Topic: Lightnin' Hopkins Lyrics

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Lightnin' recorded "Death Bells" for Gold Star as well, and it is a spectacular tune in E position, standard tuning.  In the second verse, he does say "creeper" rather than "creature".  Boy, was he at the top of his game for these recordings!  Here is "Death Bells":



INTRO

Sound like I can hear, this mornin', death bells ringin' all in my ear
Sound like I can hear this mornin', baby, death bells ringin' all in my ear
Yes, I know I'm gonna leave on a chariot, wonder what kind's gonna carry me from here

You know every living creeper, man, was born to die
Yeah, you know every living creeper, whoa, Lord, was born to die
Yes, but when that chariot come for you, they're gonna break, run, and try to hide

SOLO

Yeah, you know my Mama told me, my Papa told me too. She says, "Someday, son, you know that chariot's comin' after you."
I been wonderin', what kind of chariot, whoa, gon' take me away from here?
Yes, you know this life I'm livin' I been livin', oh Lord, for a great many years

SOLO

Edited 7/10 to pick up corrections from harry

All best,
Johnm 

[Blues Vintage]

1.1 Sound like I can hear, this mornin', death bells ringin' all in my ear

2.2 Yeah, you know every living creeper, whoa, Lord, was born to die

[Johnm]

Thanks for the catches, Harry.  That's what happens when you enter in haste.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
"Penitentiary Blues" was the program opener on the Lightnin' Hopkins Folkways album that Samuel Charters recorded.  Lightnin' accompanied himself in A position, standard tuning.  I remember hearing this for the first time and being blown away.  Here is "Penitentiary Blues":



INTRO (Spoken: Penitentiary Blues)

Mmmmmmmmmmmm, Big Brazos, here I come
Mmmmmmmmmmmm, (Spoken: Hoo, Lord have mercy!) Big Brazos, here I come
You know I'm gon' do time for another man, when it haven't been a thing poor Lightnin' done

They say you oughta been on Braz', nineteen and ten, Bud Russell drove pretty women just like he did, ugly mens
Ahhnnnnnn, Big Braz', whoa, Lord, yes, here I come
Fixin' to do time for another man, and ain't nothin' poor Lightnin' done (Spoken: Well, you oughta be 'shame')

SOLO

Yeah, you know my mama called me, I answered, "Ma'am", she says, "Son, you tired of workin'?", I said, "Mama, yes, I am."
Papa called me, I answered, "Sir", he said, "Son, if you tired of workin', why in the hell you gon' stay there?", I couldn't,
No, I just couldn't help myself
You know a man can't help but feel bad, when he doin' time for someone else

CODA (Spoken: You better watch it, all the time)

All best,
Johnm

 

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Another wonderful rendition from the Lightnin' Hopkins Folkways album is his version of "See That My Grave Is Kept Clean", which he played out of E position in standard tuning.  Lightnin's vocals are always striking, but his guitar playing on this track is nothing short of sensational, and the way he varies his tone and rhythmic approach is masterful.  Wow!  Here is "See That My Grave Is Kept Clean":



INTRO

You know there's one kind favor I'll ask to you
You know there's one kind favor I'll ask to you
One kind favor I'll ask to you
See that my grave is kept clean

SOLO

You know there's two white horses in a line
Two white horses in a line
Two white horses in a line
Gonna take me to my burying ground

SOLO X  2

All best,
Johnm

[Blues Vintage]

Penitentiary Blues - 3.2 why in the hell you gon' stay there for?

I think he sings "for" pretty swallowed.

[Johnm]

Hi Harry,
In re-listening, the only thing he has of "for" is the letter "f", there's no vowel sound at all.  I suppose I could insert f' into the transcription.  It sounds like he thought of singing "for" but decided not to.  I think I'll leave it out.
All best,
John

[Lazy John]

I'm brand new here, so forgive me if I chose the wrong topic in which to ask my question.  It relates to Lightnin's "Penitentiary Blues". 

