Topic: Lonzie Thomas Lyrics

[Johnm]

Hi all,
One of the bright lights of the George Mitchell Collection on Fat Possum Records is Lonzie Thomas, who was born in Lee County, Alabama in 1921.  Lonzie has four titles in the set, and my particular favorite is "My Three Women".  The song is a freely phrased one-chorder in Spanish tuning in which Lonzie leans on a recurring bend on his unwound G string that tells a story in its own right. Behind his singing, he gets a funky damped sound, but when he goes into his solos he switches to a bright open ringing sound.  There is so much humor and high spirits in Lonzie Thomas's delivery.  I won't attempt to describe it beyond that except to say that this is my favorite bragging song and performance in all the blues. I believe the set is on the Juke.  Here is "My Three women":

 

   Baby, I've got me three women now
   All live on the same old road
   Baby, I've got me three women now
   All live on the same old road

   One to do my washing
   One to do my ironing
   One to pay my room and board

   The one named Minnie
   And the other'un's named Ginny
   Gal I love, she's named Ida Sue
   No, baby, I don't need no black cat bone, hoo!
   'Cause I know just what to do

   SOLO (spoken during solo:  Yeah!  Uh-huh)

   Eat my breakfast with Minnie
   My dinner with Ginny
   Ida Sue, she understand
   How in the world can I lose, little girl?  Hoo!
   'Cause the aces in my hand

   SOLO:

   Heap of these men got wives (spoken: That's the truth, too!)
   And they don't know what they for
   Heap of these men got wives, and they don't know what they for
   Been out with another woman, they's runnin' around, hoo!
   But still they will stay off

    SOLO:  (spoken:  Yeah!)

   Faith, Hope and Charity
   These the three girls name of mine
   The one's from Virginia
   One's from the Ark-Carolines

   spoken:  Yeah!

All best,
Johnm
 
     

[creaminjaysquawkins]

I have always wondered about that forename - is it possible that Mitchell might have misheard it and his real name was something like Warren G. Thomas?  JN.

[frankie]

hi JN - I don't know much about Lonzie Thomas other than his music, but based on his name, the assumption I made was that his given name might have been "Alonzo."  Not the most common name, but not unheard of, either.

Love this song, John - it's musically similar to a tune he calls "Dragaround" - in two versions!

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Another Lonzie Thomas number that was not included in the George Mitchell Collection but that Frankie alluded to in the last post is "Dragaround #1".  Like "My Three Women", it was accompanied by Lonzie in Spanish tuning, and in fact it shares pretty much the same accompaniment as "My Three Women".  His phrasing doesn't conform to any pre-existing model of which I'm aware, but it makes perfect sense in the hearing--it's his.  If you've not had the pleasure of hearing Lonzie's music, you might consider requesting something from the Juke or ordering the George Mitchell Collection from Fat Possum.  He really was a wonderful musician, and the good humor he projects in his music and the life in his time is very happy-making.

   Know the woman I love, she's just sweet as she can be
   Said, the woman I love, just as sweet as she can be
   Every time you kiss me, darlin', cold chills runs all over me
   Every time you kiss me, baby, it search me through and through
   I begin to wonder, what style of girl is you?

   SOLO

   Lord, the woman I love, know the woman I love, she's about twenty-five in the waist
   I don't know nobody that can take my little girl's place
   She got coal black eye, great long black curly hair
   My baby got  coal black hair, great long black curly hair
   My baby got somethin', WHOO!, get me most anywhere

   SOLO, SPOKEN WITH SOLO: Bring it down here, it's good out there, if you all better get the ground down here.

   My baby got somethin', I don't know what it is
   Yeah, my baby got somethin', I don't know what it is
   Every time she puts it on me, WHOO!, I can't keep my black self still

   SOLO

   I'll buy you two gold teeth, darlin', put earrings in your ear
   Baby, I'll buy you two gold teeth, put earring in your ear
   That'll get your other man, HOO!, babe, away from over here
   I can't be your regular, let me be your own dragaround
   Now baby, I can't be your regular man, let me be your dragaround
   Baby, if you don't mind, I'll beat your own good man down

   SOLO

   SPOKEN:  Now you see, I forgot it!

