Topic: Babe Stovall Lyrics

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Babe Stovall recorded "Worried Blues" for his Arcola CD, "Babe Stovall--The Old Ace", accompanying himself out of C position in standard tuning. Originally a Mississippian, Babe spent most of his adult life in New Orleans. He had a songster's sort of repertoire. His accompaniment to "Worried Blues" is exceptionally pretty, and he was able to get a lot of interior voice leading by hitting his upbeats with his thumb on the third string. His singing voice sounds like he must have driven it hard, singing outside a lot, to project. Here is "Worried Blues": 



INTRO SOLO

Goin' away, brown, Lord, to wear you off my mind
Says I'm goin' away, brown, Lord, to wear you off my mind
Says you keep me worried, botherin' all the time

How can I stay, all I've got is gone?
Well, how can I stay here, all I've got is gone?
Says you know by that, now I ain't gonna be here long

Some folks say, Lord, the worried blues ain't bad
Well there's some folks say, Lord, the worried blues ain't bad
Says it must not have been, brown, worried blues I had

GUITAR SOLO OPENS VERSE
Says it must not have been, brown, worried blues I had

Blues ain't nothin', good woman on your mind
Say the blues ain't nothin', good woman on your mind
Says it keeps you worried, bothered all the time

Late in the evenin' when the sun goes down
Well, it's late in the evenin' when the sun goes down
I'm gon' take my brown, now and, leave this lonesome town

She don't wanta go, I'm gonna leave her here
Well, if she don't wanta go, I'm gonna leave her here
I'm gon' find me a brown, Lord, in the world somewhere

GUITAR SOLO BEGINS VERSE
I'm gon' find me a brown, Lord, in the world somewhere

I ain't never loved, Lord, three women in my life
I ain't never loved, Lord, three women in my life
Say, one my mother, sweetheart and my wife

SOLO

You don't want me, give me your right hand
Well, if you don't want me, give me your right hand
Says, I'll get me a woman, get you another man

SOLO

CODA

Edited 10/26 to pick up corrections from Blues Vintage

All best,
Johnm

[RobBob]

I met Babe in New Orleans in 1969. He and I and a couple of his friends jammed in a book store in the French Quarter. He had had a hard life and was fond of drink.  He was quite entertaining and gracious to a young GI who happened to have a guitar. It was a very memorable evening of mostly blues and some songs.

[Blues Vintage]

I don't hear "the". Sounds like "brown" in 3.3 and 4.

3.3 and 4.  Says it must not have been (the) -brown-, worried blues I had


6.3 I'm gon' take my brown, now, -and- leave this lonesome town

7.3 I'm gon' find me a brown, (God) -Lord-, in the world somewhere

[Johnm]

That's great that you got to meet Babe Stovall and play with him some, Bob. It's a good thing to have such memories.

[Johnm]

Thanks for the help with the lyrics of "Worried Blues", Blues Vintage. I made all of the changes you suggested.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Babe Stovall played his version of "Kansas City Blues" on "Babe Stovall--The Old Ace" out of C position in standard tuning. It's the only version of the song that I can recall hearing played in that playing position--it's almost always played in E position in standard tuning, which is where Jim Jackson originally recorded it. Here is Babe Stovall's version of "Kansas City Blues":



INTRO SOLO

Says there's one hundred miles, Jackson to McComb, run on back to my good girl's home, gon'
REFRAIN: Move to Kansas City, gon' move to Kansas City, gon'
Move, baby, honey, where they don't 'low you

Wish I was a mockingbird, flying in the air, build my nest in some high brown's hair, gon'
REFRAIN: Move to Kansas City, gon' move to Kansas city, gon'
Move, baby, honey, where they don't 'low you

SOLO

Takes a rockin' chair to rock, rubber ball to roll, yellow brown satisfy my soul, gon'
REFRAIN: Move to Kansas City, gon' move to Kansas City, gon'
Move, baby, honey, where they don't 'low you

SOLO

CODA

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Babe Stovall accompanied himself out of dropped-D tuning for "Dirty Mistreater", a song in the "Big Road Blues" or "Stop And Listen" family which also draws lyrics from Willie Lofton's song of the same name. Babe added a bunch of new instrumental wrinkles of his own to the arrangement. In the first and final verses he adds a falsetto leap in the second line, a la Tommy Johnson. Here is "Dirty Mistreater":



