Topic: Blind Lemon Jefferson lyrics

[Johnm]

Uncle Bud,
Thanks for the correction; what you suggest is as clear as day.  I don't know what my problem was. I will make the change.
All best,
Johnm

[John Davis]

For the madman just starting to study BLJ, is there a web site, book, et cetra folks can recommend for lyrics? I grew up in the Deep South and usually have a pretty good ear for dialect, but these recordings do challenge. Much thanks.

John William Davis

[Slack]

Welcome to WeenieCambpell John.  You can start with our very own "Keys to the Highway" section:

http://weeniecampbell.com/mambo/index.php?option=com_content&task=section&id=5&Itemid=94

[uncle bud]

Welcome John.

There's not a lot out there as far as Lemon resources go. The Keys to the Highway section collects Lemon lyrics from this thread (and needs to be updated with a couple more recent contributions). There is also Frankie's listing of keys/positions for all Lemon songs here http://www.donegone.net/?page_id=4 (which is also linked to by the Keys to the Highway section). Other than that, your best bet is likely to be R.R. MacLeod's transcriptions. These used to be available through Document Records, but the last time I tried to order they were unavailable, and now they are not appearing on the website as far as I can find. Lemon lyrics would be spread across a Macleod volume of Yazoo and a volume of Document transcriptions I think.

Other book sources for Lemon lyrics are Eric Sackheim's The Blues Line, Michael Taft's Talkin' to Myself, a number of Paul Oliver's books, and the Guitar of Blind Lemon Jefferson DVD by Ari Eisinger (which has the lyrics to the songs covered in the lessons).  All have a varying number of Lemon tunes and all have their errors, IMO, but that's half the fun.

[uncle bud]

Lemon recorded "Lonesome House Blues" in Chicago, c. October 1927. It's one of his many blues out of C position and has a really wonderful relaxed quality to the guitar playing. Part of the break from "Black Horse Blues" makes up the guitar break here. I've had the song on repeat for a couple days now.



Lonesome House Blues ? Blind Lemon Jefferson
C position, pitched at C#
 

I had a dream last night all about my gal
I had a dream last night all about my gal
You can tell by that, sweet papa ain't feelin? so well

I'm going away mama, just to worry you off my mind
I'm going away sweet mama, just to worry you off my mind
So if I live in Chicago, murder's going to be my crime

This house is lonesome, my baby left me all alone
I said this house is lonesome, my sugar left me all alone
If your heart ain't rock, sugar it must be marble stone

Guitar break
Spoken: Play that thing. Sure is good. Play it like you live.

I got the blues so bad, it hurts my feet to walk
I got the blues so bad, it hurts my feet to walk
It has settled on my brain and it hurts my tongue to talk

Lonesome house, folks.

[uncle bud]

Here's another one out of C position. Lemon recorded "Blind Lemon's Penitentiary Blues" in Chicago, c. Feb 1928. I'm not sure about a couple spots and any suggestions are most welcome.




Blind Lemon?s Penitentiary Blues ? Blind Lemon Jefferson
In C position, pitched at B

Recorded in Chicago, c. Feb. 1928


Take Fort Worth for your dressing and Dallas all for your style
Take Fort Worth for your dressing, Dallas all for your style
If you want to go to the state penitentiary, go to Groesbeck for your trial

I hung around Groesbeck, and I worked in showers of rain
I said I hung around Groesbeck, I worked in hard showers of rain
I never felt the least bit uneasy, till I caught that penitentiary bound train

I used to be a drunkard, I was rowdy everywhere I go
I used to be a drunkard and rowdy everywhere I go
If ever I get out of this trouble I?m in, I won?t be rowdy no more

Boys don?t be bad, please don?t crowd your mind
Boys don?t be bad and please don?t crowd your mind
If you happen to get in trouble in Groesbeck, they going to send you penitentiary flyin'

I want you to stop and study, and don?t take nobody?s life
I want you to stop and study, don?t take nobody?s life
They got walls at the state penitentiary you can?t jump, man they high as the sky

edited to incorporate corrections from Bunker Hill

[uncle bud]

Lemon recorded 'Lectric Chair Blues in Chicago c. Feb. 1928. It's played out of E position, like Piney Woods Money Mama and that family of tunes. The copy on the Best of Blind Lemon Jefferson on Yazoo is in much better condition than the one used for the Document release (and JSP), so it's a lot easier to figure out what Lemon is singing - although I'm not quite there yet. Any help appreciated.



These are some pretty dark and impressive lyrics, IMO.

?Lectric Chair Blues ? Blind Lemon Jefferson
In E position

Recorded in Chicago, c. Feb. 1928


I?m gonna shake hands with my partner and ask him how come he?s here
I?m gonna shake hands with my partner and ask him how come he?s here
?I had a wreck with my family, they going to send me to the ?lectric chair?

I wonder why they ?lectrocute a man at the one o?clock hour at night
I wonder why they ?lectrocute a man at the one o?clock hour at night
Because the current is much stronger, then the folks has turned out all their lights

I sat in the electric room, my arms fold up and cryin?
I sat in the ?lectric room with my arms fold up and cryin?
And my baby asked the question was ?they gonna ?lectrocute that man of mine?

