Topic: Delia

[NevadaPic]

Are the versions of Delia, audio or video?

Andrew,

They are audio only unfortunately, but Ernie does a good video job of playing and teaching as always.

Pic

[uncle bud]

One early version of Delia just came around in itunes. It's Reese Du Pree's "One More Rounder Gone", recorded 7 February 1924. Du Pree sounds like a vaudeville or theatre singer, and the guitar accompaniment is not typical of the blues, rather chordal and more jazz-like in approach. Melodically the version has at least some similarities with Frankie and Albert/Johnny.

[JohnLeePimp]

Well this is what Rev. Davis said in an interview - which would mean it's a pretty old song.
 
Q: Who was one of the first bluesmen you heard?

A: A fellow named Porter Irving. He played that song about "Delia." He was born in South Carolina from where I come from.

Old sow woke up one morning, found all her pigs dead.
Old sow said to the bull, run! we?re bound to move our bed.
All the friends I had are gone.

Oh Delia, why don?t you run,
Here comes that sheriff with a 44 Gatlin? gun.
All the friends I had are gone.

Take old Delia to the cemetery, bring me a rubber tired hack.
Put her in the ground, poor girl, she could never get back.
All the friends I had are gone.

[RB]

I'd just like to mention, having visited in Savannah last year in March and having looked up the address of 113 Ann Street there on MapQuest just now that I can't make sense of the two addresses cited the Garst article cited in the first post initiating this discussion, as there is no Harrison Street presently near Ann, which is a north-south street in the western part of the city (I probably drove on it last year), the only Harrison street at present is way over in the east. 

I don't know how this fits in with the Garst research but thought I'd mention it.  I liked Savannah (and drove nearly to Statesboro, as I had an aquaintance out in the country near there, in Brooklet).

[joebanjo]

Here is my transcription of Reese Du Pree's version--has anyone found any other versions of Delia that pre-date McTell's? Or, do you know of any other versions collected by folklorists that we could add here for (at least) comparing the lyrics?

?One More Rounder Gone? Reese Du Pree ? 7 February 1924

Delia Brown lived down in a Georgia town
His man was jealous of her as a dog is of his bone.
He called her rough and ready [lumber to her o?er the telephone]

Tell me, tellin? me Delia?how can it be?
You said that you love another man, and you don?t love me.
Well they?ll be one more rounder gone.

I ain?t no bully, I sure don?t like to fight.
But there?s one thing I?m just crazy about:
A little lovin every night.
Cause that rounder got my gal and gone.

I?m goin down to the levy pool room,
I?m gonna grab myself a cue.
And if I find that rounder
I?m gonna try him out of [hue]
Cause that rounder got my gal and gone.

I went to the city
To buy myself some meat and meal,
Come back and found that rounder
And my sweet Delia huggin? in the field.
Cause that rounder got my gal and gone.

I?m gonna buy myself a shotgun,
Just as high as I am tall,
I?m gonna kill that rounder,
I?m gonna ride that cannon ball
Cause that rounder got my gal and gone.


Let me know if I got any of these wrong! Thanks,

joebanjo

[jphauser]

Here is my transcription of Reese Du Pree's version--has anyone found any other versions of Delia that pre-date McTell's? Or, do you know of any other versions collected by folklorists that we could add here for (at least) comparing the lyrics?

The book The Rose and the Briar has a discography in chronological order which includes 4 versions (Du Pree's is one of them) recorded prior to McTell's.  Hopefully, clicking on this link will get you to the list.

http://books.google.com/books?id=9z0vJTHfoCAC&pg=PT310&lpg=PT310&dq=%22jimmy+gordon%22+dehlia&source=bl&ots=E_AKirGqhC&sig=AgYNuDythHpnr2sg7cco2OclFHM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=R4u_UpHCOaPu2gW-sIDwBw&ved=0CDUQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=%22jimmy%20gordon%22%20dehlia&f=false

The book mentions that parts of "Frankie and Johnny/Albert" have been "absorbed" into different versions of Delia.  I've also seen the verse about the rubber-tired buggy and graveyard in versions of "Stagolee."

Jim