All best,
Johnm
 

[Johnm]

Hi all,
For his version of "Raise A Ruckus Tonight, #1", Lonzie Thomas accompanied himself out of Vestapol.  His accompaniment tracks his vocal very closely, and in a way that is quite unusual: He plays the melody with a thumb lead, fretting it solely on his fourth string, and phrases it such that he gets the melody in the course of playing a backwards alternation (treble towards bass) with his thumb.  The sound of playing the melody all on one string is almost akin to that of a mountain dulcimer, though Lonzie's time is much more funky than what you normally hear from dulcimer players.
Based on its lyrics, "Raise A Ruckus Tonight" would appear to have origins in the Minstrel tradition.  I'm not sure of the bent bracketed lyrics, and would appreciate help with them. Lonzie sometimes finishes a line with the guitar, and where he does that it is indicated with a dash.  Here is "Raise A Ruckus Tonight":



   My old mistress, she told me, raise a ruckus ---------
   If she died she gonna set me free, raise a ruckus tonight
   Well, she lived so long 'til her head got bald, raise a ruckus tonight
   Then she got out of knowin' her time at all, raise a ruckus tonight

   REFRAIN: Run along, little children, run along
   Children, run while the moon is shining bright
   We gonna step on boat and goin' down the river float
   We shall raise us a ruckus tonight

   If you wanta hear a rooster stomp and crow, raise a ruckus tonight
   Just sprinkle little corn 'round your back door, raise a ruckus tonight
   Just take you a stick in your right hand, raise a ruckus tonight
   And knock that rooster in the Promised Land, raise a ruckus to------

   REFRAIN: Run along, little children, run along
   Children, run while the moon is shining bright
   We gonna step on boat and goin' down the river float
   We gon' raise us a ruckus tonight

   Well, the peckerwood flew in the schoolhouse yard, raise a ruckus ---------
   And he pecked and he pecked 'til his thing got hard, raise a ruckus to-----
   And he flew from down to the schoolhouse door, raise a ruckus tonight
   Then he pecked round there 'til his pecker got sore, raise a ruckus to------

   REFRAIN: Run along, little children, run along
   Children, run while the moon is shining bright
   We gonna step on boat and goin' down the river float
   We gon' raise us a ruckus tonight

All best,
Johnm



     

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Lonzie Thomas's version of "Struttin' That Thing", on which he backed himself out of Vestapol tuning, bears some musical resemblance to Peg Leg Howell's "Please, Ma'am", in that, like the Howell number, it is a musical run-on sentence.  There are no verses, stanzas or refrains, as such; rather Lonzie starts himself up and sings continuously about stirrin', struttin' and doin' for 2'36" without ever coming up for air.  The mood here is celebratory and humorous.  At a couple of places during the course of the rendition you can hear Lonzie smiling as he delivers the line.  The expression "dry long so" is rendered as "dry long slow" by Lonzie here.  His timing, both in his singing and playing has so much life in it.  Where he used the guitar to finish lines, I've indicated that with dashes.

I been doin' that thing
I been doin' that ------
B'lieve I'll do it everywhere I go
I been doin' that thing
I been doin' that thing
I been stirrin' that thing
Girl, I stir it everywhere I go
Stir it at home, stir it abroad
I been stirrin' the thing just like a dog
Woman, I been struttin' that thing
I been stirrin' that thing
I been stirrin' that -----
I been stirrin' that thing
Now I stir it everywhere I go
I stir it like a dog, stir it like a cat
You got to strut that thing with a hump in your back
Baby, you know I been struttin' that thing
I been doin' that thing
I been stirrin' that thing
Girl, I stir it everywhere I go
Now, I been doin' that thing
I been stirrin' that -----
I been doin' that -----
Baby, I'll stir it everywhere I go
I stir it at home, all in the wood
I done strut that thing 'til it stuck out good
Baby, you know I been stirrin' that thing
I been stirrin' that thing
I been stirrin' that -----
I been stirrin' that thing
Baby, I'll stir it everywhere I go
I strut for the rich, strut it for the poor
Strut for the gal that's dry long slow
Woman, I been stirrin' that thing
I been ----------------------
I been doin' that -----
Girl, I'll stir it everywhere I go
I been doin' that -----
I been doin' that mmmmmm
Baby, I'll stir it everywhere I go
I stir it at home all in the bed
Strut that thing, gone to my head
Baby, I been stirrin' that ------
I been a-stirrin' that ------
I been stirrin' that thing
Baby, I'll stir it everywhere I -----
Strut last week, week before
Strut that thing 'til I want some more
But, I been stirrin' that thing
I been stirrin' that thing
I been stirrin' that -----huh!
Lord, I'll stir it everywhere I go

