Topic: Cannon's Jug Stompers Lyrics

[Bunker Hill]

now, i'm layin' around, little town
smokin' on a snipe cigar
i was waitin' for a hand out
just to catch an empty car
just as a freight train was rollin' by
my wait was all in vain
back home, back home you dirty bum
catch yourself the next freight train

What I'm hearing, but my ears ain't what they usta be, is

Just as a freight train come rollin' by
my wait was all in vain
"back off, back off, you dirty bum
an' catch the good ol' Memphis train"

i.e the railroad "dick" (or whoever) is telling him to get the regular train like everybody else.

Is "snipe cigar" a brand? All I can hear is "nice".

[crawley]

Bunker, you might be right on both lines. I got the lyrics that I have from somebody's webpage, but I don't trust them. That's where the snipe cigar thing came from. I have no idea what a "snipe" cigar is. You may be right about a "nice" cigar. And "back off, back off" sounds true as well. I am not hearing Memphis though in that last line, but as my wife would testify, I "never know what I'm talking about."
 Now I just need input on the last verses. The "gonna set downtown....a little sap...another man's lap.." parts.

Thanks for the help so far.
-aaron

[uncle bud]

Listening to the last repeat of the last verse I hear something like:

I can't send your over (to) town for to get a little sap

[Bunker Hill]

Listening to the last repeat of the last verse I hear something like:

I can't send your over (to) town for to get a little sap

Ah, that's a good approach I just assumed (because it said so) that they were all repeats and didn't listen beyond the initial one. Once past that obstacle it becomes clear that the three repeats aren't exactly the same. Starting with the last which I find clearer:

I can't send you over town for the little, little sap, boy, but she's sittin' in another man's lap

the previous thus:

I can't take you down town, for you is a little sap, now babe is sittin' on another man's lap

and the first, still the most difficult to decipher, could be:

I can't look down town for a little sap, now she is sittin' on another man's lap

All I can say is "phew", over to you...folk

[Alexei McDonald]

A snipe is the discarded butt of someone else's smoke.   Don't ask me where the word comes from, but that's what it means.

[Bunker Hill]

A snipe is the discarded butt of someone else's smoke.   Don't ask me where the word comes from, but that's what it means.

Thanks. As it was I who posed the question, the least I can do is give the etymology. The Dictionary of American English (OUP, 4vols 1960) shows the earliest usage (as cigar-butt) being in 1899 and published on page 397 of work called "Tramping" by somebody named Flynt .

[Baird]

this song hypnotizes me... wish i could understand all of the lyrics. any help would be much appreciated. thanks,
baird



CANNON'S JUG STOMPERS. "Feather Bed" . memphis tennessee . september 9 . 1928 

i remember the time just before the war
colored man used to go out slept in straw
but now bless god xxxxxx's dead
colored man come to move out the feather bed

 hheee weee my dear
 it's a old road i'm bound to go

i went up town, gonna Ceetan House
think i heard my baby cry

 wee wee, wee wee-ew honey
 old road i'm bound to go
 wee wee, wee-oew baby
 old road i'm bound to go

i went down town, didn't mean no harm
police grabbed me right by my arm
till i begin to kick, i begin to rare
felt like strolling in the air

 who-ew woo woo baby
 old road i'm bound to go

i went down town, doing my bit
find the boys that stole the bed
went on around about the coat square
find the boys that done stole the coat

 hee-ewww baby
 old road i'm bound to go

now xxx xxx was in the stand
had them law books in his hand
now begin to pick, pull out a writ, began to read to me
that nigger been stealing in the first degree

 eww-wee ewww baby
 old road i'm bound to go

evil old Britain and Moses Brown
they're going across Cripple Creak going to town

 who who who baby
 old road i'm bound to go

[banjochris]

Here's what I get -- I'm absolutely sure about the first verse and the "over the road."

The "goin' uptown" line I can't make sense of. Same with the first name in the last verse; I agree it starts with "Ev" and has something like "Brit" or even "Prince" in it. Any name would do, I guess. Also, in the verse about the law books, the inclusion of the "I began to pitch" is a mistake on Cannon's part -- he's going back a couple of verses but corrects himself very quickly. If you listen the harp goes out of phase for just a second before Lewis realizes what's happened and comes back in.
Chris


I remember the time just before the war
Colored man used to fuss 'bout shucks and straw
But now bless God, old Massa's dead
Colored man plum fool 'bout feather bed.

Eee weee, my dear, say
Over the road I'm bound to go.

