Topic: Papa Charlie Jackson Lyrics

[frankie]

here's what I came up with.  Not sure what exactly is going on in the seventh verse:

Went out last night spent a lot of dough
My baby got angry 'cause I couldn't spend no more

Baby baby baby, baby baby baby babe

Now what I spent I really wasn't able
But when I found my self setting at a cabaret table

Some people take money for a joke
But I spent and spent until I got broke

Went to a friend to try to borrow or lend
Now the money he had he really done spent

Now I got angry, I got mad
'cause money was a thing that I've always had

Now since I'm broke I think I'm going home
'cause there ain't no chance we ever rollin' them bones

Now I ain't no butcher [shop], I ain't no [fake]
I'm a try my best to not make no mistake

Now if you don't believe that my music is good
You can ask anybody lives in my neighborhood

[Fkeller]

Beautiful!  Thanks Frankie--very helpful.  Reading your take with the music playing I have to say I agree with everything except your endings of the 5th verse--mad/had.  I'm hearing a long "o" sound there.  I'm very grateful for your help.  I've listened to it far to much right now to hear anything new.  Better leave it be for a bit and come back.

Thanks again!

[frankie]

I just tried listening again and it really does sound pretty clearly like mad/had to me in that verse.  That seventh verse is killing me, though!

[Bunker Hill]

That seventh verse is killing me, though!

It sounds to me as if he's singing STEAK, could it be that simple? This would make sense with butcher shop. Yes? No? Or am I hearing what I want to hear?

[dj]

I agree with Bunker Hill, I think the line is "Now I ain't no butcher shop, I ain't no steak".  Not the best line Papa Charlie ever wrote!

Frankie, I think you've got a typo in the second line of the first verse.  It should be "My baby got MAD 'cause I couldn't spend no more".  The "mad" is pretty clearly sung.
  

[frankie]

Thanks for the suggestions on the 7th verse and calling out the typo in the first:

Went out last night spent a lot of dough
My baby got mad 'cause I couldn't spend no more

Baby baby baby, baby baby baby babe

Now what I spent I really wasn't able
But when I found my self setting at a cabaret table

Some people take money for a joke
But I spent and spent until I got broke

Went to a friend to try to borrow or lend
Now the money he had he really done spent

Now I got angry, I got mad
'cause money was a thing that I've always had

Now since I'm broke I think I'm going home
'cause there ain't no chance we ever rollin' them bones

Now I ain't no butcher shop, I ain't no steak
I'm a try my best to not make no mistake

Now if you don't believe that my music is good
You can ask anybody lives in my neighborhood

The song basically falls into an 8 bar pattern that's quite a bit different from any of the typical 8 bar blues:

Code: [Select]

D / / / | C / / / | E7/B / / / | B-flat / / / |
D / / / | E7 / A7 / | D / / / | D / / / |
or in relative terms:

Code: [Select]

I / / / | flat VII / / / | II7 / / / | flat VI / / / |
I / / / | II7 / V7 / | I / / / | I / / / |

The II7 is the real standout - a kind of stand-in for the IV chord that would be a more typical choice, and that he does use during the break:

Code: [Select]

D / / / | F-sharp / / / | G / / / | B-flat / / / |
D / / / | E7 / A7 / | D / / / | D / / / |
or again in relative terms:

Code: [Select]

I / / / | III / / / | IV / / / | flat VI / / / |
I / / / | II7 / V7 / | I / / / | I / / / |
The direct, strummed delivery sounds easier than it is - try it - it's fun.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
It wasn't until I read Frank's analysis that I remembered posting about "Gay Catting" in the "Harmony/Hearing Chord Changes" thread a couple of years ago.  The relevant post can be found at http://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?amp;Itemid=60&topic=707.msg18286#msg18286.  As you say, Frank, it's an 8-bar blues progression seldom (never) encountered elsewhere.
All best,
Johnm

[banjochris]

Just to complicate things -- remember that there are two takes out there of this song (one's on one of the Too Late compilations) -- he sings "angry" in one take and "mad" in the other.

Also the line that starts:
Now I got angry, I got mad

I think ends with "sore", at least in one of the takes.

[uncle bud]

Yes, Chris is right, the take that appears on Too Late, Too Late Vol 4, Gay Cattin' (Take 1), uses "sore" in the "I got angry" verse:

I got angry, I got sore
'Cause money was a thing that I've always (could be "loved"?)

