Topic: Memphis Jug Band Lyrics

[Montgomery]

Good job with these lyrics--I've never been able to figure out more than a few words to this one.  Now I need to go back and re-listen.

[Flatd7]

Lot's of good suggestions in the Jugband thread. I was playing along to this one, last night and couldn't catch the lyrics in the first, fourth and fifth verses. The quotes are on the lines, I'm pretty sure are wrong. This is what I got so far:



You May Leave, But This Will Bring You Back

My father was a jockey, "left me to ride behind"
You know by that, I got a job every time
You May Leave, But This Will Bring You Back

I walked around the corner to the peanut stand
My gal got stuck on the peanut man
You May go, But This Will Bring You Back

You quit me pretty mama, cause you couldn?t be my boss
But a Rollin? Stone, don?t gather no moss
You May Leave, But This Will Bring You Back

Just a nickels worth of "meat, a dimes worth of lard"
Will beat everything "in my backyard"
You May Leave, But This Will Bring You Back

I?m satisfied, satisfied
"My tall long shaker, by my side"
You May Leave, But This Will Bring You Back

[uncle bud]

Lot's of good suggestions in the Jugband thread. I was playing along to this one, last night and couldn't catch the lyrics in the first, fourth and fifth verses. The quotes are on the lines, I'm pretty sure are wrong. This is what I got so far:

You May Leave, But This Will Bring You Back

My father was a jockey, "left me to ride behind"
You know by that, I got a job every time
You May Leave, But This Will Bring You Back

I hear:

My father was a jockey, learned me to ride behind
You know by that, I got a job *any* time
You May Leave, But This Will Bring You Back

Just a nickels worth of "meat, a dimes worth of lard"
Will beat everything "in my backyard"
You May Leave, But This Will Bring You Back

Trickier. I'm missing the end:

Just a nickel's worth of meal, a dime's worth of lard
Will feed every Jane? in yard
You May Leave, But This Will Bring You Back

I?m satisfied, satisfied
"My tall long shaker, by my side"
You May Leave, But This Will Bring You Back

Not sure. I'm hearing something like "tote along shaker". Whatever that is. 

I'd also say Charlie Nickerson is singing "This'll" most of the time.

I love this tune. It's great how they just keep looping the instrumental verses in the middle, like they can't get enough of it - or can't get out of it...

[waxwing]

Listening to the Davies remastered JSP set, I have to agree with McLeod that it sounds like:

"Will feed every Jane in Jeff Burke's yard"

Whoever Jeff Burke was? (Bunker?)

In the last verse McLeod has:

"My toodle-um shaker by my side"

but I agree with UB, sounds more like "tote-along shaker". Take yer pick.

We've got our eye on this song, fer sure.

So check out "I Gots Good 'Taters", by the Piccaninny Jug Band, which was really the MJB with Charlie Burse leading and singing. A similar "chorus line" blues with "I gots good 'taters, honey, dig 'em by myself" at the end of each verse. And Burse says,  "Alright, lets dig some!" before they go into the instrumental verse. It's a crack up.

All for now,
John C.

[Bunker Hill]

Listening to the Davies remastered JSP set, I have to agree with McLeod that it sounds like:

"Will feed every Jane in Jeff Burke's yard"

Whoever Jeff Burke was? (Bunker?)

McLeod does admit in his footnote that "Jeff Burke is a guess". I only own the complete MJB as two 1971 Roots LPs and from the copy used the final three words are unintelligible.
Can't find any mention by Shade of a Jeff Burke but that doesn't mean a lot...will cast my net further.

[uncle bud]

It does sound a bit like "Jeff Burke." "Jeff" seems a little odd to me as a name for some reason, for that time and culture.

Michael Taft has the line as "Will feed every dame in Jack Burse yard" and also indicates Jack Burse is a guess, but obviously playing off Charlie Burse's presence on guitar. Which makes some basic sense. Did Charlie have a brother Jack?

[GerryC]

I recently downloaded (from the Roots Music Listening Room) a recording of the Memphis Jug Band entitled Tear It Down, Bed Slats and All. I want to include it in my set (which heaven knows needs livening up  ) but I can't make out all the words; some of those I can make out need, er, slight adjustment to avoid causing offence. This is what I have so far; underlined words or blanks are the problem areas:



Chorus:

I'm tearing it down [Bed slats and all!] (x4, tho' with variations)
Catch another mule a-kickin' in my stall,
Boy I'm gonna tear it down (I mean)
Honey gonna tear it down.

Verse 1:

Went to my window, what did I see?
My gal sittin' on another man's knee.
She cooked biscuits and she cooked 'em dry,
Here come the man for the Fourth of July
But if I catch another mule kickin' in my stall
Boy I'm gonna tear it down (I mean)
Boy I'm gonna tear it down.

Chorus

Scat verse and Chorus

Verse 2

I went to my window and my window was drawn
Whisky and my gal was ---------
Step right back and I shook my head
A big black ni---r in my folding bed
Shot through the window and I broke his ass
I never see a little ni---r run so fast
If I catch another mule (etc)

Mad laughter verse.

I'd be grateful for any help.

Cheerily,

Gerry C

[waxwing]

Hey Gerry,

I believe there are more than one version of this song by the MJB. Perhaps you are listening to a different version than the one I have from the JPS boxed set, Memphis Shakedown. Here are the two verses as best I can make them out with little time to spend.


