Topic: Larry Johnson Lyrics

[ScottN]

From Fast & Funky - G position - circle of 5ths progression.  Here is "Charley Stone":



Charley Stone

Intro

Yeah now I knew a fool he came from way down south, called him Charley Stone
Ah now he make his livin', goin' around town I mean blowin' on a slide trombone
Now he can make it moan and he can make it sing, hey where did he get that thing
Play on Stone, go on with your slide trombone

Ah when he played that thing down on Market Street
Butcher Sam had to leave his meat
To hear old Stone, blowin' on his slide trombone
Let's get it now Stone, yeah

Instrumental, spoken: yeah!
I say hey there Stone, playin' on his slide trombone

I said I know a fool he came from way down south, called him Charley Stone
Yeah he made a livin', goin' around town I mean blowin' on his slide trombone
Yes he can make it moan and he can make it sing, tell me where did he get that thing
Ah play on Stone, go on with your slide trombone

Ah the women gather 'round and they shake their hips, yee
When that horn is shakin' to his lips
They're singin' play on Stone, go on with your slide trombone

Now as he played a Sunday mornin' half the sisters stood around, hah
Preacher Johnson layed his Bible down
To hear old Stone, blowin' on his slide trombone
Yeah Charlie Stone, go 'head on, I mean blowin' on his slide trombone,
yes yes yes yes
my my my


Thanks,
            ScottN

edited 7/7/12 with help from Bunker Hill and Uncle Bud

[Bunker Hill]

I'm not at home where my records are but from memory the second line in verse two concerns Butcher Sam and, if I recall correctly, Gene "Mighty Flea" Conners also sung it on his 1970s Polydor album. But I could be totally wrong...and often am.

Later: it's come to me - Butcher Pete had to leave his meat - or something very similar.

[ScottN]

From Fast & Funky, here is "Spoonful":



Spoonful

Spoken: Well folks, I'm 'bout to go to jail all about this spoonful

Well all I want in this creation is a spoonful
That spoon, ah oh babe
You know I need my spoonful

Well every man in town is talkin' 'bout a spoonful
That spoon, ah oh babe
You know I need my spoonful

Ah these women goin' stone crazy 'bout a spoonful
[Get a better life], oh babe
You know I need my spoonful

Hey would you kill a man 'bout that spoonful
Yes I will, ah oh babe
You know I need my spoonful, yeah man

Instr.
Instr., ah oh babe
You know I need my spoonful

Well everybody in town is talkin' 'bout a spoonful
[Get a better life], ah oh babe
You know I need my spoonful

Well yonder back in Georgia down in [Riceville]
Ah that spoon, everyday
You know I need my spoonful

instr., oh [full]
instr., ah oh babe
You know I need my spoonful

Well I'm goin' away to leave baby 'bout a spoonful, ya gonna leave me Larry
Yeah hon', ah babe
You know I need my spoonful


Thanks,
            ScottN

[ScottN]

Thanks Bunker Hill - that was it!!!  I made the change.  Thanks again :-)

[uncle bud]

Hi Scott - A couple things in Charlie Stone:

In verse 1, it hard to say for sure, but I think he maybe sings "he MAKE HIS living..." in 1.2

4.2 When THAT HORN IS SHAKIN' TO HIS LIPS

and in 5.2 I think it might be PREACHER Johnson.

[ScottN]

Uncle Bud - Thanks for the help on Charley Stone - 4.2 and 5.2 are definitely right on! 
In 1.2 I made the change although I can't really hear either way clearly but I figure your ears are probably better than mine :-)  Thanks again for the help - ScottN

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Larry Johnson recorded "Keep It Clean" for his album, "Fast And Funky", on the Blue Goose label, which was released in 1970. Larry opened the program with this rendition and boy, he landed with a bang! He accompanied himself out of A position in standard tuning, and really re-worked the song, both in terms of the melody and guitar part from what Charley Jordan had done on the original recording of the song. Here is Larry's version of "Keep It Clean":



INTRO

Well, I went to the river and I couldn't get across, jumped on your pappy 'cause I thought he was a horse,
REFRAIN: Rode him over, give him a Co'-Cola, lemon soda, saucer of ice cream
And I give him soap and water, honey, for to keep it clean, baby, for to keep it clean

Bought a wig for your mama 'cause she had bad hair, put a muzzle on your daddy 'cause he looked like a bear
REFRAIN: Rode him over, I give him a Co'-Cola, lemon soda, saucer of ice cream
And I give him soap and water, honey, for to keep it clean, baby, for to keep it clean (Spoken: Yes he did)

He got a head like a owl and a mouth like a goat, every time you see him, say he looking' for some soap
REFRAIN: Ride him over, I give him a Co'-Cola, lemon soda, saucer of ice cream
And you give him soap and water, honey, for to keep it clean, baby, for to keep it clean

Now the dirtiest sight that I ever seen, was a cook cookin' biscuits when his hands wasn't clean
REFRAIN: Ride him over, give him a Co'-Cola, lemon soda, saucer of ice cream
And you give him soap and water, honey, for to keep it clean, baby, for to keep it clean

Now if you want to go to Heaven when you d-i-e, you got to put on your collar wear your t-i-e, and
REFRAIN: Ride him over, give him a Co'-Cola, lemon soda, saucer of ice cream
And you give him soap and water, honey, for to keep it clean, baby, for to keep it clean

