Topic: Peg Leg Howell Lyrics

[motmot]

Can anyone figure out what Peg Leg Howell and His Gang are singing in Moanin' and Groanin' the Blues (it's on one of the Old Hat CDs: either? "Violin Sing the Blues..." or "Folks He Sure Do ...").
Here's all that I can get:

[first bit of Mmmm's]

Some girls ....
Some girls .....
But they ..... to my sweet mama
That's the reason I worry you, honey, like I do

[another round of Mmmmm's]

Some girls get married, some girls get fat
that's the reason .....? no more(?)
give me sweet Mary, take her to my home
If I can't find a brown girl ... to do the ...?

[final Mmmm's]

[waxwing]

Hey, MotMot. Welcome to Weenie Campbell. As you have probably already noticed, we derive a great deal of fun around here from trying to figure out really obscured vocals. The best thing to do is to post an mp3 of the song. If you select the Additional Options link, which is just below the text box on the Post reply page, you will see that you can attach files of various types, including mp3s. The only catch is that there is a size limit, which is 800 KB. So you need to shrink the mp3 before you can attach it. If you are working from a CD, the best thing to do is to import it to your computer's mp3 player (I use ITunes on my Mac), making sure that you import in mono and that you reduce the bit sampling rate enough to reduce the file size to below 800 KB. If you know the size of the original file you can make a ballpark calculation, or a little experimenting will get you there. Once you've got it small enough you can attach and post and we'll all be onboard the relief effort. Of course, by the time I've posted this, Frank or John M. or one of the other guys who seem to own the entire Document catalogue will probably already have fulfilled your wishes. I'm just tryin' to get a listen to Peg Leg and his Gang 'cause I just read about him in Bastin's Red River Blues (great book) and I don't have any of their stuff. That'll mean a trip to Down Home Music. By the way, you've already fulfilled the other requirement, which is to post your own first attempt, which let's everyone know you're trying, and not just lazy. Good show.
All for now.
John C.

[Johnm]

Hi MotMot,
I just listened to this on an old OJL album I have that's devoted to Peg Leg and His Gang. I don't have all the lyrics but I think I have some of them. The first unmoaned verse begins, I believe,
My gal's in trouble,
My gal's in trouble
-----?
And that's the reason why you hear me moanin' like I do

 End of the last line of the second verse with words is, I think,
If I can't get a brownskin gonna do the best I can.
I will keep listening and see if I can add to this.
All best,
Johnm

[Montgomery]

A great tune with incomprehensible lyrics and really wild fiddle playing...wish I could help you more, but the  lack of decipherable lyrics doesn't really hurt the tune.

[uncle bud]

It's on "Folks He Sure Do Pull Some Bow", which I don't have. John C. you can hear a little (only the humming verse) at Old Hat's site.

[motmot]

The only catch is that there is a size limit, which is 800 KB. So you need to shrink the mp3 before you can attach it. < . . . snip . . . >a little experimenting will get you there.

Well, my first bit of experimenting didn't get me there, but I'll keep trying.

the  lack of decipherable lyrics doesn't really hurt the tune.

Agreed.  I dimly recall reading a Mick Jagger interview in which he was asked about lyrics, and he that the words didn't really matter; so, he learned at least a few things from the old masters.
I guess if I want to try playing it myself, I just ought to come up with indecipherable lyrics of my own!
Cheers . . .

[waxwing]

Cool, once you figure it out it's a good trick to know. Now I gotta figure out how to do it with photos, so's I can post some guitar porn (as Reso1 would say).
And thanks for pointin' out that snippet UB. Definitely a trip to Down Home. I've been thinkin' about approaching a fiddler I know to see if he'd be into learnin' some country blues duets, so this is all whetting my appetite.
All for now.
John C.

[uncle bud]

The only catch is that there is a size limit, which is 800 KB. So you need to shrink the mp3 before you can attach it. < . . . snip . . . >a little experimenting will get you there.

Well, my first bit of experimenting didn't get me there, but I'll keep trying.

MotMot,

Generally if you set the bitrate to 24 kbps (mono) you should hit below the limit.

cheers,
UB

[motmot]

The only catch is that there is a size limit, which is 800 KB. So you need to shrink the mp3 before you can attach it. < . . . snip . . . >a little experimenting will get you there.

Well, my first bit of experimenting didn't get me there, but I'll keep trying.

MotMot,

Generally if you set the bitrate to 24 kbps (mono) you should hit below the limit.

cheers,
UB

Can't seem to get there from where my computers are: programs won't let me set to mono, and the size of the copied file consistently comes up too large.  Sorry ...