[uncle bud]

Just noticed the take from Too Late Vol 4 that uses "sore" is the take that appears on the Paramount Masters compilation. Perhaps the source of the confusion.

[frankie]

Heh - that's what I get for not checking...  a bunch of typing for naught!

Anyway, the different takes definitely clears up the confusion.  I was working from the take on volume 2 of Document's PCJ.

[Michael Kuehn]

I've really been getting more into Papa Charlie Jackson lately -- two songs I've been working on are Up the Way Bound (Take 1) from Document Vol 2, and Mama, Don't You Think I Know from Vol 1 (and also on the Paramount Master set). I found the lyrics to Mama here already -- so thanks for that. Here is my transcription of Up the Way Bound -- there are a few holes perhaps someone can help with. As a side note, I was surprised to hear the phrase "reelin' and rockin'" in this song which is from 1926-1928. I didn't think that phrase came into use until much later.



Up The Way Bound (Take 1)
Papa Charlie Jackson, Document Vol 2
Intro

My baby done quit me, the talks all over town
My baby done quit me, the talks all over town
I?m too good a man to let that dog go round

I?m leaving today, gonna leave this southern town
I?m leaving today, gonna leave this southern town
But my baby caught a train (?backwards) up the way bound

I feel like jumping from a treetop to the ground
I feel like jumping from a treetop to the ground
To get a flyin? start and run my baby down

Break

I?m reelin? and rockin, lord hollerin? like a hound
I?m reelin? and rockin, lord hollerin? like a hound
?

Ski dat a dirty, ski dat a dat dat dat
Oh ski dat a dirty, ski dat a dat dat dat
Cuz somebody knows where my baby?s at

I?m gonna grab me a train speed it on up the line
Gonna grab me a train speed it on up the line
I?m gonna ride until I find that good good woman of mine

Break

Outro

[Bunker Hill]

I?m reelin? and rockin, lord hollerin? like a hound
I?m reelin? and rockin, lord hollerin? like a hound

Being somewhat of a dinasour I've on got this on LP but sounds to me like

I'm reelin' and rockin' Lord howlin' like a hound
If brownskin's the best I'll (crave?) a teasin' brown

Dunno

[banjochris]

"Up the Way Bound" is one where the alternate take on the Document album is identical, just at a different speed, I believe -- take 2 is slower, but Papa Charlie's voice just doesn't sound right. That said, here are some suggestions

1.3 to let that TALK go around

2.3 THAT WAS up the way bound

5.3 DOES somebody know

6.3 that GOOD DOIN' woman of mine.

Chris

[Papa John]

Hello all,

Could I have your collective help in the lyrics to Salty Dog Blues.  Here is what I have so far.  Any help with the blanks or any corrections would be appreciated.  I'm very unsure about the whisky, gin verse.

 


Salty Dog Blues (Take 2)
Papa Charlie Jackson, Document Vol 1


Won?t you let me be your salty dog
I don?t want to be your man at all
You salty dog, you salty dog
Oh honey babe, let me be your salty dog
You salty dog, mama you salty dog

Said it ain?t but the one thing grieves my mind
All these women and none is mine
You salty dog, you salty dog

Why don?t you let me be your salty dog
I don?t want to be your man at all
You salty dog, mama you salty dog

Said little fish, big fish, swimming in the water,
Come on back here man, and give me my quarter,
You salty dog, you salty dog

Why don?t you let me be your salty dog
I don?t want to be your man at all
You salty dog, mama you salty dog

Just like hunting for a needle in a bed of sand
Trying to find a woman hasn?t got no man
You salty dog, you salty dog

Three thousand your whisky, four thousands of gin
If you hear a knock at home then you can?t come in
You salty dog, mama you salty dog

Why don?t you let me be your salty dog
I don?t want to be your man at all
You salty dog, you salty dog
Oh honey babe, let me be your salty dog
You salty dog, mama you salty dog

Said God made a woman and he made her mighty funny
Lips around her mouth just sweet as any honey
You salty dog, you salty dog

Why don?t you let me be your salty dog
I don?t want to be your man at all
You salty dog, mama you salty dog

Now .....................   lady
Been sowing ............. on my plantation
You salty dog, you salty dog

Why don?t you let me be your salty dog
I don?t want to be your man at all
You salty dog, mama, you salty dog

Now the ??. I ever been in my life,
Uncle Bud like to caught me kissin' his wife
You salty dog, you salty dog

Now if this was a coffee pot and that was the spout
I?ll be the waiter and pour the coffee out
You salty dog, mama, you salty dog