Topic: Miller's Breakdown

[Johnm]

Hi all,
It appears that everyone who wanted to respond to the Big Bill Broonzy puzzlers has done so by now, so I'll post the answers.

For "Mistreating Mama":
   * His playing position/tuning was C position in standard tuning as banjochris had it.
   * The song, musically, is essentially a transposed version of "How Do You Want It Done?", as blueshome and banjochris noted.  The earlier song was flat-picked out of the G position in standard tuning.

For "I Can't Be Satisfied":
   * The playing position/tuning for both guitarists was D position in standard tuning, as blueshome and banjochris had it.
   * The double stops with which Bill Broonzy opened the song were fretted at the fifth fret of the first string and sixth fret (bent) of the second string, resolving down to the second fret of the first string and the third fret (unbent) of the second string.  It seems possible that Broonzy simply moved his D position up the neck three frets for the first double stop and returned it to its position at the base of the neck for the second double stop.  Alternatively, he may have just fretted the first two strings.
   * The run that Bill Broonzy played in the eleventh bar of the open solo goes like this:  On 1 +, Broonzy went from the open fourth string to the third fret of the fourth string.  On beat two, he played a triplet, pulling off from the second fret of the fourth string to the open fourth string and then resolving down to the second fret of the fifth string.  On 3 +, he struck the open fifth string twice.  On 4 +, he went from the second fret of the fifth string to the fourth fret of the fifth string.  It's a pretty spiffy run.

For "Starvation Blues":
   * His playing position/tuning was A position in standard tuning as all who responded had it--well done!
   * His V7 chord in his opening solo, E7, was fretted just as Old Man Ned described it in his first option.  0-2-0-1-3-0, with the first string also being fretted at the fourth fret.
   * Big Bill fretted his IV chord, from 1:07--1:11 as Old Man Ned had it, as well, 7-5 on the second string going to the first string, while occasionally also fretting the bent eighth fret of the first string.  It's a D fingering that John Hurt and Buddy Moss both especially liked and used a lot, too.
Big Bill also recorded an altogether different "Starvation Blues" which I'm sure a number of you are familiar with that he played out of E position in standard tuning.

I wanted to feature Big Bill's flat-picking because it's a technique at which he excelled, and which he used a lot when playing with pianists in the '30s and '40s, I think.  I think the use of a flat pick in blues guitar has been relatively unexamined, and there are plenty of instances, particularly in back-up guitar, where I think it works especially well.

Thanks to Old Man Ned, blueshome and banjochris for participating, and I hope folks enjoyed the songs.  I will look for some more puzzlers to post soon.

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I was wondering if anyone knew who the pianist was who accompanied Big Bill on "Starvation Blues" in the most recent puzzler.  Thanks for any help with this.
All best,
Johnm

[eric]

John,

No joy from DGR; piano noted as unknown.  Black Bob was was noted as prob. on piano on his next sessions but the those sessions weeks later.

[Johnm]

Thanks for giving it a shot, Eric.  I know Big Bill recorded with Black Bob a fair amount, but I'm not familiar enough with his playing to venture a probable ID of him based just on the sound of the playing.  Nothing wrong with putting "unknown pianist" in Weeniepedia!
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
It's been a while since I posted some new puzzlers.  The first one I'd like to do this time is from Snooks Eaglin, and is his rendition of "I Must See Jesus".  Here it is:



INTRO

I have heard so much of Jesus,
He's the Man of Galilee. 
How He left His home in Glory,
Just to set us sinners free. 
So I decided that I'll follow
In His footsteps, all the way. 
Whoa, I must, I must see Jesus
For myself again.

I must, I must see Jesus
For myself someday

I'm gonna tell Him 'bout my trouble
As it goes down through the years
Ooo, so I decided that I will follow
In His footsteps all the way,
Mmm, I must, I must see Jesus
For myself someday

I must, I must see Jesus
For myself someday

I'm gonna tell Him 'bout my trouble
As I go down through the years
So I decided that I will follow
In His footsteps all the way
Whoa, I must, I must see Jesus
For myself someday
 
The questions on "I Must See Jesus" are:
   * What playing position/tuning did Snooks Eaglin use to play the song?
   * What are the first seven chords that Snooks plays in his intro, named relative to his playing position?
   * What meter/time signature does Snooks use to play "I Must See Jesus"?

