Genuine negro blues in the style the negro likes. Be sure to demonstrate this record to every negro that comes to your counter. Tell them it is made by a real negro - ARC 1931 dealer sheet plugging a Collins release, quoted by Chris Smith, notes from Yazoo's Crying Sam Collins, Jail House Blues
Discovered this obscure bluesman. Could use some help with the lyrics.
Lazy Bill Lucas – Vocals, Piano Louis Myers - Guitar Elga Edmonds - Drums
October 29, 1953 Chicago, Illinois
Piano in Ab
PIANO INTRO
I had a dream I was sleeping, found myself way down below I had a dream I was sleeping, found myself way down below I couldn’t get to heaven, you know, the place I had to go
The devil had me cornered, stuck me with his old pitchforks The devil had me cornered, stuck me with his old pitchforks He put me in an oven, thought he had me for roast pork (Spoken: Play it boy)
GUITAR SOLO
Them hounds started to chase me, man, I was a runnin’ fool Them hounds started to chase me, man, I was a runnin’ fool My ankles caught on fire, I couldn’t keep my puppies cool
I saw a thousand devils, with long tails and sharp horns I saw a thousand devils, with long tails and sharp horns You know, every one of them devils, tried to step on my corns
« Last Edit: July 07, 2021, 02:08:21 PM by Harry »
Hi Harry, That's a neat song. I never heard it before. I think the end of 2.3 is thought he had me for ROAST PORK
I think the last verse is:
I saw a thousand devils, with no HORNED tail and sharp HORNS I saw a thousand devils, with no HORNED tail and sharp HORNS You know, every one of them devils, tried to step on my CORNS
The devil had me cornered, stuck me with his old pitchfork The devil had me cornered, stuck me with his old pitchfork He put me in an oven, thought he had me for roast pork
I saw a thousand devils, with long tails and sharp horns I saw a thousand devils, with long tails and sharp horns You know every one of them devils, tried to step on my corns
"gun" isn't right in the last line of the third verse, but I can't hear it well enough to correct it now.
Lazy Bill Lucas was very much an anomaly in that his "home key/position" on the piano was actually G# though he played in other keys. This song is played in G# position. He recorded a self titled album in the seventies produced by Jeff Todd Titon which I would recommend immensely. I love his singing and playing he's got a real old soul approach to him. There's a song from the same session as above "She Got me Walkin'" where he name drops his pals Snooky Pryor and Homesick James into the lyrics.
He started off playing guitar in the forties before learning the piano. There's a couple of songs on the album mentioned "Coal Black Mare" and "Greyhound Bus blues" which shows him to be a very capable guitar player.
I have to agree with dj on the last verse. I was unsure about "Gun". I thought I heard "coat" at one point, I'll have to keep listening.
The song is perfectly pitched in G#/Ab indeed which made me think he actually played in that key at first. He really plays so fluently (also 'cause the key of G is so common among blues pianists) I figured it had to be G. Thanks for correcting me on that, Thomas.
I agree and made that change. I had that in my first draft.
Lucas sings "My HANDS caught on fire" on a 1974 LP. But I don't hear that at all on this version. There is a alternate take of the 1953 recording but I can't find it.