Topic: Banjo Ikey Robinson lyrics

[mr mando]

dj, thanks a lot, listening again I think you nailed it! I also changed "that's" in the chorus after the fourth verse back to "it's", as I'm now sure they don't vary it. Here's the corrected version:

It?s All Gone Now - Down Home Boys

My gal had money she used to give me some
But now that ain?t where I?m getting it from
?Cause it?s all gone now, ooh it?s all gone now
Ooh it?s all used up and it?s all gone now

I went to the bootlegger I knocked on the door
He says stop knocking I ain?t got no more
?Cause it?s all gone now, ooh it?s all gone now
Ooh it?s all used up and it?s all gone now

Mary Brown used to handle it too
She could really pour that stuff to satisfy you
But it?s all gone now, ooh it?s all gone now
Ooh it?s all used up and it?s all gone now

Oh my baby used to love me morning, noon and night
But that was long ago and she was just about right
But it?s all gone now, ooh it?s all gone now
Ooh it?s all used up and it?s all gone now

Millie used to shake it and she?d shake it just so
But she?d lost her tempo forty years ago
?Cause it?s all gone now, ooh it?s all gone now
Ooh it?s all used up and it?s all gone now

Old Aunt Liza was the beauty of the town
But all those years ran her beauty down
And it?s all gone now, ooh it?s all gone now
Ooh it?s all used up and it?s all gone now

[mr mando]

The second song Ikey Robinson recorded with pianist, singer and songwriter Alex Hill in Chicago on December 10, 1929 as the "Down Home Boys", You Do It, is a variation of a chorus blues form (similar to "Tight Like That") in that it repeats the chorus, resulting in a 20 bar format (I-I-I-I-IV-IV-I-I-V-V-I-I-IV-IV-I-I-V-V-I-I). Ikey Robinson plays a National tricone tenor guitar, and I'd revise my statement that it was an early single cone on It?s All Gone Now, it's clearly the same instrument (I should have listened to it through my usual hi-fi setup).

The tune is played in Eb and Ikey's fills are very characteristic of his playing. I'm not so sure about the "smack some ham" part in verse two, as I've never heard the expression. If this is right, could somebody explain to me what it means?

You Do It  - Down Home Boys

I?m tired of hustlin? and runnin? to
Just to lay it on the wood for you
Now you do it, oh you do it, oh you do it, oh baby you can do that thing yourself
Now you do it, oh you do it, oh you do it, that?s the only way to get it done

You asked me to go out and smack some ham
Now what kind of fool do you think I am
Now you do it, oh you do it, oh you do it, oh baby you can do that thing yourself
Now you do it, oh you do it, oh you do it, that?s the only way to get it done

You asked me to hit your husband in the jaw
And tell him I?m your man outside the law
Now you do it, oh you do it, oh you do it, oh baby you can do that thing yourself
Now you do it, oh you do it, oh you do it, that?s the only way to get it done

You asked me to buy you a diamond ring
While you keep your roll of money just to pet that thing
Now you do it, oh you do it, oh you do it, oh baby you can do that thing yourself
Now you do it, oh you do it, oh you do it, that?s the only way to get it done

You asked me to go out and shovel coal
Just to give you money for your jelly roll
Now you do it, oh you do it, oh you do it, little baby you can do that thing yourself
Now you do it, oh you do it, oh you do it, that?s the only way to get it done

[dj]

I believe the line in question is:

You asked me to go out and SNATCH A ham

[mr mando]

dj, thanks! That would make sense: She wants him to steal for her. I'll listen to it again this afternoon and will make the correction if I'll be hearing the same as you.

[mr mando]

Having listened again I agree with you, dj. I also noticed that there is no "baby you can do that thing yourself" in the third chorus but a scat instead. Here's the final version:

You Do It - Down Home Boys

I?m tired of hustlin? and runnin? to
Just to lay it on the wood for you
Now you do it, oh you do it, oh you do it, oh baby you can do that thing yourself
Now you do it, oh you do it, oh you do it, that?s the only way to get it done

You asked me to go out and snatch a ham
Now what kind of fool do you think I am
Now you do it, oh you do it, oh you do it, oh baby you can do that thing yourself
Now you do it, oh you do it, oh you do it, that?s the only way to get it done

You asked me to hit your husband in the jaw
And tell him I?m your man outside the law
Now you do it, oh you do it, oh you do it, deep de doo doo doo doo
Now you do it, oh you do it, oh you do it, that?s the only way to get it done

You asked me to buy you a diamond ring
While you keep your roll of money just to pet that thing
Now you do it, oh you do it, oh you do it, oh baby you can do that thing yourself
Now you do it, oh you do it, oh you do it, that?s the only way to get it done

You asked me to go out and shovel coal
Just to give you money for your jelly roll
Now you do it, oh you do it, oh you do it, little baby you can do that thing yourself
Now you do it, oh you do it, oh you do it, that?s the only way to get it done

[Gumbo]

The 2nd line in this 2nd verse begins "You don't wanna rock...", but the ending is tricky. I don't hear "rubbin' kind".

The ending of this line in "Rock Me Mama" is indeed tricky.

"You don?t wanna rock you?re just a rotten kind" or is it "...rotter kind" or even "a-rather kind" Help with this missing bit would really be appreciated!!

it sounds like
"you don't wanna rock, you just rock - that('s) kind"

which fits with the previous line where he is enquiring "what's on your worried mind". OK that's somewhat inverted logic but i can't make it work any other way!

[mr mando]

Gumbo, thanks for the reply!!
For the line in question, JohnM suggested: "You don't-a rub, you're just the rockin' kind" having added that: "The word I'm least certain of is "rockin'", but it seems to make sense in the context of the song."

To my ears, he's dead on the money for the "You don't-a rub, you're just" part and for the word "kind", but what's inbetween??

[Gumbo]

I think you have mississippimoan to thank for my reply!!

Curious. it's the word 'kind' i'm least sure of!
I'm trying but i don't hear rub. There's a hard k sound before 'you just' and i am pretty sure there is a 'wanna' in there too
As close as i can get it:
"You don't wanna rock, you just  ..."
a-rock the kin' or
a-rock that kin' or even
a-rock that guy at a push but it sounds like kind - a hard 'k' and the 'd' is lost from the end

so in an attempt to think outside the box for a mo'

it is possible that it's not a-rock but d-rop but it takes me about 50 listens to get to there!

another way it might work is if the 'k' of kind is actually the end of the previous word making the last syllable (perhaps) 'high' or even just a rhyming sound like 'aye'
so
(phonetically) drop deck high
robbed the guy
etc

[CF]

I'm working on an arrangement of My Four Reasons & have been going through this thread.
Apologies if this was answered & I missed it but Mr. Mando asked about 'Joe' as a slang word for a drug . . . Joe is slang for coffee, so she's addicted to caffeine.
Also, am I missing something? Mr. Robinson has four reasons to stay away from the gal . . . they appear to be that she has an addictive personality, is sexually promiscuous & has bad breath . . . what's the fourth reason?
Oh yeah & one more thing . . . she uses 'Nos'? Is that laughing gas?