Topic: Jim Jackson Lyrics

[banjochris]

Because of the relatively sedate tempo Jim Jackson chose, he was only able to work in three of the song's verses, as opposed to the three that are more characteristically sung.  His reference to the card game euchre is the only one I can think of sung by a blues player.

I think Pink Anderson sings about euchre as well, as "euchre, blackjack, dice and poker" if memory serves.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Jim Jackson accompanied himself out of G in standard tuning for his version of "Hesitation Blues", which was the major version of that song, using the same melody that was used by Charlie Poole for "If the River Was Whiskey" and Buddy Boy Hawkins for "Voice Throwing Blues".  Jackson sang a lot of verses I've not heard used in other versions of the song, and sang several verses that turn up in versions of "Wild About My Lovin'".  I would appreciate some help corroborating/correcting one word in the lyrics.



"Hello Central, what's the matter with your line?
I want to talk to that high brown of mine."
REFRAIN: Tell me how long will I have to wait
Can I get you now, or must I hesitate?

I'm going to the river with a rope and a rock
And the way you grieve me, I'm gonna jump over the dock
REFRAIN: Tell me how long will I have to wait
Uh, can I get you now, or must I hesitate?

I got somethin' to tell you, and I know it ain't good news
'Cause a hesitatin' woman give me the hesitation blues
REFRAIN: Tell me how long will I have to wait
Can I get you now, or must I hesitate?

I'm go and tell the Sergeant and see the Chief Police
'Cause the women 'round here won't let me see no peace
REFRAIN: Tell me how long will I have to wait
Uh, can I get you now, or must I hesitate?

I've got a girl in Memphis is all right
But the girl in Cincinnati is just too tight
REFRAIN: Baby, how long will I have to wait
Can I get you now, or must I hesitate?

I got a girl in Cairo, loves me, I know
But the girl in Louisville is got the best gold
REFRAIN: Tell me how long will I have to wait
Uh, can I get you now, or must I hesitate?

My Mother says I'm wicked, Daddy says I'm wild
I know I ain't good-lookin' but some woman's angel child
REFRAIN: Tell me how long will I have to wait
Can I get you now, or must I hesitate

I've sang you these verses and it didn't take long
If you want to hear any more, you'll have to buy this song
REFRAIN: Tell me how long will I have to wait
Can I get you now, or must I hesitate

All best,
Johnm

[banjochris]

I think "gold" is right, John.

[Johnm]

Thanks for the help, Chris.  It was a little tough to hear at the back end.  I'll make it final.
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Jim Jackson accompanied himself out of E position in standard tuning for his performance of "Gonna Move to Louisiana, Part 1", and the song is beautifully done, both vocally and instrumentally.  It is essentially "Kansas City Blues" with a different set of lyrics, but Jim plays really nice solos between the verses, and varies them a fair amount.  I like the sound of his "V chord avoidance" on these numbers, and his deeply resonant voice has sure grown on me.



SOLO

I'm gonna move to Lou'siana, sugar, New Orleans gon' be my home

I went up North and it sure was cold
My baby got mad with me and I got her told
REFRAIN: I'm gon' move to Lou'siana, I'm gon' move to Lou'siana
I'm gon' move to Lou'siana, sugar, New Orleans gon' be my home

SOLO

If my woman mistreat me, I ain't gon' dog her 'round
I'll get me another woman in the next town
REFRAIN: I'm gon' move to Lou'siana, I'm gon' move to Lou'siana
I'm gon' move to Lou'siana, sugar, New Orleans gon' be my home

SOLO

Whenever you see two women walkin' down the street, hand in hand
You can bet one is talkin' 'bout the other's man
REFRAIN: How, "You oughta move to Lou'siana.  You oughta move to Lou'siana."
I'm gon' move to Lou'siana, sugar, New Orleans gon' be my home

SOLO

I met in girl in St. Louis, she lived in Birmingham town
And she told me that she loved me and she wouldn't th'ow me down
REFRAIN: We gon' move to Lou'siana, we gon' move to Lou'siana
We gon' move to Lou'siana, sugar, New Orleans gon' be our home

SOLO

I'm gonna tell all you men right tonight
If you've got a good woman, treat her right
I ain't drinkin' whiskey or either drinkin' wine
But a good woman is hard to find
REFRAIN: I'm gon' move to Lou'siana, I'm gon' move to Lou'siana
I'm gon' move to Lou'siana, sugar, New Orleans gon' be my home

OUTRO

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Jim Jackson accompanied himself out of G position in standard tuning, his favorite playing position for his novelty material, for "I'm A Bad, Bad Man".  This song has a ton of lyrics even by Jim Jackson's standards, and their mode of humor brings home how much times have changed with regard to what's considered acceptable.  John Jackson used to love to sing this song, and I remember him just beaming as he sang it, though of course he didn't sing most of Jim Jackson's verses.  I kind of shied away from this one when I was transcribing Jim Jackson lyrics earlier, but decided to give it a try.  I'd appreciate help with any of the problem areas, and I'm putting up a video of his performance, so if you don't otherwise have access to the song you'll have it here.