All best,
Johnm



   

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Lonzie Thomas's version of "Rabbit On A Log" shares its beautiful major pentatonic melody with Henry Thomas's "Shanty Blues", John Hurt's "Payday", and the Mississippi Sheiks' "Bootlegger's Blues".  Lonzie accompanied himself out of Vestapol and his instrumental approach is much as it was on his version of "Raise A Ruckus Tonight", with a thumb lead in the right hand carrying the melody as he alternates it backwards, from the treble towards the bass, phrasing the melody on his fourth and fifth strings.  He really had a beautiful tone on the guitar.  He concludes each of the second lines of his verses with the guitar, and then sings a little tag.  If you haven't heard Lonzie Thomas, you really need to.  Here is "Rabbit On A Log":



   Ha Lula, Ha Lula,

   If you don't b'lieve I'm right, come and follow me tonight
   I'll made you call your mama -----------
   'Fore day, 'fore day

   Well, that rabbit on the log, I ain't got no rabbit dog
   I'm gonna shoot it with my pistol ---------
   Ah, babe, ah, babe

   SOLO

   Ha Lula

   Well, I'm get me a sack of flour, I'm gonna cook it every hour
   I'm gonna heat that skillet greasy -------------
   Ah, babe, ah, babe

   SOLO

   Well, I'm gwine across to Florida, I'm gon' marry some rich man's daughter
   I'm gonna treat her like I oughta --------------------
   I'm gonna set her in the shade, I'm gon' have her dresses made
   I'm gonna treat her like I ough ---------------------
 
   Babe, you know, sittin' up on my farm, I got money in my trunk
   It ain't nobody's business -------------------------
   But mine, but mine

   SOLO

   Ha Lula, ah, babe

   Well, that jack is on the stump, I ain't got no rabbit dog
   I'm gon' shoot him with my pistol ----------------
   Ah, babe

All best,
Johnm   

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Lonzie Thomas played "Red Cross Store" out of Vestapol.  His performance is perfectly amazing.  His vocal is so richly inhabited in the expressive sense--there's so much attitude.  The song is so far beyond conventional blues lyrics, which seem like corny "moon in June" stuff in comparison to Lonzie's hipster's rant.  There is so much humor in his delivery, and so much scorn in his assessment of the Red Cross Store, what they deliver and the way in which they deliver it.  By the time he gets to the last verse, he is cracking himself up.  Instrumentally, there are no fireworks, but the way Lonzie Thomas played time is cooler than cool, and a bunch of soloing would have just disrupted the flow of what he's saying.  It's so perfect that he is constantly on his way to Hillary's Store.  In case you can't tell, I really like this track.  Here is "Red Cross Store":



   Me and my babe had a talk last night
   You know, we talked about a hour
   She's tryin' to get me to go to that Red Cross Store,
   Get a sack of that Red Cross flour
   I told her, "No, now babe, don't make me go."

   Hey, I'm goin' out here on the corner, I was stoppin' at Hillary's Store
   See, I walked uptown, thought I'd have a little fun
   I thanked the boss, the folks hid and run
   'Cause the Chief of Police took a great big gun, says,
   "Come on, big boy, I got you some"
   I told him, "Yes sir!, Captain, I don't want to go.
   Hey, man, turn me loose, I was goin' to Hillary's Store!"

   Workin' for the Red Cross three days in the week
   Didn't want to give me nothin' but a little somethin' to eat
   I told him, "No-unt-uh!  Man, I ain't gon' work no more.
   Hey, I go down here on the corner, I was stoppin' at Hillary's Store."
   
   You know the Red Cross people promised, treat us right
   Get a twenty-pound meal and one little can of tripe
   I told him, "No sir, Captain, I ain't gon' work no more.
   Hey, I was gwine here on the corner, I was stoppin' at Hillary's Store."
   
   The Red Cross people promised to treat us mean (Ha ha)
   T-wenty pound meat and one little pair of cornmeals
   I told him, "No sir (ha), Captain, I ain't gon' work no more.
   Hey, goin' out here on the corner, I was startin' to Hillary's Store."
   (Huh, huh, huh)

All best,
Johnm

[JohnLeePimp]

Lonzie is plain fantastic, so if Dragaround and Struttin' That Thing aren't on the Mitchell collection or the Juke, where can I get to listen to them?

