Topic: King Solomon Hill - Tell Me Baby, King Solomon Hill Lyrics

[Johnm]

Thanks, Chris, I re-listened and your two suggestions are spot on. I've made the changes. Thanks!

[Johnm]

Hi all,
King Solomon Hill recorded "The Gone Dead Train" in Grafton, Wisconsin in January of 1932, accompanying himself, as he did for all of his recorded numbers, in Vestapol tuning with a slide. The song is a one-chorder, and is very freely phrased, with lots of spoken asides. I'm going to give it my best shot, but fully anticipate some blank spots and mistakes, so any help is appreciated. Here is "Gone Dead Train":



INTRO

Lord, I'm goin' way down, Lord, I'm gonna try to leave here 'day
Tell me that's the mean old fireman, and that train is just that way

That gone dead train, I say that even broke my trunk
Boys, if you have been runnin' 'round in this world, these trains will wreck your mind (Spoken: Your lives, too!)

Lord, I once was a hobo, I crossed so many points
But I decided I'd go down for a fast life, and take it as it comes

INTERLUDE (Spoken: I reckon the mean old fireman, and the engineer would, too.)

There's so many people, have gone down today
And this fast train, North and Southern, certainly loud and clear

Ooo-ooo, "I want to ride your train."
I say, "Look here, engineer, can I ride your train?"
He said, "Look here, you oughta know this train ain't mine, and you're askin' me in vain."

Say, "If you go up to the Western Union, you might get a chance." (Spoken: I didn't know the Western Union run no trains.)
Say, "They go to the Western Union, you might get a chance.
You might to wire some of your peoples, and your fare will be sent right chere [sic]" (Spoken: I thought it, that's the way it was.)

I wanta go home and that train has done gone dead
I wanta go home, that train has done gone dead
I done lost my wife and my three little children, and my mother's sick in bed

Oooo, hooo, help me with my fare
'Cause I'm a travelin' man, boys, I can't stay here

CODA

Edited 2/15 to pick up corrections from Blues Vintage and banjochris

All best,
John
 
 

 

[Blues Vintage]

Best I can do at the moment,

that's -a- mean old fireman

I say that even broke my -trunk-
-Boys if you have to run around in this world this train will wreck your mind-

Lord, I once was a hobo, I caught so many ponys/   I crawled to {Minneapolis}

And this fast train, North and Southern, -certainly/tellin' it loud and clear-

You might have to wire to some of your people, and your fare would be send right here/there

[Blues Vintage]

Another option for 3.1

I crossed so many points

[banjochris]

I purposely didn't look at BV's so here's what I'm hearing, there's still bits I'm missing:

1.2 Tell me that's THE mean old fireman...

2.2 Boys, if YOU HAVE BEEN runnin' 'round in this world, THESE TRAINS will wreck your mind (spoken: Your LIFE, too!)

3.1 Lord, I once was a hobo, I CROSSED a-MANY POINTS

INTERLUDE (Spoken: I RECKON the mean OL' fireman, and the engineer would, too.)

5.1 missing "TO" after want

6.1 I think there's a swallowed "the" before Western Union in the spoken part

Chris

[banjochris]

I agree I think 6.3 starts "You might to wire to some of your people" – "fare" would be pronounced sort of oddly there but it parses to me as "and your fare would be sent right here" (pronounced "chere").

[banjochris]

This might be a better sounding recording too:

[Johnm]

Thanks so much, Blues Vintage and banjochris for the help! Your suggestions were great! That is great work, guys. I've been kind of dreading this transcription and I think it's pretty much spot on now. Thanks!

