We are now in the thick of festival season. It may not mean much to the hardened blues nerd, but old-time nerds everywhere are tuning fiddles, banjos, guitars, mandolins and chasing the muse from one southern festival to the next. In honor of that time, I'd like to take a moment to shine a light on a theme that can easily be claimed by both blues and old-time traditions: Make Me A Pallet On The Floor.
It should be said that this is in no way an exhaustive list of "Pallets" and your favorite "Pallets" may have been omitted. Feel free to comment and point them out if so. These are just ones that I felt were interesting. Some of them are favorites of mine.
The song's origins are somewhat mysterious and it is in all probablility of black origin. The lyrics were collected in 1911 by Howard Odum. Blind Boone's 1908 composition Southern Rag Medley no. 1 quotes the melody and the WC Handy 1917 recording of Sweet Child is the first recording to feature the melody. It's the 1923 W.C. Handy and Dave Elman composition of Atlanta Blues that first puts the melody we know together with the words. Sara Martin's recording is an excellent example:
Blind Boone - Southern Rag Medley no. 1:
WC Handy - Sweet Child:
Sara Martin - Atlanta Blues:
The theme is a 16 bar proto-blues. The form picks up on the IV chord. All chords get four beats... expressed relative the key of C:
F | F | C | C |
F | F | C | C |
E | E | F | F |
C | G | C | C |
Of course, this precise harmonization is dependent on the particular preferences of the performer in question. As we'll see not all "Pallets" are created from this cloth, even if they retain the 16-bar structure.
Henry Thomas's 1928 recording of Bob McKinney includes "Make Me A Pallet" as one of the themes, and Mississippi John Hurt recorded a "palletless" Pallet as "Ain't No Tellin'." This is probably the version most dear to country blues enthusiasts everywhere. In his rediscovery period, he also recorded it as "Make Me A Pallet On Your Floor."
Henry Thomas - Bob Mckinney:
Mississippi John Hurt - Ain't No Tellin':
Mississippi John Hurt - Make Me A Pallet On Your Floor:
The notion of the pallet enjoyed popularity in old-time circles as well. The Leake County Revelers recorded a version that is melodically unrelated to the other "pallets," but includes the words as a kind of refrain. The Stripling Brothers recorded a strictly instrumental version closely related to the theme recorded by the Leake County Revelers. These two versions are actually 12-bars in length, but certainly not quite a blues in the typical sense. All chords get four beats... expressed relative the key of C:
C | C | C | C |
F | F | F | F |
G | G | G | C |
Relatively speaking, it's a I-IV-V, but the IV enjoys 4 measures and then the progression moves directly to the V chord for three measures before resolving to I in the 12th bar.
Leake County Revelers - Make Me A Bed On The Floor:
Stripling Brothers - Make Me A Pallet:
Splitting the difference between blues and old-time traditions is the recording of "If You Don't Want Me Please Don't Dog Me 'Round" by the Chatmon Brothers (Lonnie and Sam). This is another "palletless" Pallet, but shares the same melodic theme with Atlanta Blues.
