Topic: Miller's Breakdown

[Johnm]

Thanks very much for those catches, dj. I'd heard the term "sandfoot" before, but not "fanfoot", and it does match the phonetics better. With the proper names I was just doing phonetic guesswork, and it's really nice to have them nailed down. Thanks! I will make the changes.

[Blues Vintage]

Blind Willie McTell mentions a "fanfoot clown"  in "Your Time To Worry".

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I haven't posted new puzzlers in a little while, and I thought I would do so now. The first is from Ollie Rupert, who only recorded two titles, unfortunately from my point of view, since I particularly love her singing. Here is "Ain't Goin' To Be Your Low-Down Dog":



The questions on "Ain't Goin' To Be Your Low-Down Dog" are:
   1) What playing position/tuning is the lead guitarist who accompanies Ollie Rupert's first verse playing in?
   2) Name one or two performances in which the guitar playing is reminiscent of the lead part here.
   3) Extra Credit: What playing position is the low-tuned seconding guitar that comes in for the second verse and the remainder of the song playing in, and what other instrument joins the ensemble at the same time as the second guitarist?

The second puzzler is from Tallahassee Tight (Louis Washington), and it is his "Black Snake Blues".  Here it is:



INTRO

I'm cryin', ohhh, where in the world my black snake gone?
I'm cryin', ohhh, where in the world my black snake gone?
I mean now some pretty mama, done run my black snake home

Mama, it must've been a bedbug, baby, a chinch can't bite that hard
Tell me it must've been a bedbug, I mean a chinch can't bite that hard
Then I asked my babe for fifty cents, she said, "Honey, ain't a child in the yard."

I'm cryin', mmmmm, black snake's crawlin' all in my room
I'm cryin', mmmmm, black snake's crawlin' all in my room
I mean, some pretty mama, better come and get this black snake soon

I'm cryin', mmmmm, where in the world my black snake gone?
I'm cryin', mmmmm, where in the world my black snake gone?
I mean, some very pretty mama, now must've done drived my black snake home

Now mama, that's all right, mama, that's all right for you
I mean, mama, that's all right, mama, that's all right for you
I mean now that's all right, pretty mama, 'most any old, any ways you do

Now, you don't know, you don't know my mind
Baby, you don't know, baby, you don't know my mind
You keep your black snake worried, and walkin' 'most all the time

I'm cryin', oh now, black snake's crawlin' all in my room

The question on Tallahassee Tight's "Black Snake Blues" is:
   1) What playing position/tuning did Tallahassee Tight use to play the song?

Please use only your ears and your guitars to arrive at your answers, and please don't post any answers before 8:00 AM your time on Friday, January 29. Thanks for your participation, and I hope that you enjoy the songs.

All best,
Johnm

[David Kaatz]

For Ollie Rupert's Ain't Goin' etc, I hear this as playing out of E position, standard tuning. The guitar playing reminds me of St. Louis style playing, like Cairo Blues or Skin Man. Reminiscent yet not like it exactly, so this could be way off. I think the backing guitar is in Drop D but an octave below. Are we sure that isn't a bass? Also a Jaws harp joins. Too bad the two guitars are not in tune with each other.

For Louis Washington's Black Snake Blues, first, that is one awful recording and/or trashed record! I think this is in open D tuning, based on him landing on the wrong fret for a moment when he goes to the IV chord at about 1:50.

[banjochris]

Agree with David on the similarity to Cairo, etc., the E position and jaw harp for the Ollie Rupert.

For the second guitar it sounds like A position tuned WAY down to me. I haven't tried it with a guitar in hand but it sounds like to me like the tonic is being played on the open 5th string, alternating with the V note on the sixth string. It also sounds to me like a slide on the 5th string leading up to the open 4th, playing the IV note. The bass for the V chord also makes me think it's a first position E chord being played.