And you want to get a rabbit out the l-o-g, you got to put on a stunt like a d-o-g, and
REFRAIN: Ride him over, give him a Co'-Cola, lemon soda, saucer of ice cream
And you give him soap and water, honey, for to keep it clean, baby, for to keep it clean

Cryin', run here, doctor, won't you run here fast, see what's the matter with his yas-yas-yas
REFRAIN: Ride him over, give him a Co'-Cola, lemon soda, saucer of ice cream
And you give him soap and water, honey, for to keep it clean, baby, for to keep it clean
Honey, for to keep it clean, hey, baby, for to keep it clean

CODA

Edited 11/30 to pick up corrections from Harry and Johnm

All best,
Johnm





 

[Blues Vintage]

3.3 And I you give him soap and water

5.1 Now if you want to go to Heaven

[Johnm]

Thanks for the catches, Harry, I have made the changes.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Here are the lyrics of Larry Johnson's version of "Ragged and Dirty", which he recorded for his Blue Goose album, "Fast and Funky", along with his performance of the tune:

INTRO

Lord, I'm broke and hungry, baby, ragged and dirty, too
Broke and hungry, ragged and dirty, too
Now if I clean up, baby, tell me now, can I go home with you?

Now if I can't come in, just let me, sit down in front your door
I can't come in, let me sit down in front your door
Child, I'll leave so soon that your man won't never know

Well now, don't mistreat me, baby, 'cause, 'cause I was young and wild
Well don't mistreat me, 'cause I"m young and wild
Well, you must try to remember that you, that you was a child

Well, I went up to my window and I, peeped in through my blind (Spoken: What you see?)
Went to my window, peeped in through my blind
Seen my best friend's a-humpin', thought I heard my baby cryin'

Well, tell me, baby, says, said I say, how can I live in here (Spoken: How can I do it?)
Tell me, baby, how, can I live, live in here (Spoken: How can I?)
When this woman that I'm lovin', Lord, she sure don't want to do

Well, I'm leavin' in the mornin', if have to ride the blind
I'm leavin' in the mornin', have to ride the blind
'Cause I'm broke and hungry, people, people, I ain't lyin'

CODA

Edited 8/3 to pick up corrections from Harry and Johnm

All best,
Johnm



[/list]

[Blues Vintage]

Love "Fast And Funky". Some suggestions;

1.3 Now if I clean up, baby, now, tell me now, can I go home with you

3.1 Well now, don't mistreatment mistreat me, baby, 'cause, 'cause I was young and wild

4.3 not sure about "friends"

5.1 Well now, tell me, baby, says and say said I said a, how can I live in here (Spoken: How can I do it?)

5.3 When this woman that I'm lovin', Lord she, sure don't want to do ?  (I don't hear "don't want to do")

6.1 Well, I'm leavin' in the mornin' and, if I have to ride the blind

[Johnm]

Thanks for the suggestions, Harry. I made most of the changes you suggested and found some other things I needed to change, as well. Thanks!

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Larry Johnson's "Seaboard Train Blues" first appeared on an anthology on Blue Goose Records called "These Blues Are Meant To Be Barrelhoused". He played the song out of A position in standard tuning. It's of the same vintage as his "Fast And Funky" album on Blue Goose. Here is "Seaboard Train Blues":



INTRO

Now, Lord, I wonder, will I ever get back home?

I went down Grand Central and I looked up on the wall
I went down Grand Central and I looked up on the wall
Found out my money wasn't right, I didn't go no place at all

And I asked, "How long has that Seaboard train been gone?"
And I asked, "How long has that Seaboard train been gone?"
Found out it's gone, it's been gone, it's been gone, oh so long

I stood still and wondered if my, good girl know that I'm here
I stood still and wondered if my, good girl know that I'm here
Well now, if she do, I wonder if she care (Spoken: Yes, yes! Yeah, man!)

SOLO (Spoken: Yes, yes!)

And a cloud look lonesome, 'cross, 'cross the deep, deep blue sea
And a cloud look lonesome, 'cross, 'cross the deep, deep blue sea
Well, the Seaboard look good, while comin' 'cross after me (Spoken: Yes, it would now!)

CODA (Spoken: Yes, yes!)

Edited 2/18 to pick up corrections from Blues Vintage

All best,
Johnm



 
 

[Blues Vintage]

And "Now, Lord" I wonder

verse 1

I went down Grand Central and I looked up on the board wall
I went down Grand Central and I looked up on the board wall

Not sure for "down" or he really swallows the "d"

verse 2

And I asked, "How long has that Seaboard train here? been gone?"
And I asked, "How long has that Seaboard train here? been gone?"
Found out "Now, Lord, it's gone, it's been gone, it's been gone, oh so long."

There's something before "been" but guessing at this point.

verse 4

And a cloud look lonesome, 'cross the, 'cross the deep, deep blue sea
And a cloud look lonesome, 'cross the, 'cross the deep, deep blue sea
Well, the Seaboard look lookin' good

[Johnm]

Thanks for the suggestions, Blues Vintage. I agree with some, but not all of them.

I'm still hearing "Now" in the intro line

"Wall" in the verse one opening lines is sure right and I will make that change.

In the first two lines of verse two, Larry is pronouncing "train" "trai-hain". He similarly pronounces "the" in the second line of verse one as "thee-he". "Found out" is spot on, and I will make that fix.

I'm not hearing any of the changes you proposed for verse four.