Topic: Arthur Weston Lyrics

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Arthur Weston's "Uncle Sam Called Me" comes from his Testament CD, "Arthur Weston-Pea Vine Whistle". Weston was recorded by Pete Welding in St. Louis, where he (Weston) resided. The program is roughly divided in half into Weston's solo numbers and ones on which he is joined by Big Joe Williams and a harmonica player. I tend to prefer the solo numbers, just because Big Joe's musical presence was so powerful that I think he effaces somewhat the distinctive personal aspects of Arthur Weston's music on the tunes they played together. For "Uncle Sam Called Me", Arthur Weston accompanied himself out of Spanish tuning, and his sound in that tuning has a very strong Mississippi flavor. Here is "Uncle Sam Called Me":



INTRO

Yes, Uncle Sam sure done called me, yes, boys, you know I sure is got to go
REFRAIN: Yes, Uncle Sam sure done called me, yes, boys, you know I sure is got to go
Yes, he have called me to the United States Army, yes, boys, you know I sure is got to go

Yes, Uncle Sam called me this mornin', boy, when the clock was strikin' four, he says, "Fall outa your bunk, boys, and get back out in the rain and snow."
REFRAIN: Yes, he sure have called me, yes, boys, you know I sure is got to go
Yes, he have called me to the United States Army, yes, boys, you know I sure is got to go

Uncle Sam sure done called me, yes, boys, you know I sure is got to go
REFRAIN: Uncle Sam sure have called me, yes, boys, you know I sure is got to go
Yes, he have called me to the United States Army, yes, boys, you know I sure is got to go

Yes, you know I had a little woman, her name was little Pearlie Mae, "Uncle Sam done called me to the United States Army, baby, you know I got to go and stay.
REFRAIN: Yes, he sure have called me, yes, Pearlie Mae, you know I got to go
Yes, he have called me to the United States Army, yes, Pearlie Mae, you know I got to go."

"Yes, I'm gon' tell you one more thing, Pearlie Mae, I know you sure ain't gonna like, Uncle Sam done called me to the United States Army, I don't know whether I will ever get back.
REFRAIN: Yes, he sure have called me, yes, Pearlie Mae, you know I got to go
Yes, he have called me to the United States Army, yes, Pearlie Mae, you know I got to go."

Well, Mother begin to scream, scream and holler, sayin', "Lord, have mercy on my child."
My Mother begin to scream, scream and holler, sayin', "Lord, have mercy on my child."
I told her, "Hush, hush now, Mother, don't you cry, 'cause you, knowed Uncle Sam knew I was born to die."

Lord, look at that big gun yonder. Man, you know it's settin' way out in the west
Lord, just look at that big gun yonder. Man, you know it's settin' way out in the west
But whenever you get in touch with Uncle Sam, boy, he gon' learn you all about the rest

CODA

Edited 2/26 to pick up corrections from Blues Vintage, Johnm and banjochris

All best,
Johnm     
 

[Blues Vintage]

2.1 Roll Fall outa your bunk

5.1 the end of the line sounds different but can't give a decent suggestion

The laste verse: I have to re-listen later

[Johnm]

Thanks for the help, Blues Vintage. I got the corrections in 2.1 and 5.1. Like you, I don't know how I would change the opening of the first two lines of the last verse.

[banjochris]

I'm hearing 5.1 the way John has it now –
last verse I think is "Lord, just look at that big gun yonder..." with no "just" the first time. I'm not hearing "moon" there.
Chris

[Blues Vintage]

I heard "gun" on the first listen too but hesitated (about the sense).

Edited to add: makes perfect sense as it's a song about the army.

[Johnm]

I believe you got that last verse, Chris--great hearing! I will make the change, thanks.

[banjochris]

I heard "gun" on the first listen too but hesitated (about the sense).

Edited to add: makes perfect sense as it's a song about the army.

It's a little weird it setting in the west like the sun I think so I don't blame you for hesitating, I did too!

And thanks, John!

