Topic: Charlie Pickett Lyrics

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Charlie Pickett was a Memphis musician, I believe, who is probably best known as an accompanist for Sleepy John Estes on a lot of Sleepy John's recordings.  Charlie Pickett's solo recording of "Down The Highway" is a remarkable performance, one of a kind (unless he recorded another song with the same melody and accompaniment).  The song is accompanied out of E position in standard tuning and has a florid, almost Flamenco-sounding signature lick.  Its phrasing is very unusual, too, and I'll post about it in the "Vocal Phrasing--The Long and the Short of It" thread.  In addition, his right hand technique is mysterious; he sounds to be flat-picking, but at various times in the course of his rendition he hits very forcefully played licks on his first string while striking the fifth and/or fourth strings in the bass and none of the strings in between.  He accompanies his singing with lines in the treble, and the way that they track his singing is really exciting.



 

I'm missing the end of the tagline to the last verse and would sure appreciate help finishing it off.

Now, I'm-a leave here walkin', gwine down Highway 61
Now, I'm gonna leave here walkin', gwine down Highway 61
Now, if I find my sweet mama, babe and me gon' go have some fun

Oh well, oh well, we gonna make ev'ything all right
Oh well, oh well, we gonna make ev'ything all right
Now if I don't soon in the mornin', you know I will do just to-morrow night

Now, the 61 Highway, you know, and it run right by my door
Now, the 61 Highway, man, and it run right by my door
Run from Atlanta into Georgia, down into the Gulf into Mexico

Oh well, oh well, we gonna make ev'ything all right
Oh well, well, you know we gonna make ev'ything all right
Now if I don't soon in the mornin', you know I will just to-morrow night

Now, I received this letter, from long distance telegram
You know, I received this letter, from long distance telegram
Now if I don't be home on Sunday, look for me on that old Greyhound

Edited 10/24 to pick up correction from banjochris

All best,
Johnm

[banjochris]

What a great song, I don't think I had ever listened to it.

Pretty sure the last half of that line is "look for me on that old Greyhound." He makes "that" about three syllables!
Chris

[Johnm]

Ha, you got it, Chris!  Thanks so much, that was running me crazy.  I'll make the change.  That is an amazing song, isn't it?
All best,
Johnm

[banjochris]

I wonder if Bob Dylan heard this before he did his song of the same name, which doesn't really sound the same but has a vaguely similar bass riff.

[Johnm]

It seems likely that Dylan did hear it, based on what we know of his wide-ranging musical interests and listening habits.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Charlie Pickett's "Down The Highway" was first re-issued, I believe, on Samuel Charters' "Rural Blues", for the RBF label, put out by Folkways.  Charlie Pickett's "Let Me Squeeze Your Lemon" was similarly put out first on a Samuel Charters-curated set on the RBF label, "The Country Blues, Vol. 2".  Charlie Pickett played "Let Me Squeeze Your Lemon" out of C position in standard tuning, and like "Down The Highway" it features a somewhat mystifying right-hand approach which often sounds like flat-picking, but which periodically hits widely spaced strings while missing the intervening strings in a way that would make conventional flat-picking a questionable explanation.  He may have been hybrid picking with a flat-pick and fingers, or more likely, I think by the sound of it, using a thumb pick and single pick on his index finger.  Instrumentally, this comes across very much as a set piece, though one executed with such energy and focus that it ends up with a very strong feeling of being in the moment rather than canned.  Charlie Pickett was really an exciting singer, too, with a bright tenor voice.



Now you got fruit on your trees, lemons on your shelf
You don't love me, mama, that you can squeeze 'em all by yourself
REFRAIN: I said, please let me squeeze your lemon, while I'm in your lonesome town
Now, let me squeeze your lemon, baby, until my love comes down

I said it makes no difference, baby, what your daddy don't allow
Let me squeeze your lemon, mama, I mean, anyhow
REFRAIN: I said, please let me squeeze your lemon, while I'm in your lonesome town
Now, let me squeeze your lemon, baby, until my love comes down

I say, I come to your house, knocked on your door
You told me, lovin' mama, that you couldn't use me no more
REFRAIN: I said, please let me squeeze your lemon, while I'm in your lonesome town
Now, let me squeeze your lemon, baby, until my love comes down

I said, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten
I would come to see you, baby, but you really got too many mens
REFRAIN: I said, please let me squeeze your lemon, while I'm in your lonesome town
Aw, let me squeeze your lemon, baby, until my love comes down

I say now, me and my baby, had a fuss last night
Will you let me tell you, baby, what it was all about?
REFRAIN: I said, "Please let me squeeze your lemon, while I'm in your lonesome town.
Now, let me squeeze your lemon, mama, until my love comes down."

