Topic: Roosevelt Holts Lyrics

[ScottN]

Rocks In My Pillow

I got rocks in my pillow and the cold ground for my bed
I got rocks in my pillow and the cold ground for my bed
Lord hard luck and trouble ever since my mother been dead

Lord it's a mean conductor won't let a poor man ride
Well it's a mean conductor won't let a poor man ride
Well that's a mean old woman won't treat a poor man right

Well she little and [neat] right down on the ground
Well she little and [neat] right down on the ground
Well every time she kiss me it makes my love come down

Well I'm leavin here mama won't be back til fall
Lord I'm leavin here won't be back til fall
If you don't get no better baby won't be back at all


Thanks,
           Scott

[ScottN]

Lead Pencil Blues

Well the lead in my pencil mama done gone dead on me
Said the lead in my pencil mama done gone dead on me
Well that's the worst old feelin that a poor man ever had

Well the rocks in my pillow cold ground for my bed
I got rocks in my pillow cold ground for my bed
Well that's the worst old feelin woo Lord a man ever had

Well I'm leavin here in the morning won't be back til fall
Well I'm leavin in the mornin won't be back til fall
Well my mind don't change woo Lord I won't be back at all

I got a coal black pony he's already trained
Yes a coal black pony he's already trained
Yeah when you gets in a hurry ooh Lord tighten up on the reins


Thanks,
           Scott

[ScottN]

Prison Bound

Cryin sometime I wonder why don't you write to me
Cryin sometime I wonder why don't you write to me
I'd I'd have been a bad fella I didn't intend to be

Cryin Lord haveercy on my bad luck soul
Cryin Lord have mercy on my bad luck soul
Says the Good Book teach you gonna reap just what you sow

Cryin where was you when I had my trial
Cryin where was you when I had my trial
Say you was all out of town and now  prison bound

Cryin early one mornin the blues come fallin down
Cryin early one mornin the blues come fallin down
And I couldn't do nothing but hang my head and cry


Thanks,
           Scott

[ScottN]

She Put Me Outdoors

Well she put me outdoor baby through the sleet and snow
Well put me outdoor through the sleet and snow
Well I was stone barefooted I didn't have nowhere to go

Well I got one in the bare mound two right on that hill
Well one in the bare mound I got two out on that hill
Says there ain't nar' one sweet Like that little old girl Lucille

Cryin Lord have mercy baby on my bad luck soul
Cryin Lord have mercy baby on my bad luck soul
Say the Good Book teach you gonna reap just what you sow

Well I'm goin up the country baby don't you wanna go
Lord I'm goin up the country baby don't you wanna go
Well I'm goin to a place never been before

Well she put me outdoors Lord I didn't have nowhere to go
Well she put me outdoors I didn't have nowhere to go
Well I was poor and lonely runnin from door to door


Thanks,
           Scott

Edited 7/11/14 with help from Johnm and 7/15/14 with help from Davek

[ScottN]

Little Bitty Woman

Well the sun gon' shine in my back door someday
Well the sun gon' shine in my back door someday
Well the wind don't change blow my blues away

Well run here mama see what you done done
Well run here mama see what you done done
Well you made me love you now your man done come

Well little bitty woman xx don't help xx xx
Well little bitty woman xx don't help xx xx
Well then someted she think she's doggone cute to die

Well I hate to see evenin sun go down
Lord I hate to see evenin sun go down
It make me think my good gal blowed this town

Well I went to the depot please let me ride the blind
Lord I asked the depot agent please let me ride the blind
Well you got to buy your ticket 'cause the train ain't none of mine


Thanks,
           Scott

[Johnm]

Hi Scott,
Thanks for taking on the Roosevelt Holts transcriptions, as well as the Pink Anderson and Shirley Griffith ones.  I think I can hear a number of the missing places in "She Put Me Outdoors", though not all of them.  Here goes:
   1.1 and 1.2, I think he says OUTDOOR
   1.3 Well, I WAS STONE barefooted, I didn't have nowhere to go

   2.1  . . .[BARE MOUND?] ,TWO right on that hill
   2.2       [BARE MOUND?]
   2.3 Says, THERE AIN'T NAR' ONE SWEET LIKE THAT LITTLE OLD [          ]

   3.3 SAY, . . . .

   4.3 Well, I'm goin' TO A PLACE, never been before

That's all I could get right now.  I'll attach an .mp3 of the performance so more folks can help out.
All best,
Johnm

[ScottN]

Hi John,

Thanks, I made your suggested changes to She Put Me Outdoors.  Hopefully others will be able to get the missing parts.

Thanks again,
                         Scott

[David Kaatz]

Nit picking, but I hear:
Well I was stone barefooted I didn't have nowhere to go

The unknown words, I think he is calling the woman Lucille, so this makes sense:
Says there ain't nar' one sweet Like that little old girl (gal?) Lucille

Dave

[ScottN]

Hi Dave,

Good ears, I've added both your suggestions.

Thanks a lot,
                   Scott

[Johnm]

Great hearing on getting the end of the tagline on the third verse of "She Put Me Outdoors", Dave!  I sure wasn't hearing that.
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Roosevelt Holts was a Mississippian who was recorded for the first time in the 1960s. His album on Blue Horizon,"Roosevelt Holts: Presenting the Country Blues" is very strong, showing a fine singer and versatile guitarist. I've been drawn to "She Put Me Outdoors" for a number of years, and have transcribed the guitar part, which he played in A position, standard tuning, without ever having transcribed the lyrics, which I hope we'll be able to do now. On the attached link, which has the entire album, the song begins at 30:21. I'd very much appreciate help, especially with the second verse. Here is "She Put Me Outdoors":



INTRO

Well, she put me outdoor, baby, through the sleet and snow
Yes, put me outdoor, through the sleet and snow
Well, I was stone bare-footed, I didn't have nowhere to go

Well, I got one in the 'Bama, two out on that hill
Well, one in the 'Bama, I got two out on that hill
Said there ain't nar' one sweet, like that Dago ov' in Dootinville

Cryin', Lord have mercy, baby, on my bad luck soul
Cryin', Lord have mercy, baby, on my bad luck soul
Say, the Good Book teach you, gonna reap just what you sow

Well, I'm goin' up the country, baby, don't you wanta go?
Lord, I'm goin' up the country, baby, don't you wanta go?
Well, I'm goin' to a place, never been before

Well, she put me outdoor, Lord, I didn't have nowhere to go
Well, she put me outdoor, I didn't have nowhere to go
Well, I was poor and lonely, runnin' from door to door

CODA

Edited 8/23 to pick up corrections from Blues Vintage and Johnm

All best,
Johnm   

[Blues Vintage]

I can't hear the second verse ending. "Bama" seems right.

I think it's just plain wanna instead of wanta in the 4th verse.

[Johnm]

I'm sticking with "wanta".

[banjochris]

Agree with "Bama," and I'm hearing "Dago been ?" been what is the question.

[Old Man Ned]

Sounds like 'Bama' to me too. Not sure if it makes sense but could this short for Alabama?

Also not sure it's making any sense but I'm hearing something like 'like that Dago engine wheel' at the end of the last line of the 2nd verse.

All the Best,
Ned