I went uptown goin' seekin' house?
Think I heard my baby cry

Wee wee ooh honey
Over the road I'm bound to go
Mmmm hmmm baby
Over the road I'm bound to go

I went downtown, didn't mean no harm
Police grabbed me right by my arm
Till I began to pitch, I began to rare
Felt like strollin' in the air

Oooh oooh oooh baby
Over the road I'm bound to go.

I went downtown doin' my best
Find the boy that stole the vest
Went on around 'bout Court Square
Find the boy that done stole the coat

Oooh whee baby
Over the road I'm bound to go

Now new juror was in the stand
Had them law books in his hand
I begin to pitch, pulled out a writ, began he read to me
That nigger been stealin' in the first degree

Mmmm baby
Over the road I'm bound to go

(?) and Moses Brown
them's goin' cross Cripple Creek goin' to town

Hmm hmm baby
Over the road I'm bound to go

[Baird]

banjo chris,
your ear amazes me.
we've still got some work to do on this one though...
baird

[dj]

I think the first line of the second verse is:

"I went uptown gon' sneak in t' house", where the barely voiced "t" is an extremely truncated "the".

That name in the last verse sounds a lot like Eve O'erbridge (Overbridge with the v elided) or possibly Ivor Bridge.  Looking closely at the verse, it's some wordplay on the theme of crossing a creek:  "bridge" is obvious, and "Moses" for parting the Red Sea.  Wow, that's pretty cool!
 

[banjochris]

DJ I like the suggestion on the 2nd verse and agree about the "Bridge" -- not sure we'll ever know what he said for the first name.
Chris

[dingwall]

Here's my version of 'Feather Bed'.   I've taken on board some of the suggestions of banjo chris and dj.   My 'whee's and 'oooh's are suspect!


I remember the time just before the war.
Colored man used to fuss about shucks and straw.
But now, bless God, old Massa dead.
Colored man plumb fool about feather bed.
Whee, whee, my dear, and it's
Over the road I'm bound to go.

I went uptown, gonna sneak in the house.
Think I heared my baby cryin'.
Whee, whee, whee, honey.
Over the road I'm bound to go.
Whee, whee, baby.
Over the road I'm bound to go.

I went downtown, didn't mean no harm.
Police grabbed me right by my arm.
Soon I begin to kick, I begin to rear.
Felt like strollin' in the air.
Ooooh, oooh, oooh, baby.
Over the road I'm bound to go.

I went downtown, doin' my best.
Find the boy that stole the vest.
Went on round about Court Square.
To find the boy that done stole the coat.
Whee, whee, baby.
Over the road I'm bound to go.

Now I knew Judge Lewis was in the stand.
Had them law books in his hand.
When I begin to speak, pulled out a writ.
Begin to read it to me.
"This means you've been stealin', oh, it's clear."
Whee, whee, whee, baby.
Over the road I'm bound to go.

Here's Old Pritt and Moses Brown.
Them goin' across the street to keep goin' to town.
Oooh, oooh, oooh, baby.
Over the road I'm bound to go.

[uncle bud]

I'm having trouble in particular with the last line. Judging by the final verse, this song should have been called "Tired of Chicken Blues", but "Tired Chicken" sounds better. Well, they both sound good.



Tired Chicken Blues - Cannon's Jug Stompers

Said I'm going downtown, baby, won't be gone so long (spoken: Have mercy, have mercy)
Said I'm going downtown, baby, won't be gone so long (Have mercy, have mercy)
Said I'm tired and worryin', bound to sing this song (Have mercy)

Play it Mr. Cannon, play it now. Oh play that harp Noah, play it, boy, play it

Now when I stayed at home, baby, you don't treat me right (Have mercy, have mercy)
When I stayed at home, baby, you don't treat me right (Aww, have mercy, have mercy)
The best time I have, baby, when you's outta my sight (Have mercy)

Spoken: Play that harp, Mr. Noah, play it, play it, play it
Get right on that jug now, Joe
Awww, have mercy

Said I'm tired of chicken, baby lord I'm tired of steak (Have mercy, have mercy)
Said I'm tired of chicken, baby I'm tired of steak (Have mercy, have mercy)
I had a chill last night, Woods, now I'm too tired to shake (Have mercy, have mercy)

Play it now

edited for suggestions from orville and dingwall

[orvillej]

The line is...

I had a chill last night now I'm too tired to shake.

[uncle bud]

Thanks Orville! I hear it clearly now. There's an extra syllable after "night" beginning with "w". I'll have to listen some more.