This is an unlucky country, and that's what I've always heard. You'll be looking for me tomorrow, and I'll be disappeared. - Papa Eggshell, "Far From Home"
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
« Last Edit: November 26, 2020, 05:54:56 AM by harry »
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
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
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.
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
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?
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.
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
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
« Last Edit: November 26, 2020, 10:47:38 AM by Johnm »
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
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
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
« Last Edit: December 09, 2020, 10:11:46 AM by harry »