Topic: Poor Boy, Long Ways From Home

[Prof Scratchy]

What you've got is what I hear, Wax...

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[waxwing]

Actually Scratch, I was just listening to some other Henry Thomas, songs, particularly Lovin' Babe, and realized that's what he is singing at the start of the 3rd verse, so I made the change.

Wax

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I just found this version of "Poor Boy, Long Way From Home" by the recently-deceased Robert Belfour.



I'm a poor boy, I'm a long way from home
Said, I'm a poor boy, 'way from home
Oh no, no, no, world can't do me no harm

The world can't do me no harm
Say, the world can't do me no (guitar)
Oh no, no, no, world can't do me no harm
Poor boy, a long way from home

SOLO

Say, my babe, she left me now
Say, she left me all alone
I say, my world can't, left me 'lone
Poor boy, a long way from home

The world can't do me no harm
(Guitar)
Oh no, no, no, world can't do me no harm
(Guitar)

SOLO

The world can't do me no harm
The world can't do me no harm
No, no, no, no the world can't do me no harm
Poor boy, I'm a long way from home

The world (guitar)

Oh no, no, no, the world can't do me no harm
Poor boy, I'm a long way from home
Said, I'm a poor boy, I'm a long way from home
Said, I'm a poor boy, I'm a long way from home
Oh no, no, no, world can't do me no harm
Poor boy, I'm a long way from home
The world can't do me no harm

All best,
Johnm

[EddieD]

I have a Blind Willie McTell LP from Yazoo Records. In the notes for the song Mama T'aint Long For Day it says it's McTell's take on Poor Boy Long Way From Home. I can certainly hear the similarities in the guitar work. McTell's song Love Changing Blues is pretty much the same guitar work as Mama T'aint Long For Day. Different songs but I thought it was worth mentioning on the topic of Poor Boy.

[alyoung]

Robert Belfour's Poor Boy is fairly much based on Howlin' Wolf's version; both are unusual as they are non-slide versions of the song.

[Lyndvs]

Nice one from Leadbelly.Nice guitar work out of E position.Mostly a showcase for his guitarwork but he deos sing the "poor boy" line.

[Lastfirstface]

Not sure if this qualifies, but it follows the structure and melody of some versions of Poor Boy:

[frankie]

Not sure if this qualifies, but it follows the structure and melody of some versions of Poor Boy:

Lum Guffin!!!

Carl Hodges' "Poor Boy Blues" was recorded in Saluda, Virginia in 1979 by Kip Lornell.  Hodges accompanied himself out of E position in standard tuning.  The song is most often played out of Vestapol with a slide, but is played in other tunings/positions, too.  I like the roughness of Carl Hodges sound; it's not one I would normally associate with a Virginia player at all.  The way he just whacks the strings with his right thumb sounds really good to me.

Harry Oster recorded Carl Hodge's performing it in 1959 first to appear on a Tradition compilation of Angola inmate recordings.

Is it too far-fetched to wonder if these are the same Carl Hodges?

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I found this version of "Poor Boy Long Way From Home" by the St. Louis musician Arthur Weston.  He played the song out of Spanish tuning with a slide.  His melody for the song is not one I've heard elsewhere.  He uses the slide to finish many of his lines.  Here is his version:



I'm a poor boy, long way from home
I'm a poor boy, got nowhere to
Ain't got nowhere to lay my weary

Sometime, my soul to be dead
Lord, it's sometime, my soul to be

I left my brown, standing in the door
Lord, I left my brown, standing in the
What you reckon she said?  "You done passed your     ."

Honey, give me long-distance phone
I said, give me long-distance phone
I wanta hear from my sweet mama back home

Baby, it's tell me, what you gonna do?
Baby, tell me, what you gonna do?
Baby, tell me, what you gonna  ?

I left my brown, standing in the door
What you reckon she said?  "You done passed your door."
What you reckon she said?  "You done passed your       ."

All best,
Johnm

Lord, it's sometime, my soul to be

[alyoung]

Well whaddya know ... that video is "not available". I've got the record so it's no biggie ... but it still pisses me off.

[Kokomo O]

Frankie, your question about Carl Hodge or Hodges is interesting. It is pretty far-fetched to imagine a former Angola inmate moving north and winding up in Saluda, VA--that's truly in the middle of nowhere. Most black Louisianans who moved north went to Chicago, and if not there other midwestern cities. And most black migrants north went to cities.

Also, Google Maps tells us it's about a 16 1/2 hour drive, which sounds about right to me, having done Charlottesville, VA to New Orleans back in '83. That's a long way to go to end up in such a small place.

Then again, we  have an idea of what we'd expect a guitar player from Saluda to sound like, and as John points out, Hodges doesn't sound like that: Saluda's only about 30 miles from Tappahannock, where William Moore was from, and Moore and Hodges don't sound at all similar. His sound is definitely more Louisiana/Mississippi than East Coast.

[MartyW]

Hi All, 

Here's Fred McDowell version in Vestapol




SOLO

I'm a poor boy, long way from home
Poor boy and a long way from home

I'm worried, baby, and I won't be worried long

Well, it's train time here, tracks all out of line

Keep me worried, bothered all the time

I'm gwine somewhere, doin't know where I'm gwine

SOLOS
 


Cheerio,

Marty

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Here is another version of the song, by Robert Pete Williams, who called it "Poor Boy, Long Way From Home".  It is on his double album, "Robert Pete Williams-Poor Bob's Blues", Arhoolie 511.  He played it in Spanish tuning with a slide.  Here is the track:



INTRO

I'm a poor boy here, I'm a poor boy here
I'm a poor boy --, I'm a long way from my home
I'm a poor boy here, a long, long way from home

SOLO

Well, I'm down now, baby, I'm down now, ba'
Yes, I'm down now, baby, but I won't be down alway
Well, I'm down now, baby, but I won't be down alway

I'm a stranger here, I'm a stranger here
I'm a stranger here, I'm a long way from my home
I'm a stranger, I'm a long way from my home

SOLO

Well, I'm down now, baby, well, I'm down now, ba'
I'm down now, but I won't be down al-alway
Well, I'm down now, but I won't be down alway

SOLO

Make your bed up, ba', make your bed up, ba'
And turn your lamp way low
Make your bed up, and turn your lamp way low

All best,
Johnm

[Chezztone]

I would say Eugene Powell learned that song from the Gus Cannon record. He's the right age to have heard it when it came out. Anyone know how to buy a copy of that Powell Bluea at Home 3 CD? I see it offered on CDBaby as download only. Thanks! Ch.

[jpeters609]

Sadly (for those of us who like to own the physical recording), those Mbirafon "Blues At Home" releases stopped being issued on CD after volume 2 (the Sam Chatmon record). All the others are only available as downloads. I, too, had been waiting for somebody to issue that Eugene Powell album on CD, but alas...