Run and get me a taxi to take me away from here
Run and get me a taxi to take me away from here
I didn?t have but one friend in the world, fixin' to be murdered in a ?lectric chair

I?ve seen wrecks on the ocean, I?ve seen wrecks on the deep blue sea
I?ve seen wrecks on the ocean and wrecks on the deep blue sea
But none like that wreck in my heart when they brought my ?lectrocuted daddy to me

edited to add corrections from Banjochris

[Bunker Hill]

Here's another one out of C position. Lemon recorded "Blind Lemon's Penitentiary Blues" in Chicago, c. Feb 1928. I'm not sure about a couple spots and any suggestions are most welcome.

FWIW I'm sure you are correct with "crowd your mind", it's an expression that crops up elsewhere in blues lyrics.

Given the subject matter of the song "life" would seem more logical but my only source of reference for this is a Milestone LP.

[Bunker Hill]

Lemon recorded 'Lectric Chair Blues in Chicago c. Feb. 1928. ....
These are some pretty dark and impressive lyrics, IMO.

And sonded even "darker" in 1959 when rendered by Robert 'Guitar' Welch from within the confines of Angola State Penn.

[uncle bud]

Other book sources for Lemon lyrics are Eric Sackheim's The Blues Line, Michael Taft's Talkin' to Myself, a number of Paul Oliver's books, and the Guitar of Blind Lemon Jefferson DVD by Ari Eisinger (which has the lyrics to the songs covered in the lessons).  All have a varying number of Lemon tunes and all have their errors, IMO, but that's half the fun.

I should add that the issue of Black Music Research Journal Vol. 20 no. 1 that is devoted to Lemon and which I referred to recently in another thread is also a source for Lemon lyric hounds. While there are not complete transcriptions, there are lots of verses, snippets etc. And there are the lyrics from the undiscovered songs of Lemon's transcribed in the Journal of Texas Music History Vol 3 No 2 which is available online in PDF form here: http://www.txstate.edu/ctmh/journal3-2.htm

edited to add: since BH deleted his duplicate reference to the Journal of Texas Music History, I thought I'd just add the titles of the unissued Lemon songs he'd included that are transcribed in the article: Laboring Man Blues, Easy Rider, Elder Green's In Town, English Stop Time. I Labor So Far From Home, Lighthouse Blues, Too Black Bad, Long Lastin' Lovin', It's Tight Like That, Money Tree Mama and Pineapple Blues. (See BH, even your deleted posts have useful information. )

[banjochris]

I agree -- "crowd your mind" is definitely right on "Penitentiary."

Likewise, "wreck" and "one o'clock hour at night" are right in "'Lectric Chair," but I hear a couple of other lines differently:

I sat in the electric room, my heart full up and cryin?
I hear as
... my arms fold up and cryin'

and
I didn?t have but one fear in the world, it?s to be murdered in a ?lectric chair
is
I didn?t have but one friend in the world, fixin' to be murdered in a ?lectric chair

Chris

[uncle bud]

Thanks BH and Chris. I've made the corrections.

[uncle bud]

Here's another one from the same period. Blind Lemon recorded Lemon's Worried Blues at the same session as 'Lectric Chair, and he's playing out of the A position. A couple tricky spots, any help appreciated.




Lemon's Worried Blues ? Blind Lemon Jefferson

Recorded in Chicago, c. Feb. 1928


I'm goin? tell you why I got Lemon's lowdown worried blues
Tell you why I got Lemon's lowdown worried blues
I left my meal-ticket rider barefooted, my partner?s slippin? for a new pair of shoes

Lord I'm worried here, worried everywhere I go
Worried here, mama, worried everywhere I go
I worried my rider so late last night, she had a movin? wagon backed up to my door

Woke up this morning, kept awoke till the break of day
Woke up this morning, kept awoke till the break of day
I hates for a woman to nag me, I just made my getaway

I woke up this morning, woke up ?bout half past ten
I woke up this morning, Lord about half past ten
Ease my head in the window, she's singing Lemon's worried blues again

Worried so bad, can't tell my stockings from my shoes
Worried so bad, can't tell my stockings from my shoes
I laid down last night with Lemon's lowdown worried blues

Lord what makes that fanty [sic] rooster, he keeps crowing for the dawn of day
What makes that rooster, Lord he crows for the dawn of day
Kid-man better [watch] his footsteps for the headknocker?s on his way


edited to pick up corrections from Banjochris

[banjochris]

Uncle Bud:
I left my meal ticket [rather barefoot it], my partner?s slippin? for a new pair of shoes
I left my meal-ticket rider barefooted...

I hates for a woman to marry me, I just made my getaway
I hates for a woman to nag me...


Lord what makes that fanty [sic] rooster, he keeps crowing for the dawn of day
I assume he means "banty rooster," but it sure sounds like "fanty."

I think you've got the last line exactly right -- that's a tough one to untangle.

[uncle bud]

Thanks Chris, I'll make the corrections. I hear "rider" now as you suggest and want to double-check "nag". While "watch his footsteps" in the last line makes sense, I'm still not sure I hear "watch" and am hearing something with two syllables possibly.

I also assume he means "banty", but he does seem to sing "fanty".