Today a guy can go into a studio and make a record, just any guy. Today you are judged by your records. You make a record overnight. A guy makes a record and overnight he's a big recording star and you can't say anything to him. And most of the time he can't even carry his instrument - Sam Price, to Paul Oliver, 1960
Hi Frankie and John - thanks for all the help on Ashtray Taxi and Franie Jean. I have incorporated all the changes.
I love Sam's voice as well - very powerful and seems to cut through very well. John, do you know if he sang on the street at all or just developed that voice performing with his family?
Hi Johnm, something to sort out or correct? In the above thread you reference both Hollandale Blues and Ashtray Taxi in G. Hollandale, we know form the musicians doing puzzler, is in A. Might Ashtray Taxi also be in A? (Which might make for your surprise at Sam's prediction for G?) Ashtray has a similar rock, but it's not the same rock.... so I don't know. different V7 chord too I think, but I haven't spent much time listening.
G and A positions are tough to decipher - especially when the musician is playing out of A tuned a step down! Anyway, Slow A or G is a great style Sam has regardless.
The version of "Hollandale Blues" that we did the puzzler on Sam chose to play out of A position, John. But the one I transcribed for a lesson, he played out of G position, as he did "Ashtray Taxi". It is relatively rare for a player to play the same song out of two different playing positions/tunings, but you run into it occasionally. John Hurt played "Frankie" out of Spanish and G in standard tuning, and Snooks Eaglin played "Careless Love" out of two different positions. Sam especially liked G in standard tuning for slow blues and used the same accompaniment for many of the songs he did there. All best, Johnm
Well, thanks for that! It would never have occurred to me that a musician would play the same song out of two positions (but why not!?)... you learn something every day.
But the one I transcribed for a lesson, he played out of G position,
I'm going to fool around with A for awhile, mostly to see if i can get a decent vocal , but I think I'm going to have to come by your site and pick Hollandale in G. Such a great style.
Now stoop down baby let your daddy see Hey yes stoop down woman let your daddy see You've got somethin down there now woman worryin the hell out of me
Now two old maids layin up in the bed One turned over t' the other one said Wake up old maid don't sleep so damn sound You know what you promised when you first laid down
Now just stoop down let your daddy see You've got somethin down there now woman worryin the hell out of me
Now two little girls out playin in the sand One told the other'n child I believe you's a man She said no no child I ain't no man Just be still baby do the best I can
Now just stoop down let your daddy see You've got somethin down there now woman worryin the hell out of me
Now what did the goose tell that duck You ain't so good lookin gal but you sure know how to strut
Just stoop down let your daddy see You've got somethin down there now woman worryin the hell out of me
Now what did the frog tell that eel The more you wiggle child the better it do feel
Just stoop down let your daddy see You've got somethin down there now woman worryin the hell out of me
Now the monkey and the baboon out playin in the grass The monkey shoved his finger in the baboon's ice cream
Just stoop down let your daddy see You've got somethin down there now woman worryin the hell out of me
Oh stoop down baby
Thanks, Scott
« Last Edit: July 10, 2020, 11:19:47 PM by Johnm »
Said my baby told me she gonna leave me she didn't even tell me when - oh boy that's a mess when your biscuit roller gone She done gon leave me she didn't even tell me when But I want the good Lord to bless that woman maybe she'll come back home to me again
Well I know you didn't love me baby you didn't even give me no kind a sign Oh oh I know you didn't love me woman you didn't even give me no sign I can tell the way you're actin woman you've got another man in your mind
Well now is one thing baby I just cannot understand Hey two little [nation] sure can't understand That's a darn [clutch mouth] woman and a [dumb gum mouth] man
Well you come here this mornin baby knocking up on my door Get away from there sweet baby I sure can't use your love no more Now go home woman stop knocking on my door Says I got me another woman sure can't use you no more
Well now you run in here woman beggin me to take you back I've got a woman on my main line [i just keep to my sweet track] Go on back baby hey can't use you no more You better get away f' my window woman stop knocking on my door - oh yes you had baby
Solo
Solo Whoa get on that thing boy [Let her loose sho] Now listen
Solo [I'm picking losing sho enough now]
