Topic: Sara Martin Lyrics

[Johnm]

Thanks very much for the help, dj.  I wasn't hearing it, and your suggestion is right on.  I will make the change.
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I just found this track on youtube, Sara Martin singing "I've Got To Go And Leave My Daddy Behind", accompanied by Sylvester Weaver.  I can't figure out why it wasn't on the complete Sylvester Weaver on Document.  In any event, Sylvester Weaver was working out of A position in standard tuning here, and sounding very modern, especially considering when the song was recorded, 1923!  Here is the duo's performance:



INTRO

A policeman told me, my daddy was in jail, wanted me to come and, go his bail
A policeman told me, my daddy was in jail
And wanted me to come, and go his bail

I went to the jailhouse, cryin', "Jailer, please, please, mister jailer, let me see my used-to-be."
I went to the jailhouse, cryin', "Jailer, please.
Oh please, mister jailer, let me see my used-to-be."

The jailer felt sorry, and looked at me and smiled, said, "I'm sorry, pretty lady, but your man's done testrified [sic]."
The jailer felt sorry, and looked at me and smiled
Said,"I'm sorry, pretty lady, but your man's done testrified [sic]."

I turned to the cell, looked my daddy in the face, "I'm sorry, pretty daddy, but I just can't take your place."
Turned to the cell, looked my daddy in the face
Said, "I'm sorry, pretty daddy, but I just can't take your place."

Now, girls, you'd better buy yourself a padlock and key, 'cause that's the only way you can keep your man from me
Now, girls, you'd better buy yourself a padlock and key
'Cause that's the only way you can keep your man from me

And if the blues was whiskey, I'd be drunk all the time, I have to go and leave my daddy behind
If the blues was whiskey, I'd be drunk all the time
I has to go and leave my daddy behind

Edited 6/17/23 to pick up correction from banjochris

All best,
Johnm

 

[harriet]

What a bass on that, thanks...

[Thomas8]

Sylvester Weaver, could really make that guitar sound nice, what a great touch he had!

[banjochris]

That record must have really stuck with Mance Lipscomb; he sings it practically word for word:

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I'm finding more interesting Sara Martin tracks, so I decided to just devote this thread to the lyrics of her songs.  I agree with you, Harriet and Thomas, with how good Sylvester Weaver sounded on "I've Got To Go And Leave My Daddy Behind".  I think one thing that really made his bass stand out is that he let the bass notes ring and did not damp them, something you very seldom hear players do nowadays.  And that Mance Lipscomb cut was a great find, Chris.  He really modeled his performance on that recording, even to the extent of playing the song out of A position in standard tuning, as Sylvester Weaver did it, rather than playing in A position in dropped-D tuning as Mance most often would do.
Here is another song from Sara Martin on which she was accompanied by Sylvester Weaver, "My Man Blues", from 1924.  Sylvester Weaver plays banjo-guitar on the cut, out of D position in standard tuning, and I think he might have the earliest walk-up from D on record, though he didn't do it in octaves, as it is available in dropped-D tuning.  Here is "My Man Blues":



Talk about your brick houses, you ought to see my frame, I've got a brand new man and I'm scared to call his name
He's cute, he's sweet, he's everything that's good
He's the grandest man that's in our neighborhood

And he's my man, mine, all by myself
Oh, he's my man, mine, all by myself
Gonna find me a bandbox and put him on the shelf

He's long and he's tall, shakes just like a willow tree
He's long and he's tall, shakes just like a willow tree
All the gals, they want him, 'cause he goes with me

SOLO X 2

I don't want no gravy put on my rice, this man I've got done took my appetite
Love my man, better than I love myself
When my man's gone, can't love nobody else

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
An even earlier collaboration of Sara Martin and Sylvester Weaver was their recording of "Roamin' Blues", released on Okeh in 1923.  For the song, Sylvester Weaver chose to accompany Sara Martin out of C position in standard tuning, and his accompaniment abounds with interesting ideas, nifty use of stop time,  diminished seventh chords and bass runs that anticipate Lemon Jefferson's recordings.  Is there an earlier recorded appearance of the phrase "some scream high yellow"?  I wonder.  Here is "Roamin' Blues":