The Chatmon Brothers - If You Don't Want Me Please Don't Dog Me 'Round:
Up to this point, we've been listening to commercial recordings or published compositions. In 1938, Alan Lomax interviewed and recorded Jelly Roll Morton for the Library of Congress. Among the pieces he got was an epic, unexpurgated version of Make Me A Pallet On The Floor. It's definitely NOT for those of you with delicate sensibilities - you have been warned! In 1940-41, The Lomaxes made a trip to Mississippi and encountered Son House, Willie Brown and Fiddlin' Joe Martin. Among the songs recorded was Willie Brown's swinging, sophisticated version of "Pallet." Both of these share the same basic melodic countours as the 16-bar theme expressed in Atlanta Blues, but with more harmonic flourish, notably in the use of diminished chords by Jelly Roll Morton, and the quick II-V-I in the 14th and 15th bars of the Willie Brown's version:
Jelly Roll Morton - Make Me A Pallet On The Floor:
Willie Brown - Make Me A Pallet On The Floor:
Sam Charters recorded J.D. Short in July, 1962. It was to have been just 4 months before he would die - sadly too early to have enjoyed the real benefits of the "blues rediscovery" period. Short's style had changed from the singer/guitarist of the 30s to favoring a harp in a rack with a strong, strummed accompaniment. His version of "Pallet" retains the 16-bar pattern, but recasts the melody to one unique to him and interperses the "Pallet" theme with 12-bar verses. His version is one of my favorites. His recasting of the melody is lovely, as is his interpretation of the 16-bar form. All chords get four beats... expressed relative the key of G (for a change):
G | G | G | G |
C | C | G | G |
D | D | C | C |
G | G | G | G |
He retains the 16-bars, but dispenses with the IV at the top, and the III chord in the 12th and 13th bars, going with V chord. A friend of mine would call this: straight through wrong into RIGHT! Once you hear him do this, it's hard to imagine NOT doing it this way, it sounds to natural and sweet. I'd like to point out the way he articulates the pulse as well - neatly splitting an old-time boom-chang approach AND a more subtle triplet subdivision by anticipating the "boom" with a quick downstroke, and the "chang" with a quick upstroke. He does accelerate through the song (as he does in nearly all of his pieces) and as he does, he subtly changes the character of his accompaniment. The subtelty with which he does this is downrigh t breathtaking, so it's worth the effort to listen closely to his guitar playing, especially if you think it's "just strumming." Guess again!
JD Short - Make Me Down A Pallet:
Make Me A Pallet has been recorded many, many times by many, many artists. You can find current day versions by the Wood Brothers, the Punch Brothers, Gillian Welch and the North Mississippi All Stars. They all follow the basic 16 bar form. A few years ago, I had the occasion to play some music with John Miller and he shared this 12-bar version of Pallet with me. I have to say, the simplicity of it completely knocked me out, and like the best things, it somehow manages to sound much older than it really is. We improvised a set of lyrics and came up with the attached recording. I hope you like it as much as I do!
So there you have it - a theme that likely arose out of the mists of the late 19th century and enjoyed a long and colorful life during the 20th century, continues to be played, recorded and interpreted in the 21 century. How about that?
It should be said that this is in no way an exhaustive list of "Pallets" and your favorite "Pallets" may have been omitted. Feel free to comment and point them out if so. These are just ones that I felt were interesting. Some of them are favorites of mine.
The song's origins are somewhat mysterious and it is in all probablility of black origin. The lyrics were collected in 1911 by Howard Odum. Blind Boone's 1908 composition Southern Rag Medley no. 1 quotes the melody and the WC Handy 1917 recording of Sweet Child is the first recording to feature the melody. It's the 1923 W.C. Handy and Dave Elman composition of Atlanta Blues that first puts the melody we know together with the words. Sara Martin's recording is an excellent example:
Blind Boone - Southern Rag Medley no. 1:
WC Handy - Sweet Child:
Sara Martin - Atlanta Blues:
The theme is a 16 bar proto-blues. The form picks up on the IV chord. All chords get four beats... expressed relative the key of C:
F | F | C | C |
F | F | C | C |
E | E | F | F |
C | G | C | C |
Of course, this precise harmonization is dependent on the particular preferences of the performer in question. As we'll see not all "Pallets" are created from this cloth, even if they retain the 16-bar structure.
Henry Thomas's 1928 recording of Bob McKinney includes "Make Me A Pallet" as one of the themes, and Mississippi John Hurt recorded a "palletless" Pallet as "Ain't No Tellin'." This is probably the version most dear to country blues enthusiasts everywhere. In his rediscovery period, he also recorded it as "Make Me A Pallet On Your Floor."