I got something to tell you baby please don't get mad I got something to tell you woman please don't get mad Say you [can't get favor Sam] now both us once have had
Thanks, Scott
« Last Edit: July 10, 2020, 11:20:33 PM by Johnm »
Oh used to be I could call you mine alone - oh yes I could baby But it's plain to see now you want to be left on your own You must have someone new to make me go blue black night
Oh used to be we could have so much fun - oh yes we could Just you and me when my workin day be done But when I come home you tired [ a bone] black night
Oh used to be see my face you'd smile And run to me run to me just like you was my child But now you're in some kind of daze have changed your ways black night
Oh used to be you the blackest night ever been known - oh yes you was [?] But it's plain to see I'll have the blues from this day on But the lovin you have left and you'll be gone yourself black night
Thanks, Scott
« Last Edit: July 10, 2020, 11:21:21 PM by Johnm »
Well you told me woman once upon a time If I'd be your'n you'd sure be mine But that's all right Yeah I know you got another man but that's all right Every now and then I 'gin to wonder who gon love you tonight
Well I come t' your house late last night knocked upon your door I heard a strange voice say "Get away from there you can't get in here no more" But that's all right Yeah I know you got another man but that's all right Every now and then I 'Gin to wonder who gon love you tonight
Well it's one thing f' certain woman without a doubt If I can't come in he sure better not come out And that's all right I know you love another man but that's all right Every now and then I 'gin to wonder who gon love you tonight - oh yes I do baby you know I asked the woman about you like I love you
Solo Whoa [down] make certain boy
Well he done somethin in my house never happened before He broke down my bed and loved my woman on my floor But that's all right I know you love another man but that's all right Every now and then I 'gin to wonder who gon love you tonight
Well I knocked on the front I run out to the back He passed by me runnin fast as any darn Cadillac But that's all right I know you got another man but that's all right Every now and then I 'gin to wonder who gon love you tonight
Thanks, Scott
« Last Edit: July 10, 2020, 11:22:02 PM by Johnm »
Good work, Scott! When I get home I'll listen to these tracks and see if I can get any of those bent bracketed places. It looks like you pretty much have these ones transcribed! All best, Johnm
That's All Right is my all time favorite Sam Chatmon song, although I don't play it anywhere near as well as he did. Love the lyric "He sure better not come out"
Logged
SSG, USA, Ret
She looked like a horse eating an apple through a wire fence.
Hi Scott, I listened to the four songs of Sam's and all I could find was really little stuff except his spoken comment after the first line of the first verse in "I Can't Use You No More": Oh boy, that's a mess when YOUR BISCUIT ROLLER GONE It occurs to me that maybe I was listening to a different version than you did. I entered the songs in Weeniepedia. Thanks for doing the transcriptions! All best, Johnm
« Last Edit: June 23, 2015, 04:27:42 PM by Johnm »
Hi John - thanks I made the change. I should do a better job of labeling where each recording is from as there are multiple versions of some of his songs.
Ross - related to multiple versions of That's All Right, my favorite take on that lyric is "If I can't come in that BASTARD better not come out!" No need to mince words in that situation ;-)
Good Eat Meat Boy - from Hollandale Blues. This is the same recording as Good Eating Meat from Blues At Home 2. In fact, all of Hollandale Blues is included in the Blues At Home 2 album, don't buy both (pretty sure Sam isn't getting a cut..).
Spoken: You know my baby cooked some meat the other morn. It was good eatin meat boys but it sure tastes bad
Well I eat some meat at twelve I had some at four I'm gettin pretty hungry I'm goin back and eat some more Because it's good eatin meat boys and just tastes so doggone bad It's got the strongest old taste whoa any meat I've ever had
Now some men don't like meat when it ain't seasoned just right But I'll eat anything through the day please give me my strong meat at night I mean it's good eatin meat boys yeah I swear it tastes bad It's got the strongest old taste oh any meat I ever had
Now you can soak it all day get up late and wash it at night But when you get to eatin it it still don't taste right I mean it's good eatin meat boys yeah but it just tastes so darn bad It's got the strongest old taste eee-yu any meat I ever had Spoken: second voice [?]
Well you can soak it all night get up and wash it the next day But ain't no soap and water gon get that strong taste away I mean it's good eatin meat boys yeah I mean it just tastes bad It's got the strongest old taste whoa any meat I've ever had
Thanks, Scott
« Last Edit: July 10, 2020, 11:23:26 PM by Johnm »