Topic: Buddy Moss Lyrics

[Slack]

While waiting for JohnM's new lesson (New Lovin' Blues, which should be here first part of next week) I've been listening to and trying to figure out the lyrics for New Lovin' Blues -- quite a challenge!  Maybe on a par with Geechie Wiley for difficulty. 

So thought I would post the MP3 and my pass at the lyrics and see if anyone wants to take the challenge - could be some great double entendre in here if we could just get at it.

Here is the MP3, it is a noisy recording.  if you have more than one player try them all out - I've found the sound quality varies with players (Winamp the worst, RealOne is medium and Cool Edit the best, it was recorded with Cool Edit).



...and my pass at the lryics, feel free to question it all.

New Lovin' Blues
Buddy Moss

I got a new, way of a lovin'
I'll not think that, must be bad (?)
Because these Georgia women just won't
Let poor Buddy Moss rest

Now men, let me tell you
What these doggone, women will do
?? --they'll have your buddy ___???
Play all sick on you

I don't believe, no women
All in this whole round world be right
Act like an angel in the daytime
Buddy but it's the devil at night

My gal, she got something
Ahh and I don't know what it is
?? (I'd really like to know what this line is)
Can't keep my black self still

I got a ??____?? doin' a YoYo
And ??____?? YoYo thing?
Said that what I mean people drive these
Georgia women hollerin' insane

Now my mama, she told me
Ah when I was a little boy playin' mumble peg
Don't take no black _______________???
Don't you eat no black hen's eggs

Now these women, they'll swear
That they'll love you, all their life
And meet another man 'round the corner, ___?
Tell that same lie twice

[waxwing]

Man, what a great song. This'll be my first opportunity to try one of your online lessons, John. Not that I don't still have plenty to work on from PT, not to mention my own agenda. But, I love those bass runs, with lots of double bass notes.
Anyway, here're my possible additions to your first take, Slack. I'll copy your version and make additions, so you don't have to edit.

New Lovin' Blues
Buddy Moss

I got a new, way of a lovin'
Ah, and I think that, must (or might) be bad
Say, because these Georgia women just won't
Let poor Buddy Moss rest

Now men, let me tell you
What these doggone, women will do
?? ...you by your lonesome???
Play all sick on you

I don't believe, no woman
All in this whole round world be right
Act like a angel in the daytime
Buddy but it's the devil at night

My gal, she got something
Ahh and I don't know what it is
So (sounds like bubble??) again back people, 'cause I just
Can't keep my black self still

I got a darn good YoYo
Ah and I mean a Duncan (darn good??) YoYo thing?
Said that what I mean people drive these
Georgia women hollerin' insane

Now my mama, she told me
Ah when I was a little boy playin' mumble peg
No, don't take no black cow's milk, and don't you
Eat no black hen's eggs

Now these women, they'll swear
That they'll love you, all their life
And meet another man 'round the corner, says an'
Tell that same lie twice.

Note in v.3 it's "a angel" and v.7 "a other man.

So that's what I got from listening. Now I'll check Bob McLeod and see if we've got some more possibilities to choose from.
Okay:
v.1 he has "best" to rhyme with "rest"
v.2 "Say, they'll have your buddy lost, and play all sick on you"
v.3 "...buddy, report to the devil at night"
v.4 "Say, but when I get in bed, people, says, I just can't keep my black self still"
v.5 "Certainly that's what I mean, peoples, drive these Georgia womens hollerin', 'Pain'." (Hmmm??-JC)
v.6 "...drink no black cows milk"

Well, that was a pleasurable mornings exercise.
Can't wait to see the lesson. And I've got to pick up those Document CDs
All for now.
John C

[Slack]

Excellent job JohnC!

I'll incorporate and edit the 'master' sheet (gotta edit it somewhere JohnC and just as easy here).

<<note in v.3 it's "a angel" and v.7 "a other man.>>

Yes, indeed.

I've got a few comments on Bob Mcleod's reading though:
Okay:
<<v.1 he has "best" to rhyme with "rest">>

Excellent, I heard this too on the way back from the airport and it always maks sense to rhyme.

