states that Sonny Jones' real name was James Johnson.  He recorded two songs for the Orchid label in Baltimore in 1950, Don't Want Pretty Women and Leaving Home Blues.  Jones also accompanied Blind Boy Fuller on You've Got Something There and Red's Got The Piccolo Blues, and Bull City Red (George Washington/Oh Red, recording with Jones and Sonny Terry as Brother George And His Sanctified Singers) on Have You Decided (Which Way To Go), I See The Sign Of Judgement, Everybody Wants To Know How I Die, I Feel Like Shoutin', Jesus Touched Me, and Talkin' With Jesus.