All best,
Johnm

[CF]

I've been spending part of the day listening to Pickett's tunes, they really are stellar. The 'Lemon' & 'Hwy' tunes are wonderful & have me picking out licks on the guitar, some great ideas!
Pickett's two other recordings are with Lee Brown on piano & prob. Hammie Nixon on hma & are strong as well.
Charlie recorded these tunes at the end of a couple Estes sessions (August 2-3, 1937 NYC) in which he played second guitar.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Charlie Pickett recorded "Crazy 'Bout My Black Gal" at a session in New York City on August 2, 1937, accompanying himself out of G position in standard tuning.  He was joined on the song by Lee Brown, playing piano.  Charlie Pickett's right hand technique is a bit mysterious, for the forcefulness with which he delivers his treble runs argues for the use of a flat pick, but there are other places in the song where he plays in the bass and treble simultaneously with a void in the middle register.  It seems most likely he was either using a flat pick and hybrid picking, or used a thumb pick and fingers.



PIANO INTRO

Now, tell me, little black gal, what are you gonna do?  Takin' my money, black gal, giving it all to you
REFRAIN:  Now, I'm so crazy 'bout my black gal, I'm just as wild as I can be
Now, I'm so crazy 'bout my black gal, she ought to be a fool about me

Now, me and my black gal, had a fuss last night.  Will you let me tell you, what it was all about?
REFRAIN:  Now, I'm so crazy 'bout my black gal, just as wild as I can be
Now, I'm so crazy 'bout my black gal, she ought to be a fool about me

Now, tell me, little black gal, where did you stay last night?  That's the reason I ask you, black gal, and your clothes ain't right
REFRAIN:  Now, I'm so crazy 'bout my black gal, just as wild as I can be
Now, I'm so crazy 'bout my black gal, she ought to be a fool about me

Now, this little black gal I been lovin', she got tooth, solid gold, that's the only black gal who's got a mortgage on my soul
REFRAIN:  Now, I'm so crazy 'bout my black gal, just as wild as I can be
Now, I'm so crazy 'bout my black gal, she ought to be a fool about me

Now, me and my black gal, walking' down Main Street, she was beggin' and bummin', every man she meet
REFRAIN:  Now, I'm so crazy 'bout my black gal, just as wild as I can be
Now, I'm so crazy 'bout my black gal, she ought to be a fool about me

Now, tell me, little black gal, where did you stay last night?  That's the reason I ask you, black gal, your clothes ain't on you right
REFRAIN:  Now, I'm so crazy 'bout my black gal, wild as I can be
Now, I'm so crazy 'bout my black gal, she ought to be a fool about me

All best,
Johnm   

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Charlie Pickett worked again with Lee Brown on piano for "Trembling Blues", and they were joined by Hammie Nixon on harmonica.  Pickett once again accompanied himself out of G position in standard tuning.  The tune utilizes a sort of stammering archetype in its first four bars, and is melodically akin to "Skinny Woman Blues".



INTRO SOLO

Now, I'm trembling, now, I'm trembling, Lord, I won't tremble here, no long, Lord
Now, I'm trembling now, baby, I, won't tremble here no long
Now, said we were together, we were trembling all day long

Lord, I rolled, rolled this morning, Lord, I was feelin' for my shoes, babe
Lord, I rolled this morning, mama, feeling for my shoes
Now, I didn't have nothin', babe, but these worried blues

I say, run here, run here, rider, babe, and set down, on my knee, Lord
I say, run here, rider, please set down on my knee
I'll, then, let me tell you, babe, how you treatin' me

Now, you know you treat, treat me dirty, says, you know you treat me mean, baby,
I say, you treat me dirty, babe, and you treat me mean
Now, you treat me just like, a man you never seen

All best,
Johnm