Topic: Complete Lyrics of Willie Lane

[doctorpep]

These are the lyrics I hear to the complete recordings of Willie Lane. I think that the first song he recorded should be called "Up and Down Mobile & K.C. Line", though I'm not sure any such line existed/exists. From listening to him, I get the impression that he knew of and played with J.T. Smith and Thomas Shaw. I didn't type out the second A in the AAB lyrical format. I didn't think "boy", "man" and "and" constituted lyrics separate from the initial A. I also wanted to get this done without having to listen to songs twice or rewind. Doing it quickly is the best method, I feel. Please help me out with the first song. Thanks in advance.

Willie Lane- Up and Down Building K.C. Line 

Ever been down, oh, building (Mobile and) K.C. Line?
__ man stole that girl of mine

Oh, you lightweight sinners (longline skinners?), you better learn to ___
'Cos Mr. Bud Russell, I tell you, he wants to start again

Oh, my mama she called me
I'm gonna answer: "m'aam"
Is you tired of rollin' for that __man?

___long black curly hair
Oh, after you get on the Santa Fe, find your baby there

I been praying our father, Lord, thy kingdom come
Mmm, Lord they kingdom come
I been praying our father, that your will be done

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
I gotta ___these blues, she got on her mind

Oh my baby done ___, ____ the train and gone
I don't mind her leaving me, buddy, but she stay so doggone long

Willie Lane- Prowlin' Ground Hog

Some dirty ground hog, been rootin' in my backyard
Way that fool's been rootin', he sure has made my good road hard

Boy, he roots every morning, and he roots way late at night
Way my black woman treats me here lately, he must be rootin' all right

I know he's rootin', but I thought he's rootin' right straight down
I find about 4 o'clock this morning, boy that fool's rootin' all around

Gonna get a great big hard pistol, tell you just what I'm gonna do
I'm gonna find that old groundhog, cut his rooter right half in two

Willie Lane- Too Many Women Blues

I've got so many women, I don't hardly know who to choose
Boy, I wake up every morning, I got too many women blues

I got a little, bitty woman, she lives down in Arkansas
She's been told she's bow-legged, she's got dimples all in her jaw

Some red, some yellow, some is black, some is teasin' brown
You can't tell much about 'em, 'cos they scattered all over town

_ on the southside, 7 on the east side, 9 on the east, north side too
________, 11 on 6th avenue, I've got twelve in the bottom, thirteen will tease (please?) you

Spoken: Too many women, they ___ good

Willie Lane- Howlin' Wolf

I know you heard me howl before, you see it was not my last time
I just howl to keep those other wolves away from that little she-wolf of mine

When I howl at night, I wants meat and that's all I crave
You watch me soon in the morning, you see I make it back to my cave

Hey, my she-wolf love me, sweat to God I love her too
Well, when a she-wolf start prowlin', what in the world can a he-wolf do?

Solo (two guitars?)

So when you hear people howlin', old wolf has done gone in
You can tell them it's a (this dadgum story?) dadgum story, cravin' his meat again

Willie Lane- Black Cat Rag (Alternate take has spoken intro with the same lyrics, though order of verses is slightly different. There are also spoken asides during solos.)
(Alternate take ends with this verse:
So, if a black cat cross you, this is all I can say
Turn around and cross your fingers, man, and go ahead on your way)

Dreamed last night, boys, a black cat crossed my trail
It musta been a doggone tomcat, 'cos I seen why he dragged his tail

Tell me a black cat's evil if his tail is over one feet long
Boys, it must be true 'cos my baby sure done gone

Solo

Black cat said to the white cat, "Let's go across town and clown"
Lord, the white cat told him, "You better sit your black self down"

Solo (better executed than the first one, definitely two guitars)

So, if a black cat cross you, fall on your knees and pray
Get up and cross your fingers, boy, go ahead and go on your way

Solo

Spoken: Oh, black cat sure is evil

[doctorpep]

I'm shocked that nobody wants to work on these lyrics. Perhaps the Weenies don't have Lane's work on cd?

[Johnm]

Hi doctor pep,
I'm pretty sure that I have only one or two tracks by Willie Lane on the old Yazoo "Blues From The Western States" compilation, but I will listen to what I have and compare what I get for those songs with what you have.
All best,
Johnm

[uncle bud]

These are the lyrics I hear to the complete recordings of Willie Lane. I think that the first song he recorded should be called "Up and Down Mobile & K.C. Line", though I'm not sure any such line existed/exists. From listening to him, I get the impression that he knew of and played with J.T. Smith and Thomas Shaw. I didn't type out the second A in the AAB lyrical format. I didn't think "boy", "man" and "and" constituted lyrics separate from the initial A. I also wanted to get this done without having to listen to songs twice or rewind. Doing it quickly is the best method, I feel.

I've always felt the opposite was a more fruitful approach: careful listening and transcription seems to yield better results for me.

I don't have Willie Lane's recordings, though listening to one online can say Groundhog certainly sounds like a direct steal from Ramblin' Thomas.