The second puzzler is from Willie (not William) Moore, and it is his version of "Goin' Away To Leave You", taken from the Flyright album, "Another Man Done Gone".  Here is Willie Moore's performance:



INTRO SOLO

Goin' away to leave you, just to wear you off my mind
Goin' away to leave you, just to wear you off my mind
Leavin' here walkin', holdin' my hands and cryin'

Baby, why did you leave me, tell me why did you go away?
Tell me, why did you leave me, tell me, why you go away?
Lord, you leave me here worried with my poor heart to stay

SOLO

Lord, it won't be long, gal, before I'll be gone
Lord, it won't be long, gal, before I'll be gone
Lord, I'm just hangin' around, try to hang on (Spoken:  That's it)

The questions on "Goin' Away To Leave You" are:
   * What playing position/tuning did Willie Moore use to play the song?
   * Where did Willie Moore fret his IV chord from :12--:16?
   
The third puzzler is from Joe Callicott, his version of "Lost My Money In Jim Kinnane's"  Here it is:



(Spoken:  You get out of here!)

INTRO SOLO

I lost my money in the Jim Kinnane
I lost my money in the Jim Kinnane

Well, the big black nigger done stole it all
And he don't even, to want me to squall

Well, I lost my money in the Jim Kinnane
Everyone, people ask me to hand them their hands

Uh, what's the matter now?
Tryin' to quit me, quit me and you don't know how

Well, I'm goin' to the station goin' hang up my sign
Gonna flag that train if he's on the blind

Well, I walked that road and I walked it slow
I'm gon' walk it this time and never walk it no more

And I walked and I walked 'til I got to the door
Well, I told 'em my name was Joe-Joe-Joe

Well, I lost my money in Jim Kinnane's
Well, I let you know that I was to blame

Well, I shot my dice, and I shot 'em twice
Pull up the .45, they want to take my wife

Well, I danced by the guy that want to buy my wife
Well, how can I pay 'im when he totin' a .45?

I mmmmmmm, got to go
Well, mmmmmmm, got to go

Well, they invite me kindly down and put me out the door
And the one thing, baby, ain't gonna do it no more

SOLO

Well, I'm gettin' on out, ain't gonna raise no fuss
Well, I tried to do right, and then I know my stuff

Well, I goin' up the hill and the singletree broke
Well, they come to find out it was the wagon spoke

Well-a, you take Sal and I'll take Sue
I'll tell you just what a party we'll do

Got me mean, treat me mean
Treat me mean, treat me mean

Treat me mean, treat me mean

Well, they give me my meals, my house ain't never clean,
Treat me mean

Well, I'm goin' down the hill and keep from fall
Don't you never think, partner, a woman love you a' 'tall

When you come to find out, she got someone in your stall
On the out days, partner, say she's pitchin' a ball

Treat me mean, treat me mean
Treat me mean, baby, treat me mean

Treat me mean, baby, treat me mean
Doin' me wrong, baby, you're doin' me wrong

Well, I love you, any way you do
Well I'm tryin' to make you love me, break my back in two

Well, there's bound to be something wrong wit' you
I lost my money in Jim Kinnane
Well, I lost my money in Jim Kinnane

The questions on "Lost My Money In Jim Kinnane's" are:
   * What playing position/tuning did Joe Callicott use to play the song?
   * Where did Joe fret what he plays from :38--:44?
   * What chord that normally appears in a blues is missing from "Lost My Money In Jim Kinnane's"?

Please use only your ears and your instruments to arrive at your answers, and please don't post any answers before 8:00 AM your time on Thursday, February 2.  Thanks for participating and I hope you enjoy the performances.

All best,
Johnm   

[Prof Scratchy]

I?m very uncertain about the Snooks one but here goes:


The questions on "I Must See Jesus" are:
   * What playing position/tuning did Snooks Eaglin use to play the song? - C standard on a 12 string
   * What are the first seven chords that Snooks plays in his intro, named relative to his playing position? C C7 F Fm C Am G7
   * What meter/time signature does Snooks use to play "I Must See Jesus"? 3/4?


