Topic: Memphis Jug Band Lyrics

[laservampire]

Hi all, been listening to the Whistler's Jug Band version of "Foldin' Bed" which seems appropriate for this thread and I've got a bunch of the lyrics but some are just a mess, even with the amazing new restoration by the American Epic team:




Foldin' Bed
Whistler's Jug Band

I went hunting in the woods
had my gun like a hunter should
a but it wasn't
left my baby way behind

Long tall , foldin' bed
believe I better tear it down (oh baby)

Tore it down ( my baby )
Said tore it down (slats and all)
Tore it down (long and tall)
baby
Come on out of that foldin bed
I believe it's time to tear it down


I've got a gal, ain't no fool (what's the matter with her)
Big as an elephant and stubborn as a mule
Think that gal would act that-a way
plain old (what you gonna do with her?)

Went right back to my foldin' bed
I believe I better tear it down (oh baby)

tore it down (slats and all)
Said tore it down ( make my baby )
Tore it down (long and tall)
baby
Come on out of that foldin bed
I believe it's time to tear it down

*jug break*

Me and my girl went out for a walk
Stopped on the corner to have a talk
Stepped over to up my shoes
The wind blew up 5th avenue (what'd you do with her?)

back in my foldin' bed
I believe I better tear it down (oh baby)

Tore it down ( my baby )
Tore it down (long and tall)
Tore it down (slats and all)
baby
Come on out to my foldin bed
I believe it's time to tear it down


I went walkin' right down the street
Two good lookin' girls I had a chance to meet
One had a buck and the other one had a dime
C'mon boys let's have a good time (whatcha do with her?)

Went right back to my foldin' bed
I believe I better tear it down (oh baby)

tore it down (slats and all)
Tore it down (long and tall)
Tore it down ( )
baby
Come on out to that foldin bed
I believe it's time to tear it down

*jug break*

I went home about 4 o'clock
Knocked on the door and found it locked
'round to the window and I took a peep
There's a there fast asleep

Sat up in my foldin bed
I believe I better tear it down (oh baby)


Tore it down ( my baby )
Tore it down (long and tall)
Tore it down (slats and all)
baby
Come on out of that foldin bed
I believe it's time to tear it down

[Johnm]

Hi laservampire,
I will try to get as much as I can.

Verse 1.3 SHOT THE BEAR BUT it wasn't MY KIND

Long tall SHEIK, folding bed
B'lieve I better tear it down

REFRAIN: 1.1 Tore it down (MADE my BABY SQUALL)
1.4 YES, baby, 'LONG SIDE THE WALL

Verse 2.4 CALL HER PLAIN OLD TEXAS MARY JANE (?, not at all sure of this)

Verse 3.3 Stepped over to BUTTON UP HER shoes

Chorus 3.3 SHUT her back in my folding bed

Verse 4.4  There's a SHEIK there fast asleep

A lot of the lines, like "made my baby squall", repeat in the refrains.  I'm not happy with what I have for the last line of the elephant verse, but I think most of the other suggestions are right.
All best,
Johnm

[arlotone]

What do you all think about "Little Green Slippers"? Here's how I've been singing it...



Little green slippers, honey, little brown hair
I'm following my baby everwhere
Little green slippers, honey, little brown hair
I spend more money than a millionaire
You had your dog, baby, I had my horse
Drinking beer and champagne, 'til I lose my horse
Little green slippers, honey, little brown hair
I'm following my baby everwhere

Little green slippers, honey, little brown hair
I'd give you everything that your heart can bear
Little green slippers, honey, little brown hair
Still following my baby everwhere
Everybody knows, what it's all about
I spend my money, I let it all run out
Little green slippers, honey, little brown hair
I'm following my baby everywhere

...but I think the parts in bold are wrong. Instead of "horse" it could be "I had my one" and "I lose my home." I'm also not totally sure about "honey little brown hair," but it does fit the rhyme.

BTW, there's a 1932 recording of this that I'd dearly love to hear, issued on Champion but apparently never reissued. I asked Joe Bussard, but he doesn't have it. The commonly reissued version is from 1934.

[slezakjosef]

Hi guys,
please do you know where to find the lyrics?



I tried to search here at the forum but I couldn't find it.

