Topic: Memphis Jug Band Lyrics

[uncle bud]

I had been sort of hearing "ropes" and "okra", which turns out to be a phrase meaning give a good beating. So Hattie says, "Whup it till it ropes like okra now."

Maybe Dom is saying okra as well? Haven't heard their version.

Thanks for all the other suggestions, will listen some more and update.

Edit: Just noticed thickpete was already suggesting this, missed that post somehow. I think you're right, pete.

[thickpete]

I'm not enough of a blues head much less learned like so many of the smart folks here - but if "ropes like okra" really is a phrase from back then I'd bet a lot that's what she's singing. Fits the dirty context perfectly. (For those who never cook okra turns into a yummy gummy mess when beaten and warmed up just right) I love it! lol

[Gumbo]

Maybe Dom is saying okra as well? Haven't heard their version.

Dom definitely says Oprah - it was live at the Will Shade Tribute in '08 and I think they enjoyed messing with the phonological ambiguity

So Ropes like Okra is some kind of culinary innuendo?

[uncle bud]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I've incorporated most of them. Line 2.2 is still mysterious. I added another mostly phonetic, non-sensical phrase in case it jars anything loose.

[dj]

Could line 2.2 be "Ah there's no WORLD o' rushing. Your daddy can ease your pain with ease/these", with "world" sounding more like "wild"?

Also, given the sexual double entendre in the lyric, I think "ease your pain with ease" makes more sense than "ease your pain with these".

[LucyStag]

I've been doing a college Old Time (etc) radio show, and this thread is about fourth time in as many weeks that my bacon was saved with old time lyrics I couldn't find elsewhere. Good people!

Good song, too.

I didn't notice its dirtiness at first, of course.

[thickpete]

Welcome Lucy!

All lyrics searches lead to this site it seems. Any chance your show is streamed/podcasted for those curious?

And FWIW - always assume dirty first and you'll be right more often than not! 

[LucyStag]

Thanks! And yes, assumption of dirtiness is a great life rule.

Show streams on Wednesdays at 3 pm, but I shamefully violate genre and play punk rock, too. Dunno if y'all would run me out of town.

[Gumbo]

Hi Lucy
That's a curious notion. Do any weenie's run?
 
Tis good to see you here.

[thickpete]

I shamefully violate genre and play punk rock, too. Dunno if y'all would run me out of town.

Personally I don't know what genres mean except as marketing devices and like all my music as street-oriented, DIY, and punk as possible. I'd rather listen to crusties picking these old songs on the street and making new lyrics than some reverential virtuosic recreation in a rich man's concert hall. Probably that's a minority view here but the range of tastes and opinions seems broad and folks are very helpful and friendly. Hang out awhile!

[LucyStag]

I shamefully violate genre and play punk rock, too. Dunno if y'all would run me out of town.

Personally I don't know what genres mean except as marketing devices and like all my music as street-oriented, DIY, and punk as possible. I'd rather listen to crusties picking these old songs on the street and making new lyrics than some reverential virtuosic recreation in a rich man's concert hall. Probably that's a minority view here but the range of tastes and opinions seems broad and folks are very helpful and friendly. Hang out awhile!

Yeah. I dig ya in style. My musical progression went from Alision Krause as a seven year old, to rock, to folk, to punk, and then my love of punk brought me to Old Crow Medicine Show, and then there was my road to string bands and country blues and old time. I'll offer up a link when I introduce myself properly, which I should.

Hi!

[Fkeller]

Resurrecting this thread to see if I can decipher a couple questionable lines in Stovepipe #1 and David Crockett's version of this.  Thanks!



Here's what I have so far:

And I went upstairs about 4:00
I rapped on the door and my door was locked
Peeped through the crack and my b--??  was gone
I caught another mule kicking in my stall
I catch another mule kicking in my stall
Baby want to tear it down

Ah I'm gonna tear it down (bed, slats and all)
Gonna tear it down (bed, slats and all)
Gonna tear it down (bed, slats and all)
Gonna tear it down (bed, slats and all)
Catch another mule kickin' in my stall
Baby want to tear it down

I had a gal and she name was eve
Everytime I slapped her she would holler police
She cooked them biscuits, cooked em brown
A   she's a working when she's a turning a round
I'm gonna tear it down (bed, slats and all)
Gonna tear it down (bed, slats and all)
When you catch another mule kicking' in your stall
Baby want to tear it down


Told my gal the week before last
I had the
I went to the river take my rocking chair
The blues overtake me rock away from here
Catch another mule kicking in my stall
Baby want to tear it down

Ah tear it down (bed, slats and all)
I'm gonna tear it down (bed, slats and all)
I'm gonna tear it down (bed, slats and all)
I'm gonna tear it down (bed, slats and all)
When you catch another mule kickin' in your stall
Baby want to tear it down

doodle ooh etc etc

I went upstairs about 4:00
I rapped on the door and the door was locked
I peeped through the crack and my good gal's gone
I caught another mule kicking in my stall
When you catch another mule kicking in your stall
Baby want to tear it down

I'm gonna tear it down (bed, slats and all)
Gonna tear it down (bed, slats and all)
Gonna tear it down (bed, slats and all)
I want to tear it down (bed, slats and all)
When you catch another mule kickin' in my stall
Baby want to tear it down

Tear it down (bed, slats and all)
Gonna tear it down (bed, slats and all)
I want to tear it down (bed, slats and all)
I want to tear it down (bed, slats and all)
When you catch another mule kickin' in my stall
Baby want to tear it down

Told my gal the week before last
The
I went to the river take my rocking chair
The blues overtake me rock away from here
Catch another mule kicking in my stall
I just want to tear it down

[Johnm]

Hi all,
It turned out that there were five different lyric threads devoted to Memphis Jug Band songs, making them a good candidate for a merged lyric thread.  Here it is.
All best,
Johnm

[slezakjosef]

Hello,
please do you guys have lyrics of this song?
I've done research on this forum and internet but can't find anything.
It's hard to understand the song from the recording.



Josef

[joebanjo]

Here is my transcription, I welcome corrections anyone can provide:

"You Got Me Rollin"
Memphis Jug Band

You got me rollin mama, I don?t know how come
You want me to roll from sun to sun.
You got me rollin mama, I don?t know how come
You must want me to roll from sun to sun.

I rolled in the summer, I rolled all fall
Winter is here you don?t want no rollin at all.
I rolled in the summer, and I rolled all fall
Now winter is here you don?t want no rollin at all.

If I had strings and a carpet sack?
I know by that I would get my baby back
If I had strings and a carpet sack?
I would know by that I could get my baby back.

Squeeze me til I get as little as a gnat,
Mama, then I?ll bite like a cat.
Squeeze me til I get as little as a gnat,
Squeeze me baby, til I bite like a cat.