Topic: Peetie Wheatstraw Lyrics

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Peetie Wheatstraw accompanied himself out of E position in standard tuning for "Police Station Blues".  I sure wish he had backed himself on guitar for more of his recordings, for his piano-accompanied songs tend to be very repetitious.  His singing was expert, and evolved into probably as heavily stylized an approach as the blues has ever seen, abounding in mannerisms.  Those mannerisms make transcribing his lyrics challenging, for me, at least, so I'd appreciate correction/corroboration on any of the bent bracketed passages below.  Here is his "Police Station Blues":



INTRO

Well now, well, mama, that is some old rainy day
Whoo-whoo-mm, babe, I say, some old rainy day
Well, well, now, you're gonna be sorry, whoo-whoo, babe, now you walked away

Well, well, sun just rose, mama, now, just above the trees
I said, now, when the sun rose, mmm-mmm-mm, just above the trees
Well, now, I went to the police station, asked them, "Hey now, give me my little girl, please."

Now, now, now, your days are lonesome, mama, your nights so dreadful long, whoo, cryin', and I mean it
Whoo-whoo-mmm, babe, now your nights so dreadful long
Well, well, been so many lonesome days, whoo-whoo, well, babe, since I been gone

SOLO

Well, babe, 'morrow's Sunday, whoo-whoo-mm, babe, day, your next day was Christmas Eve, whoo-whoo, well, knows I mean it
I say, honey, now tomorrow's Sunday, whoo-whoo, next day was Christmas Eve
Well, we'll haven't got a present, mama, placed on your little Christmas tree

Baby, now when are you gon' give me, whoo-whoo-mm, mama now, that you promised me, Lord, I'm cryin', know now I mean it
Whoo-whoo-mmm, mama, now that you promised me
Well, well, now I don't see why, baby, now, you so hard on me

All best,
Johnm

 



   

[Johnm]

Hi all,
"Long Time Ago Blues" is from pretty early in Peetie Wheatstraw's recording career, 1934, and he played it on guitar, working out of E position in standard tuning, where he seems to have had pretty much a set piece accompaniment that he used for several songs.  His guitar playing had exciting time-keeping and a sort of "bundle of nerves" quality that seems like it must have really influenced Robert Johnson.  Here is "Long Time Ago Blues":



INTRO

It was one morning, long time ago
Mm-hmm well, brown, sayin', a long time ago
Well, that day I got in trouble, hmm, well, brown babe, now I've gotta go

I gotta leave here, now I can't stay here no more
Ooo-hoo, well, brown, sayin', now I can't stay here no more
Well, these troubles, they have got me, mmm, well, Lord, and I gotta go

Ain't it hard to have you a home, and you can't go there no more?
Now, ain't it hard to have a home, and you can't go there no more?
Well, but now I've got in trouble, well now, brown babe, and I got to go

SOLO

Well, babe, I got up this morning, babe, I walked out in the street
I was sayin' I got up this mornin', mama, I walked out in the street
And, you know, I met a man, ooo well, brown, he was tryin' to raise a fuss with me

Well now, you know that's the reason, I'm away from home today
Mmm-mmm well, that's the reason, I'm away from home today
Well, well, well, troubles, they have caused me, hoo well, brown, that I'd be away today

All best,
Johnm

 

 

 

[Blues Vintage]

Peetie Wheatstraw - Third Street's Going Down

November 2, 1937, Chicago, IL

Peetie Wheatstraw - voc, piano  possibly Charlie Jordan - guitar





We used to have luck in the valley but the girl had to move way out of town
We used to have luck in the valley but the girl had to move way out of town
Some moved in the alley ooh-well-well because Third Street‘s going down

I had a girl on St. Louis Avenue but Third Street she hung around
I had a girl on St. Louis Avenue but Third Street she hung around
But the law got so high/hot ? ooh-well-well until Third Street's going down

I wake up one mornin' my face all full of frown
Wake up one mornin' my face all full of frown
I nothin' about my baby ooh-well-well Third Street's going down

The city hired Mr. Keeler to put a highway through that part of town
I said the city hired Mr. Keeler to put a highway through that part of town
The law told the girls to move ooh-well-well why because we're tearing Third Street down

[eric]

That's some interesting guitar playing, and the solo seems to veer off into different territory to my ear.  If I remember correctly, Peetie was the High Sheriff of Hell.  Is there a weenie thread focused on St. Louis players?  If not there should be.  So many great players.

