Mary'd take that lamb with her, 'most every place that she go. She went to the depot agent, said "give me a ticket to Kokomo". Ticket agent looked down at mary's lamb said "I declare your lamb can't go" - Freddie Spruell, Mr. Freddie's Kokomo Blues
February 6, 1931, Chicago (with Georgia Tom on piano)
I got my trunk all packed old Tampa's going to leave this town Got my trunk all packed old Tampa's going to leave this town Because the gal that I was loving she’s gone and throwed me down
Now folks she went and left me she never even said a word Now folks she went and left me she never even said a word It wasn't nothing I done it was something that the poor girl heard
Now I’m a good fellow but my ways are under ground Now I’m a good fellow but my ways are under ground And if you mistreat me mama I’ll hunt you like a Georgia hound
So if I find her I’m gon’ kill her and then I’m going to hang myself If I find her I’m gon’ kill her and then I’m going to hang myself And if she don’t have me she sure won’t have nobody else
I done bought myself a razor a rifle and a gatling gun I done bought myself a razor a rifle and a gatling gun Gonna cut her if she stands and I'm gon’ shoot her if she runs
« Last Edit: December 19, 2019, 07:14:52 AM by harry »
October 11, 1937 at the Leland Hotel in Aurora, IL (Tampa on piano this time, Willie B. James, guitar)
I'm goin' back to the delta that's where I belong I'm goin' back to the delta that's where I belong If old bad luck and trouble don't keep me for to long
I rather be down in the delta than any place I know I rather be down in the delta than any place I know Because I don't feel happy no rather ? (other) place I go
My little woman in the delta sure was good to me My little woman in the delta sure was good to me Well she was just as kind hearted as one poor gal could be
I'm goin' back to the delta Fall down on my knees Gonna ask my delta woman To forgive me if she please I'm goin' back to the delta woo goin' to fall down on my knees I'm gonna ask my delta woman to forgive me if she please
I've tested all of my women From here to Mexico But my woman in the delta She's the sweetest gal I know I've tested all my women woo from here to Mexico But my little woman in the delta she's the sweetest gal I know
Thanks for these transcriptions, Harry. In "Georgia Hound Blues": * In verse one in the first two lines, he sings "Tampa's" * In verse two, he sings, "It wasn't nothing that I done, it was something that the poor girl heard", with the second "it" pretty swallowed. * Tagline of the last verse, he says "I'm" I've already got "Georgia Hound Blues" up in Weeniepedia and will get "Delta Woman Blues" soon. All best, Johnm
Well this world is so crooked that you don't know what to do Well this world is so crooked that you don't know what to do And if you try to hold up your hand everybody will be down on you
I got some friends who deceitful and they don't mean me no good I got some friends who deceitful and they don't mean me no good Well they would set a fire to me and burn me up if they could
Well I don't bother nobody wonder why they pick at poor me I don't bother nobody wonder why they pick at poor me Look like they'd rather see my body drifting in the deep blue sea
They have ate at my table even slept in my bed They have ate at my table woo they have even slept in my bed And they was jealous and deceitful wishin' that I was dead
So I ain't-a callin' no names so I have no blame to bear I ain't-a callin' no names so I have no blame to bear But I know 'em when I see 'em you can bet your life on that
You men won't like it when you hear this song Do as I say and it may help you along 'Cause you got the wrong idea just as sure as you born Don't blame your woman if things at home go wrong
You men got a habit that you know is wrong Stay out cheating on your woman maybe all night long But you got the wrong idea just as sure as you born Don't blame your woman if things at home go wrong
When the cat goes away you know the mice is gonna play You know what I'm talkin' 'bout that's why you hear me say Men you got the wrong idea just as sure as you born Don't blame your woman if things at home go wrong
You want your woman daily all alone by yourself But how you expect to get it buddy when you got somebody else Men you got the wrong idea just as sure as you born Don't blame your woman if things at home go wrong
I got a whoopee mama she makes whoopee all the time I've got a whoopee mama she makes whoopee all the time She stays full of dope and liquor and clowns all over town
Whoopee mama I sure been good to you Whoopee mama I sure been good to you But I've done got tired of the dirty way you do
My whoopee mama treat me like a slave My whoopee mama treats me like a slave I’m going to buy me an army special and put my baby in her grave
I work all the summer and I work all the fall But even spend the winter in a dank of overhauls Whoopee mama you’re so unkind to me But I'm sure going to get you baby yes you wait and see
You told me that you loved me and I caught you in a lie Smile the day you quit me mama that's the day you'll die Whoopee mama I'm going to mow you down I'm gon’ send your beautiful body to some lonesome buryin' ground
My baby's gone won't be back no more she won't be back no more oh My baby's gone she won't be back no more She left this morning she caught that Seminole
I got the blues so bad it hurt my tongue to talk it hurt my tongue to talk oh The blues so bad it hurt my tongue to talk I would follow my baby but it hurt my feet to walk
She gimme her love even let me draw her pay she let me draw her pay yeah She give me her love even let me draw her pay She was a real good woman but unkindness drove her way
I've got the Seminole blues leaving on my mind leaving on my mind oh Seminole blues leaving on my mind I'm going to find my baby if I have to ride the blind
Meet me down in the bottom mama bring my shoes and clothes Meet me down in the bottom mama bring my shoes and clothes I ain't got very many but I got so far to go
And the only one thing that keep me so worried in mind Now the only one thing that keep me so worried in mind I've got to go leave the woman I love behind
Now I don't mind leaving but I got to be gone so long I don't mind leaving but I got to be gone so long They got me accused of murder mama and I ain't done nothing wrong
Big stars falling and it can't be long fore day Big stars is falling and it can't be long fore day Oh goodbye baby I must be on my way
When I write you a letter mama mama answer with a telegram When I write a letter mama answer with a telegram Cause I will not be contented mama until I get you where I am
If you gonna love a woman love her with a thrill Cause if you don't some other man will You got to love her with a feeling You got to love her with a feeling You got to love her with a feeling Or don't you love at all
No woman don't want that old halfway stuff So when you turn her loose be sure she got enough And just love her with a feeling Love her with a feeling You got to love her with a feeling Or don't you love at all
You got to love with a feeling You got to love her with a feeling You got to love her with a feeling Or don't you love at all
Now the gal I love she's nice and fat She's got her way of loving and it's good like that Because she love me with a feeling Yeah she love me with a feeling Yeah she love me with a feeling Or she don't love at all
Now the copppers brought her in she didn't need no bail She shook it for the judge and he put the cops in jail Cause she shook it with a feeling Yeah she shook it with a feeling Yeah she loved with a feeling Or she don't love at all
This is the first recording of Tampa Red with a unknown tuba player. It was on the B side of a Blind Lemon Jefferson Paramount. Probably for marketing reasons. Tampa Red ended up releasing more 78s than any other blues artist in history.
May 1928 in Chicago, IL
I hate to hear that through train blow hoo hoo I hate to hear that through train blow hoo hoo Every time I hear it blowing I feel like riding too
The woman I love treat me so unkind The woman I love treat me so unkind Gon’ pack my grip and leave this lonesome town
I'm going away just to wear you off my mind I'm going away just to wear you off my mind And I may be gone baby a doggone long long time
I'm gon’ grab me a freight train ride until it stops Gon’ grab me a freight train ride until it stops Ain’t gon’ stay round here and be no stumbling block