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Author Topic: Jack Kelly & His South Memphis Jug Band Lyrics  (Read 5285 times)

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Offline Johnm

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Re: Jack Kelly & His South Memphis Jug Band Lyrics
« Reply #30 on: May 06, 2017, 04:58:14 PM »
Hi all,
For "Cheatin' Woman", recorded on August 1, 1933 in New York City, will Batts sang the vocal, and sat out the tune on violin, so you're instrumentally left with Jack Kelly playing lead guitar out of Spanish tuning, the unknown second guitarist working out of C position in standard tuning and D. M. Higgs playing the jug.  One sort of peculiarity of the band is that they quite often gave a number of tunes in their recorded repertoire the very same instrumental intro, and Will Batts did this to an unusual extent.  The solos in the middle of their songs are consistently more exciting and fresher sounding than the opening solos.  Perhaps they were inclined to play it a little safe on the intros to avoid screwing up the front ends of takes.  Here is "Cheatin' Woman":



INTRO SOLO

Did you ever wake up in the morning, with the blues all 'round your bed?
Did you ever wake up in the morning, with the blues all 'round your bed?  (Spoken:  Yeah, boy!)
Thought about your good friend, these are the words you said

"I believe to my soul, woman, Great God, something's going on wrong.
I believe to my soul, woman, Great God, something's going on wrong.
I couldn't rest last night.  I been worried all day long."

SOLO (Spoken during solo:  Play it, boy!)

You can always tell when your wife ain't treatin' you right
You can always tell when your wife ain't treatin' you right (Spoken:  Why?)
She mistreats you, talkin', with a fresh man ev'y night

When you come in, she have a towel tied on her head
When you come in, she have a towel tied on her head
"Husband, your stuff ain't done, I been layin' sick in the bed."

Then you send for the doctor, doctor walk through your door
Then you send for the doctor, doctor walk through your door
"Man, your wife ain't sick--she just don't want you no more."

All best,
Johnm




 
« Last Edit: July 13, 2018, 06:58:29 AM by Johnm »

Offline Drew.MS.Blues96

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Re: Jack Kelly & His South Memphis Jug Band Lyrics
« Reply #31 on: June 17, 2017, 07:22:19 AM »
Hi folks

That's R.F.C Blues


That R.F.C sure is not envied to many men
That R.F.C sure is not envied to many men
It caused me to walkin', down through the lowland.

And early one morning, I went out on my job
Early one morning, I went out on my job
Began to think the work had done got hard.

I worked so hard until I got tired
I worked so hard until I got tired
Then I went to town, to get my wife some lard.

I sat and I wondered, about R.F.C today
I sat and I wondered, about R.F.C today
Its driving many men, and they'll have to obey.

Offline Johnm

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Re: Jack Kelly & His South Memphis Jug Band Lyrics
« Reply #32 on: June 17, 2017, 08:58:17 AM »
Thanks, Drew.MS.Blues96, for posting the lyrics to Jack Kelly's "R.F.C. Blues".  Here is the song, for folks who may not have heard it before.



All best,
Johnm

Offline Johnm

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Re: Jack Kelly & His South Memphis Jug Band Lyrics
« Reply #33 on: July 11, 2018, 02:35:42 PM »
Hi all,
"Cadillac Baby" might more aptly be considered a Will Batts cut than one by Jack Kelly & His South Memphis Jug Band, for Will Batts sang lead on it.  The instrumentation on the track features two guitars, a lead part played out of E position in standard tuning, probably by Jack Kelly and a second guitar flat-picking out of G position in standard tuning.  The JSP set I have the track on identifies Dan Sane as the probable second guitarist, but the touch of the player really does not sound like Dan Sane.  Perhaps more likely, it is Will Batts playing the second guitar himself.  Whoever it is, the duo has a wonderful sound.  In any event, here is "Cadillac Baby":



INTRO SOLO

Ahhh, somebody learned my baby how to shift gear on a Cadillac 8
Ahhh, somebody learned my baby how to shift gear on a Cadillac 8
Every since that day, I can't keep my baby straight

Ahhh, I was warned, baby, I'm gon' let you have your way
Ahhh, I was warned, baby, I'm gon' let you have your way
'Cause every dog, he sure got to have his day

SOLO

Ahhh, I said, late one evenin', I looked over your keyhole door
Ahhh, I said, late one evenin', I looked through your keyhole door
Woman, you know you done me wrong, I ain't comin' back here no more

Ahhh, I turned right around, these are the words I said,
Ahhh, I turned right around, these are the words I said,
"Nobody don't have to tell me, 'cause I heard the springs cry on your bed."