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Arthur Weston's "Pea Vine Whistle", the title track from his Testament CD, bears no musical relationship to Charlie Patton's "Pea Vine Blues". Arthur Weston played the song out of EAEGBE tuning, which I believe he used for all of the tunes not in Spanish tuning that he played on his CD. His solution for playing over what would normally be the V7 chord was ingenious--he rocked between the fifth and fourth frets on, respectively, the fifth and third strings, and the second and first frets on those same strings, moving the shape intact, down three frets. His time stroke on the song, which he played in the third and fourth bars of each of his four-bar phrases, is very similar to the time stroke that Robert Wilkins played on his "Jailhouse Blues". Here is "Pea Vine Whistle":



Well I think I heared that, Pea Vine when she blow
Well I think I heared that Pea Vine when she blow
Well she sounds just like she wasn't gonna blow no more

Well I woke up this mornin', Lord, 'bout the break of day
Well I woke up this mornin', Lord, 's 'bout the break of day
Went to've set my pillow where my baby used to lay

I ain't got nobody, yes, I'm all here by myself
Well ain't got nobody, Lord, I'm all here by myself
Well the mens don't care if the women can't use me here

Well I think I heared that Pea Vine when she blow
Well she blowed just like she wasn't gonna blow no more

CODA

All best,
Johnm

 
 

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Arthur Weston played "Roll Me Over Slow" out of Spanish tuning, and like "Uncle Sam Called Me", it certainly has a strong Mississippi sound. Arthur Weston begins each verse with a four-bar lyric break, and his phrasing and rhythmic placement of these passages is masterful. The remainder of the form is given over to a refrain, which he varies slightly as he goes along. I'd appreciate very much help with the blank place in verse three and correction of anything else I have wrong. Here is "Roll Me Over Slow":



INTRO

I want you to roll me, roll, roll me, baby, just like you roll your flour dough, I want you to roll me, roll me, baby, I want you, please, roll me over slow, I want you to
REFRAIN: Roll me, roll me, baby, please, try to roll me over slow, I want you to
Roll me, roll me over, darlin', yes, 'til I said I don't even want no more

Yes, take me, take me, take me, baby, please, lay me down in your big brass bed, I want you to roll me over, darlin', until you ease my troublin' head, I want you to
REFRAIN: Roll me, roll me, baby, please, try to roll me over slow, I want you to
Roll me, roll me over, darlin', yes, 'til I says I don't even want no more

Yes, you know you told me, you know you told me, darlin', I said there been worrisome times, you said you was gonna roll me over, baby, until my love come fallin' down, I want you to
REFRAIN: Roll me, roll me, baby, please try to roll me over slow, I want you to
Roll me, roll me over, darlin', yes, 'til I says I don't even want no more

I want you to roll me, roll me, roll me over, darlin', just like you, roll your wagon wheel, I want you to roll me over, darlin', like to know how good that it's, makes me feel, I want you to
REFRAIN: Roll me, roll me, darlin', please try to roll me over slow, I want you to
Roll me, roll me over, darlin', yes, 'til I says I don't even want no more

CODA

Edited 2/29 to pick up corrections from Steve W, Blues Vintage

All best,
Johnm     

[Steve W]

Hi, there's a missing 'roll me' at start of line 3, verse 1 - you have it for the subsequent verses.  Probably just a typo

Maybe the missing bit is something like 'wasting time' although it sound more like 'wosting', so I have no certainty, and I suppose 'time' could be 'dime' ... or something else entirely.

Good guitar work.

Thanks
Steve

[Johnm]

Thanks very much for the help, Steve W. I made the fix you suggested in the chorus of the first verse, and I do think it is "wastin' time" in the third verse, though the vowel sound on "wastin'" is odd, as you noted. Thanks!

[Blues Vintage]

One minor thing for 4.1

4.1 Makes me feel     instead of "make"


"Wastin" sounds to me like "worrisome" kinda without the "i" but far from sure.

I said there been worrisome times

[Johnm]

Thanks for the help, Blues Vintage. I think you got it with "there been worrisome times", he definitely says, "there been" rather than "that I been", which I had. "worrisome" takes care of the inexplicable vowel sound in "wastin'", too. Thanks!