[Blues Vintage]

An even better copy available through our good friend John Tefteller (Volume 3).
Wished I thought about that yesterday, oh well.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
King Solomon Hill (Joe Holmes) recorded two takes of "Whoopee Blues" for Paramount around January of 1932. He accompanied himself out of Vestapol tuning with a slide, as he did for all of his recordings. I don't know which take I'm posting here. Holmes switched to two-line stanzas for the last three verses, an unusual sort of change to make, mid-rendition. I'd very much appreciate help with any of the lyrics I'm missing or have wrong. Here is "Whoopee Blues":



INTRO

Honey, you been gone all day, that you may make whoopee all night
Baby, you been gone all day, that you may make whoopee all night
I'm gon' take my razor and cut your late hours, you wouldn't think I been servin' you right

Undertaker been here and gone, I give him your heighth and size
I say the undertaker been here and gone, I give him your heighth and size
You'll be makin' whoopee with the devil, in hell tomorrow night

You done made me love you, now you got me for your slave
Baby, you done made me love you, now want me for your slave
From now on you'll be making' whoopee, baby, in your lonesome grave

Baby, next time you go out, carry your black suit along
Mama, next time you go out, carry your black suit 'long
Coffin gon' be your present, hell gon' be your brand new home

I'd say the devil got ninety thousand women, he just need one more
He's on a mountain callin' for you, baby, broke down, surely must go

Cuckoo was howlin', sun was almost down
Then I got to go through Death Valley, there ain't a house for twenty-five miles around

My poor feet is so tired, Lord, help me some way
Then I got three hundred miles to go, travelin' through this mud and clay

Ooo-ooo-ooo, ooo-ooo-ooo-uh-ooo

CODA

Edited 3/13 to pick up corrections from Blues Vintage

All best,
Johnm



 

[Blues Vintage]

Lonnie Johnsons sings in his version   "I'm gon' take my razor and cut your late hours"

2.3 You'll be makin' whoopee with the devil, in (the early morning hour) -hell tomorrow night-

3.2 Baby, you done made me love you, now (got) -want- me for your slave

5.1 I'd say the devil got (ninety-five of womens) -ninety thousand women-
5.2 (You got a mockin') He's on a mountain callin' for you

6.2 Then I got to go through Death Valley, -there ain't a house- for twenty-five miles around

[Blues Vintage]

This is take 2.  I'm guessing for the reason but his vocals sound a lot different on take 1.

He clearly sings "I'm gon' take my razor and cut your late hours" on take 1

Caught one more,

3.3 Some night, From now on you'll be making' whoopee

[Johnm]

Thanks very much for the help, Blues Vintage. That is tremendous hearing! I made the changes you suggested.

[banjochris]

Just a little note on the verses at the end of "Whoopee" – the flip side of Lonnie Johnson's "She's Making Whoopee in Hell Tonight" is "Death Valley Is Just Halfway to My Home."

[Johnm]

Hi all,
King Solomon Hill recorded two takes of "Down On My Bended Knee" in Grafton around January of 1932. As with "Whoopee Blues", I don't know which take this is. Hill (Joe Holmes) accompanied the song out of Vestapol tuning with a slide, as he did his entire recorded repertoire. I'd very much appreciate help with any blank places in the transcription or places I've heard the lyrics incorrectly. Here is "Down On My Bended Knee":



INTRO

At last, at last, down on my bended knee
At last, at last, down on my bended knee
I worry about my baby, bring her back to me

You know I love my baby, that's why we can't get along
You know I love my baby, that's why we can't get along
Looks like everything I do, something's goin' on wrong

Ahh-ahh-oh, down on my bended knee
I worry about my baby, bring her back to me

I can see the sun a-shinin', leaves shakin' on the tree
I can see the sun a-shinin', leaves shakin' on the tree
I got a letter from my daddy, my baby sent her trunk to me

Ahhh, thievin' man, hear my lonesome plea
Ahh-ahh-oh, down on my bended knee
I worry about my baby, bring her back to me

Mmm-mmm-mmm, hear my lonesome plea
I worry about my baby, down on my bended knee

SOLO AND CODA

Edited 3/18 to pick up correction from Blues Vintage

All best,
Johnm