Topic: Booker T. Sapps Lyrics

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Booker T. Sapps, Roger Matthews and Willie Flowers were recorded for the Library of Congress in Belle Glade, Florida in June of 1935. It seems likely that all of the recording they did was done on one day. They recorded eleven tracks of nine different songs (two of the songs had two takes). Sapps and Matthews both played harmonica and sang, and Matthews in addition incorporated vocalization, whoops and cries, while playing harmonica. Willie Flowers accompanied them on guitar in Vestapol tuning, using a slide expertly but also playing conventionally fretted chords and runs. All three players were masters of their instruments, and both Sapps and Matthews excelled at playing time on their harmonicas, a skill that often goes overlooked. Their recording of "Alabama Blues, Part 1" has a wonderfully exciting frenetic energy, and it's great to hear how completely un-self-conscious the trio was about being recorded. Roger Matthews does some of his vocalization on the harmonica, a la "Fox Chase", behind verses two and three. The take ends with a fade, and it makes one wonder how long they kept it up after the recording stopped. The spoken comments and vocals are kind of hard to hear, so I'd very much appreciate corrections or filling in gaps. Here is "Alabama Blues-Part 1":



INTRO GROUP SOLO X 2 (Spoken: Play that thing, boy!) (Spoken: Ain't no time to worry now, I'm gon' play it, too!)

Would you look here, baby, ain't gwonna spoil me
Would you looky-here, baby, ain't gonna spoil me
'Cause I'm sad and I'm lonesome, I am blue as I could be

GROUP SOLO

Lord, I woke up this morning, 'bout half past four
Says I woke up this morning, 'bout half past four
And the woman that I love, she was knockin' on my door

GROUP SOLO (Spoken: Let 'er go, Charlie!)

Well, look-a here, mama, let me roll your dough
Lord, looky-here, mama, let me roll your dough
When you get through rollin' I said, "Please, baby, roll some more."

GROUP SOLO X 2 (Spoken: Play that thing, boy!)

FADE

Edited 2/20 to pick up corrections from Old Man Ned and Johnm
Edited 2/20 to pick up correction from Blues Vintage

All best,
Johnm

 

 






   

[Old Man Ned]

Hi John,

In the first line of the first verse I'm hearing "Would you look here, baby, ain't gwon' spoil me".

All the Best,
Ned

[Johnm]

Thanks very much for the help, Ned. Re-listening, I agree with you and have made that change, as well as a couple of other minor ones. Thanks!

[Blues Vintage]

I don't hear the "it's" in 3.2

[Johnm]

Upon re-listening, I agree with you, Blues Vintage, and have removed "it's" from that line. Thanks!

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Booker T. Sapps recorded "Weep And Worry Blues", a solo number, at the same session as "Alabama Blues, Part 1" was recorded. The recording captured Sapps' rendition already in progress. The track is unusually long for a Library of Congress recording. Here is "Weep And Worry Blues":



They was knockin' on my door

HARMONICA SOLO

If you didn't want me, mama, what did you tell me so?
If you didn't want me, mama, babe why didn't you tell me so?
Says, you called me "Daddy", and I, come walkin' by your door

HARMONICA SOLO

Lord, I cried all night, mama, and I, cried all night before
(Harmonica finishes verse)

Say, look-a here, baby, I'm gonna sing this song
Will you listen here, baby, I swear I'm gonna sing this song
You can tell by this, mama, I swear I ain't gonna be here long

HARMONICA SOLO (Spoken: Wild about that!)

Lord, my mama told me, when I was only two years old
Lord, my mama told me, when I was only two years old
"Son, you're gonna be a high roller, Lord God bless your soul."

HARMONICA SOLO (Inaudible spoken comment)

Babe, I rolled and I tumbled and I, cried the whole night long
Lord, I rolled and I tumbled, baby, and I, cried the whole night long
You can weep and you can worry, mama, and your, life don't last so long

HARMONICA SOLO

SPOKEN: "That's Booker T. Sapps playing "The Weep And Worried Blues", if you're askin' me."

All best,
Johnm