Topic: Little Brother Montgomery Lyrics

[dj]

For what it's worth, The "A & V." that's the subject of "A. & V. Railroad Blues" is the Alabama and Vicksburg Railroad, which ran from Meridian Mississippi, near the border of Alabama, to Vicksburg on the Mississippi River.  It was created in May 1889 by the reorganization of the Meridian and Vicksburg Railroad, and disappeared in June 1926 when its tracks and equipment were leased by the Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad, eventually becoming part of the Illinois Central system.

Either the song had been in Little Brother Montgomery's repertoire for 10 years or more when he recorded it or the old name was still used for a while by the locals after the line had effectively changed hands.

[Johnm]

Thanks for that additional information, dj. The A. & V. was an unfamiliar name to me and you cleared it up--thanks.
All best,
Johnm

[Blues Vintage]

Misled Blues


Little Brother Montgomery – Vocals, Piano

October 16, 1936
New Orleans, Louisiana


Piano in C





INTRO

Now, I left my home baby, honey, just to be with you
And I left my home, darling, baby, just to be with you
And you got me here, baby, and that’s the way you do

Now, my mother told me, and my father too
Now, my mother told me, and my father too
Say “Some good looking woman, really gon’ be the death of you”

But I love you, baby, and I’ll tell the world I do
I love you, baby, and I’ll tell the world I do
Then I hope someday, mama, you will come to love me too

SOLO

Now, my mother is dead, and my father too
Now, my mother is dead, and my father too
Now, I ain’t got nobody, to tell my troubles to

[Blues Vintage]

Tantalizing Blues


Little Brother Montgomery – Vocals, Piano

October 16, 1936
New Orleans, Louisiana

Piano in G





INTRO

Now, the stars really are shinin’, and don’t the cloud look awful grey
Now, the stars really are shinin’, don’t the cloud look awful grey
I believe the tantalizin’ blues and trouble, is gonna follow me to grave

I’m a poor little boy, my baby treats me like a slave
I’m a poor little boy, my baby treats me like a slave
And I have the tantalizin’ blues, mama, Lord, most each and every day

Now, have you ever been sad and lonely, and did not know what to do
Have you ever been sad and lonely, and didn’t know what to do
And did not have nobody, Lord, to tell your troubles too

SOLO

The blues will awake you at night, mama, and worry you the whole day through
The blues will awake you at night, mama, and worry you the whole day through
And I got those blues so bad, mama, until I don’t know really what to do

[Blues Vintage]

Vicksburg Blues - Part 3


Little Brother Montgomery – Vocals, Piano

October 16, 1936
New Orleans, Louisiana

Piano in F





INTRO

Got a cool loving mama, and they call her Jessie P.
I’ve got a got a cool loving mama, and they call her Jessie P.
And she's the sweetest woman, has ever walked down Mulberry Street

Now, she's a kind loving baby, and give any man a thrill
Now, she's a kind loving baby, and give any man a thrill
Now, the reason I love her she live in Vicksburg, on the hill

SOLO

And I would love her, I love her, and I always will
And I would love her, I love her, and I always will
The reason I really love her, I thinks of Vicksburg on the hill

[Johnm]

Thanks for posting that, Blues Vintage, what great singing and playing. I'm hearing "will" instead of "would" in the first two lines of the last verse. See what you think.

[banjochris]

I dunno, John – I can hear the "d" of "would" articulated there.
Chris

[Johnm]

To me the vowel sound is a little funny, but he just repeats the "l" ending "will" on the beginning of "love". The meaning is not notably different either way, though if it's "would" he's covering all the verb tense bases.

[Blues Vintage]

Thanks for the input. I keep "would". Also noted in Montgomery's book "Deep South Piano".