<<v.2 "Say, they'll have your buddy lost, and play all sick on you">>

I question this, there is an extra syllable after "lost" and it doesn't make sense.

<<v.3 "...buddy, report to the devil at night">>

I like our ears better on this one... eg "but it's the devil at night" (you don't report to no woman, that's being a traitor to your gender! )

<<v.4 "Say, but when I get in bed, people, says, I just can't keep my black self still">>

A bold phrase, but cannot really argue with it.

<<v.5 "Certainly that's what I mean, peoples, drive these Georgia womens hollerin', 'Pain'." (Hmmm??-JC)>>

I agree, hmmmm?  Maybe it's hollerin' "in vain"? I like in vain or insane, much better than in pain.

<<v.6 "...drink no black cows milk">>

Excellent.

cheers,
slack

[Johnm]

Hi,
Thanks, John D. for posting the tune and doing a lot of heavy lifting on the lyric transcription, and John C. for the input, too.  It is really a great tune, isn't it?  I'm gonna take my crack at the lyrics--
  I got a new way of loving
  Oh, and I think that must be best
  Because these Georgia women just won't
  Let poor Buddy Moss rest

  Now men, let me tell you
  What these double-crossin' womens'll do
  Son, they will have your buddy, Lord,
  Son, play all sick on you.

  I don't believe no woman
  Lord, in this whole round world do right
  Act like a angel in the daytime
  Buddy, but they're the devil at night

  My gal, she got something
  Oh, and I don't know what it is
  Says, "Papa, when I get in bed", people, says
  "I just can't keep my black self still."
  
  I got a darn good yoyo
  Oh, and I mean a darn good yoyo string
  Says that's what I mean, people,
  Drive these Georgia womens' heart in pain

  Now my mama, she told me
  Ah, when I was a little boy playing mumblepeg
  "Son, don't take no black cow's milk
  And don't you eat no black hen's egg."

  Now these women, they'll swear
  That they love you all their life
  And meet a other man round the corner, says, and
  Tell that same lie twice

That line on mumblety peg is a great find.  I don't know if I would have heard that in a million years.  I had to listen to this so many times when I was transcribing it, I got the sound of it in my head pretty well!  End of the sixth verse, I like the meaning of insane better, but it sures sounds like in pain.  It's about as much fun trying to figure out the lyrics as it is the guitar part.
all best,
John

[Slack]

Looks great to me JohnM, I'll listen to the 'heart in pain' line again with fresh ears and also listen to "Oh, and I think that must be best" - whcih I'm not sure if it  works phonetically...  anyway, I take it back, it is easier than Geechie.  Amazing what seems initially like a completely uninteligble phrase can be figured out - lots of fun!

I got mumbly peg by thinking of childs games and I suppose it came to me because I played some very simple version as a boy (always messing with knives)... yes, a real coup!    But the game is quite involved, check out this site for more info:  

Mumbly Peg

(Looking at the site again, I probably learned to play it as a Cub Scout. )

cheers,
slack

[Bill Roggensack]

Great work on the yoyo verse John - I was stumped on 'darn', mainly because of the pause following it. Of course, once you hear it correctly, it's clear as a bell.

In three of the verses, I hear something a little different than what you have written, but only subtly:

v2
Now men, let me tell you
What these doggone, women will do
That they'll have your body lonesome
Play all sick on you.

v4
My gal, she got something
Ahh and I don't know what it is
_______ now get back people ‘cause
I just can't keep my black self still.
[Note: That third line is a killer.]

v6
Now my Mama, she told me
Ah when I was a little boy playin' mumble peg
No, don't take no black cow's milk,
And don't you eat no black hen's egg.
[Note: Black hens figure in hoodoo folklore - if you carry one on nine trips to the crossroads, you too can learn to perform magic tricks.]

The third line of verse 4 still eludes me. I hear exactly what you have written for all the other verses, including the "in pain' line.

I got a chuckle from some of the lines suggested in Bob MacLeod's transcription. In the end, these country blues lyrics tend to make sense once you have them right. His don't!