All best,
Johnm



Offline Johnm

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Re: Jack Kelly & His South Memphis Jug Band Lyrics
« Reply #34 on: July 12, 2018, 04:16:11 PM »
Hi all,
The subject of "High Behind Blues" is exactly what you might think it would be.  Jack Kelly, working out of Spanish tuning, is seconded by a guitarist flat-picking out of C position in standard tuning, with (most likely) Will Batts fiddling.  Here is "High Behind Blues":



FIDDLE INTRO

I've got a girl, she is made high behind
I've got a girl, she is made high behind
Every time I feel it, she will give me a dime

She turned right around, and she begin to grin
She turned right around, and she begin to grin
"I ain't had none of this, Lord, in God knows when."

Well, it's look-a-here, baby, what you gonna do?
Well, it's look here, baby, baby, what are you gonna do?
Now, you may be lovin', and you jumped up and through

SOLO

If I get hands off of you, baby, it will be too sad
If I get hands off of you, baby, it will be too sad
You splitting up our lovin', some stuff I really have had

All best,
Johnm
« Last Edit: July 12, 2018, 06:45:06 PM by Johnm »

Offline Johnm

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Re: Jack Kelly & His South Memphis Jug Band Lyrics
« Reply #35 on: July 17, 2018, 03:18:53 PM »
Hi all,
Jack Kelly & His South Memphis Jug Band recorded "Joe Louis Special" at a session in Memphis on July 14, 1939.  The band that day featured Jack Kelly singing and accompanying himself out of Spanish tuning with an unknown second guitarist working out of C position in standard tuning and probably Will Batts on fiddle.  I would say definitely Will Batts on fiddle, since he plays the same intro Will Batts played on almost all of the band's recorded repertoire.  Here is "Joe Louis Special":



FIDDLE INTRO

If you give Joe what he want, that will be a big mistake
If you give Joe what he wants, that will be a big mistake
And he will hit you so hard, 'til you will want to jump in the lake

Now, steak and gravy, that's his favorite dish
Well, steak and gravy, that is his favorite dish
Well, he'll draw back, make you want to jump in the lake

Now, Joe ain't too lean, and ain't too fat, that wicked left he got, says, John Henry will tell you that
Now, Joe ain't too lean, and he ain't too fat
Now, that wicked left he's got, John Henry will even tell you that

FIDDLE SOLO

Now, along come John Henry, hit you on the chin, but he won't need no tellin', when he meet Joe Louis again
Now, along come John Henry, and he hit Joe right on the chin
But, he really won't need no tellin', when he meets Joe Louis again

All best,
Johnm 

Offline Johnm

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Re: Jack Kelly & His South Memphis Jug Band Lyrics
« Reply #36 on: June 06, 2022, 12:02:01 PM »
Hi all,
Jack Kelly recorded "Neck Bone Blues" at a session in Memphis on July 14, 1939 for which he was joined by an unnamed seconding guitarist and almost certainly Will Batts on violin. Kelly, as was most often the case on his recordings, accompanies himself out of Spanish tuning capoed up and the seconding guitarist sounds to be flat-picking or using a thumbpick to back him up out of C position in standard tuning. There are a couple of places that I can't hear what is being sung, and I'd very much appreciate help with them, as well as corrections of anything I have wrong thus far. Here is "Neck Bone Blues":



INTRO

Mmm, when you buy neck bone, go to a meat-sellin' house
When you buy neck bones, go to a meat-sellin' house
They are clean and sanitary, and you really can thaw 'em out

The time has got so hard, caused a many man to eat neck bones
The time has got so hard, caused a many man to eat neck bones
And it don't get no better, says I will be long gone

Get you a nickel's worth of feet, and a dime's worth of bones
Get you a nickel's worth of feet, and get you a dime's worth of bones
You talkin' 'bout something good, it will be happiness in your home

