Topic: Emry Arthur--"Man of Constant Sorrow"--Emry Arthur Lyrics

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Emry Arthur recorded "Going Around The World" at a session in Indianapolis on June 25, 1928, accompanying himself out of F position in standard tuning and playing harmonica off of a rack.  The song shares its melody and structure with "The Crawdad Song" ("You get a line, and I'll get a pole, honey, etc.)  throughout the song, Arthur employs a "one down--three up" or "boom-chang-chang-chang" back-up style.  Here is the song.

 

HARMONICA SOLO

I'm going around this world, baby mine
I'm goin' around this world, baby mine
I'm goin' around this world with a banjo-pickin' girl
I'm goin' around this world, baby mine

I'm goin' 'cross the ocean, baby mine
I'm goin' 'cross the ocean, baby mine
I'm goin' across the ocean, if I don't change my notion
I'm goin' around this world, baby mine

I'm goin' across the sea, baby mine
I'm a-goin' across the sea, baby mine
I'm goin' across the sea, won't you come and go with me?
I'm goin' around this world, baby mine

HARMONICA SOLO

I'm going to Chattanoogy, baby mine
I'm going to Chattanoogy, baby mine
I'm going to Chattanoogy, get a ticket there for Cuby
I'm goin' around this world, baby mine

I'm workin' by the day, baby mine
I'm workin' by the day, baby mine
I'm workin' by the day, to get money to pay your way
So we can go around this world, baby mine

I'll tell you what I'll do, baby mine
I'll tell you what I'll do, baby mine
I'll tell you what I'll do, I sure will stick to you
And we'll go around this world, baby mine

HARMONICA SOLO

I'm gonna write a letter, baby mine
I'm gonna write a letter, baby mine
I'm a-gonna write a letter, I'll tell 'em that you're better
We're goin' around this world, baby mine

All best,
Johnm




 

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Emry Arthur recorded "Nobody's Business" at a recording session in Indianapolis on June 25, 1928, backing himself out of E position in standard tuning and playing harmonica on a rack.  As with "Going Around The World", Emry Arthur used a "boom-chang-chang-chang" accompaniment.  Here is the song, and it seems likely that it may have been the source of John Hurt's rhyming Pensacola and Coca-Cola in his own version of the song:



INTRO

REFRAIN: It's nobody's business, nobody's business
Nobody's business but my own

If cigarettes run me crazy, if morphine kills my baby
It's nobody's business but my own

REFRAIN: It's nobody's business, nobody's business
Nobody's business but my own

If I get drunk and boozy, and I go see my Suzy,
It's nobody's business but my own

REFRAIN: It's nobody's business, nobody's business
Nobody's business but my own

SOLO

If I get drunk and dizzy, and I go see my Lizzie
It's nobody's business but my own

REFRAIN: It's nobody's business, nobody's business
Nobody's business but my own

When I get on clover, I'll do that same thing over
It's nobody's business but my own

REFRAIN: It's nobody's business, a-nobody's business
Nobody's business but my own

SOLO

When I went to see her, they thought I'd come to steal her
It's nobody's business but my own

REFRAIN: It's nobody's business, a-nobody's business
Nobody's business but my own

I'm goin' down to Pensacola, get drunk on Coca-Cola
It's nobody's business but my own

REFRAIN: It's nobody's business, nobody's business
Nobody's business but my own

All best,
Johnm

[RobBob]

Well I'd like to add two things to this long, varied interesting thread.  The banjo on the first topic, Man of Constant Sorrow is two finger picked and the player was quite comfortable with what was happening.  Later in this thread more songs are discussed and "Going Around The World", which is also called "Banjo Picking Girl" which has a similar yet different melody with eluding to the IV chord in the first refrain
.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Emmy Arthur recorded "Don't Get Married" at a session in Chicago on January 17, 1935 that ended up being his last day in the studio.  This one is begging for an "answer song" sung by a woman, a fine old Country Music tradition.  He accompanied himself out of G position in standard tuning for the song, and here it is:



Come listen to my story, it's for both old and young
When you get married and settle down your troubles have begun
The kind of wife that you desire, I'm sure you'll never find
They're never glad, but they're always mad, and they're yelling all the time

Don't get married, don't get married, this advice you'd better take
For it's, "Give me, give me, give me.", they'll spend every cent you make

You'll work all week and draw your pay and come home feeling fine
And then your wife will take the dough, she won't leave you a dime
She'll buy herself a new silk dress and two or three pair of shoes
And you'll sit back just like a sap and always have the blues

Oh, don't get married, don't get married, this advice you'd better take
For it's, "Buy me this and buy me that", they'll spend all you make

A woman will deceive you and never treat you right
They'll tell you that they love you, but they'll stay out every night
They'll go off to the movies and take some other man
They'll take your dough so you can't go, you'll do the best you can

Oh, don't get married, don't get married, this advice you'd better take
For it's, "Gimme, gimme, gimme.", they'll spend every cent you make

You may think I am crazy for singing you this song
But you will all agree with me before you're married long
You'll have to work hard every day and stay home every night
If you step out, there ain't no doubt, your wife will start a fight

Oh, don't get married, don't get married, this advice you'd better take
For it's "Buy me this and buy me that.", they'll spend all you make

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Emry Arthur recorded "Wandering Gypsy Girl" at a session in Indianapolis on June 20, 1928, accompanying himself out of C position in standard tuning, playing a one down-three up picking pattern, boom-chang-chang-chang, for the most part.  Charlie Poole also recorded this song, with a slightly different melody and set of lyrics.  I really like the idea of this being a Pop record.  Here is "Wandering Gypsy Girl":



INTRO

My father was a captain of a gypsy tribe, you know
My mother, she gave me some counting to do
With a knapsack on my shoulder, I'll bid you all farewell
I'll take a trip to London, some fortunes to tell
Some fortunes to tell, some fortunes to tell
I'll take a trip to London, some fortunes to tell

As I went a-walking, all down the London streets
A handsome young lawyer was the first I chanced to meet
Was the first I chanced to meet, was the first I chanced to meet
A handsome young lawyer was the first I chanced to meet

He viewed my pretty little brown cheeks, was the ones he loved so well
Says, "You, a little gypsy girl, will you my fortune tell?
Will you my fortune tell, will you my fortune tell?
You are a little gypsy girl, will a-you my fortune tell?"

"Oh yes, sir, oh please, sir, hold out to me your hand.
You have a many fine fortunes in a far-off distant land.
In a far-off distant land, in a far-off distant land,
You have a many fine fortunes in a far-off distant land."

"You've courted many fair ladies, but you've laid them all aside.
And I'm a little gypsy girl, I'm the one to be your bride.
I'm the one to be your bride, I'm the one to be your bride,
I'm a little gypsy girl, I'm the one to be your bride."

He took me, he led me to his house on yonder's shore
While servants stood waiting, to open wide the door
To open wide the door, to open wide the door
While servants stood waiting to open wide the door

The bells, they did ring and the music, it did play
It was a celebration of a gypsy's wedding day
Of a gypsy's wedding day, of a gypsy's wedding day
It was a celebration of a gypsy's wedding day

Oh, oncet I was a gypsy girl, but now I'm a rich man's bride
With servants to wait on me while in my carriage ride
While in my carriage ride, while in my carriage ride
With servants to wait on me while in my carriage ride

All best,
Johnm