There's some fellows - I shouldn't say nothing because I made some of those jive records, too - but they should have at least two meanings to what their song is. There is going to be little children hearing those songs, you know - Tampa Red, quoted in the liner notes to Don't Jive Me
I'm on one of my periodic Uncle Dave kicks and I would appreciate some help with these:
Backwater Blues
Spoken: Well good people, you know all water will put out fire, but when water backs up it makes you put out. Right up the mountain just like the old wreck of 97 going down the grade 90 miles an hour. Now we?re going to give you a little imitation of how that ol? train was a?going.
(plays instrumental excerpt of Wreck of the Old 97)
Spoken: Hot dog, I?m old but I?m round, here
Backwater?s up and the people are a running I?m going to the mountain and I?m going hunting Fare you well, oh my little darling Lord, lord, ain?t I gone
Oh my love, lonesome road Oh my love, lonesome wood
I love you and you can?t help it You love me but you won?t confess it No you don?t, oh my little darling Lord, lord, ain?t I gone
Oh my love, lonesome road Oh my love, lonesome wood
Two little children lying in the bed The water was rising over their head The mother?s uptown, they?se never found Lord, lord, wasn?t that sad Oh how bad, oh how sad
I heard a man talkin? to a fella The water was rising in his cellar Rising more, and a?coming through the floor Lord, lord, open the door
Oh my love, lonesome road Oh my love, lonesome wood
Nashville is a favorite town The backwater?s got us running around Lord have mercy, ain?t I gone Lord, lord, fare you well
Oh my love, lonesome road Oh my love, lonesome wood
(Edited to reflect suggestions from Banjochris)
« Last Edit: July 12, 2020, 10:47:36 PM by Johnm »
There are people in this world who will try to pull you down But I?se a going to glory to wear the starry crown It?s no matter what they do and say Going to fall on my knees and pray That the station will be changed after a while
Oh the station will be changed after a while When the lord himself shall come And the work on earth is done Well the station will be changed after a while
Oh the bible plainly tells you of that awful judgement day That awful day am coming and no matter where I be You may bury me in the ocean You may bury me in the sea But the station will be changed after a while
Oh the station will be changed after a while When the lord himself shall come And the work on earth is done For the station will be changed after a while
Oh the gospel train am coming and she?s running through the land King Jesus is the conductor and she always makes her time When she makes the station blow You better be ready to go Oh the station will be changed after a while
« Last Edit: July 12, 2020, 10:48:32 PM by Johnm »
Hi all, A little while ago, Lastfirstface alluded to Uncle Dave's "I've Got The Mourning Blues", often called "Morning Blues" by people covering the song, and I thought I'd give it a go, transcribing the lyrics. Sam McGhee accompanies Uncle Dave here, finger-picking out of Vestapol. This one qualifies as a great one-chord number. Some of these verse are omitted when the song is performed nowadays. My favorite line is "There stands a fellow over yonder, he looks just like he wants to ponder"--you'd be hard-pressed to find a better lyric than that! Here is the song:
INTRO SOLO
Been in business and I've been in love, I used to fly high like a turtle dove Had the blues a many a time, they're just a woman on a poor man's mind REFRAIN: I got the mourning blues, oh so bad Honey come and kiss me, they're the worst I've ever had
SOLO ON REFRAIN
Ashes to ashes and dust to dust, show me a woman that a man can trust Nickel's worth of grease and a dime's worth of lard, I would buy more, but the times is so hard REFRAIN: I got the mourning blues, oh so bad Honey come and kiss me, they're the worst I've ever had
SOLO ON REFRAIN
They ain't no use of me a-workin' so hard, for I got a woman in the white folks' yard She brings me meat and she brings me pie, I'm eatin' some of everything the white folks buy REFRAIN: I got the mourning blues, oh so bad Honey come and kiss me, they're the worst I've ever had
SOLO ON REFRAIN
She brings me chicken and she brings me cake, you just oughta see me lick that plate A big honeyed biscuit and a mutton chop, will make a nigger lips go flippity-flop REFRAIN: I got the mourning blues, oh so bad Honey come and kiss me, they're the worst I've ever had
SOLO ON REFRAIN
There sits a fellow, right over there, 's got blue eyes and he's got black hair Talkin' to his sweetheart, she looks so neat, she calls him "honey" and he calls her "sweet" REFRAIN: I got the mourning blues, oh so bad Honey come and kiss me, they're the worst I've ever had
SOLO ON REFRAIN
There stands a fellow, right over yonder, he looks just like he wants to ponder Look at that hair all around his mouth, like he swallowed a mule and left the tail a-hangin' out REFRAIN: I got the mourning blues, oh so bad Honey come and kiss me, they're the worst I've ever had
Edited 9/5 to pick up corrections from banjochris
All best, Johnm
« Last Edit: September 05, 2016, 05:58:53 PM by Johnm »
Thanks for the catches, Chris. I've made all of the fixes you suggested. Doggone it, I heard "neat" in that one place, plain as day, and typed in "sweet". Some day I may stop doing that, but I don't know. All best, Johnm
Hi all, This performance of "Poor Old Dad" was just posted on youtube. According to Tony Russell, the recording was by the Dixie Sacred Singers, from a session in New York City on May 10, 1927, featuring Uncle Dave on banjo and vocal, Kirk McGee on mandolin and vocal, Mazy Todd on fiddle and Sam McGee on guitar and vocal. It's a sad song, and sung perfectly straight by Uncle Dave. It sure is pretty and I like that "dwell" in the middle of the second and fourth melody lines. Here is "Poor Old Dad":
INTRO
While strolling out the other day to have a quiet walk And passing by a house I heard, some very noisy talk Just then a door flew open and an old man tumbled out I stopped and asked the people what, the bother was about
An angry lad then asked me what it had to do with me And told me to move on, or he'd quickly let me see
REFRAIN: You've made your poor old mother weep from midnight until morn You've made your poor old father curse, the day that you were born You'd wish you'd never served us so, when both are dead, my lad When your own children strike you like, you've struck your poor old dad
INTRO
Not long the poor old father lived, but soon joined his old bride Now in the quiet churchyard, they're sleeping side by side But one day o'er the grave we found the dead son 'neath the trees And mournfully I thought I heard, these words float on the breeze
REFRAIN: You've made your poor old mother weep from midnight until morn You've made your poor old father curse, the day that you were born You'd wish you'd never served us so, when both are dead, my lad When your own children strike you like, you've struck your poor old dad
SOLO
REFRAIN: You've made your poor old mother weep from midnight until morn You've made your poor old father curse, the day that you were born You'd wish you'd never served us so, when both are dead, my lad When your own children strike you like, you've struck your poor old dad