Topic: Robert Johnson lyrics

[Johnm]

Hi Harry,
In the second and fourth lines of the first verse, I believe that he is singing,

  1.2  Know BY that
  1.4 But you know BY that

That's how he knows he has the Walking Blues--by the fact that he woke up feeling around for his shoes.
   
   

[Blues Vintage]

Thanks for the suggestion John. Possibly. It's very hard to hear the difference but I think I leave it like this.

[Johnm]

I'm pretty sure it's "by", Harry. There is no hard "t" sound as there would be with "'bout", before "that" in either line. Robert Johnson's vowel sound is a little funny the second time, but I reckon it's "by".

[Prof Scratchy]

Definitely ‘know by that’ IMO.

[banjochris]

Definitely ‘know by that’ IMO.

I agree. Also that last vocal aside I'm pretty sure is "Oh, honey" instead of "All my life."

Chris

[Blues Vintage]

Alright, I made the corrections. Thanks all.

[Blues Vintage]

Phonograph Blues (Take 1)


Robert Johnson – Vocals, Guitar

November 23, 1936
San Antonio, Texas

Standard tuning, A position





Beatrice, she got a phonograph, and it won't say a lonesome word
Beatrice, she got a phonograph, but it won't say a lonesome word
What evil have I done, what evil has the poor girl heard

Beatrice, I love my phonograph, but you have broke my windin’ chain
Beatrice, I love my phonograph, hoo, honey, I’ve broke my windin’ chain
And you've taken my lovin’, and give it to your other man

Now, we played it on the sofa now, we played it ‘side the wall, my needles have got rusty baby, they will not play at all
We played it on the sofa, and we played it 'side the wall
But my needles have got rusty, and it will not play at all

Beatrice, I go crazy, baby, I will lose my mind
And I go crazy, honey, I will lose my mind
Why’n’t ya bring your clothes back home, and try me one more time

She got a phonograph, and it won't say a lonesome word
She got a phonograph, hoo, won't say a lonesome word
What evil have I done, or what evil have the poor girl heard

[Johnm]

Thanks for posting that, Harry, it sounds spot on to me.
All best,
Johnm

[Sunflower]

Hi everybody, I ve been working on Robert Johnson 's  Stones in my Passway  and  trying to understand a word of the last phrase

The phrase is the final one
Lyrics on line :
I ve been feeling ashamed 'bout my rider , babe  I'm booked and I got to go

What I hear is  :

I m guilty and ashamed  'bout  my  rider ,babe  I'm booked and I got to go.

I hear clearly the AND  before ashamed  and also I can hear the consonants in the word guilty  or another similar word  maybe.

[waxwing]

Hi Sunflower,

This was discussed starting on page 1 of this topic.

I hear: "I been feelin' 'shamed 'bout my rider"

I think it's important to transcribe it as " feelin' " instead of " feeling " because the truncated version is pronounced more like ' fee-lan ' or ' fee-len ' which I think is the 'an' sound you are hearing. Pronouncing the g changes the pronunciation of the sound to 'ing' with a short 'i' sound. The dropped 'g' is ubiquitous in the blues.

Wax

[Sunflower]

Thanks Waxwing , yes sure about the dropped g in the word feeling.
But you know since English is not my language, of course is not always easy to understand

Anyway  the phrase " I m guilty and ashamed bout my rider"   is it  correct?? It seems correct to me but I m not 100% sure  I mean grammatically

I was thinking that Robert did something bad  to his gal (maybe he went with another one )and so he was guilty  and ashamed of her.

But probably as you said he was singing  "I been feelin' ashamed 'bout my rider"

[Blues Vintage]

32-20 Blues


Robert Johnson – Vocals, Guitar

November 26, 1936 
San Antonio, Texas

A Position
Standard Tuning





INTRO

I send for my baby, and she don’t come
I send for my baby, man, and she don’t come
All the doctors in Hot Springs, sure can’t help her none

And if she gets unruly, thinks she don’t wan’ do
If she gets unruly and thinks she don’t wan’ do
Take my 32-20 now and cut her half in two

She got a .38 special but I b’lieve it’s most too light
She got a .38 special but I b’lieve it’s most too light
I got a 32-20 got to make the camps* alright

I send for my baby, man, and she don’t come
I send for my baby, man, and she don’t come
All the doctors in Hot Springs, sure can’t help her none

I’m gonna shoot my pistol gonna shoot my Gatling gun
I’m gonna shoot my pistol got to shoot my Gatling gun
You made me love you, now your man have come

Aah, baby, where you stay last night?
Aah, baby, where you stayed last night?
You got the hair all tangled and you ain’t talkin’ right

Her .38 special, boys, it do very well
Her .38 special, boys, it do very well
I got a 32-20 now and it’s a burnin’ #

If I send for my baby, man, and she don’t come
I send for my baby, man, and she don’t come
All the doctors in Wisconsin sure can’t help her none

Hey hey, baby, where you stay last night?
Hey hey, baby, where you stay last night?
You didn’t come home until the sun was shinin’ bright

Aah, boys, I just can't take my rest
Aah, boys, I just can't take my rest
With this 32-20 layin’ up and down my breast


* Possibly "caps" was intended.
# “Hell” 

Source; Skip James, "22-20 Blues"

[Johnm]

Hi Blues Vintage,
In verse three tagline, it is "got to make the caps all right". "Caps" are ammunition.

[waxwing]

"Camps" sounds spot on to me, Blues Vintage. I hear the 'm' clearly. He is referring to making the work camps and hobo camps feel safe.

Wax

[Blues Vintage]

I always heard it as "camps" and I still think it is. Robert changed a few words in his version. 
I always figured that Robert, being a itinerant musician, carried his 32-20 from town to town (and the Mississippi Delta Levee Camps) for decent protection. Just like Wax said.

I know Skip James sang "caps".
https://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=1412.msg87164#msg87164