The questions on "Goin' Away To Leave You" are:
   * What playing position/tuning did Willie Moore use to play the song? E tuned low
   * Where did Willie Moore fret his IV chord from :12--:16?  x5x650
   

The questions on "Lost My Money In Jim Kinnane's" are:
   * What playing position/tuning did Joe Callicott use to play the song? - G standard
   * Where did Joe fret what he plays from :38--:44? - He moves his first position G shape up to the 7th fret and rocks back to 5th fret - he does this four times
   * What chord that normally appears in a blues is missing from "Lost My Money In Jim Kinnane's"? -lV chord

[Old Man Ned]

I've been struggling a bit with Snooks Eaglin's 'I Must See Jesus'.  I'm also hearing in C standard and say 3/4 time but not that confident about the first 7 chords.  Sure they start with C C7 and finish with G7 but struggling with the 4 chords in between.

Also agree with Prof Scratchy's responses on Joe Callicot's  "Lost My Money In Jim Kinnane's" but Willie Moore's "Goin' Away To Leave You" I'm hearing out Dropped D and hearing his IV chord as XXX430.

[banjochris]

Agree with Professor Scratchy on these, except I think on Snooks' tune the first 7 chords are:
C E7 Am D G D7 G
it sounds to me like the same chord progression as the end of "Maxwell's Silver Hammer"!

also I would suggest 12/8 for the time signature on that one.
Chris

[lindy]

I'm only going to respond to one question, Snooks' time signature.

Something tells me that this is a trick question, that it's really just good 'ol 4/4.

Lindy

[waxwing]

As Lindy, just the rhythm question. To me it has a 6/8 feel from the changes, which works out to a 32 bar pop tune format. [Edit to add] If I counted correctly in one pass.

Wax

[Pan]

Agreed with the professor on C standard on Snooks' tune. And with Chris on the 12/8 time signature.

I hear the intro chords like this: C - E7 - Am - C7 - F - F#dim7 - G7.

Cheers,

Pan

[blueshome]

With the Prof on Snooks
Willie I gert Drop D
Joe Callicot - sounds like the C progression used by the barber William Moore and by Big Bill with the IV chord missing.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
It looks like everyone who had intended to respond to the most recent set of puzzlers has done so by now, so I'll post the answers.

For Snooks Eaglin's "I Must See Jesus":
   * His playing position/tuning was C position in standard tuning, as everyone who responded to that question had it.
   * His progression in the first seven chords is exactly as Pan had it:  C-E7-Am-C7-F-F#dim7-G7, with the G7 being held for two beats.  What makes Snooks' playing of the progression so special is that he voices the E7 over B in the bass and the C7 over G in the bass so that he gets a descending bass line, C-B-A-G-F, then the F# voiced on the first string followed briefly on the sixth string, concluding with the F# on the first string resolving down to F and the F# on the sixth string resolving up into G.
   * For Snooks' meter, I'm going to agree with Wax on 6/8, mostly because of the rate at which the chords change and how it plays out in the form.  A case could be made for 12/8, which Chris and Pan had, too.  In either meter, what you end up with is a duple meter with each beat having an underlying triplet.  This song was reminding me of another as I listened to it, and I realized it was the old Soul ballad, "The Great Pretender", which is similarly in 6/8.  Here is the progression for Snooks' first pass through the form:

   |    C    |    C    |    C    |  Am7   |

   |   D7   |    G    |  C  F  |   C7     |

   |    F    |    F     |    C   |  Am7   |

   |   D7   |   D7   |    G   |    G7    |

   |    C    |    C    |    C    |    C7   |

   |    F    |    F    |    F     |   Fm   |

   |  C  C7 |   F    | C   E7 |    Am   |

   |    D7   |   G7  |  C   F  |   C7    |, followed by

Chorus wind-up:

   |   F     | F#dim7 | C   F  |   C  Am7  |

   |    D7   |    G7    |   C      |    G7    |

This works out to a 32-bar form with an 8-bar tag.  Every subsequent pass through the form shortens it in different ways.  This is such a pretty song, and it is a model of concision in the left hand of the guitar.  Snooks played the entire, pretty complex progression, without every venturing above the third fret!

For Willie Moore's "Going Away To Leave You":
   * His playing position/tuning was E position in standard tuning.  It really does sound like dropped-D tuning at the beginning of the rendition especially, but at the :16 mark, right after the IV chord in the next question, Willie Moore plays the index hammer to the first fret of the third string that is a prime identifier of E position in standard tuning.
   * For his IV chord from :12--:16, Willie Moore was living on the top three strings, playing 6-5-0, going from the third string to the first.  This is essentially what Prof Scratchy had, minus the bass strings.

