Hi all, Shirley Griffith recorded "Shaggy Hound Blues" for Nick Perls on the Blue Goose album, "Mississippi Blues", backing himself out of E position in standard tuning. By the time he was recorded, Shirley had lived just about his entire adult life in Indianapolis, but he was born in Mississippi, first learned music there, and was very strongly influenced by the music of Tommy Johnson and Ishmon Bracey, in particular. Shirley's version of "Shaggy Hound Blues" is a very spooky, ominous-sounding number with an unusual structure. It is discussed at length in the "Vocal Phrasing--The Long and the Short of It" thread, in this post:http://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=951.msg60710#msg60710. Bayrum78 has also recorded a version of the song on the Back Porch.
I've got two little puppy, one's a shaggy hound Got two little puppy, one's a shaggy hound It takes all them dogs to run my women down
I woke up this morning, same thing's on my mind Woke up this morning, same thing's on my mind 'Cause you keeps me worried and bothered all the time
Run up on old Shimmy, in her morning gown Run up on old Shimmy, in her morning gown I run up on old Shimmy, she was right down on the ground
If I feel tomorrow like I feel today If I feel tomorrow, like I feel today Well, some lonesome graveyard may be your restin' place
All best, Johnm
« Last Edit: January 10, 2014, 09:18:25 AM by Johnm »
Jeff, I listened over again several times, and I'm continuing to hear it as I transcribed it. I hear "one's" in the second half of both lines followed by "a", pronounced "uh", and the only difference between the two lines being the omission of "I" at the beginning of the second line. It would be odd, I think, for Shirley to pronounce "little" so clearly as a two-syllable word with the t sound in the middle in the front half of the line and as "li'l" in the second half of the line. I'm going to leave it as is. All best, Johnm
« Last Edit: January 10, 2014, 03:11:04 PM by Johnm »
It's a great tune no matter what, but I still hear (mis-hear) "I've got two little puppy, one 'lil shaggy hound" in that first line! My ears are getting old.
But I may be predisposed to hearing it this way, as other versions of the song tend to separate the puppies from the hounds, as it were. Ishmon Bracey sings, "Now I got four-five puppies, got one shaggy hound" on his version of Saturday Blues, and Shirley himself sings "I've got four-five puppies, got one shaggy hound" with J.T. Adams on the "Indianapolis Jump" album. I'll admit I've mis-heard lyrics before, simply because I expected to hear them a certain way. This may be another one of those times for me!
Now you tell me mama do you think that's right you kid all day and run to me at night You sure kid all day and run to me at night You sure kid all day and run to me at night
Now my regular woman totes my pocket change and my sometime woman wants to do the same Don't you ever let my regular catch you here You better not let my regular catch you here
Boy it ain't no tellin what she might do now she might cut you she might shoot you too now She might cut you she might shoot you too Lord she might cut you she might shoot you too
'Cause she's the meanest woman that I ever seen and when I asked for water she give me gasoline Now asked her for water give me gasoline Lord I asked for water give me gasoline
Now if you want your woman to look like the rest you'll buy High Brown powder Palmer's Skin Success You'll buy High Brown powder Palmer's Skin Success Buy her High Brown powder Palmer's Skin Success
I've got four five puppies I've got one shaggy hound it takes all them dogs to run my women down It takes all them dogs to run my women down Takes all them dogs to run my women down
Now you tell me mama do you think that's right you kid all day and run to me at night You sure kid all day and run to me at night You sure kid all day and run to me at night
Now if you want your woman to look like the rest you'll buy High Brown powder and Palmer's Skin Success You'll buy High Brown powder Palmer's Skin Success Buy her High Brown powder Palmer's Skin Success
Thanks, Scott
« Last Edit: July 07, 2020, 01:18:30 PM by Johnm »
Wasn't that a hard pill to swallow filled my heart with pain Wasn't that a hard pill to swallow filled my heart with pain Now don't you hear me talkin people I ain't no lyin man
I woke up this mornin looked up at the sun I thought about a what my baby had done That was a hard pill to swallow fill my heart with pain Now don't you hear me talkin people I ain't no lyin man
I walked down the corner a to the paper stand I caught my woman makin love to a man Wasn't that a hard pill to swallow it filled my heart with pain Now don't you hear me talkin people I ain't no lyin man
The police walked up and I didn't even run And now I'm servin my time my baby's out havin her fun Well ain't that a hard pill to swallow fill my heart with pain Now don't you hear me talkin I ain't no lyin man
Solo
I was in prison a servin my time When I come back home I heard a baby cryin Wasn't that a hard pill to swallow fill my heart with pain Now don't you hear me talkin people I ain't no lyin man
Outro
Thanks, Scott
« Last Edit: July 07, 2020, 01:19:58 PM by Johnm »
My baby's gone and she won't be back no more My baby's gone and she won't be back no more She left me this morning and she rode that M and O
When my baby left she bought a ticket just as long as she was tall When she left she bought a ticket just as long as she was tall She didn't know how much I loved her or she wouldn't have left at all
My baby's gone and she won't be back no more My baby's gone and she won't be back no more She left me this morning and she rode that M and O
