Arthur Petties, Freddie Spruell, Romeo Nelson, Doug Suggs -- these are only a few of the blues singers known on record and in discographies to blues enthusiasts, whose rediscovery has not been followed by recording sessions, for they have forgotten all they knew, and hear with disbelief the records they made as young men. - "The Future of the Blues", Blues Off the Record, Paul Oliver
About 20 years ago I had to transcribe No No Blues for another purpose. This was prior to the advent of the CD and is that on the second Story Of The Blues double set. It is the 1928 Columbia version rather than the one the following year for QRS with Eddie Map on harmonica or that with second guitarist recorded in 1933, both of which have two takes. Haven't got time to re-check, please feel free to amend:
Got up this mornin', my good gal was gone. Got up this mornin', my good gal was gone. Stood by my bedside, hung my head and, hung my head and moaned.
Went down the street, I couldn't be satisfied. Went down the street, I couldn't be satisfied. Had the no no blues, just too mean to, just too mean to cry.
Take a mighty crooked woman, treat a good man wrong. Take a mighty crooked woman, treat a good man wrong. Take a mighty crooked woman, treat a good man, treat a good man wrong.
Ain't none o' my business, but it sure ain't right. Ain't none o' my business, but it sure ain't right. Take another man's woman, walk the streets all, walk the streets all night. .
If I mistreat you, I sure don't mean no harm. If I mistreat you, I sure don't mean no harm. I'm a motherless child, don't know right from, don't know right from wrong.
I'm a stranger here and just come in your town. I'm a stranger here, I just come in your town. If I ask for a favour, don't turn me, don't turn me down.
I'm long and tall like a Cannonball. I'm long and tall like a Cannonball. Take a long tall fellow make a good gal, make a good gal squall.
I ain't no gambler, I don't play no pool. I ain't no gambler, I don't play no pool. I'm just a roller, jellybakin', jellybakin' fool.
I'm a stranger here, just come on this train. I'm a stranger here, I just come on this train. I long to hear some gal call my, gal call my name.
My mama's told me, papa told me too. My mama's told me, papa told me too. Don't let no woman make a fool outa, make a fool outa you.
I am new to the Weenie Campbell forum. I'd like some help with the lyrics to Curly Weaver's Hard times. (BTW I think Little Brother does a nice version on youtube)....does anyone have the lyric?
thanks for your help
Paul
« Last Edit: April 24, 2009, 03:57:10 AM by paulreso1 »
I keep on drinkin? tryin to drive my blues away And the sun?s going to shine, In my back door someday
Say I wouldn?t keep on drinkin If I could help my ??self I wouldn?t be lovin? you if I could love someone else I keep on drinkin? tryin to drive my blues away Said the sun?s going to shine In my back door someday
(Play that thing boy)
Say I ain?t going to tell nobody I ain?t going to drink no more I don?t feel welcome no place I go I keep on drinkin? tryin to drive my blues away Said the sun?s going to shine In my back door someday
Said I may be crazy, but I ain?t nobody?s fool Why take a dog and like a??Georgia mule I keep on drinkin? tryin to drive my blues away Said the sun?s going to shine In my back door someday
Hi all, I've loved Curley Weaver's recording of "Ticket Agent" since I first heard it, about forty-five years ago on the great old anthology, "Country Blues Classics, Vol. 1" on Chris Strachwitz's Blues Classics label. The song can currently be found on the JSP "Atlanta Blues" set. "Ticket Agent", played out of A position in standard tuning, is one of the great set piece eight-bar performances, and Curley Weaver's time and the lift he was able to get on his brushed, damped upbeats has never been bettered, to my ear. Lyrically, the song works much of the same territory as Buddy Moss' "New Lovin' Blues" and Willie McTell's "Searchin' The Desert For The Blues", though it also grabs some lines from Sylvester Weaver's "Can't Be Trusted Blues." Like them all, it's a great bragging song. This one rivals Peg Leg Howell's "Coal Man Blues" for number of verses--seventeen (!) here. The bent bracketed lines I'm not sure of, and I'd appreciate corroboration/correction. Here is "Ticket Agent":
"Good Lord, good Lord, send me a angel down" "Can't spare you no angel, but I'll spare you a teasing brown."
"Ticket agent, ticket agent, how long that train been gone? Ticket agent, tell me the road she's on."
I went to the station with my guitar in my hand Crowd of women run to me, said, "Mr. Weaver, won't you be my man?"
There's a crowd on the corner, d'you reckon, who could it be? Wasn't nothin' but a crowd of women tryin' to get to me
This new way of lovin', Great God, it must be best 'Cause Atlanta women just won't let poor Curley Weaver rest
My baby, she got a mojo, tryin' to keep it hid Papa Weaver got somethin' to find that doggone mojo with
My Mama, she told me, I's a boy playin' mumble-peg "Don't drink no black cow's milk, don't eat no black hen's egg."
Let me tell you, good buddy, double-crossin' women will do They will have your buddy, come on play all sick on you
I don't believe no woman in the whole round world do right Act like a angel in the daytime, but they's hell at night
I used to, to thought, married woman's the sweetest woman was born I changed that thing, you'd better leave married womens alone
Now listen, good buddy, huh, let all married women be 'Cause their husband'll grab you, beat you ragged as a cedar tree
I will back-bite you and gnaw you to the bone Got ways like my Daddy and I can't leave womens alone
You may trust me, buddy, but I won't trust you Get a chance wit' your woman, gnaw your backbone half in two
A hen at my home, she laid thirteen eggs a day Old rooster got jealous and the doggone fool walked away
It makes no difference, baby, 'bout you change your lock and key 'Cause too many women want a hotshot like me
My Mama, she told me, I's just a boy 'bout nine years old Says, "Son, you're gonna be some woman's sweet jellyroll."