I've got a mind to ramble, got a mind to leave this town
I've got a mind to ramble, I've got a mind to leave this town
I've got to mind my man, that's gone and turned me down

Some women scream high yellow, but give me my brown and black
Some women scream high yellow, but give me my brown and black
That's the only color man that I really like

Yellow man is evil, brown-skinned man is, too
Yellow man is evil, brown-skinned man is, too
I'm gonna get me a black man, drive away the blues

The reason why so many men are wearing overalls today
Reason why so many men are wearing overalls today
Lets women like me, on Saturday night, take their pay

Now if you think I'm lovin' you, you'd better change your mind
If you think I'm lovin' you, you'd better change your mind
'Cause when you think I'm lovin' you, I'm switchin' you, all the time

Now, just as sure as the train rolls up in the yard
Just as sure as the train rolls up in the yard
I'm going so far, take two dollars to send me a postal card

All best,
Johnm

[Suzy T]

Wow, fantastic thread!  That Mance Lipscomb cover of the Sara Martin song!!!

[Johnm]

Hi all,
For Sara Martin's "Good-Bye Blues", recorded in 1923, Sylvester Weaver chose to accompany her out of G position in standard tuning.  Do you think John Hurt heard this recording?  Here is "Good-Bye Blues":



INTRO

Now honey, don't get mad at me if I just talk in my sleep
Oh, honey, don't get mad at me if I just talk in my sleep
Even though I may say things that will cause you to weep

Just as sure as the birds fly in the sky above
Oh, just as sure as the birds fly in the sky above
Life ain't worth living if you ain't with the man you love

Now, something has gone wrong, with my worried mind
Oh, something has gone wrong, with my worried mind
I don't do nothing but cry, cry all the time

My head ain't much, it just buzzes around
Oh, my head ain't much, it just buzzes around
But I can entertain you, from my neck on down

Now, if you talk in your sleep, please don't you mention my name
Oh, if you talk in your sleep, please don't you mention my name
'Cause if you do, you'd better go and dig your grave

I know you are wondering, what I'm gonna say to you
I know you are wondering, what I'm gonna say to you
Well, I wants you to know, I've got them "Good-Bye Blues"

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Sara Martin was accompanied by pianist/arranger/composer Clarence Williams, on piano, for "Mistreated Mama Blues", a song which Dock Boggs later covered, unforgettably.  This is one of Sara Martin's more low-down vocals.  I'd very much appreciate help with the bent bracketed word in the next-to-last line of the last chorus.  Here is the song:



INTRO

VERSE:  Sad and lonely, 'cause I only, want my daddy night and day
One day, gladness, next day, sadness, he done me wrong to go away

CHORUS:  Oh, I'm a mistreated mama, mama, he got me down in sin
He's just a mean trifling papa, papa, I blame it all on him
First he shook my peaches from off my tree, now he's only handing back the seeds to me
Mistreated mama, mama, with those mistreated blues

SOLO

CHORUS:  Oh, I'm a mistreated mama, mama, he got me down in sin
He's just a mean, trifling papa, papa, I blame it all on him
Now, once he said my kisses were oh, so good, then he started [thankling] 'round the neighborhood
Mistreated mama, mama, with those mistreated blues

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I merged a number of posts with transcription of Sara Martin lyrics over here from the Sylvester Weaver Lyrics thread, where I was working in 2006.  It made more sense to have all of her lyrics in one place, especially since on those songs Sylvester Weaver was operating as an accompanist.  I'll see if I can find youtube versions of the songs and edit them into the old posts so you all can listen to them.
All best,
Johnm

[Pan]

Hi all,

Regarding older threads and Sara Martin, I remebered that her (or Clarence William's) "Shipwrecked Blues" had been transcribed a number of years ago by MTJ. I only remebered this since I play the song, whenever I'm invited to play on a blues cruise or some such.