Cryin my baby left me she wouldn't even shake my hand And when she w she wouldn't even shake my hand She said that's alright daddy some day you will understand
Yeah she's gone and she won't be back no more Yeah she's gone and she won't be back no more She left me this morning and she rode that M and O
Yes I rolled and I tumbled and I cried the whole night long Yes I rolled and I tumbled and I cried the whole night long And I rolled this mornin and I didn't know right from wrong
Outro
Thanks, Scott
« Last Edit: July 07, 2020, 01:21:22 PM by Johnm »
Cryin ain't goin down that(?) big road by myself now don't you hear me talkin pretty mama Lord ain't goin down that big road by myself If I don't care you care somebody else
Cryin the sun gon shine in my back door someday now don't you hear me talkin pretty mama Lord sun gon shine in my back door someday And the wind gon change and gon blow my blues away
Baby what make you do me like you do do do like you do do do don't you hear me now What make you do me like you do do do Now you think you gon do me like you done poor Cherry Red
Take the poor boy's money now sure Lord won't take mine now don't you hear me talkin pretty mama Take the poor boy's money now sure Lord won't take mine Take the poor boys money now sure Lord won't take mine
Cryin ain't gon be your low down dog no more now don't you hear me talkin pretty mama Lord ain't gon be your low down dog no more And I ain't gon be your low down dog no more
Cryin what good is a bulldog he won't bark or bite now don't you hear me talkin pretty mama What good is a bulldog he won't bark or bite What good i' oooh woman if she won't let youuu stay all nigheee(t)
Baby what make you do m' like you do do do like you do do do don't you heare now What make you do me like you do do do Now you think you gon do me like you done poor Cherry Red
Take the poor boy's money now sure Lord won't take mine now don't you hear me talkin pretty mama Take the poor boy's money now sure Lord won't take mine Take the poor boy's money now sure Lord won't take mine
Cryin the sun gon shine in my back door some day now don't you hear me talkin pretty mama Lord sun gon shine in my back door some day Lord there gon come a wooo wind gon blow myyyyy blues away
Thanks, Scott
« Last Edit: July 07, 2020, 01:22:43 PM by Johnm »
Now who's that yonder comin down the road comin down the road mmm Who's that yonder comin down the road Well it look like Maggie baby m but she walk too slow
Now I'm goin away won't be back til fall won't be back til fall mmm Goin away now won't be back til fall If I meet my good gal well I won't be back at all
Now sun gon shine in my back door some day my back door some day mmm Sun gon shine in my back door some day And the wind gon change um baby gon blow my blues away
Solo
Now see see rider see what you done done see what you done done mmm See see rider see what you done done You done made me love you now you tryin to put me down
Now ain't gon be your low down dog no more low down dog no more mmm Ain't gon be your low down dog no more Cause I been dog ever since I been your man
Mmm goin away won't be back til fall won't be back til fall Goin away now won't be back til fall If I meet my good gal well I won't be back at all
Mmm who's that yonder comin down the road comin down the road mmm Who's that yonder comin down the road Well it look like Maggie baby but she walk too slow
Cryin sun gon shine in my back door some day my back door some day mmm Sun gon shine in my back door some day And the wind gon change um baby gon blow my blues away
Outro
Thanks, Scott
« Last Edit: July 07, 2020, 01:23:24 PM by Johnm »
Hey meet me in the bottom bring me my boots and shoes tonight you mama great God almighty Meet me in the bottom bring my boots and shoes I got to leave town mama and I ain't got no time to lose
I love my baby yes God knows I do tonight you mama great God almighty Love my baby yes god knows I do I don't love nobody in this whole round world but you
Solo
Well the woman I love she 'bout five feet from the ground tonight you mama great God almighty Woman I love she 'bout five feet from the ground Yes she's tailor made and she ain't no hand me down
I'm gon love my baby yes God knows I do tonight you mama great God almighty I love my baby yes God knows I do I don't love nobody in this whole round world but you
Solo
Hey meet me in the bottom bring me my boots and shoes tonight you mama great God almighty Meet me in the bottom bring my boots and shoes I got to leave town mama and I ain't got no time to lose
Solo
I love my baby yes God knows I do tonight you mama great God almighty I love my baby yes god knows I do I don't love nobody in this whole round world but you
Outro
Thanks, Scott
« Last Edit: July 07, 2020, 01:24:04 PM by Johnm »
Thanks so much for doing all these, Scott. I've nothing to contribute currently but I've been listening to him all day, inspired by your marathon transcribing effort
I'll echo Laura's thanks, Scott. I think in "Meet Me In The Bottom" the tag at the end of the opening line of each verse may be "TONIGHT, you mama, Great God almighty". All best, Johnm
Hi John and Laura - thanks, he sure is great to listen to. I just wish there was more available. I love the driving bounce to his playing. And his singing really draws me in. Although most of his verses seem like seem pretty set, the inflection and emphasis makes them sound continually fresh to my ears, even when he repeats verses within the same song. Also, even though most of his material is covers, he seems to reshape them all into sounding like his own.