By the way, the game is mumbly peg, but Moss clearly says 'mumble'. I don't know what the origins are - probably British? It is usually played by juvenille boys who want  to demonstrate their bravado by going through a series of knife trick challenges or levels. When you fail at one of the levels and your opponent successfully moves on the the next one, he gets to drive a peg into the ground (with his knife handle) and you have to dig it out like a rooting hog (no hands!). Ah, to be a Boy Scout again.

[waxwing]

Oh, yeah, JohnM, you really nailed those tough spots. Brilliant that you got the sense he was quoting his woman.
Woops, hey FP, I just noticed you must have posted before I selected Reply.  Well, actually, what I like about JohnM's solutions are that they refer back to the initial premise, i.e. Buddy's sexual prowess. And, I think they sound pretty "darn good". (But gee, nobody likes "Duncan YoYo string"?) Man, I keep listening to the song over and over and I like the piece more each time. I think it'll sound great on a reso. Dai Thomas has him documented with an L-OO and a Kay Kraft. Hmm. Anyway, after many more listenings, I really like what you came up with JohnM. A few tiny suggestions in the spirit of completeness:
v.1, l.3 Seems like a quick "say" before "because"
v.2, l.3-4 I think the little bridge is reversed, "..Lord, say 'n', play..." and spoken as one sylable (probably a typo?)
v.3, l.3 (also a typo) as discussed above, "a angel"
Everything else really works. Boy, it'll take a certain boldness to perform this song well. Kinda like the last verse of Meat Shakin' Woman, but moreso.

I, too, was a mumbley peg player, although the levels described in the link you provided, Slack, go way beyond our game. We did do most of the body parts, though. Stretch was another favorite knife game.
All for now.
John C.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Just a couple of more things on these lyrics.  I went back and I think the line ends:
  They will have your buddy, Lord, son,
  Play all sick on you.
I'm dubious about Buddy referring to his "body" in a song lyric, Bill.  I think he was a little too shy to make a reference like that.  (heh heh)  Actually, I opt for buddy because Curley Weaver copped a high percentage of these verses for his song "Ticket Agent", recorded around 1951, and he clearly says "buddy" there.
The verse ending "in pain" makes sense if you think of it in the Bo Carter "hurts so good" context.
I am familiar with mumblepeg, which we always called mumbletypeg, but never chose to play it because it required too much skill, sort of like the billiards of knife games.  I always opted for stretch, which rewarded luck.
All best,
John  
 

[Slack]

Really a nice job all - JohnM, I think you definately put the finishing touches on it.  

FP, I had no idea you were upper middle class - or is that just in Canadian dollars?  (there is a smart ass in every crowd.)

JohnC, yes I liked "Duncan" YoYo!... it had the makings of a great double entendre with "Dunkin" YoYo (hee).

cheers,
slack

[Bill Roggensack]

Slackjaw writes (re: Lyrics thread under forum):

> FP, I had no idea you were upper middle class - or is that just in Canadian dollars?

Canadian dollars - yes. But I don't think I said that. In fact is was Uncle Bud who lamented:

> As a Canadian living a very urban life, more or less comfortably ....

which I then took the libery of extrapolating to:

> UB mentions the difficulty which an upper middle class urban dweller ....

albeit, in a generic sense, in reference to the challenge of lyrically describing situations and experiences that are more typically the domain of different segments within society.

---snip---

There is no official definition of the middle class, no agreed upon classification of those who are middle class and those who are not. However, the notion of the middle class is central to modern American life. Middle class concepts are pervasive and most Americans would identify themselves as middle class — either lower middle class or upper middle class — rather than working class or wealthy (Parker, 1972). This conceptualization of the middle class has grown out of notions embedded in the American idea of equality and the ideals of upward mobility. There is a strong feeling that the United States is a nation, at least for white America, with a broad homogeneous social middle class.  

Levy and Michel (1986) suggest, that although the standard is not officially defined anywhere, it exists in subtle forms from casual conversation to television advertisements. The standard includes material goods, a home and at least one car, other consumer items like televisions, dishwashers, personal computers, but also the funds to educate and raise healthy children and provide support for a comfortable retirement. It is tied to educational attainment and occupation but beyond these generalizations it is difficult to provide a universally accepted definition.  

