Topic: Shortstuff Macon Lyrics

[Johnm]

Hi all,
John "Shortstuff" Macon was a Mississippi blues musician who was first recorded in the 1960s. His version of "Corrina" comes from the Arhoolie album, "Big Joe Williams and Friends--Going Back to Crawford". Mr. Shortstuff recorded his version of "Corrina" accompanying himself out of E position in standard tuning, which I believe he used for all of his accompaniments. I love his singing and playing but find his words hard to hear, so I'd appreciate help with any blank spaces or places that need correction. Incidentally, I've never heard anyone else use this melody for "Corinna".  Here is Shorstuff Macon's version of "Corrina":



INTRO

Corrina, Corrina, where you stay last night?
Well, none of my business, you ain't doin' me right
Ask about your love, said, "Yes, yeah, yeah."

She didn't cook me no breakfa', she didn't iron me no clothes
Corrin' do nothin', she walk the road
Ask about your love, said, "No, no, no."

I'm gon' steal me a shotgun, and a box of shells
Gonna shoot Corrina, just to see her fall
Ask about your love, said, "No, no, no."

Corrina, Corrina, where you stay last night?
Your hair wrinkled, babe, your clothes, ain't fittin' you right
Ask about your love, said, "Well, well, well."

Corrina, Corrina, where you been so long?
You ain't got no bottom, babe, your last pair of shoes
Ask about your love, say, "Hey, hey, hey."

Edited 2/17 to pick up correction from banjochris
Edited 2/18 to pick up correction from Johnm

All best,
Johnm

 

[banjochris]

Pretty sure that missing bit is a very fast "wrinkled, babe" – I own this album and have never really listened to it. I need to remedy that right away!

[Johnm]

Thanks very much for the help, Chris. "Wrinkled, babe" it is, and I have made the change. He sounded pretty great, didn't he?

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Yet another song by Shortstuff Macon from the "Big Joe Williams and Friends--Going Back to Crawford" CD is "My Baby Stopped Drinking Water", a somewhat misleading title, for when you get to the pertinent verse it turns out that it was not his baby, but his mule who would not drink water, as in the Jack Owens song. John "Shortstuff" Macon accompanied this song in E position in standard tuning, and I really love his sound--his accompaniments have virtually no chordal information, and in that respect they are reminiscent of those of R. L. Burnside. Here is "My Baby Stopped Drinking Water", and I'd appreciate help with anything I'm missing or have wrong:



Baby, hey-hey, hey-hey
I love you just the same, Lord, Lord
Hm-mm-mm, hmm-mm-hmm

You're my, you're my, you're my babe, you're my
You got a-great long curly hair, Lord, Lord
Hmm-mm-mm, hmm-mm-hmm

My jack, my jack, my jack, my jack, my jack
My jack don't drink no water
Mm-mm-mm, hmm-mm-hmm

Hey-hey, hey-hey, hey-hey, hey-hey
Lord, ain't got no time to, Lord, Lord, Lord
Hmm-mm-mm, hmm-mm-hmm

Take your time, take your, take your time, take your
Babe, got the whole night long, mm-mm
Hmm-mm-hmm, hmm-mm-hmm

You're my, you're my, you're my, you're my
Lord, tell the world I do, Lord, Lord
Hmm-mm-hmm

CODA

All best,
Johnm
 

 

[Blues Vintage]

In 2.1 the last "my" could be "mine"

[Johnm]

Thanks for the suggestion, Blues Vintage. I'm pretty sure he sticks with "my" there. I'll leave it as is.

[Steve W]

First line, I hear a 'hey' before 'Baby'.

My first venture into this. So many praises for all the work you people do! A treasure of all these great songs.

[Johnm]

Hi Steve W,
If you re-listen, I think you'll find that what you thought was the "hey" preceding "baby" is actually the first syllable of "baby".

[David Kaatz]

John,
In Corrina, at the end of every verse, I only hear the last word repeated one time, not twice. OK, I actually do hear a very faintly repeated word at the ends, but I think it might be a spectator repeating it. It's just too faint to be Shortstuff, IMO.

Dave

[Johnm]

Hi Dave,
I'm not changing it. It's definitely Shortstuff singing the last word of each verse three times, in a decrescendo, progressively quieter with each repetition, both because he's singing at the end of his breath, but also, I think, expressing the futility of asking Corrina about her love. It's dramatic. I corrected a mistake I had earlier in the transcription--I had "be walk the road", and it, upon re-listening yet again, is "she walk the road."

[Blues Vintage]

First line, I hear a 'hey' before 'Baby'.

My first venture into this. So many praises for all the work you people do! A treasure of all these great songs.

We welcome new blood on the lyric threads, Steve. If you have any suggestions for the transcriptions feel free to post them.
And thanks for the good words.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Like the other songs in this thread, John "Shortstuff" Macon's performance of "Sugar On The Bottom" comes from the CD, "Big Joe Williams and Friends--Going Back to Crawford". Like the other two Macon songs previously transcribed in this thread, "Sugar On The Bottom" was played out of E position in standard tuning. The way Shortstuff Macon kept his rhythmic vamping going in between his two-line verses is really exciting.  I found this song to be the most difficult of the three to transcribe, so I'd appreciate help with anything I've missed or have wrong. Fortunately, he sang most of the verses more than once, so one or the other deliveries usually is easier to hear and decipher. Here is "Sugar On The Bottom":



INTRO

Sugar on the bottom, sugar on the bottom
I go deeper, wasn't no bottom, I go deeper down

Tell nobody, tell nobody
What that girl told, tell nobody, what that gal told me

Work it down, work it down, babe
Do like Jesse, work it down, do like Jesse James

Love my baby, love my baby
Tell the world, oh, love my baby, tell the world I do

Work on the bottom, sugar on the bottom
I go deeper, 'gar the bottom, I go deeper down

Tell nobody, tell nobody
What that gal told, tell nobody, what that gal told me

Work it down, babe, work it down, babe
Do like Jesse, work it down, do like Jesse James

Tell now, baby, tell now, baby
What's all on your, tell me, baby, what's all on your mind

CODA

Edited 3/15 to pick up corrections from banjochris

All best,
Johnm
   

   

[banjochris]

I think you have it, John, I just think he misspeaks. 5.1 I think he starts with Work so it comes out as "Work on the bottom" but then he corrects himself, and in 5.2 I think he just is dropping the first syllable of "sugar" there.

What a great number – sounds almost like Robert Petway playing "Catfish."

[Johnm]

Thanks very much for the help, Chris, I have made the changes. It sure is a great performance. I love the amount of instrumental repetition--it creates such a mood and gives the song an identity.