I've looked in vain for guitar transcriptions or tabs for "Penitentiary Blues" or "Prison Blues Come Down on Me".  I find the lyrics so evocative and the guitar playing so mournful that I'd like to try to learn one or both of the tunes.  I've looked online and at published books of blues tabs, blues fingerpicking and blues instruction with no luck.  In fact--at least in my unqualified opinion--it seems that Lightnin' Hopkins gets short shrift in those kinds of books with only a very few of his songs included, if any, despite how prolifically he recorded.

That said, I'm just learning how to play the guitar.  I think the songs would give me a clear goal to work towards (slowly) and also some good examples for when I start exploring fingerpicking.  As well, it will give me something to have my instructor help me learn, instead of having him assign me something of his choosing. 

Any help would be appreciated.

John

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I don't know when Lightnin' Hopkins recorded "Give Me 209 (Hello Central)", but it sure is a great number. Lightnin' accompanied himself out of E position in standard tuning. He was such a nuanced player in every aspect--his articulation, his bends, you name it, and his singing was every bit as nuanced, too. I would be interested to know who the bass player on this track was, if anyone has that information. Here is "Give Me 209":



INTRO

Hello Central, please give me 209
Hello, hello Central, will you please give me 209
Yes, you know I want to talk to my baby, oh Lord, and she's way down the line

Seem like the buses done stopped runnin', and the trains don't 'low me to ride no more
Seem like the buses done stopped runnin', trains don't 'low me to ride no more
Ticket agent said my ticket played out, he'll see that I don't ride, for sure

SOLO

I turned around from the telephone, went walkin' straight back home
Mmmm-mmm, turned around from the telephone, I went walkin' straight back home
I was praying in my heart, askin' Jesus, "Oh Lord, now, what wrong have I done?"

OUTRO

Edited 9/1 to pick up correction from banjochris

All best,
Johnm

[Blues Vintage]

Bass player is Donald Cooks.

Suggestion for 3.3,

I was pained playing in my heart, askin' Jesus, "Oh Lord, now, what wrong have I done?"

[Johnm]

Thanks for the bass player's name, Harry. I'm sticking with pained because playing in my heart makes no sense.

[banjochris]

I'd suggest "praying" for that –
Chris

[Johnm]

Thanks, Chris, I'll go for that. Thanks!

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Sam Charters recorded Lightnin' doing "Goin' Back to Florida" for his wonderful Folkways album. I think everything from that album is spectacular, and if I recall correctly, the recording set-up was decidedly low-tech, a portable tape recorder in a hotel room. When you can sing and play like Lightnin' could, you don't need much help from the studio. Here is "Goin' Back to Florida":



INTRO

Goin' back in Floriday [sic], where you got a plow, you've got to hoe
Goin' back in Floriday [sic], where you've got a plow, you've gotta hoe
You've gotta do one of the two, 'cause you know somebody's gotta go

I ain't gon' pick no cotton, I ain't gon' pull no corn, if the mule gonna run away with the world I'm gon', tell him to go ahead on, because I ain't gon'
Pick no cotton, God knows I ain't gon' pull no corn, if I catch a
Mule run away with the world, poor Lightnin', he gon' tell him to go ahead on

My baby got sleepy, she begin to gap, she said, "Get up, Sam, you's settin' in my lap." I say,
"No, no, no, baby, no. Yes, if a
Mule gonna run away with the world, I wouldn't even tell that mule, "Whoa!" (Spoken: And I don't be jokin'!)

SOLO

I was gettin' forty cents a hundred, pickin' for me and my wife, too, when I learned my lesson, you don't know, what I had to do, now
I couldn't do nothin', whoa, man, keep that sack on the scale, you know the
Man was payin' my checks every time I weigh up, oh yes, he keepin' check of the bales

CODA

All best,
Johnm