[Blues Vintage]

Ice And Snow Blues

Peetie Wheatstraw - Vocals, Piano
Unknown - Guitar

September 28, 1931
Chicago, Illinois

Key of G





This winter baby gon' be ice and snow
You know my little mama gonna be sleeping on your floor
Baby now you gotta reap baby just what what you sow

Remember last winter you drove me from your door
Darling mama it was in the ice and snow
Baby now you gotta reap baby just what what you sow

You left me baby because I was cold in hand
You taken my money and sit down with your other man
Baby now you gotta reap mama just what what you sow

I did more for you then you understand
You can tell by the bullet hole mama now here in my hand
Baby now you gotta reap baby just what what you sow

Now you pawn your diamonds baby now you sell all your clothes
Out the door then mama baby there's no place to go
Baby now you gotta reap baby just what what you sow

[banjochris]

Harry –
Maybe "Out the door, then mama" for that last verse?
Chris

[Blues Vintage]

Yes Chris I'll make that change. Thanks.

[Blues Vintage]

Doin' The Best I Can

Peetie Wheatstraw - Vocals, Piano
Charlie McCoy - Guitar

September 11, 1934
Chicago, Illinois

Key of G





When a man is out working working hard all his life
Some lowdown rascal always try to steal his wife
But here I am hard working man I'm doing the best I can

I hate to hear New York Central whistle blow
Every time she whistle to the roundhouse I got to go
Here I am hard working man I'm doing the best I can

I don't know hardly baby what to do
Don't want to hurt your feeling either get mad with you
But here I am hard working man well I'm doing the best I can

You got up this morning with a rag around your head
Asked you to cook my breakfast babe you went back to bed
But here I am hard working man I'm doing the best I can

Went out this morning could not make no time
Didn't have no blues but I was all worried in mind
But here I am hard working man now I'm doing the best I can

I'm a hard working man and try to do things that’s right
When my woman sees that on me I ain't going to work tonight
And here I am hard working man now I'm doing the best I can

 

[Thomas8]

Charlie McCoy on guitar

[Blues Vintage]

Charlie McCoy on guitar

You can hear it's Charlie McCoy?

[Johnm]

I know what Thomas means, I think, Harry. That guitarist is flat picking in G, standard tuning, something Charlie Jordan never did (on record, at least) and something that Charlie McCoy did on many, many occasions. I'd call that a good identification. I'm not aware of Charlie Jordan ever accompanying in any way other than obvious fingerpicking.
All best,
Johnm

[Thomas8]

Definitely McCoy!

[Blues Vintage]

Alright, you even picked out a song in the key of G. I'm convinced now.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I don't know anything about what session Peetie Wheatstraw's "You Can't Stop Me From Drinking" came from, nor who the players on the song were, but I just found it on youtube, and was amazed by the harmonica playing. It sounds like Rhythm Willie--he's the only harmonica player I've heard from around that time with this kind of sound. There's some really good uptown guitar playing, too. I suspect Peetie Wheatstraw only sang on the cut, since the piano is not doing the thing he always did when he played piano. Any information on the personnel is much appreciated as will be help with the tagline of the next-to-last verse. Here is "You Can't Stop Me From Drinking":



INTRO

You can't stop me from drinkin', it ain't no use to try
You can't stop me from drinkin', it ain't no use to try
Because the way you treated me, hoo-hoo-well-well, I'm gonna drink until I die

You can't stop me from running around, also from havin' my balls
You can't stop me from running around, also from havin' my balls
Because I am tired, hoo-well-well, of the other man kickin' in my stall

HARMONICA SOLO

You can't stop me from talkin', to the brown walk up, down the street
You can't stop me from talkin' to the brown that walk up and down the street
Because you are chasin' these babies, hoo-well, like a policeman on his beat

You can't stop me from drinkin', whenever I feel so blue
You can't stop me from drinkin', whenever I feel so blue
If you ever have been mistreated, hoo-well-well, you will be drankin' [sic] too

Edited 9/30 to pick up corrections from harry

All best,
Johnm





 

[Blues Vintage]

September 14, 1939
Chicago, Illinois

Peetie Wheatstraw, vocals
Unknown, piano
Rhythm Willie' (Willie Hood), harmonica
Prob. Lonnie Johnson, guitar
Unknown, drums

I think it's hoo-hoo-well-well every third line not hoo-hoo-well-babe.
Because you have chasin' me baby, hoo-well, like a policeman on his beat