Topic: Charlie Patton lyrics

[dj]

A few more suggestions:

1.1 and 1.2:  I'm fairly sure the first word in both these lines is "Well", not "When".  The second half of both these lines is also not correct.  Where you have "I'm livin' at ease", Patton sings an extra syllable.  I hear "I'm livin' at (2 syllables, possibly a place name, or possibly "(unknown word) here")" or "I'm livin' out at (one syllable, possibly a place name, or possibly "here").

1.3: "Lord the drought came and caught us..."  I also hear an extra syllable after the word you have as "caught".  I think it's either "Lord, the drought came and caught on us" or, the reading I'd prefer, "Lord, the drought came and called on us".  I like this second reading because it personifies the drought and also adds a bit of wry humor.

[Blues Vintage]

Thanks for the suggestions dj.

But I disagree with all of them. I hear "when" pretty clearly on 1.2. So it's probably "when" on 1.1 although I thought I heard "baby" at one point on 1.1.
Re-listening it could be "When I live in at Lula"

I'm not sure on "at ease" but it's the closest I can get.

I hear 1.3 "Lord, the drought come and caught us, and, parched up all our trees"  like I have it.

2.1 could be I just stayed over in Lula instead of "Aw, it just stayed over in Lula"


It's Charley Patton, very hard to hear stuff. We'll probably never get it 100 % accurate.

[waxwing]

Just my two cents, but, Harry I think you are closer with "Baby"

I get

1.1 & 1.2   Babe, ‘n’ I(‘m) livin’ at Lula, ah, li-vin’ at ease

or written out:  Babe, and I'm living at Lula, ah, living at ease 

I think he elides through the m of "I'm". He never closes his lips. but there is a softening of the "I" before "living" that wouldn't be there if he wasn't thinking "I'm living". I hear them all as "living", not "live" anywhere.

dj, I tried really hard to hear "come and called on us" but it sounds like "caught" to me

Wax

[Johnm]

Hi Harry,
That seems like a really good transcription to me. The only thing I have heard listening through that I might change is the first two lines of the first verse, where I hear him singing:
   When I WAS livin' in Lula, I WAS livin' at ease
   When I WAS livin' in Lula, I WAS livin' at ease
All best,
Johnm

[Blues Vintage]

Thanks John and Johnm for the suggestions.

But I keep everything like I had it, except for the first "I'm" in 1.2 and made that change.
I think the song is about ready to enter Weeniepedia, but it's your call, Johnm, and I'll respect any changes you want to make on the final transcription,

[Blues Vintage]

I see the song is up in Weeniepedia. I have made some more changes though. This song keeps haunting me for some reason,


2.3 Well, when it come to another day know the day, Lord the uh, Lula well was gone dry

It could be "Well, we have come to know the day, Lord the uh, Lula well was gone dry"

4.3 The hot weather done come in, parched scorched all the cotton and corn

[Johnm]

Hi Harry,
I like the first change on "know the day", and also "scorched" and will make those changes in Weeniepedia.
All best,
John

[Blues Vintage]

Stone Pony Blues


Charley Patton – Vocals, Guitar

New York City, New York
January 30, 1934

E Position
Standard Tuning





I got me a stone pony and I, don't ride Shetlands no more
I got me a stone pony, don't ride Shetlands no more
You can find my stone pony, hooked to my rider's door

Vicksburg's my pony, Greenville is my grey mare
Vicksburg's my pony, Greenville, Lord, is my grey mare
You can find my stone pony, down in Lula town somewhere

And I got me a stone pony, don't ride Shetlands no more
Got a lil’ stone pony, don't ride Shetlands no more
And I can't feel welcome, rider, nowhere I go

Vicksburg's on a high hill and, Natchez just below
Vicksburg on a high hill, Natchez just below
And I can't feel welcome, rider, nowhere I go

Well, I didn't come here, steal nobody's brown
Didn't come here, to steal nobody's brown
I just stopped by here, well to, keep you from stealing mine

Hello, Central, ‘t's a matter with your line?
Hello, Central, ‘t's a matter, now, with your line?
Come a storm last night, and, and tore the wire down

[Johnm]

Hi Blues Vintage,
That seems really accurate. The only different thing I think I'm hearing is "and" twice consecutively in the tagline to the last verse, separated by a comma. See you what you think.
All best,
Johnm

[Blues Vintage]

I thought I heard something after "night" too but couldn't make sense of it. I guessed he just slurred "night" a bit.
But I'll make that change.

