Topic: Frank Stokes Lyrics

[waxwing]

Good enough for me Ramblin' Frank. I edited my post above with one tiny change: I took the "o" off of "o'clock". Work for you, Alex?
All for now.
John C.

[uncle bud]

Taken from the Deacon's old lyric book, missing verse 2. There are passages that are wrong, but it's a good start.

Chicken, You Can Roost Behind the Moon
Frank Stokes

Now chicken, oh chicken, you can go up in a balloon (dog-gone).
Chicken, you may hide behind the moon (dog-gone you now).?
Now chicken, I never let a fowl be.?
Ten thousand dollars reward, ain't no fool on earth they don't roost too high for me.

I got to thinkin bout chicken the other night, man, I could hardly rest.
I jumped out of bed, grabbed up my old shoes, gone to where the chickens was at.
I grabbed up each bird; boys tucked 'em under my arm.? Some I never let go.?
I don't think I'll rob your hen house till I get your rooster chicken and all.?

Now chicken, oh chicken, you can go up in a balloon (dog-gone).
Chicken, you may hide behind the moon (dog-gone you now).?
Now chicken, I never let a fowl be.?
Ten thousand dollars reward, ain't no fool on earth they don't roost too high for me.

Say that police 'rested me last Friday night they couldn't think what to look out.?
They goin' down the alley where I lived at, another chicken tied to my house.?
Says you may carry me to the penitentiary walls I'm gonna' work out my time.?
Just as quick as you can put me on that L & N track, I'll have chicken on my mind.

Now chicken, oh chicken, you can go up in a balloon (dog-gone).
Chicken, you may hide behind the moon (dog-gone you now).?
Now chicken, I never let a fowl be.?
Ten thousand dollars reward, ain't no fool on earth they don't roost too high for me.

[frankie]

This is a tough one!? Here's my take on it - brackets indicate stuff I can't make out:

Boy, you ever do anything like stealing chicken?

Now chicken, chicken, oh, chicken
You may go up in a balloon
Chicken, chicken, you may hide behind the moon, doggone ya now
Now chicken, I never let a fowl be
Ten thousand dollar reward [for the fowler] []
He don't roost too high for me

I got to thinkin' about chicken late the other night
Man, I couldn't hardly rest
I jumped out the bed, grabbed up my old shoes
Thought of where some chicken was at
I grabbed big [] took him along
Some I [never let fall]
I don't think I robbed your hen house
Till I get the roost, corn, chicken an' all

Now chicken, oh, chicken
You may go up in a balloon, doggone ya
Chicken, oh you may hide behind the moon, confound ya now
Chicken, I never let a fowl be
Ten thousand dollar reward [for the fowler] []
He don't roost too high for me

Oh, that chicken made me awful mad the other night, man
That's somebody didn't like your taste
I grabbed my little haversack down across my back
Grabbed the chicken right by the neck
Said, I turned around, quick as I could
A chicken all way [up there]
I once stole meat right out of Crump's []
I'll steal a chicken from anywhere

Now chicken, now chicken
Go up in a balloon, doggone ya
Chicken, you may hide behind the moon,
Chicken, I never let a fowl be
Ten thousand dollar reward [for the fowler] []
He don't roost too high for me

Now that Police arrest me last Friday night
You couldn't think of what its about
I'm goin' down the alley where I lived at
A lot of chickens tied in my house
I say you may carry me to penitentiary wall
I'll go to work out my time
Just as quick as you put me on the L&N track
I'll have chickens on my mind

That make me say chicken, oh, chicken
You may go up in a balloon, doggone ya
Chicken, you may hide behind the moon
Now chicken, I never let a fowl be
Ten thousand dollar reward [for the fowler] []
He don't roost too high for me

[Bill Roggensack]

I'm far away from my CD collectin, and could not recall hearing this piece, so I enjoyed the download - man, can that Frank Stokes sing! Although the lyrics are different, this tune is musically very similar to pieces done by MS John Hurt (C-H-I-C-K-E-N) and Pink Anderson. Hurt's version was recently re-recorded by Geoff Muldaur as a children's song on "Avalon Blues: A Tribute to the Music of Mississippi John Hurt" - a great album if you don't already have it.

[uncle bud]

Nice work, Frank. The singer is obviously deeply disturbed. I work with someone who has a chicken obsession and just realized I have never pointed out this song to her.

For the chorus in the "Ten thousand dollar reward [for the fowler] []" line, it does sound like the last words are something like "on earth". Is there such a thing as a fowler? Too funny.