Thank you
Josef

[Suzy T]

I've changed this to incorporate Anthony's suggestion:

You gonna keep on fooling around, you be six foot in the grave
It?s fare you, honey fare you well
You gonna keep on fooling around, you be six foot in the grave
It?s the last time, honey it?s the last time

I?ll see you in the spring, when the birds begin to sing
It?s fare you, honey fare you well
I?ll see you in the spring, when the birds begin to sing
It?s fare you, honey fare you well

Instrumental section
V - - - / I - - - / V - - - / I - - -/
IV ? I - / IV -  I - / II V I - /

You gonna keep on fooling around, you be six foot in the grave
It?s fare you, honey fare you well
You gonna keep on fooling around, you be six foot in the grave
It?s fare thee, honey fare you well


I?ll see you in the fall, When you have no friend at all
It?s fare you, honey fare you well
I?ll see you in the fall, When you have no friend at all
It?s the last time, honey it?s the last time


And I?m going away, just to worry you off my mind
You keep me troubled honey all the time
And I?ll see you in the spring, when the birds begin to sing
It?s fare thee, honey fare you well

[iantonionni]

I hear 'when you have no friend at all'
Cheers
Anthony

[Suzy T]

That makes a lot more sense!  Not that sense is exactly what I'm looking for in these MJB lyrics....

[slezakjosef]

Thank you very much!!! I really appreciate that!
Have a good day guys!

Josef

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I merged the recent thread on "I'll See You In The Spring, When The Birds Begin To Sing" with the pre-existing Memphis Jug Band Lyrics thread.
All best,
Johnm

[Lordy Lord]

Here's what I hear, in case that makes sense :

Man drop down drop down mama just like the drops of rain
Rain drop down drop down mama like the drops of rain
Boy, every once in a while I think I hear my baby call my name
(Yeah boy what she said?)

Aw she got a man on a man, just gotta keep men, although she can?t keep
I ain?t man on a man, just gotta keep men although she can?t keep (hey now)
She?d meant and got so funny?. Mama just cannot keep it hid
(What kind of gal was that?)

And don?t you wish your easy roller was little and cute like mine?
(I said oh now sugar baby)
Ain?t wish your easy roller little and cute like mine?
(hey now)
But every time she rolls oh lordy, she?d let her life behind (lordy lordy lord)

And if I did somebody baby, I ain?t gonna do it no more
(I said oh now sugar baby)
I ain?t some for your baby, I ain?t gonna do it no more
I?ve could have done lot of woman, let my good time roll (lordy lordy lord)

I, I ain't gonna do it no more (sugar baby lord)
I ain't gonna tell no more (hey now)
Baby if you did not want me, (mama) why don?t you tell me so ?(lordy lordy lord)

And if I?d stuck with you mama you did not have no man at all (I said oh now sugar baby)
I ain?t stuck with you baby did not have no man at all (what?d you do boy?)
(hey now)
Now baby you must want me, for to be your lowdown dog (what?d you tell her ?)

Eh aaw, baby what?s the matter now (oh sugar baby lord)
Aaw, mama what?s the matter now (hey now)
I?d say you trying to quit me, mama and you don?t know how (lordy lord lord)

I said you ever dream lucky ?fore wake up cold in hand (I said oh now sugar mama)
You ever dream lucky, wake up cold in hand (hey now)
When you aint? got a dollar, lord your woman got another man (lordy lord lord)

[Johnm]

Hi Lordy Lord,
Welcome to Weenie Campbell.  Could you edit your post to indicate the title of the song for which you provided the lyric transcription?  Thanks.
All best,
Johnm

[Chezztone]

The song Lordy Lord is talking about is "Memphis Jug-Blues" (take one). Here are some of my corrections/suggestions:
Verse 1: "showers of rain" instead of "drops"
Verse 2: "She got a man on her man, done got a kid man on her sheikin kid"
Verse 3: "But every time she walks she reels and rocks behind"
Verse 4 is difficult! He does something for her that he ain't gon' do no more. I think something about a "thousand-dollar woman" in the last line?

[Anne Onymous]

"Ask Alma Rose at Mengelwood" (a logging company town, which gave its (misspelled) title to "Minglewood Blues" by Gus Cannon.

[pianomanca10]

makes me think of the Grateful Dead's missisissipi half step too do loo