[frankie]

Can't seem to get there from where my computers are: programs won't let me set to mono, and the size of the copied file consistently comes up too large.? Sorry ...

Weenie recommends CDex.? Free, works great, moderately intuitive...? free!

[uncle bud]

Can't seem to get there from where my computers are: programs won't let me set to mono, and the size of the copied file consistently comes up too large.  Sorry ...

Weenie recommends CDex.  Free, works great, moderately intuitive...  free!

Unless you're on a Mac. Then iTunes should do it. What program are you using?

[motmot]

Was trying the Windows mediaplayer that came automatically loaded on my not-Mac machines.? I'll try cdex, but it may have to be after upcoming vacation!

[uncle bud]

OK, so I picked up Folks, He Sure Do Pull Some Bow to complement Violin, Sing the Blues for me. Old Hat really must be commended for these 2 releases, which are just tremendous: great music, great notes, great photos. Both are models of what CDs should be. So without further ado, here's Peg Leg Howell and His Gang with Moanin' and Groanin' Blues. I really must increase my Peg Leg inventory, as from the half dozen or so tunes I have of his, he's just fabulous.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Here are lyrics I transcribed last summer for Peg Leg Howell's "Coal Man Blues".  It sure is a one-of-a-kind piece--a beautiful pre-Blues sound in Spanish and great lyrics that scan perfectly, sort of like Chuck Berry or the Old-Time singers David McCarn and Oscar Ford.  Lines I wonder about have a parenthetic question mark.  You can hear this on the Juke, I'm pretty sure.  Peg Leg picks this beautifully in Spanish tuning capoed up a ways.  Here is "Coal Man Blues":



Woke up this morning 'bout 5 o'clock
Got me some eggs and a nice pork chop,
Cheap cigar and a magazine, had to
Run pretty fast to catch the 5:15.

Let me tell you something that I seen,
Coal man got run over by the 5:15
Cut off his arms and it crushed his ribs, did the
Poor man die? No, the poor man lived.

Let me tell you something that I know,
Coal man got run over by the 5:44
Cut off his arms and it crushed his head, did the
Poor man die? No, the poor man's didn't.

Hard coal, stovewood, ma'am
Hard coal and your stovewood, ma'am
I ain't got but a little bit left, if you
Don't come get it, gonna burn it myself.

Get the wood in the stove and the match in your hand
Wood in the stove and the match in your hand
Wood in the stove and the match in our hand
You run to the door and stop to tell the coal man

Sell it to the rich and I sell it to the poor
Sell it to the rich and I sell it to the poor
Sell it to the rich and I sell it to the poor
I sell it to the nice brown a-standing in the door.

Furnish your wood, furnish your coal
Furnish your wood and I furnish your coal
Furnish your wood and I furnish your coal
Make you love me, doggone your soul.

I've got your water, I've got your gas
Got your water and got your gas
Got your water and I got your gas
You trick me, mama, says, that's your last

Let me tell you, mama, what's the matter now
Let me tell you, mama, what's the matter now
Let me tell you, mama, what's the matter now
You don't want me, take me anyhow.

Sweet mama, sweet mama, what's on your mind?
Mama, sweet mama, what's on your mind?
Mama, sweet mama, what's on your mind?
Says, you can't quit me, no need of tryin'

I'm goin' up the country don't you want to go?
Goin' up the country, don't you want to go?
Goin' up the country, don't you want to go?
Leaving here, ain't coming back no more.

Me and my rider and two, three more
Me and my rider and two, three more
Me and my rider and two, three more
We're goin' up the country don't you want to go?

Went down the road, feelin' bad
Went down the road, mama, feelin' bad
Went down the road, mama, feelin' bad
I feel so worried that ever I had.

Got your home (guitar)
Greet me, mama, and we'll (guitar)
Me and my brown and three or two more (guitar)
Goin' up the country don't you want to go?

Goin' away and it won't be long
Goin' away and it won't be long
Goin' away and it won't be long
Don't believe I'm leavin' count the days I'm gone
   


I hope you get a chance to hear this one.

Edited 2/6/06, to pick up corrections from Gerry C.
Edited 8/30/06, to pick up correction from Frankie
Edited 12/8/14 to pick up corrections from ScottN

All best,
Johnm

[HardLuckChild]

Great job! Have you worked on the lyrics to any other Peg Leg Howell songs? I only have about 6 tracks by the guy, but they are all great. He was born in the 1880s, I believe, which makes him very important in studying and enjoying pre-blues and early blues music.