Here's the thread:

https://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=2831.msg21851#msg21851

and the lyrics:

Sara Martin, "Shipwrecked Blues," recorded 5 September 1926  [Clarence Williams]

Oh, the gale is raging, and my ship's without a sail.
Oh, the gale is raging, and my ship's without a sail.
If the wind keeps on blowing, I won't be left to tell the tale.

Now my ship is sinking, and the lightning struck the mast.
Now the ship is sinking, and the lightning struck the mast.
And my crew done deserted, I've got to stick it to the last.

With no life preserver, tell me what I am to do.
With my life preserver, tell me what I am to do.
If my ship hits the bottom, I know I'll float the ocean blue.

Lord, I don't mind drowning, but the water is so cold.
No, I don't mind drowning, but the water is so cold.
If I must leave this good world, I want to leave it brave and bold.

Mama's shipwrecked, shipwrecked, she ain't got no time to lose.
Mama's shipwrecked, shipwrecked, she ain't got no time to lose.
Lord, if someone don't save me, I'll go down singing shipwrecked blues.

and here's the song on YouTube, it seems to influenced by argentine (?) tango.



Cheers,

Pan

[TenBrook]

John,
That bracketed word is a tough one. I want her to be singing "cycling" as that's the closest thing that makes any sort of sense but it sounds more like "sankling" or, as you have it, "thankling", but neither of those seems to be an actual word, slang or otherwise. I'm curious what others hear.

Lew

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Sara Martin recorded "Longing For Daddy Blues" at a session in New York City on (probably) October 24, 1923, accompanied, for the first time by Sylvester Weaver, who was playing out of E position in standard tuning. Sylvester Weaver really varies his accompaniment a lot over the course of the rendition, starting with a simple pattern pick and getting into some chordal substitutions and interesting licks as he goes along. I'm happy to find more titles by this duo that have not yet been put up in this thread. Here is "Longing For Daddy Blues":



INTRO

I'm longing, longing, longing, daddy, for you
I'm longing, longing, longing, daddy, for you
That's why I sing, I've got these longing blues

Good women like me, daddy, are scarce and few
Good women like me, daddy, are scarce and few
And if you leave me, papa, tell me what you going to do

The rent I'll pay, daddy, your clothes I'll buy
Oh, the rent I'll pay, your clothes I'll buy
Give you all my loving, 'til the day I die

Now if you don't want me, daddy, there's no need to stall
If you don't want me, daddy, there's no need to stall
'Cause I can get more men than a passenger train can haul

Now I love you, daddy, no one else but you will do
Oh, I love you, daddy, none else but you will do
So, come back, daddy, stop me from singing these longing blues

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Sara Martin recorded "Everybody's Got The Blues" at a session in Atlanta on March 19, 1924, accompanied by Sylvester Weaver on banjo-guitar, playing out of F position in standard tuning. Sylvester Weaver sounds like he is flat-picking, which I don't recall having heard him do on other tracks, and he really does a nice set of chord changes on the 12-bar blues, like so:

   |   F/C    |   Bb    |    F    |   F9    |

   |   Bb  |   Db   |    F/C     |    D7    |

   |   G7  |   C   |  F  C7/G | F C7/G F |

He doesn't voice all of the chords the same way over the course of the rendition, either. Sara really makes the most of the humming verse, too. Here is "Everybody's Got The Blues":     



INTRO

Papa, papa, you've mistreated me without a call
Papa, papa, you've mistreated me without a call
Looks like when you mistreat me, everyone takes me to be a dog

I went to bed, laughin', and I woke up, cryin'
I went to bed, laughin', and I woke up, cryin'
Didn't have the blues, still my man crossed my mind

Didn't want to holler, but I had to mumble low
Didn't want to holler, but I had to mumble low
Just to think my daddy, ain't coming back no more

Cryin' mmmmmmm, mmmmmm, mmmmm-mmmmm mmmm mmmm
Mmmmmmmmmm, mmmmmmmm, mmmmmm mmmmmm
Mmmmmmm mmmmmm mmmmmmmm

Cryin' my mama, my papa, my sister and brother, grandma and grandpa, aunt and uncle
All my country cousins, they have got the blues
Went out in my stable, found a mule dyin', he must've had 'em, too

All best,
Johnm