[Rivers]

I don't have any WL yet but I will eventually, give me time...

[Johnm]

Hi doctor pep,
Here are the differences in what I heard for "Howling Wolf Blues", and what you posted:

VERSE 1:  Second line, "You know" is not sung
   Third line, "I just howl to keep THE other wolves 'WAY THE little she-wolf of mine"

VERSE 2: third line, "you see ME make it back to my cave"

VERSE 3:  "Hey, she-wolf love me, SWEAR to God I loves her too
   Hey, my she-wolf love me, I swear to God I loves her too
   Well, when a she-wolf starts prowlin', what in the world can a he-wolf do?

Solo--one guitar and bass

VERSE 4:  So when you hear people hollerin', old wolf has done gone in
When you hear people hollerin', old wolf has done gone in
You can tell 'em it's a dadgum story, because he's cravin' his meat again

I think all of Willie Lane's recordings are from the post-War era, by the way.  This one dates from 1949.

All best,
Johnm

[dj]

Up And Down Building K.C. Line was recorded for the Library of Congress At the Texas State penitentiary in Huntsville in April of 1934.  The musician is identified only as Little Brother.  Willie Lane, as "Little Brother" accompanied J.T. Smith on an April 22, 1935 session from which no records were ever issued.  Presumably on the basis of the name Little Brother, Document identifies the performer of Up And Down Building K.C. Line as Willie Lane.  I don't have the CD, so I can't venture an opinion as to whether this identification might be correct or not. 

[Johnm]

Hi all,
The Willie Lane transcriptions in this thread have never been completed.  He played "Howling Wolf Blues" out of A position in standard tuning, and it was certainly derivative of the playing of J. T. Smith (or Smith was derivative of Willie Lane).  I sure wish Willie Lane had recorded more--his singing and playing were both so strong.  Willie Lane is joined by a bass player who can barely be heard except for his second solo pass, where his walking is audible.  Here is Willie Lane's performance:



INTRO

I know you heard me howl before, you see it was not my last time
You heard me howl before, you, see it was not my last time
I just howl to keep the other wolves 'way from the little she-wolf of mine

When I howl at night, I wants meat and that's all I crave
When I howl at night, I wants meat and that's all I crave
You watch me soon in the mornin', you see me make it back to my cave

Yes, she-wolf love me, swear to God I love her too
Yeah, my she-wolf love me, I swear to God I loves her too
Well, when a she-wolf start prowlin', what in the world can a he-wolf do?

SOLO X 2

So when you hear people holl'in', "Old wolf has done gone in."
When you hear people holl'in', "Old wolf has done gone in."
You tell 'em it's a dad-gum story, because he's cravin' his meat again

WOLF HOWL

All best,
Johnm





 

[Johnm]

Hi all,
For "Black Cat Rag", Willie Lane chose to work once again in his favorite playing position, A in standard tuning.  Personality can be an elusive quality to define in a musician, but when you hear it, you generally recognize it, and Willie Lane had it in spades.  His guitar playing was always strong and confident sounding, and his voice, like Blind Boy Fuller's, had a lot of beneficial matter in his throat, a little rattle or rasp.  Willie Lane is joined by an under-recorded bass player here, as he was for most of his cuts.   Here is "Black Cat Rag":



Dreamed last night, boys, a black cat crossed my trail
I had a dream last night, black cat crossed my trail
It must've been a doggone tomcat, 'cause I see where he drug his tail

They tell me black cat's evil, and his tail's over one foot long
Tell me black cat's evil and the tail's over one foot long
Boys, it must be true, 'cause my baby's sure done gone

SOLO

Black cat says to the white cat, "Guess I'll go cross-town and clown."
Black cat says to the white cat, "I believe I'll go cross-town and clown."
Lord, the white cat told him, "You better set your black self down."

SOLO

So if a black cat cross you, fall on your knees and pray
Boy, if a black cat cross you, fall on your knees and pray
Get up and cross your fingers, boy, and go ahead on your way

SOLO

(Spoken: Oh, black cat sure is evil)

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Willie Lane accompanies himself out of A position in standard tuning for "Prowlin' Ground Hog", and opens the song with a pretty wild solo.  His phrasing is freer than usual on this song, and is really exciting.  Incidentally, despite the title of this thread, all of Willie Lane's recordings are from the Post-War period.  Here is his performance:



SOLO

Some dirty groundhog been rootin' my back yard
Some dirty groundhog been rootin' my back yard
Way that fool's been rootin', he sure done made my good road hard

SOLO

Boy, it roots every mornin', and it roots way late at night
Man, it roots every mornin', people, and it roots way late at night
Way my black woman treat me here lately, he must be rootin' all right

I know that he's rootin', but I thought he's rootin' right straight down
I know that he's rootin', but I thought he's rootin' right straight down
I found out about four o-clock this mornin', boy, that fool's rootin' 'round and 'round

I'm gon' get a great big old pistol, and here's just what I'm gonna do
Great big old pistol, tell you just what I'm gonna do
I'm goin' and find that old groundhog, cut his rooter right half in two

All best,
Johnm