Topic: Sweet Papa Tadpole Lyrics

[waxwing]

Agree with Lindy: "A deck o' cards and a deck o' dice"

In V1 I think he might be singing "world weary" (a tongue twister for sure) sounding like "worl' weary".

Don't have time to listen deep.

Wax

[Johnm]

Thanks very much for the suggestions, Lindy and Wax. I agree with Wax, Lindy, you got it, with "a deck of cards and a deck of dice". I will make the change. Thanks!

[waxwing]

Hi Johnm,

I think you might have missed my 2nd suggestion in the post above, so I'll reitereate:

In V1 I think he might be singing "world weary" (a tongue twister for sure) sounding like "worl' weary".

Have given this more listening and I'm pretty sure this is what he is singing. It sounds to me that the "d" sound is reduced to a glottal stop, eliding into the "weary". This sound is very similar to the lost "d" sound in the Oaklandese expression "Have a goo(d) day." I think "world weary" was a common expression at the time.

Wax

[Johnm]

Hi Wax,
I didn't miss the second suggestion--I just didn't think it was what he was singing, mostly because in "Hard Hearted Mama Blues", recorded as Kid Cole, the same singer did precisely the same mannerism of stammering the first syllable in the word "worrying" or "worry" in a context in which "world weary" would make no sense. You can listen to that performance at: https://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=12350.msg109865#msg109865 . In the Sweet Papa Tadpole song, I'm not hearing any trace of an "l" sound in that first stammered syllable at all, just the very same sound as the first syllable of the entire word that follows. I'm satisfied that he was just in love with a stammering syllable on that word and stuck it in whenever he had the chance to do so.
All best,
Johnm

[waxwing]

Thanks for the acknowledgement, Johnm.

Now, comparing the two and holding to your theory that Coleman was infatuated with the stammer effect, I would suggest that he could be stammering here, but that he is stammering "w-weary". He sings the vowel sound of "worry" pretty differently from that of "weary" here, and it is made more evident by the comparison. Also I never hear a "d" sound at the end of "worried". He holds the "-y" sound for a couple beats in each case.

But, this is your transcription, so, just a suggestion.

Wax

[banjochris]

1.1-1.3 I hear "WELL worried" each time – the vowel sound to me is wrong for both "world" for a stammering of "worried"

5.1-5.3 I hear "my WORRIED HEAD" clearly all three times
5.4 the missing bit is L&N

Chris

[Johnm]

Thanks for the suggestions, Wax and Chris. I think that in 1.1 through 1.3 Chris has the right front end with "well" and that Wax had the back end with "wearied", just because the vowel sound in verse five is clearly "worried" and in verse one the vowel sound is different and what you hear in "wearied". Whether "well-worried" or "well-wearied", it's a usage I've not encountered before, but it sounds more like "well-wearied" to me. Everything you've suggested for verse five is spot on I think, Chris. I will make the changes and will check the Kid Cole song and see if it is a similar usage there, or stammering, as I had thought. Thanks to you both.

[waxwing]

The place where I was indicating that I do not hear a "d" at the end of "worried" was in verse 1, Chris, not verse 5, where I agree he sings "worried head". So I guess I don't hear the "d" at the end of "well wearied". Wax''s ear wax, I guess.

Wax

[banjochris]

I knew where you meant, Wax – I'm not sure if I hear a "d" there or not because of the way he trails off.

I wonder if there's some kind of spiritual that has a phrasing like "well worried" or "well warned" because this piece made me think of Sleepy John Estes' "I've Been Well Warned But Didn't Take Heed in Time" which is a pretty similar melody and structure.
Chris

[Johnm]

Guys, I don't hear much of a "d" in 1.1, hear it clearly in 1.2, but faintly in 1.3, if at all.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Walter Cole/Coleman also recorded "Keep Your Yes Ma'am Clean" as Sweet Papa Tadpole, backed as on all the tracks that he recorded using that name by Tampa Red and an unknown pianist, probably Georgia Tom, playing in Db. Has there ever been a more thoroughly and consistently musical blues guitarist operating in a studio musician capacity as an accompanist than Tampa Red? Down through the years, whether backing Ma Rainey, working with pianists Georgia Tom or Big Maceo, or in a multitude of other contexts, you can dependably count on Tampa Red's playing to be one of the high points of any recording on which he took part, and his solo on this song is just another case in point. Here is the Sweet Papa Tadpole version of "Keep Your Yes Ma'am Clean":