Could it be "Crump's front"? As in front yard?

Frontpage - this song is one of the best examples IMO of Frank Stokes' great singing. He is a monster when he gets going.

[waxwing]

I think maybe he's tryin' to say "Ten Thousand dollar reward for all the fowl on earth" and havin' to cut it short: "fo' a' d' fowl on earth". But, yeah, there is such a thing as a fowler, but I think it usually refers to one who hunts wild fowl, turkey and grouse and such, or the particular small bore shotgun used for such hunting, also called a fowling piece. This really is a funny song.
All for now.
John C.

[frankie]

A fowler is someone who hunts wild birds - I guess it might be possible that to refer to oneself as a fowler in the context of stealing chickens is a joke (overstating his ability - he's not really a hunter, just a nut!).

I was thinking this morning that it might be "Crump's fire", which paints a nice picture of Stokes lifting steaks off Mayor Crump's grill while his back is turned.

I laugh every time I hear this - I love tunes that can work in a word like "confound"...  beautiful!

[GhostRider]

Howdy:

Do you think FS is obsessed?

Chorus: I hear the second last line as "$10,000 r'ward for the fowl on earth" I just don't hear the -er at the end of fowl.

Verse 2: First line "I got to thinkin' about chicken late lasta night.
4th line: I grabbed big () cus, stuck him under my arm
5th line: Some I never let fall
7th line: 'Till I get the roost fo' chicken and all.

Verse 3: 6th line A chicken all way up there.
7th line I once steal meat right outta Crump's fire

One quick question, what year was this song recorded in (1929 I hope.)?

Alex

[Rivers]

September 1927, Beale Street Sheiks (Stokes & Sane), only recorded once according to D&G.

[GhostRider]

Howdy:

Just for interest sake, here is the location of a brief history of the L&N Railroad line.

http://rrhistorical-2.com/lnhs/history.html

[frankie]

Do you think FS is obsessed?

Heh - clearly!

I hear the second last line as "$10,000 r'ward for the fowl on earth"

"Ten Thousand dollar reward for all the fowl on earth"

I hate to get all logical about a song like this, but...? don't you think it'd be a little strange for someone to get a reward for stealing chickens?? Wouldn't the reward be offered for the capture of the chicken thief, and as a deterrent to the chicken thief's nefarious activities?

One quick question, what year was this song recorded in (1929 I hope.)?

Hmmm...? why would it be important for the song to have been recorded in 1929?

[waxwing]

Hmmm...? why would it be important for the song to have been recorded in 1929?

A while back Alex had a thread looking for recordings from '29 because at his gigs he features songs that we're recorded 75 years ago. Sorry Alex, 1927 in Chicago. Hmm, while I'm here in Bob McLeod's book lookin' that up, I could look to see what he's got for some of these tough spots.

I hate to get all logical about a song like this, but...? don't you think it'd be a little strange for someone to get a reward for stealing chickens?? Wouldn't the reward be offered for the capture of the chicken thief, and as a deterrent to the chicken thief's nefarious activities?

I think Frank (Stokes, that is) is sorta speakin' about his own imaginary motivation, why he just can't let none of 'em get away. That's why I posted earlier that I think he was tryin' to get "all" in there, but it comes out "fo' a' d' fowl on earth".
Gotta go. I'll work on this later tonight. You checked out Transcribe! yet, Frank? It can be pretty helpful for workin' out some of these mile a minute Frank Stokes lyrics.
All for now.
John C.

[frankie]

A while back Alex had a thread looking for recordings from '29

Oh - duh!

I think Frank (Stokes, that is) is sorta speakin' about his own imaginary motivation, why he just can't let none of 'em get away. That's why I posted earlier that I think he was tryin' to get "all" in there, but it comes out "fo' a' d' fowl on earth".

I dunno - gotta think about that...

Haven't checked out Transcribe yet - maybe this weekend.

[Blind Willie Pace]

I posted this topic then dropped the ball because of unforseen issues here at home.  I'm glad that there are so many stabs at the lyrics for this song.  I think it's one of my favorites.  Stokes could really deliver a song.  More than a few of his tunes could have been included on Yazoo's "Roots Of Rap" CD.  Once I start listening to him I really get caught up in all of his stuff and can't take it out of the player.  Thanks for the responses.  BWP

[GhostRider]

Howdy:

Sound great.

You guys should hire yourselves out to do this stuff. Eight ears are way better than one.

Thanks,
Alex