Topic: J.T."Funny Papa" Smith's Lyrics

[GhostRider]

I think it's "It won't be long before the break o' day..." with "the" pronounced "dee". 

dj:

I hear "It wont be long, befare de breaky day" Sounds like he was drunk.

I'm sure your hearing is what he meant to say.

Thanks, I'll make the change.

Alex

[GhostRider]

Before Long

11) Ain't like I treated you to dog me all the time.
Look like it do you good somebody, (the same one that) saw me cryin'

This verse is a mess but I think I'm hearing the word "mistreated" in line 1. In line 2, I am almost hearing the word "hesitate" as in "hesitate an' saw me cryin'". Whatever that means!

In Verse 11 I think mistreated is right in the first line, but I'm not sure about hesitate.

I've listened to this Verse 11 until I'm blue in the ears. I hear:
"Seem like I 'streated you to dog me all the time.
Look like it do you good somebody, the same one that saw me cryin'"

There is a skip in the 78 (which isn't in good shape anyway) right at the word "one".

This is the best I can do. Anyone else?

Alex

[ArthurBlake]

Howdy:

Wiskeyhead Blues was recorded in March 1931, at the start of FPS's second last 1931 recording session. Obviously FPS spells as well as he tunes his guitar.

This tune has been previously discussed in the "Adventures in Crossnote" thread where Unkie Bud determined the tune was played out of Open Em tuning.

http://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?amp;Itemid=83&topic=648.0

The instrumental introduction has an weird, minor sounding feeling.

If your ever asked to play a song about drinkin', choose this one.

Hopefully Unkie Bud can fill us in on the tricks of playing this.

An .mp3 of this tune is attached to one of the posts in the above referenced thread

Wiskeyhead Blues
1931
Crossnote tuning, Key of E

Instrumental introduction

1) I was woke up this mornin' by taste of gasoline. (x2)
But when I woke up I found out wasn't nothin' but my whiskey dream.

2) I drink so much whiskey, it's a wonder that I ain't dead (x2)
All around in my neibourhood the people call me a whiskeyhead.

3) I'm drunk Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, I'm drunk (Thursday) Friday and Saturday too. (x2)
And on Sunday I'm at church, but that ain't what I want to do.

4) You know how I am, you been known me a great long time. (x2)
You know I like my good lookin' women and I gotta have my moonshine.

5) I wished I had a drink this mornin', I ain't nothin' but a drunken slave. (x2)
Come on boys go bury me, 'cus I'm goin' dig my grave.

6) Now the fool that started me ta drinkin', I hope (that) he's dead and gone. (x2)
I hope to leave him in Whiskey Alley where ain't nothin down there but bottles and bones.

Coda

The last line of Verse 6 is terrific. FPS was a genius, how would one ever come up with stuff like this. A careful study of FPS tunes like this should be Blues Composition 101, IM(not so)HO.

Alex

Great, thanks for this, I decided today to try working this song out, got home and am not sure what this tuning was and also wanted to write down the lyrics so this has saved me a bit of time. I figured out the key was E easily enough but the intro suggested it wasn't quite standard tuning. Not sure of what the exact definition of "crossnote" tuning is. I have heard some describe Open E minor tuning was "crossnote" tuning but this week i discovered there is an E,A,E,G,B,E tuning and someone called this "crossnote" I have played a wee bit in the Open E or D minor tuning but never on this one. Is the the standard with the D string tuned up to E ? It makes sense that it is even though I have never played in the tuning.
                                                                            If someone can clear this up for me all well and good if not I am sure I will work it out. Cheers, thanks for a great thread, I know where I'll go next time I look for old blues lyrics.

[ScottN]

Hi Greg,

If you click on the link in the post you pasted, there is a good discussion of crossnote by John Miller in reply #14 in response to that question from reply #13.

Also, if you haven't checked out the weeniepedia resource yet, you really should.  Click on the weeniepedia quick menu on the left hand side of the page then click musicianship, click guitar, then click adventures in crossnote.

Also, explore weeniepedia for awhile as there are many great resources including links to lyrics organized both by song and by artist.

Thanks,
              Scott

[GhostRider]

Howdy:

You can imagine my delight when a new FP Smith recording was issued on the most recent Blues Images CD, "Old Rounder's Blues". The calendar notes state that this tune was recorded Oct 26, 1930. This would put the recording at about the same time as his "Hard Luck Man Blues",  c. Nov. 5, 1930. Interestingly HLMB was the only tune he recorded at this session, which is odd, could ORB be the other. Can anyone help me with this?

Old Rounder's Blues features a somewhat stylized version of FPS's standard accompaniment in A. Also unique is that he is accompanied by a piano and his guitar is in tune (!). The piano player makes his change to the IV chord in Bar 5 slightly after FPS does.

Here are the lyrics:

Old Rounders Blues
Funny Papa Smith
A position, Standard tuning
Capo 1

INTRO

And when a man gets worried and behind him a vacant space
When a man gets worried and behind him a vacant space
He will soon start driftin' and drift from place to place

I first started to driftin' with a  woman, wouldn't follow nobody else
When started driftin' with a woman I wouldn't follow nobody else
All out a fool and a friend who get out on the big road by myself

I learned to love her, she put me out to rob and steal
I learned to love her, she put me out to rob and steal
Then me on to penitentary and she's now making a speel.

I believe my woman must have a brand new man
I believe my woman must have a brand new man
"Cus she lays still while I'm lovin, I just have to do the best I can.