On the Louis Washington I'm leaning toward D standard – it sounds like the third on the top of the tonic, and a first position A7 chord for the V chord. I'm not sure he plays any string lower than the 4th, except maybe where Washington makes that one mistake is that David pointed out. I would almost think he's playing a tenor guitar tuned DGBE but his other recordings I think I can hear lower strings.

These are some tough ones, John, thanks!

Chris

[Prof Scratchy]

Very tough! Especially the second one, which I can’t begin to decipher. Agree the first one in E in that St Louis style, as David says.

[blueshome]

E for the Ollie, reminds me of Willie Brown. Second guitar I’m feeling Spanish. The 3rd instrument is a jaws harp.

D for Mr.Tight I think.

[Old Man Ned]

I'm hearing "Ain't Goin' To Be Your Low-Down Dog" in E standard too. In places the playing of Tommy Johnson and Ishmon Bracey come to mind but I can't put a specific performance to it. I'm struggling with the second guitar other than it is tuned so low that nowadays it would probably come with a health and safety warning. Mouth harp/jaw harp/jews harp for the other instrument.

The second puzzler from Tallahassee Tight (Louis Washington) is tormenting my ears. I'm pretty clueless, but if pushed would put "Black Snake Blues" in E standard also, but only if pushed :-)

All the Best,
Ned

[Lyndvs]

Ollie Rupert.Out of E position...2nd guitar playing out of A position.A jew`s harp.
Reminiscent of the playing of Lane Hardin"Hard times",Henry Spaulding"Cairo",JD Short"It`s Hard Times"etc..certainly very St.Louis-y.
Tallahassee Tight - Drop D.

[frailer24]

Ollie Rupert:
1st guitar, E standard
2nd guitar, A position, tuned down to B
Mystery instrument, a G jews harp!

Tallahassee Tight:
Vastapol at E flat.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
It has been a while since anyone has posted a response to the Ollie Rupert and Tallahassee Tight puzzlers so I'll post the answers.

For Ollie Rupert's "Ain't Goin' To Be Your Low-Down Dog":
   * The playing position of the lead guitar was E position in standard tuning, as every responder had it, i think. Well done!
   * The seconding guitar that enters for the second verse was played out of A position in standard tuning, tuned a fourth low, right in the normal range for a baritone guitar, though I think it was a standard sized guitar just tuned that low, judging by the tonal properties--it sounds pretty whangy and loose. And the other instrument was a jews/jaw harp as many of you had it. Banjochris's response gave a good basis for the determination of A position in standard tuning for the seconding guitar.
   * The lead guitar part does seem to operating very much in a St. Louis sort of approach, much like Henry Spaulding's "Cairo Blues" or Lane Hardin's "Hard Times", as several of you noted.

For Tallahassee Tight's "Black Snake Blues":
   * His playing position was D position in dropped-D tuning, as Lyndvs had it. At :26--:31, you can hear him hit the low D on the sixth string, followed by a walk-down on the third and second strings, moving 4-3 down to 2-1 and then 0-0, followed by another low sixth string and a strum of a conventional D chord on the first three strings, 2-3-2. He consistently plays his G chords out of an F shape moved up two frets own the second third and fourth strings.

Tallahassee Tight was really an interesting player, and I wonder if he influenced Gabriel Brown, another Floridian, in his playing in dropped-D. Their approaches are not all that similar, but playing in dropped-D was relatively rare in the era in which they first started recording. If you are interested in Tallahassee Tight's music, I think all of his titles, about half of a CD's worth, are up on youtube.

Thanks to all who responded, I think folks really did well on these puzzlers, and I hope folks enjoyed the songs. I'll look for some more puzzlers to post.