I read a interview with Son House once where he said it should be "storm pony" not "stone pony".
Maybe Charley sang "storm" on earlier versions, although unlikely, I do think it is "stone".

[Johnm]

Yup, I agree it is "stone". I think anything Son House said about Charlie Patton should be taken with a grain of salt.

[Blues Vintage]

Moon Going Down


Tom Feldmann just released a lesson of this song on his YouTube channel transposing it to A position, standard tuning. He made the arrangement for one guitar, mixing the original two guitar parts together. Very cool, check it out. He also transcribed the lyrics noting the “Taylor” whistle in verse 4. All other sources got “Helena” whistle. The Revenant set got the name “Rosietta” instead of “Rosetta” in verse 1. Rosetta was the name of Charlie’s daughter but not sure if this really matters in any way. Shoot a comment if you got a suggestion.


Charley Patton – Vocals, Guitar
Willie Brown – Guitar

Ca. May 28, 1930
Grafton, Wisconsin

Spanish tuning (Charlie)
Standard tuning (Willie)





Oh, the moon is goin’ down, baby, North Star's bound to shine
Oh, the moon goin’ down, baby, North Star's bound to shine
Rosetta Henry told me, "Lord I, don't want you hangin’ ‘round"

Oh well, where were you now, baby, Clarksdale mill burned down?
Oh well, where were you now, babe, Clarksdale mill burned down? (Spoken: Boy, you know where I was)
I were way down Sunflower with my, face all full of frown

It’s a house over yonder, painted all over green
It’s a house over yonder, painted all over green (Spoken: Boy, you know I know it’s over there)
Some ‘f the finest young women, Lord-a, man most ever seen

Lord, I think I heard that, Helena whistle, Helena whistle, Helena whistle blow
Lord, I think I heard that, Helena whistle blow (Spoken: Man, I hear it blowin’ now)
Lord, I ain't gonna stop walkin' 'til I, get in my rider's door

Lord, the smokestack is black and the bell it shine like, bell it shine like, bell it shine like gold
Oh, the smokestack is black and the, bell it shine like gold (Spoken: Doesn’t it, boy, you know it looks good to me)
Lord, I ain't gon’ walk there, ah, baby, ain't 'round no more

Ahh, I even was at midnight, 'til I heard the local blow
Ahh, was even out at night when I, heard the local blow (Spoken: Boy, I was getting lonesome, blues had me)
I got to see my rider, when she's gettin' on board

[banjochris]

BV here's some suggestions on Moon Goin' Down – with Patton it's always a challenge:

1.1 and 1.2 ...NORTH STAR's about to shine

3.2 I think here he starts with THERE'S (pronounced THEY'S)

4.2 I think 'fraid should be "MAN"

5.2 I don't think it's "Doesn't it" but I can't offer much of a suggestion. I've seen it transcribed as shuckin' but I don't think that makes much sense
5.3 Lord I ain't gon' walk HERE, BABE ain't 'round no more (or BABY ROUND)

6.1 AHHH I EVEN was at midnight, WHEN I heard the local blow
6.2 AHHH was EVEN at night, when I heard the local blow (Spoken: Boy, I was getting lonesome, BLUES HAD ME)

Chris

[Blues Vintage]

Thanks Chris, I made a few changes based on your suggestions. I don't hear the "north star" suggestion.

I'm coming back to this one (tough one) in a few days.

[Johnm]

The "north star" is easier to hear if you change the "about" that follows it to "'bout".