Went to my window, see what could I see?
Gal was sittin' on another man's knee.
Cooked good biscuits and she cooked 'em brown,
Think I'm the man brought (?pork?) to town  (Bob McLeod has "the poor girl")
But if I catch another mule kickin' in my stall
Boy I'm gonna tear it down (I mean)
Boy I'm gonna tear it down.

I went to my window and my window was drawn
Went to my door and my door was lock
Step right back and I shook my head
A big black ni---r in my folding bed
Shot through the window and I broke his glass
I never see a little ni---r run so fast
I catch another mule (etc)

"Rounder" is a common substitute for the "N" word that comes from the vernacular and is found in other songs of the era. "Big fat rounder" works here.

All for now.
John C.

[GerryC]

Thanks, John. That all makes a (curious!) kind of sense; the 'rounder' variation is also very useful. The really spooky thing is that I have just bought the MJB's box-set you refer to: it arrived from Amazon yesterday! I've not listened to it all yet, only the Gus Cannon disc with the utterly marvellous Last Chance Blues on it, but I'll go check it out now for Memphis Shakedown. Thanks again.

Cheerily,

Gerry C

[waxwing]

Actually Memphis Shakedown is a second boxed set, containing the recordings of lots of other jug bands, but also including more sides by the MJB and the Piccaninny JB which was basically the MJB led by Charlie Burse. It also contains a few sides by the Noah Lewis Jug Band, as well as a few solo sides by Noah.

Love those Gus Cannon sides. We're doing Viola Lee Blues now and I really want to do Rooster Crowing Blues.

All for now.
John C.

[uncle bud]

For comparison, you might want to check out the King David's Jug Band version of this tune. Fun! Different lyrics, same chorus, more or less. Also the version by Bob Coleman. Both are on the Juke.

[GerryC]

Thanks uncle bud and John. Hmm. I was disappointed not to find Tear it Down on my new box-set but now all is clear: I have to buy yet another one!! I have the version by the King David Jug Band on the Yazoo compilation Ruckus Juice and Chitlins (Vol 1) and it's a belter, even though one member of the band seems to have just come from the campfire scene in Blazing Saddles... I now have enough verses not to have to 'scat' too much. I'll seek out the Coleman version too. Thanks for all your help.

Cheerily,

Gerry C

[Bunker Hill]

I'll seek out the Coleman version too.

FWIW, I only have this on a 1966 Riverside LP entitled Tub Jug Washboard Bands 1924-1932 which is extremely "low-fi". I've had a stab at transcribing, the square brackets indicate where I fail to comprehend, though I suspect it must be crystal clear on CD. Over to you folk:

I'm gonna tear 'em down, bed slats and all,
I'm gonna tear 'em down, bed slats and all,
I'm gonna tear 'em down, bed slats and all,
I'm gonna tear 'em down, bed slats and all,
Now 'f I catch another mule kickin' in my stall, mama, gonn' tear 'em down.

Now she bakes them biscuits nice and brown,
You know by that she's got ?nother high-brown,
I got a brownskin, little and low,
She's a [toodle-oo] chick anywhere she go,
Now catch another mule in my stall, mama, gonn' tear 'em down.

(Repeat first verse)

Now she drinks [] whiskey, has her fun,
Says, run like hell when the police come,
I'm gonna tear 'em down, bed slats and all,
I'm gonna tear 'em down, bed slats and all,
I'm gonna tear 'em down, bed slats and all,
I'm gonna tear 'em down, bed slats and all,
Now 'f I catch another mule kickin' in my stall. mama, gonn' tear 'em down.

I had a girl, her name was Lee,
[I ask , and she would holler 'police',]
Cooked them biscuits nice and brown,
Think she's a-workin', then you turn around,
Find another mule kickin' in my stall, gonn' tear it down.

(Repeat first verse)

Saw my gal, week 'fore last,
She shake an' she turned most too fast,
I went to the river, take my rockin' chair,
The blues overtake me, rock away from here,
Catch another mule kickin' in my stall, I'm gonn' tear it down. I'm gonna tear 'em down,

I'm gonna tear 'em down,
I'm gonna tear 'em down, bed slats and all
I'm gonna tear 'em down, bed slats and all
I'm gonna tear 'em down, bed slats and all
Now 'f I catch another mule kickin' in my stall, mama, gonna 'tear tem down.

[GerryC]

Thanks, Bunker Hill. I'm working on a 'composite' version to include all the best bits; it's a great tune to end a set with, having the audience hollering "Bed slats and all!" back at you. I'll avoid the jug (and the beans  ) but it looks as if I'll have to dig out the old kazoo and harp rack....

Thanks to all,

Gerry C

[Gambling Jack]

I went to my window and my window was drawn
Went to my door and my door was lock
Step right back and I shook my head
A big black ni---r in my folding bed
Shot through the window and I broke his glass
I never see a little ni---r run so fast
I catch another mule (etc)

These lyrics seem incredibly similar to Memphis Jug Bands' tune 'On the Road Again'.

Also, I think this could be a variation of Tear It Down - but just called Foldin' Bed:
http://www.youtube.com/w/whistlers-jug-band?v=EYYdyrV_dP0&search=whistler%20jug

I was wondering if we could work out the lyrics...(btw, this is the only known recording of early jug bands!)