A woman, she'll swear, loves you 'bout all her life Meet that man 'round the corner, tell that doggone same lie twice.
Edited, 5/9, to pick up corrections from uncle bud.
All best, Johnm
« Last Edit: June 25, 2020, 07:46:11 AM by Johnm »
My baby, she got a mojo, tryin' to keep it hid Papa Weaver got somethin' to find that mojo with
Papa Weaver got somethin' to find that DOGGONE mojo with (you were just missing a word)
Quote
Let me tell you, good buddy, double-cross women will do They will have your buddy, come on play all sick on you
I think he swallows the '-in' in double-crossin'
Quote
You may trust me, buddy, but I won't trust you [You trust] a woman, gnaw your backbone half in two
GET A CHANCE WIT' YOUR woman, gnaw your backbone half in two
Curley runs this together really fast, more like " get chance 't' yo' woman", but that's what I think he sings. Cf. Willie McTell's Talkin' to Myself: "'Cause if you allow me a chance, I'll gnaw your backbone half in two"
Quote
It makes no difference, baby, 'bout you [chain your lovin'] key 'Cause too many women want a hotshot like me
It makes no difference, baby, 'bout you CHANGE YOUR LOCK AND key
Again, compare to McTell in "Cold Winter Day":
Make no difference mama, change your lock and key Too many women want a man like me Still you'll need me some old cold winter day
Thanks so much, uncle bud! I had that "doggone", and neglected to type it in. These suggestions are all spot on and really do it up nicely. I'll make the changes. All best, Johnm
Anyone know the actual lyrics which Curley sings on this song? All i can find on the net so far is who broke the lock which is a very old folk song from the 19th century. I think he changed them. Dont suppose it matters much but it's nagging me. Any ideas?? jelly roll
Usually we ask the original poster to have a stab themselves and post a starter version. You'll find that will tend to get folks listening and chiming in. Put '??' or some such in the places you can't get. Guidelines here: http://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6575.0
« Last Edit: March 06, 2012, 05:52:31 PM by Rivers »
Hi all, It's been a while since this request for lyrics help was posted, but I think I have some of the missing lines. For ease of formatting, I'll re-enter the whole song, with the suggested lines added in CAPs. It sure sounds like Curley Weaver is using "fuc*in'" as an adjective, pronounced "fuhggin'". I've heard this done somewhere else and can't recall where. Maybe some of you will remember other songs that use it. I'd appreciate help with any remaining bent bracketed passages. Curley Weaver is definitely playing out of G position in standard tuning on this one, and I have a hard time hearing McTell's playing position. This performance can be found on the JSP set, "Atlanta Blues". Here is "I Keep On Drinking":
Hard time, hard time, 'bout to drive me wild TAKE A BIG FAT WOMAN, WORKIN' DOWN TO MY BOOGIEIN' SIDE REFRAIN: I keep on a-drinkin', try to drive my blues away Say, the sun's going to shine in my backdoor someday
Says, I wouldn't keep on a-drinkin', if I could help my BOOKIN' self Wouldn't be lovin' you if I could love someone else REFRAIN: I keep on drinkin', try to drive my blues away Say, the sun's going to shine in my backdoor someday (Spoken: Play that thing, boy!)
SOLO
Says, I ain't gonna tell nobody, I ain't gonna drink no more I don't feel welcome no place I go REFRAIN: I keep on drinkin', try to drive my blues away Say, the sun's going to shine in my backdoor someday
SAYS, I may be crazy, but I ain't nobody's fool 'FORE I'LL TAKE YOUR DOGGIN', I KICK LIKE A BUCKIN' GEORGI' MULE REFRAIN: I keep on drinkin', try to drive my blues away Say, the sun's going to shine in my backdoor someday
Edited 3/9 to pick up corrections from banjochris Edited 3/9 to pick up corrections from uncle bud and Johnm
All best, Johnm
« Last Edit: June 25, 2020, 07:48:08 AM by Johnm »
Hi all, I realized there were a number of separate threads on Curley Weaver lyrics and decided to do a merged thread. The last post prior to this one is in response to a request for lyrics help with Curley's version of "I Keep On Drinkin'", about four posts back. All best, Johnm
Cora Mae Bryant, Curley's daughter, also sang "Take a big fat man..." in her version of the song. Her singing of the rest of the line sounds the same as Curley, but both are not exactly comprehensible to me. I do hear a B sound though. The only thing other than BOOGIE-IN' that occurred to me as a possibility was BUCKIN', pronounced more like BOOKIN'. The Georgia mule in the last verse would make sense if it was buckin' perhaps. That line from the last verse sounds like it is:
4.2 'FORE I'll take your DOGGIN' I'LL kick like a boogie-in/BUCKIN' Georgia mule
Your suggestions seem right on, uncle bud, both in terms of their sound and in terms of making more sense out of the lyrics. Thanks very much for the help, and I'll make the changes. On another issue, it's weird the way McTell starts his solo on a III chord, isn't it? What's up with that? All best, Johnm
« Last Edit: March 09, 2012, 02:58:43 PM by Johnm »