Oh, I went down, turkey feast
People behaving just as like wild beasts
Had everything, money could 'ford
People had enough for to feel most full

A one-eyed girl, her name was Lizzie
I looked in her face and she made me dizzy
She turned around, tried to flush
With hair on her head like a scrubbing brush
She looked like one grizzly bear

Oysters stewed, oysters fried
Oysters down there had never died
Strawberry shortcake, cake wasn't short
The chickens had never been bought

Big black Dooley, from the West
He had bullet holes through his chest
He got down, walked right in
All he wanted, a drink of gin

Little Mac Dooley went to draw his knife
Draw his knife for just to swear [sic] my life
Swear [sic] my life, I'll be gone
When I get there, I'm gwine sing this song

REFRAIN: I'm a bad, bad man
From bad, bad land
Nobody knows how bad I am
I don't care, police, judge and a jury
I'm a man from the bad, bad land

Well, it's put on your slick shoes, chillens
Sprinkle an' paint, you want to paint
Now, don't disgrace our colored race
Now listen to what I say
Go and put on your slick shoes, chillens
It's time to make your mark
Now don't come yella, but come the right color
For God's sake, don't come dark

REFRAIN: For I'm a bad, bad man
From bad, bad land
Nobody knows how bad I am
I don't care, police, judge or a jury
I'm a man from a bad, bad land

Give a colored man a white handle razor
And a crap game he will find
He makes these other boys scatter quick
They go at any time
Don't fuss, sir, with his money
For when he lays it down
He'll chop enough meat off of your head
For to feed all the dogs in town

REFRAIN: For he's a bad, bad man
From bad, bad land
Nobody knows how bad I am
I don't care, police, judge and a jury
I'm a man from a bad, bad land

Edited 1/18 to pick up corrections from dj and Johnm
Edited 1/21 to pick up corrections from uncle bud and Ghost Rider

All best,
Johnm

[banjochris]

Boy this is a toughie, John, I'm gonna have to listen to it for a while. Most of the problem I think is that Jackson doesn't really know the words. A little Googling brought up that the original is a British music hall song called "I'm a Bad Bad Coon" but I wasn't able to find that either, at least not easily.

[Johnm]

Yup, I think it is really tough, Chris.  I was proud of myself for getting "oysters", because until the moment it occurred to me, I had not a clue.  Your theory that Jim Jackson was not clear on the words himself makes sense in light of various lines that are clearly enunciated but make no sense, viz., "chickens had never been bought".  Huh?
All best,
Johnm

[dj]

various lines that are clearly enunciated but make no sense, viz., "chickens had never been bought".  Huh?

The chickens that hadn't been bought were stolen. 

[dj]

A few suggestions:

1.1:  I went down TO DE feast   "to the", Jackson pronounces it "ter dee"

1.4:  People had enough for TO FEEL MOST FULL 

5.2:  "Draw his knife for to spare my life" sounds right, but doesn't make a lot of sense.  I think Jackson must have flubbed the line here.

6.2:  Sprinkle THE [paint you] ON THE FACE   Could what sounds like "paint you" be "Patchou' ", a contraction and mispronouncing of patchouli, meaning perfume?

7.5:  Don't FUSS, SIR, with his money



 

[Johnm]

Hi dj,
Thanks so much  for your help, first with the sense of "chickens had never been bought".  Obviously, Jim Jackson or the song-writer, if it was someone other than him, was way ahead of me--I completely missed the implication of that particular verb.  I listened a lot to the song again, and came up with the following:
   in 1.1 I'm pretty sure it is "turkey".  The way it comes off of his tongue is continuous as is "turkey" (Plus, I hear the "k" sound).  There's a short stop when you say "ter dee" that isn't there in Jim Jackson's rendition.
  1.2 After re-listening, I think Jim Jackson says, "People behavin' JUST AS LIKE wild beasts
  1.4 I think you're right with "TO FEEL MOST FULL"
  5.2 I think the line is "Draw his knife for JUST to spare my life".  I think the sense of this is that Big Black Dooley was fixing to kill the singer, but Little Mac Dooley backed Big Black down with a knife.
  6.2 I'm pretty sure he says, "Sprinkle AN' paint you want to paint", with "an'" a shortened version of "any", saying "Make yourself up according to your own tastes."
  7.5 I think "Don't fuss, sir, with his money" is right on.
As far as I'm concerned, I think the song is there.  Thanks for your energy and careful listening to these songs.
All best,
Johnm

[GhostRider]

Hi all,
Jim Jackson accompanied himself out of E position in standard tuning for his performance of "Gonna Move to Louisiana, Part 1", and the song is beautifully done, both vocally and instrumentally.  It is essentially "Kansas City Blues" with a different set of lyrics, but Jim plays really nice solos between the verses, and varies them a fair amount.  I like the sound of his "V chord avoidance" on these numbers, and his deeply resonant voice has sure grown on me.

John, I agree I think this is my favorite Jim Jackson tune. (Guess I have PCJ on the brain lately, or Alzheimer's)

Alex

[uncle bud]

Alex, I assume you meant to type JJ not PCJ?

Johnm, re. I'm a Bad, Bad Man, a minor point. In 9.7 I believe Jackson sings "He'll CHOP enough meat off of your head".

[GhostRider]

John:

In Verse 5, in the two spots you have "spare", I think he sings "swear".

And Unkie Bud is right about chop, I think.

Alex

[Johnm]

Thanks Andrew and Alex, for the help.  "Chop" it is--once again editing myself as I enter the lyrics there--arggh!  I agree with you, Alex, Jim Jackson says "swear" in those two places, though "spare" makes sense and "swear" does not.  I've made the changes and given the two "swear" places each a [sic].
All best,
Johnm