Topic: Lucille Bogan Lyrics

[Blues Vintage]

Tired As I Can Be


Lucille Bogan – Vocals
Walter Roland - Guitar
Josh White – Guitar

August 1, 1934
New York City, New York





I worked all the winter and I worked all the fall
I've got to wait until spring to get my ashes hauled
And now I'm tired tired as I can be
And I'm goin' back home where these blues don't worry me

I'm a free-hearted woman I let you spend my dough
And you never did win you kept on askin' for more
And now I'm tired I ain't goin' do it no more
And when I leave you this time you won't know where I go

My house rent's due they done put me outdoor
And here you ridin' 'round here in a V-8 Ford
I done got tired of your lowdown dirty ways
And your sisters say you've been dirty dirty all your days

I never will forget when the times was good
I caught you standin' out yonder in the Piney Woods
And now I'm tired tired as I can be
And I'm goin' back south to my used-to-be

[Blues Vintage]

Stew Meat Blues


Lucille Bogan - Vocals
Walter Roland - Piano

March 8, 1935
New York City, New York

Piano in F





A man say I had something look like news
He want me to credit him for some of my stew
Say he's goin' up the river try to sell his sack
He would pay me for my stuff when the boat get back
Now you can go on up the river man and sell your sack
You can pay me for my stew when the boat get back

I've got good stew and it's got to be sold
The price ain't high I wanna get you told
Go on up the river man and sell your sack
It'll be stew meat here baby when the boat get back

Now look here man what you want me to do
Give you my stew meat and credit you too
You go on up the river try and sell your sack
'Cause I have my stew meat here when that boat get back

I credit one man it was to my sorrow
It's cash today credit tomorrow
Go hurry up the river baby and try to sell your sack
It's gonna be meat here when that boat get back

Now it's ashes to ashes dust to dust
You try my stuff one time you can't get enough
So go on up the river man and sell your sack
'Cause the stuff will be here baby when the boat get back

[Johnm]

Thanks very much for posting those cuts, Harry--they really sound great, and Lucille Bogan sure was a strong singer. The seconding guitarist on "Tired As I Can Be" sounds much more like Josh White, especially at the end of the solo and the end of the coda than he does like Bob Campbell. I know D,G &R has Bob Campbell as the seconding guitarist, but based on his touch and sound on his solo tracks, that is not Bob Campbell, whereas it really sounds like Josh White. Anybody else have an opinion?
All best,
Johnm

[dj]

Interestingly enough, Bob Campbell and Josh White were both in ARC's New York studio on the day that Lucille Bogan recorded Tired As I Can Be.  White recorded matrix number 15502, Campbell 15503 and 15504, and Bogan's Tired As I Can Be was 15505.  Complicating things is the fact that Walter Roland was also in the studio that day.

The guitar on Tired As I Can Be is, to me, reminiscent of Walter Roland's guitar accompaniment to his own T Model Blues recorded a year earlier.  I'd go with him as the lead accompanist, with Bob Campbell perhaps strumming quietly in the background.

[Johnm]

Hi dj,
What you say makes me sure that Josh White was in fact the mystery second guitarist. Listen to the time on the descending triplet run at the end of the solo in the second guitar and the way he lands twice on the low E string at the end of the solo--that's Josh White all the way. I agree that Walter Roland is playing lead. A lot of the seconding guitar on the coda is played with vibrato, too, something that Josh White was one of the very rare acoustic blues players of that period to utilize. Bob Campbell never played with vibrato at all on his solo tracks.
All best,
Johnm

[dj]

You're right, John.  For some reason I was totally ignoring the second guitar during the solo.  Unless Bob Campbell had hidden depths that aren't apparent from his 4 solo recordings, that's probably Josh White.

This raises an interesting question.  How did the attribution to Bob Campbell come about?  Was it in the ARC session files, or did discographers just look at the master numbers and decide that because Campbell had recorded the master immediately before Tired As I Can Be, he must be one of the guitar players on that song?

[Blues Vintage]

I'm not that familiar with Josh White but there's reason enough for me to make that change in the line-up.
Why Bob Campbell is listed as the guitar player? I really don't know.