ENSEMBLE SOLO

Well, pass around the ginger, babe, and let's do the twist
Well, pass around the ginger, babe, and let's do the twist
Now the woman's cooked these bone, says I'm really missin'

CODA

Edited 6/6 to pick up corrections from Blues Vintage

All best,
Johnm

« Last Edit: June 09, 2022, 12:59:18 PM by Johnm »

Offline Blues Vintage

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Re: Jack Kelly & His South Memphis Jug Band Lyrics
« Reply #37 on: June 06, 2022, 02:40:55 PM »
A new musician to me. Some suggestions,


They are clean and sanitary, and you really can thaw 'em out

The time has is got so hard, caused a many man to eat neck bones
The time has is got so hard, caused a many man to eat neck bones

Not sure of 'caused'.

You gon' buy her something good, it will be happiness in your home

Well, pass around the gin jug ginger, babe, and let's do the twist
Well, pass around the gin jug ginger, babe, and let's do the twist
Now the woman's cooked these bones, says I really miss

I don't hear "I really miss". But don't know what it could be

I think he sings "bone" in every verse not "bones".
« Last Edit: June 06, 2022, 02:50:47 PM by Blues Vintage »

Offline Johnm

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Re: Jack Kelly & His South Memphis Jug Band Lyrics
« Reply #38 on: June 06, 2022, 03:19:23 PM »
Thanks for the suggestions, Blues Vintage. I agree with your solution for the tagline of the first verse. I"m still hearing "has" in the second verse, and "bones". I think the tagline in the third verse begins "You talkin' 'bout". I agree that it is "ginger" in the first two lines of the last verse--that's the way I heard it originally and I think you're right. See if you think I got the end of the tagline in the last verse right. I'll make a couple of those changes you suggested. Thanks!
« Last Edit: June 06, 2022, 06:32:40 PM by Johnm »

Offline Blues Vintage

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Re: Jack Kelly & His South Memphis Jug Band Lyrics
« Reply #39 on: June 07, 2022, 02:55:25 PM »
I can't make out that closing line.

Offline Stuart

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Re: Jack Kelly & His South Memphis Jug Band Lyrics
« Reply #40 on: June 07, 2022, 03:34:42 PM »
I listened to the last line a few times.

How the woman[ s ] cooked these bones, that['s] I really miss

I'm uncertain about the [ s ] following "woman." (I added spaces to prevent it from appearing as a strikeout.) I'm also unsure about "s" following "that."

Edited to add: I listened again, this time slowing it down to try to get a better sense of what is being sung between "that" and "I." It is possible what I'm hearing as "s" at full speed is a contraction of "that's what." Perhaps "tha's't" would be one way of representing it using modified spelling to approximate the pronunciation. --"That's what I really miss," using standard English spelling.
« Last Edit: June 08, 2022, 04:06:01 PM by Stuart »

Offline waxwing

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Re: Jack Kelly & His South Memphis Jug Band Lyrics
« Reply #41 on: August 22, 2022, 06:24:20 PM »
I think this is a very common contraction, Stuart. Most commonly it is used as (spelled out) "That is what I said!" Interestingly, several sounds get voiced in the contraction so a 'ts' sound gets voiced and sounds like a 'z' and the 't' of 'what' gets voiced and sounds like a 'd'. So the contraction usually sounds like ' A'z'd I said', with maybe a schwa ('ə' or 'uh') between the 'z' and 'd'. Try it. Just rolls off the tongue because you've probably said it many times yourself. Here he does pronounce the initial 'th' sound.

Wax
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Offline Stuart

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Re: Jack Kelly & His South Memphis Jug Band Lyrics
« Reply #42 on: August 22, 2022, 08:50:32 PM »
Hi Wax:

I was simply stating what I hear on the present state of the recording, knowing that there's variation in pronunciation. If my younger self (with much better hearing) was present when the song was recorded, I'm pretty sure I would have heard things differently than I do now on the recording.

I'm not arguing about the sounds of language and how they vary. Even though the present state of the recording is several steps removed from being there during the original performance, I take it as the primary source. Any attempt on my part to help approximate what I hear on the recording is secondary at best--And even that is an overly generous estimate.

 


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