Thanks again and John, I incorporated your suggested change to Meet Me In The Bottom.
I agree, Scott. His singing is completely chilled out, yet powerful at the same time. He gets some really pretty melodies on the guitar in lots of the songs, too.
I was playing around with his "Going Away Blues" today, so here are the lyrics for that:
------------------------------------ Shirley Griffith Going Away Blues
I woke up this morning with the same things on my mind 'cos she keeps me worried and bothered all the time
Well I love my baby, tell the world I do I don't love nobody in this whole round world but you
Well looky here, pretty mama, what do you want me to do? You must want me to lay down and die for you
I'm goin', I'm goin' and your cryin' won't do no good Babe, the more you cry, baby, it's gonna help me on my way
Well the blues ain't nothing but a good woman on your mind She'll keep you worried and bothered all the time -------------------------------------------
Hi all, Shirley Griffith played "Back To Bed" on his Blue Goose album. The song is in E position, standard tuning, and has an infectious signature lick. Shirley's singing is powerful, as usual.
Woke up this morning, went right back to bed I woke up this morning, went right back to bed I had the blues so bad, I couldn't rest easily here
Goin' away to, wear you off my mind I'm goin' away to wear you off my mind And I'm goin' away just to wear you off my mind
Who in the world told that ugly lie? Wonder who in the world told that ugly lie? Must've been the rising eagle, sure gon' rise and fly
Love my baby, tell the world I do I love my baby, yes, God knows I do I don't love nobody, whole round world but you
Goin' away, won't be back 'til Fall I'm goin' away, I won't be back 'til Fall And if I happen to meet my good gal, won't be back at all
Goin' to the river, buy me a rockin' chair Well, I'm goin' to the river, I'm gonna take my rockin' chair And if the blues overtake me, rock on 'way from here
That's your woman, you better buy you a lock and key If that's your woman, you buy you a lock and key Because it's the only way you can keep her away from me
I think in "Meet Me In The Bottom" the tag at the end of the opening line of each verse may be "TONIGHT, you mama, Great God almighty".
Just reading over this thread and listening to some Shirley Griffith -- I'm pretty sure he's singing "tee-nicey mama, great God almighty."
There are several singers who sing this in this song, Lightnin' Hopkins for one and I know I've heard others sing it. "Tee-Nicey" I would assume is a variation on "teeny-tiny" -- Googling it looks like the most common spelling is "teeninecy" or variations of that. Bill Gaither's version is "Tee-Ninecy."
I believe there's someone in the Charlie Patton biography who has "Tee-Nicey" as a nickname, some relative of Patton's. Chris
Shirley Griffith is as important to me and my development as a player as almost anybody. His Prestige album Saturday Blues was one of the first I bought at 16 or 17. There is an intimacy to his music that is hard to find elsewhere. He has a slightly introverted quality that made me feel privileged to have him share it with me/us. Much of my repertoire derives from that album right into the present.I was fortunate enough to see him play here in New York in the early '70's and that same sense of internalization pervaded his performance.
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My loathings are simple: stupidity, oppression, crime, cruelty, soft music. Vladimir Nabokov (1899 - 1977)