Topic: Bessie Smith Lyrics

[Gumbo]

Thanks ScottN I think you have it on the button with au-ti-mo-bile. Good catch

Bruce, thanks to you also. I really like that first B7 and the F#m. I'm playing the Db7 as a C7 shape at the second fret and really like the sound of it so I'm not able to choose between that and the C#m yet. I may end up using both for variety!

[Blues Vintage]

Backwater Blues


Bessie Smith – Vocals
James P. Johnson – Piano

February 17, 1927
New York City, New York

Piano in A





When it rained five days and the skies turned dark as night
When it rained five days and the skies turned dark as night
Then trouble takin' place in the lowlands at night

I woke up this mornin' can't even get out of my door
I woke up this mornin' can't even get out of my door
There's enough trouble to make a poor girl wonder where she wanna go

Then they rowed a little boat about five miles 'cross the pond
Then they rowed a little boat about five miles 'cross the pond
I packed all my clothes throwed them in and they rowed me along

When it thunders and lightnin' and when the wind begin to blow
When it thunders and lightnin' and the wind begin to blow
There's thousands of people ain't got no place to go

Then I went and stood upon some high old lonesome hill
Then I went and stood upon some high old lonesome hill
Then looked down on the house where I used to live

Backwater blues done caused me to pack my things and go
Backwater blues done caused me to pack my things and go
'Cause my house fell down and I can't live there no more

Mmm I can't move no more
Mmm I can't move no more
There ain't no place for a poor old girl to go

[Johnm]

Hi Harry,
I'm hearing a few things differently:
    in 1.1 and 1.2, "turned" rather than "turn"
    in 2.3, either "wanna" or "want to", but not "wanna to" as you have it
    in 4.1 and 4.2, "begins" rather than "begin"
    in 6.1 and 6.2, "caused" rather than "cause"
All best,
Johnm

[Blues Vintage]

Thanks John. I took them all except "begins".