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I have a couple of new puzzlers for those of you who are interested. The first is Curley Weaver's "Dirty Deal Blues", recorded in Long Island City, New York in May of 1929. Here is "Dirty Deal Blues":



INTRO

When you were down, mama, sick down on your bed
When you were down, mama, sick down on your bed
I brought you your medicine, also brought you bread

Then you's out today, looking good again
Then you's out today, looking good again
I brought you your medicine, you won't even let me in

I go there early in the morning, I go there late at night
I go there early in the morning, I go there late at night
No matter what time I go there, he never cut out all his lights

I'm gonna hire me a taxi, gon' ride away from here
I'm gonna hire me a taxi, gon' ride away from here
My home up the country, mama, I wanna know what I'm doin' 'round here

Hey, hey-hey, hey-hey, hey-hey-hey-hey, hey-hey
Hey, hey-hey, hey-hey, hey-hey-hey-hey, hey-hey
Every man in Atlanta, he treats me like his dog

I ran to the telephone, took the receiver down
I went to the telephone, took the receiver down
I said, "Hello Central, give me Dr. Brown."

CODA

Edited 2/27 to pick up corrections from banjochris

The questions on "Dirty Deal Blues" are:
   * What playing position/tuning did Curley Weaver use to play the song?
   * How would you describe the song's bar structure, using I, IV and V to designate the different chords?
   * Where did Curley Weaver fret his signature lick, which he returns to in the third and seventh bar of each verse?

The second is from Alabaman Ralph Willis and is his "Worried Blues", recorded in New York City in 1944 for the Regis label. Here is "Worried Blues":



INTRO SOLO

You know, I done more for that woman, way last Summer, went through the Fall, boys, a couple over there through the Winter
Done more for that woman, good Lord's ever done
Got her a wig for long hair, Lord hasn't give her none

If you don't like your daddy, baby, my coat and ways, get tired of me, baby, why don't you bring me shoes and all, 'cause if you
Don't like your daddy, got no right to carry no stall
Give me my wig I bought you, let your head go bald

Well you know my Mother, she doesn't wanna have 'em, Auntie had 'em, Brother had 'em, you know my Father's the one died with 'em
Woke up this morning, family had the worried blues
Poked my head in the corner, Grandmama had them, too (Spoken: Play it now)

SOLO

She wouldn't cook me no breakfast, get me no dinner, squabbled over my supper, the gall kicked me outdoors
She had the nerve to ask me, matchbox hold my clothes
Had the nerve to ask me, matchbox hold my clothes

CODA

The questions on "Worried Blues" are:
   * What playing position/tuning did Ralph Willis use to play the song?
   * Ralph Willis's song is a re-working of what song taken from what earlier artist?
   * What soloing strategy that has been discussed on this site did Ralph Willis employ for the beginning of his solo?

Please use only your ears and your guitars to arrive at your answers, and please don't post any answers before 8:00 AM your time on Friday, February 19. Thanks for your participation and I hope you enjoy the songs.

All best,
Johnm

[rein]

I ll give the Ralph Willis' one a go.
 The sound was so much like Blind Boy Fuller, my first thought which of his tunes it reminded me of. That was wrong, because I now think the song is based on Blind Willie mc Tell s Statesboro Blues. So I assumede the key was D, but when I try to copy the feel of the song on guitar, I land on E. The solo is the thing when you slide a chord shape (D shaped E) three frets up-
So: 1. Eposition 2. Statesboro Blues 3. D shaped E 3 frets up to Emin7 with the third in the 2nd string. All best and thanks
 Rein

[Prof Scratchy]

Haven’t got to the detail of these, but I’ll say open G for Curley Weaver (starting each verse in IV chord); and A standard for Ralph Willis.

[David Kaatz]

Curley Weaver sounds like open G tuning to me. Thanks to Prof Scratchy for getting me to re-listen to this and change my opinion.
The structure is IV-IV-I-I-IV-IV-I-I-V-I-I-I Note the 14 bar form!
The lick starts on the fifth fret of the first string, hits that note 4 times, then open first string, then first fret second string, open second string, open third string..

Ralph Willis sounds like standard tuning, A position.
Reworking Matchbox Blues by Blind Lemon.
The soloing strategy is play a lick, then move it up a minor third (3 frets).