Definitions of the middle class are also complicated because the basket of material goods that has been associated with middle class life-styles has changed over time. For example, a two bath, two car home is now closer to the norm for most middle class households than the one bath-one car home of the 1950s. The composition of the household has changed too, from one worker to two earners. This shifting economic and demographic context makes it difficult to place boundaries on the middle class. Although definitions are not straight-forward, and in the end are inextricably dependent on the quantitative measures that we use, it is possible to provide a range within which we can examine the progress of the population as a whole and the progress of major ethnic groups of the population.

---unsnip---

So, maybe I am upper middle class. I'll have to go home and check my 'basket' of consumer goods. One thing I know is that it doesn't currently include a National Style 'O'! However, I'm going to pay a visit on a gentleman who has one for sale, listed in the local Bargain Finder for a mere $2500, claiming to have paid $3,500 a year ago, but who is unable to demonstrate much knowledge about the instrument. My interest will be focussed on the serial number of the instrument offered for sale. More later!

[waxwing]

Hey FP,
     Don't get me started on the so called "upper" middle class. Just a term devised to make the middle class think they're closer to the rich than the poor. Which they ain't, by a long shot There are really only two classes. Those that have whatever they want whenever they want it (less than 10% of the pop.) and those who actually have very little freedom by comparison (but lots of "stuff" that they're constantly afraid of losing). Enough, now I'm depressed and it's still early. This is why I'm on a news fast.
     Good luck with the Style O. I know how much I cherish mine, both for its tonal qualities and its mojo. I really hope it turns out to be yours and that you can reclaim it. Please be careful.
All for now.
John C.

[Slack]

FP, well I certainly deserve that for not reading your post more carefully! (no wonder it didn;t sound like you -- it must be my rushed urban middle class lifestyle.   )

Yep, keep us posted on the Style O!

cheers,
slack

[Bill Roggensack]

Hey Slack - sorry if I came across as giving you a hard time over being 'middle class' - I definitely have the middle for it! I'm afraid we're all middle class, and maybe even upper? Perfect qualifications for being a country bluesman. At least I own some property in the country!

Re: National Style 'O' - my visit on Thursday encountered a pretty good deal on a virtually brand new instrument for which the (desperate) seller had all the papers necessary to convince me that the guitar is legitimately his. It's the usual case of falling on hard times and needing to get rid of a few material possessions to make ends meet. He won $250,000 in a lottery a year ago, spent it all, and is now looking for work. I'm sure there's a blues song in his story. It might be a good interim replacement, but as JohnC notes, and others will certainly agree, a peculiar bond forms between the player and instruments that 'sound good' and have a 'history'. I'm remain in the 'faint hope of recovery' mode.

[Bill Roggensack]

Things have been pretty busy of late, so not much time to browse here or watch PBS - but like Uncle Bud, I have it on tape and will get to it - someday. However, with a couple of long road trips, I did have a chance to listen to the JSP compilation releases for both Blind Willie McTell and Blind Blake. After struggling with Buddy Moss's lyrics a few weeks ago, my ears nearly popped off my head when I heard some of the same verses in various McTell songs. The one that first got my attention was about 'mumblepeg' and the 'black cow's milk'black chicken's egg'. As I listened through a second time, I heard slight variations on almost all of Buddy's song, but with the verses spread out one at a time (almost verbatim) across a half a dozen songs. I think McTell is a lot easier to decipher. As a younger contemporary of McTell's who hung with him for a few years, I'm guessing that Buddy just helped himself to whatever verses he liked.

[waxwing]

Hey FP,
What you're describing is such a constant occurance for me. I'm really still such a babe, albeit a passionate one, when it comes to prewar blues. I came back to the guitar, after a 30 year hiatus to do theatre, less than three years ago. For some reason I headed straight for prewar blues. I guess I was drawn to the primarily solo nature of this style, having gotten pretty frustrated with the difficulties of artistic collaboration (great when it works, tho'). But I am still slowly working my way through the pantheon of artists and music. At first I'd hear a line and think, oh so this is the song that line comes from, like "Laid down last night tried to take my rest". Laughable, hunh? Now I probably know about five. So, I'm thinking there must be some material about BM in Red River Blues, a book I'm thinking I'll read soon. Any recommendations?
All for now.
John C.