She's got wisdom in her hips and drawn' card in her face.
She's got wisdom in her hips and drawn' card in her face.
Here I am can't crank my motor, somebody got to take my place.

I got three women, they yellow, brown and black.
I got three women, they yellow, brown and black.
Got to feel for them at night, 'cus I don't know which one I like.

I love my yellow and A fool about my brown.
I love my yellow and I'm a fool about my brown.
Can't afford to mistreat by black woman 'cus she never have cut me down.

Short outro

No one can turn a phrase like Funny Papa Smith

Note: edited to incorporate Waxy's corrections below

Alex
(/)

[waxwing]

Hey Alex,

I figured you'd be excited by this. Here's the discography from JT Smith's earliest sessions from B&GR.

c. 18 Sept 1930 - Chicago - own guitar, unknown piano
C-6397-  Hobo Blues                 Vo unissued
C-6398-  Old Rounder's Blues     Vo unissued

Friday 19 Sept 1930 - Chicago - own guitar
C-6404-A   Howling Wolf Blues-No.1.      Vo 1558
C-6405-A   Howling Wolf Blues-No.2.      Vo 1558

c. 20 Sept 1930 - Chicago - own guitar
C-6408-     Heart Bleeding Blues      Vo 1590
C-6409-     Good Coffee Blues          Vo 1590

c. 26 Oct 1930 - Chicago - own guitar, unknown piano
C-6451-     Hobo Blues                    Vo 1582
C-6452-     Old Rounder's Blues       Vo 1582

c. 5 Nov 1930 - Chicago - own guitar
C-6494-A   Hard Luck Man Blues          Vo 1679
C-6495-     God BlessHer Sweetheart    unissued

His next session was in Jan 1931

There's a note after the 26 Oct 1930 entry that states: "Vocalion 1582 was probably either never issued, or was withdrawn immediately after issue." I don't know whether Tefteller has a copy of the issued disc or if it was never actually released, a test pressing. I guess in the second instance there would not be a copy of Hobo Blues on the reverse.

Wax

[waxwing]

Some  minor corrections and suggestions:

1.3  He will soon start to driftin' and drift from place to place

2.1  I FIRST STARTED DRIFTIN' WITH A woman, wouldn't follow nobody else
2.2  First started driftin' with a woman I wouldn't follow nobody else
2.3  ALL OUT A fool and a friend WHO get out on the big road by myself (?)

5.3  Here I am can't CRANK my motor, somebody got to take my place.

6.3  Got to feel for them at night, 'cus I don't know which one I LIKE (PRONOUNCED "LACK")

7.1  I love my yellow and A fool about my brown.
7.2  I love my yellow and I'M A fool about my brown.

Wax

[banjochris]

c. 18 Sept 1930 - Chicago - own guitar, unknown piano
C-6397-  Hobo Blues                 Vo unissued
C-6398-  Old Rounder's Blues     Vo unissued

c. 26 Oct 1930 - Chicago - own guitar
C-6451-     Hobo Blues                    Vo 1582
C-6452-     Old Rounder's Blues       Vo 1582
There's a note after the 26 Oct 1930 entry that states: "Vocalion 1582 was probably either never issued, or was withdrawn immediately after issue." I don't know whether Tefteller has a copy of the issued disc or if it was never actually released, a test pressing. I guess in the second instance there would not be a copy of Hobo Blues on the reverse.

Wax

If B&GR is right then it sounds like it's a test pressing of the unissued track rather than one side of Vo 1582, because of the piano. I haven't picked up my copy yet; need to do some Christmas shopping for myself
Chris

[waxwing]

Actually, my error. There was also an unknown piano on the c. 26 Oct. 1930 session. I'll correct my post.

Good catch, Chris. Sorry, working too fast.

Wax

[GhostRider]

Some  minor corrections and suggestions:

1.3  He will soon start to driftin' and drift from place to place

2.1  I FIRST STARTED DRIFTIN' WITH A woman, wouldn't follow nobody else
2.2  First started driftin' with a woman I wouldn't follow nobody else
2.3  ALL OUT A fool and a friend WHO get out on the big road by myself (?)

5.3  Here I am can't CRANK my motor, somebody got to take my place.

6.3  Got to feel for them at night, 'cus I don't know which one I LIKE (PRONOUNCED "LACK")

7.1  I love my yellow and A fool about my brown.
7.2  I love my yellow and I'M A fool about my brown.

Wax

Sorry to be late back to this. I like all these suggestions and have incorporated them above. Thanks.

alex

[Johnm]

Could you post an .mp3 of the tune, Alex? I don't have the Tefteller Calendar it's on and am not likely to get it. That last line of verse two seems a bit funny.
All best,
Johnm

[waxwing]

Relistening, in 3.3 I hear a slight change and a word dropped, which was probably a typo:

3.3 Send me on to penitentar' and she's out now making a spiel(sp)

2.3 is relatively clear and sounds pretty spot on to me. Except maybe a who'd instead of 'who', but that is very faint and pretty debatable. My (?) had to do more with meaning of what seems a dialectic idiom.

Wax

[Johnm]

I agree with the "who'd" you suggested as a possibility for 2.3, waxwing. I think the sense of the line may be that the opening "All out" refers to being out in the big world, the "fool" being Smith himself, the "friend" being Smith's woman companion, who would join him out on the road. "By myself" in this context means "by me" rather than "alone", I think.