INTRO SOLO

Well, Lord have mercy, on my wicked soul, won't get in trouble, Lord, to save no woman's soul, cryin'
Dirty mistreater, mistreat me all the ti-ime, cryin'
Dirty mistreater, mistreat me all the time

Cryin' layin' on my sickbed, tryin' to take my rest, here come the dirty mistreater tryin' to start your mess, cryin'
Dirty mistreater, mistreat me all the time, cryin'
Dirty mistreater, mistreat me all the time

GUITAR STARTS THIRD VERSE
Cryin' dirty mistreater, mistreat me all the time

Well, today have been a, long old, lonesome day, now don't you hear me talkin', pretty rider?
Well, today have been a, long old lonesome day, says I
B'lieve tomorrow, be the same old way

GUITAR STARTS FIFTH VERSE
Says I, b'lieve tomorrow, be the same old way

SOLO

Well, who's that yonder, coming, down the road, now don't you, hear me talkin', pretty rider? Lord,
Who is it, coming down the ro-oad? Well,
Walk like Maggie, but she walk too slow

SOLO

All best,
Johnm

 


 

   

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Babe Stovall played "Going Away To Wear You Off My Mind" in G position in standard tuning. The song had an unusually intricate accompaniment, and he played a lot of variations over the course of his rendition--it's really a showpiece. One unusual rhythmic wrinkle he employed is hitting beats 4 + with his thumb, doubling up on that beat. Since he was playing straight eighth notes rather than swinging them, his sound when doing that is altogether different than that of Blind Blake, who would use the + of beat four to start a thumb roll into the downbeat of the next measure. Babe Stovall's sound is much more straight-up-and-down, not leaning forward in the way that Blake's time did. Here is "Going Away To Wear You Off My Mind":



INTRO SOLO

Says I'm goin' away, brown, Lord, wear you off my mind
Well I'm goin' away brown, Lord, wear you off my mind
Says you keeps me worried, bothered all the time

Say the woman that I'm lovin', woman that I crave to see
Say the woman that I'm lovin', woman that I crave to see
Says she lives in Memphis, Lord, she won't write to me

I don't want no woman, if she don't want me
I don't want no woman, if she don't want me
Says I b'lieve I'll go back, Lord, same old used-to-be

SOLO X 2

Don't moon look pretty, shinin' down through the trees?
Don't the moon look pretty, shinin' down through the tree
I can see my baby, but she can't see me

SOLO

Says the woman that I'm lovin', mouth chock full of gold
Says the woman that I'm lovin', mouth chocks full of gold
When she begin to love me, makes my blood run cold

SOLO

CODA

All best,
Johnm








 

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Babe Stovall accompanied himself in A position in standard tuning for his version of "Good Morning Blues". Lyrically, the song combines verses from a number of sources, including Kokomo Arnold's "Milk Cow Blues". Instrumentally, Babe Stovall had some interesting wrinkles--in his solos he liked to repeat the movement to the IV7 chord in the tenth bar of the form. He did that in his intro solo and in the last solo prior to the fade out, he goes to the IV7 chord three times consecutively at the place in the form. The amount of variety that he employed over the course of his rendition really keeps it interesting. Here is "Good Morning Blues":



INTRO SOLO

Cryin', good mornin' blues, blues, how do you do?
Cryin', good mornin' blues, Lord, blues, how do you do?
I don't feel so good this mornin', can't get along with you

I cannot do right, baby, won't do right yourself
I cannot do right, baby, won't do right yourself
But since my good girl quit me, don't nobodys else

Well you can read out your hymn book, preach out'n your Bible, fall down on your knees and ask the Good Lord to help you
Gon' need, need my help someday
You can't quit your sinnin', stop your low-down way

Says I, woke up this mornin', walked up to the door, knowed my mama's milk cow by the way she low
See my milk cow, please drive her home
I ain't had no milk and butter, Lord, since the cow been gone

SOLO BEGINS FIFTH VERSE
I ain't had no milk and butter, Lord, since the cow been gone

I cannot do right, baby, won't do right yourself
I cannot do right, baby, won't do right yourself
But since my good girl quit me, don't 'ant nobodys else

SOLO X 4 WITH FADE

All best,
Johnm