For Joe Callicott's "Lost My Money In Jim Kinnane's"
   * His playing position/tuning was G position in standard tuning, as Prof Scratchy and Old Man Ned had it.
   * Joe Callicott fretted the passage from :38--:44 exactly as Prof Scratchy described it, moving his G chord up the neck intact and rocking between the 7th and fifth frets on the first and sixth strings four times.  It's a great example of the melody taking the bass for a ride.
   * The chord that the song lacks which is normally found in blues is the IV chord, which I think everyone who responded to identified correctly.  The lack of the IV chord, gives the song more of a pre-blues sound I think, and despite the lyrics, it really sounds like a children's song.
I feel about Joe Callicott's singing the way Miles Davis characterized Joao Gilberto's singing:  "I'd listen to him sing the phone book!"

Thanks to all who participated, and I hope folks enjoyed the songs.  I'll look for some more puzzlers to post soon.

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
It seems like it's about time for another set of puzzlers, so here goes.  The first puzzler is from Peetie Wheatstraw, and is his "Long Time Ago Blues".  Here it is:



INTRO

It was one mornin', long time ago
Mmm-hmm, well, brown, said, a long time ago
Well, day I got in trouble, hmm well, brown, babe, and I've gotta go

I gotta leave here, now I can't stay here no more
Hoo-hoo, fair brown, sayin' I can't stay here no more
Well, they have trouble, they have got me, hmm-well, Lord, and I gotta go

Ain't it hard to have your 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 got in trouble, hmm, well, 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 morntin', mama, and 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
Hmm-mmm well, know 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

The questions on "Long Time Ago Blues" are:
   * What playing position/tuning did Peetie Wheatstraw use to play the song?
   * Where did Peetie Wheatstraw fret the fill he plays from :43--:45?
   * What chord normally played in a blues is omitted by Peetie Wheatstraw in "Long Time Ago Blues?

The second song is from Big Charley Bradix, his "Numbered Days", from 1951.  Here it is:



INTRO

My days numbered here, babe, I ain't gon' be here long
My days are numbered, babe, I ain't gon' be here long
Well, I'm leavin' here now, people, want my baby to follow on

This old town has done got funny, seem like hard luck is fallin' on me
Yes, this old town has got funny, seem like hard luck is falling on me
I've heard of a place called Happiness, and now I'm goin' to see

SOLO

Don't cry, please, babe, honey, after I'm gone
Don't cry, baby, honey, after I'm gone
Just get your business fixed, and try to follow on

The questions on "Numbered Days" are:
   * What playing position/tuning is being used by the lead guitarist?
   * Where does the lead guitarist fret the opening phrase, from :00--:04?
   * Charley Bradix's phrasing on "Numbered Days" is most often ___________.  (Fill in the blank.)

The third song is Willie Trice's "Three Little Kitten Rags".  Here it is:



(Spoken:  Once there was three little kitten.  They was out playin' and they lost their mittens, whilst their mother was preparin' a pie.  So when they went back and told their mother, and they was begin to cry, says, uh, "Mother, we lost our mittens."  And she says, "Oh my, you'll get no pie until you find those mittens."  So the little kitten was hungry, they started out.)

GUITAR INSTRUMENTAL

(Spoken:  So they went back and told their mama, says, "Mother, we have found our mittens."  Says, "Now, little kittens, you shall have some pie."  So they set down and they ate the pie.  Then they afterwards said they go on out and have a nice time, so the old boss kitten said, "Let's go out and have a party."  So here they went, down across the field.)

GUITAR INSTRUMENTAL

(Spoken:  Old boss kitten just keep a-goin' now.)

GUITAR INSTRUMENTAL

(Spoken:  Says, now the old boss though he would sing a good song for 'em, now.)

GUITAR INSTRUMENTAL

(Spoken:  That was the end of the cat family.)

The questions on "Three Little Kitten Rags" are:
   * What playing position/tuning did Willie Trice use to play the tune?
   * Where did Willie Trice fret what he played over his IV chord, from :29--:35 and elsewhere in the course of the song?

Please use only your ears and instruments to arrive at your answers, and please don't post any answers before 8:00 AM your time on Tuesday, February 14.  Thanks for participating and I hope you enjoy the songs.

All best,
Johnm

 

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Any takers on the Peetie Wheatstraw, Charley Bradix and Willie Trice puzzlers?  Answer as few of the questions as you wish.  come one, come all!
All best,
Johnm