[Blues Vintage]

Pig Iron Sally


Lucille Bogan - Vocals
Walter Roland - Piano

July 31, 1934
New York City, New York

Piano in Bb





Some folks say black is evil but I will tell the world they're wrong
Some folks say black is evil but I will tell the world they're wrong
‘Cause I'm a sealskin brown and I been evil ever since I been born

I’m a scared to trust a rabbit and I won't even trust a squirrel
I’m a scared to trust a rabbit and I won't even trust a squirrel
And I won't bat my eyes ‘cause I might lose sight on this whole round world

I've got a head like a freight train and I walk just like a grizzly bear
I've got a head like a freight train and I walk like a grizzly bear
And I use my skeet and Garrett and I skeet my ambeer everywhere

They call me Pig Iron Sally ‘cause I live in Slag Iron Alley and I'm evil and mean as I can be
Call me Pig Iron Sally 'cause I live in Slag Iron Alley and I'm evil and mean as I can be
And I ain't going to let nobody put that doggone thing on me

I ain’t nothin’ but a mistreater baby and it ain't no joke
I ain’t nothin’ but a mistreater baby and it ain't no joke
And if you don't believe I'm dirty you can watch my bogus stroke

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Just as a bit of aural evidence for Josh White being the seconding guitarist on "Tired As I Can Be", here is Josh's own "Black And Evil Blues". Listen to how he concludes his intro, hitting the low E string and the tone that he gets there, and note also, throughout the rendition how much he liked to play triplets, which are also prominently featured in the second half of the solo on "Tired As I Can Be":



Re-listen to "Tired As I Can Be" and hear how the seconding guitarist ends the solo, around 1:39 in the track.

All four of Bob Campbell's solo releases were played out of E position in standard tuning. Here is his "Shotgun Blues". To me, his touch and tone are altogether different from the seconding guitarist on "Tired As I Can Be":



All best,
Johnm

[Blues Vintage]

Barbecue Bess (Barbecue Blues)


Lucille Bogan - Vocals
Walter Roland - Piano
Josh White - Guitar

March 5, 1935
New York City, New York

Piano In Eb





When you come to my house come down behind the jail
I got a sign on my door "Barbecue For Sale"
I'm talkin' 'bout my barbecue only thing I crave
And that good doin' meat gon' carry me to my grave

I'm sellin' it cheap 'cause I got good stuff
And if you try one time you can't get enough
I'm talkin' 'bout barbecue only thing I sell
And if you want my meat you can come to my house at twelve

Now some like it hot some like it cold
Some take it any way it is sold
I'm talkin' 'bout barbecue only thing I crave
And that good doin' meat goin' to take me to my grave

Some people wants it some people don't
If you buy my barbecue it just won't don't don't don't
Talkin' 'bout barbecue only thing I sell
And if you want my meat you've got to come to my house at twelve

Some people wants to know the regular price
Fifty five cents you can get some twice
And I'm talkin' 'bout my barbecue only thing I sell
And you can get my meat any night at twelve

[Johnm]

Thanks for posting that song, Harry. Boy, I think that Josh White really shone brightly in this setting--that is some ripping playing in Vestapol!
All best,
Johnm

[Blues Vintage]

B.D. Woman's Blues


Lucille Bogan - Vocals
Walter Roland - Piano

March 7, 1935
New York City, New York

Piano in Eb





Comin' a time B.D. women’s ain't gonna need no men
Comin' a time B.D. women’s ain't goin' to need no men
Oh the way they treat us is a lowdown and dirty sin

B.D. women you sure can't understand
B.D. women you sure can't understand
They got a head like a switch engine and they walk just like a natural man

B.D. women they all done learnt their plan
B.D. women they all done learnt their plan
They can lay their jive just like a natural man

B.D. women B.D. women you know they sure is rough
B.D. women B.D. women you know they sure is rough
They all drink up plenty whiskey and they sure will strut their stuff

B.D. women you know they work’s and make their dough
B.D. women you know they work and make their dough
And when they get ready to spend it they know just where to go

[Johnm]

Thanks for posting this song, Harry. I'm hearing a couple of things differently.

   2.3 The got a head like a SWISS ELGIN and they walk just like a natural man

   5.3 And when they get ready to spend it, they know JUST WHERE to go

All best,
Johnm

[waxwing]

Hi Harry,

Probably a typo:

1.3: Oooh THE WAY THEY treat us is a low down...

Wax

[banjochris]

Harry – agree with John on 5.3, although the pronunciation of "just" is a little weird.

For 2.3, I would suggest
They got a head like a SWITCH ENGINE and they walk just like a natural man.

Chris