[Johnm]

Hi John Lee,
I you go to the ITunes store and do a search for Lonzie Thomas, you can find "Dragaround", "Struttin' That Thing", and many more of Lonzie's tunes that were not included on the George Mitchell Collection.  At this stage of the game, I would rate him one of my all-time favorites in the genre, right up there with anybody you could name.
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Lonzie Thomas accompanied himself out Vestapol for "Sitting Here Studying as the Time Rolls On".  There is tremendous tension in his time on this song; it's tugging back very hard, and moves forward grudgingly and very heavily.  Lonzie's use of silence, especially in the front end of the rendition, is so dramatic, really as affecting as I've ever heard it used in country blues.  His phrasing is very free, and he often plays a long time in between his vocal lines.  I'm including a YouTube video of his recorded performance, and will follow it with his lyrics:




   Oh, I'm just sittin' down here studyin', darlin',
   Sweetheart, as the time roll on
   Woman, you know you told me you was gonna stop drinkin', baby,
   Sure enough, and stayin' out all night long

   No, babe, I just wouldn't do right
   Girl, they dogged like you're doin' poor me
   Baby, you know you told me you was gonna stop drinkin', girl,
   Sure enough, and stayin' out all night long

   Baby, at night at my bedside
   Girl, I remember you in my prayer
   You know, my mind get to ramblin'
   Sure, and I wish that you was there

   Baby, that's all right
   Honey, any old way you do
   You can mistreat me, darlin',
   Sure enough, it's comin' back home to you

All best,
Johnm
 

[frankie]

Lonzie is plain fantastic, so if Dragaround and Struttin' That Thing aren't on the Mitchell collection or the Juke, where can I get to listen to them?

I got the additional Lonzie Thomas recordings years and years ago from emusic (even before I got the full George Mitchell Collection), but you can also get them on CD from Big Legal Mess:

https://biglegalmessrecords.com/product/george-mitchell-collection/lonzie-thomas/

[uncle bud]

And that'll be the best 13 bucks you've spent in a loooong time...

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Lonzie Thomas's version of "Hard Pill to Swallow" is a beauty.  It doesn't follow any commonly encountered blues form, but is very loosely phrased with a wonderful call-and-response interplay between Lonzie's voice and his guitar. 
Frank Basile posted a terrific version of this song here last week, at http://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=9203.msg82372#msg82372, utilizing a variant of Vestapol tuning that he figured out a while ago that Lonzie was using on several of his songs:  D-A-D-E-A-D.  It's a wonderful tuning, if you can figure out how to negotiate it because it gives you maximal opportunities to inflect things on that third string--unfretted, you have a II note, at the first fret, you have the minor III, and at the second fret, you have the major third.  You have a huge variety of ways you can move between these notes--hammers, slides, pull-offs.  Good on you, Frank, for sussing this out and providing such a stellar example of how to make the tuning work.
Lonzie was such a great singer.  When you hear him sing this song, you don't doubt for an instant that he knew what he singing about.  Here is "Hard Pill To Swallow":



Don't never dog the woman, when you know you're doin' wrong yourself
She get the devil in her mind, she go out about somebody else

I had a sweet little woman, God knows I didn't treat her right
Tell the woman like mine, you lovin' her every day and every night

Now the blues piled up on me, I brought it all on myself
When I should have been lovin' you, darlin', I was in love with somebody else

It's a mighty hard pill to swallow, but I want all the men to know
You gotta mind what you sow, yeah, got to reap just what you sow

And don't never dog your little woman, when you know you're doin' wrong yourself
She get the devil in her mind, go wild about somebody else

Don't never dog your woman, when you know you're doin' wrong yourself
She get the devil in her mind, go out about somebody else

All best,
Johnm

[frankie]

One thing I noted about this song is that it shares a title with a song that was recorded later by Shirley Griffith, but bears no other resemblance whatsoever.

In addition to that, the song seems to be related lyrically to a song that Blind Willie McTell recorded as "Blues Around Midnight," (which seems itself to be a cover of another song) but is a whole different thing musically.

Maybe this makes it both a one off AND a great cover?

That tuning is ambiguous, too...  sometime the 3rd string is kinda sharp, making it sound like he's in cross-note with a particularly sour 3rd string. I like the DADEAD tuning, myself - not much use for anything else, but it's fun while you're there...