INTRO

Now, your mama found a jacket, a-layin' in the grass, a bumblebee stung her near the yes ma'am yes
REFRAIN: A-won't you be kind to me, I'll be kind to thee, all this time with me, drinking wine with me
To be kind to me, it's mama, keep your yes ma'am clean

Now it's a-mama, mama, mama won't you look at sis? Out in the back yard, mama, doin' the yes ma'am twist
REFRAIN: Now won't you be kind to me, I'll be kind to thee, all this time with me, drinking wine with me
To be kind to me, it's mama, keep your yes ma'am clean

Now, I heared a mighty rumblin' under the ground, now, it must be the devil turnin' Tony's mammy 'round
REFRAIN: Now won't you be kind to me, I'll be kind to thee, all this time with me, drinking wine with me
To be kind to me, it's mama, keep your yes ma'am clean

Now, the preacher's in the pulpit, jumpin' up and down, sayin' your mammy's in the basement hollerin', "Pass the liquor 'round."
REFRAIN: Now won't you be kind to me, I'll be kind to thee, all this time with me, drinking wine with me
To be kind to me, it's mama, keep your yes ma'am clean

Now, I'm going uptown to buy my baby soap and towel, that means to take a bath, keep her yes ma'am down
REFRAIN: Now won't you be kind to me, I'll be kind to thee, all this time with me, drinking wine with me
To be kind to me, it's mama, keep your yes ma'am clean

Now, I'm goin' away, baby, buy you a pair of bloomers, too, that means to wear, mam', to hide your yes ma'am too
REFRAIN: Now won't you be kind to me, I'll be kind to thee, all this time with me, drinking wine with me
To be kind to me, it's mama, keep your yes ma'am clean

GUITAR SOLO

Now, the farmer and the hobo were playin' in the grass, now the farmer stuck the pitchfork hobo's yes ma'am yes
REFRAIN: Now won't you be kind to me, I'll be kind to thee, all this time with me, drinking wine with me
To be kind to me, it's mama, keep your yes ma'am clean

All best,
Johnm 

[Johnm]

Hi all,
The last remaining untranscribed Sweet Papa Tadpole song is "Have You Ever Been Worried In Mind--Part 2". Like Part 1, it is a resetting of new lyrics to the melody of "Careless Love", and as with all of the other Sweet Papa Tadpole tunes, the accompanists are Tampa Red playing slide in Vestapol and probably Georgia Tom on piano, playing in F. Sweet Papa Tadpole really liked to squeeze in a lot of syllables! He's in a class with Leroy Carr, or Louis Hayes in that regard. Here is "Have You Ever Been Worried In Mind--Part 2":



INTRO

Now it's what, makes a gambler sleep in the morning 'fore day?
Well, now it's what, makes a gambler sleep the morning 'fore day?
I said what, makes a gambler, I said, poor boy, sleep in the morning 'fore day?
It's when his hustlin' women has quit him, and the workin' men has been spendin' their pay

And it's gambler, oh gambler, please take my advice
And it's gambler, oh gambler, please take my advice
I said gambler, oh gambler, I said, poor boy, please take my advice
It takes you a hard-workin' woman, settle down and be a happy man the rest of your life

And it's gambler, oh gambler, what's the matter now?
And it's gambler, oh gambler, what's the matter now?
 I said gambler, oh gambler, I said, poor boy, what's the matter now?
"I done laid in jailhouse, workhouse so much and I'm raisin' hungry, lousy now."

You never miss your water, 'til your spring runs dry
You never miss your water, 'til your spring runs dry
And you never, miss your water, I said, gambler, 'til your spring runs dry
You never miss your baby, 'til you, have blacked her eye

I say, Lord, have mercy, what am I to do?
I say, Lord, have mercy, what am I to do?
I say, Lord, have mercy, I said, gambler, what am I to do?
I used to have seven hustling women, now I ain't got nar' one, not two

And it's tell, me rider, what you want me to do?
And it's tell, me rider, what you want poor me to do?
And it's tell, me rider, it's what you want poor me to do?
Says, I'd druther see you murder me, than talk about leavin' me, too

Edited 1/22 to pick up correction from Harry

All best,
Johnm 
   

[Blues Vintage]

2.4 Just It takes you a hard-workin' woman

[Johnm]

Thanks for the catch, Harry. I have made the change.