Henry Thomas - Bob Mckinney:
Mississippi John Hurt - Ain't No Tellin':
Mississippi John Hurt - Make Me A Pallet On Your Floor:
The notion of the pallet enjoyed popularity in old-time circles as well. The Leake County Revelers recorded a version that is melodically unrelated to the other "pallets," but includes the words as a kind of refrain. The Stripling Brothers recorded a strictly instrumental version closely related to the theme recorded by the Leake County Revelers. These two versions are actually 12-bars in length, but certainly not quite a blues in the typical sense. All chords get four beats... expressed relative the key of C:
C | C | C | C |
F | F | F | F |
G | G | G | C |
Relatively speaking, it's a I-IV-V, but the IV enjoys 4 measures and then the progression moves directly to the V chord for three measures before resolving to I in the 12th bar.
Leake County Revelers - Make Me A Bed On The Floor:
Stripling Brothers - Make Me A Pallet:
Splitting the difference between blues and old-time traditions is the recording of "If You Don't Want Me Please Don't Dog Me 'Round" by the Chatmon Brothers (Lonnie and Sam). This is another "palletless" Pallet, but shares the same melodic theme with Atlanta Blues.
The Chatmon Brothers - If You Don't Want Me Please Don't Dog Me 'Round:
Up to this point, we've been listening to commercial recordings or published compositions. In 1938, Alan Lomax interviewed and recorded Jelly Roll Morton for the Library of Congress. Among the pieces he got was an epic, unexpurgated version of Make Me A Pallet On The Floor. It's definitely NOT for those of you with delicate sensibilities - you have been warned! In 1940-41, The Lomaxes made a trip to Mississippi and encountered Son House, Willie Brown and Fiddlin' Joe Martin. Among the songs recorded was Willie Brown's swinging, sophisticated version of "Pallet." Both of these share the same basic melodic countours as the 16-bar theme expressed in Atlanta Blues, but with more harmonic flourish, notably in the use of diminished chords by Jelly Roll Morton, and the quick II-V-I in the 14th and 15th bars of the Willie Brown's version:
Jelly Roll Morton - Make Me A Pallet On The Floor:
Willie Brown - Make Me A Pallet On The Floor:
Sam Charters recorded J.D. Short in July, 1962. It was to have been just 4 months before he would die - sadly too early to have enjoyed the real benefits of the "blues rediscovery" period. Short's style had changed from the singer/guitarist of the 30s to favoring a harp in a rack with a strong, strummed accompaniment. His version of "Pallet" retains the 16-bar pattern, but recasts the melody to one unique to him and interperses the "Pallet" theme with 12-bar verses. His version is one of my favorites. His recasting of the melody is lovely, as is his interpretation of the 16-bar form. All chords get four beats... expressed relative the key of G (for a change):
G | G | G | G |
C | C | G | G |
D | D | C | C |
G | G | G | G |
He retains the 16-bars, but dispenses with the IV at the top, and the III chord in the 12th and 13th bars, going with V chord. A friend of mine would call this: straight through wrong into RIGHT! Once you hear him do this, it's hard to imagine NOT doing it this way, it sounds to natural and sweet. I'd like to point out the way he articulates the pulse as well - neatly splitting an old-time boom-chang approach AND a more subtle triplet subdivision by anticipating the "boom" with a quick downstroke, and the "chang" with a quick upstroke. He does accelerate through the song (as he does in nearly all of his pieces) and as he does, he subtly changes the character of his accompaniment. The subtelty with which he does this is downrigh t breathtaking, so it's worth the effort to listen closely to his guitar playing, especially if you think it's "just strumming." Guess again!
JD Short - Make Me Down A Pallet:
Make Me A Pallet has been recorded many, many times by many, many artists. You can find current day versions by the Wood Brothers, the Punch Brothers, Gillian Welch and the North Mississippi All Stars. They all follow the basic 16 bar form. A few years ago, I had the occasion to play some music with John Miller and he shared this 12-bar version of Pallet with me. I have to say, the simplicity of it completely knocked me out, and like the best things, it somehow manages to sound much older than it really is. We improvised a set of lyrics and came up with the attached recording. I hope you like it as much as I do!
So there you have it - a theme that likely arose out of the mists of the late 19th century and enjoyed a long and colorful life during the 20th century, continues to be played, recorded and interpreted in the 21 century. How about that?