Topic: Charlie Patton lyrics

[LoneWolf]

Oh and while you're on it, the lyrics for "Some Happy Day" will be very helpful too. Thanks!

[LoneWolf]

Here's what I found from "Lord I'm Discouraged":


Sometimes I feel discouraged


And live high ?? ? ? ??

There'll be glory, what a glory
When we reach that other shore
There'll be glory, what a glory
??   Jesus evermore

I'm on my way to glory
??
I'll soon live ? ?? ? ?
When the ?

There'll be glory....

I'm on my way to glory
??
I'll shout ? ?? ? ?
When the ?

There'll be glory....

Sometimes I have religion




There'll be glory...



I'll really appreciate it if you'll take a minute to listen to the recording and try to figure out the other parts. Thank you!

[LoneWolf]

Found it... Thanks anyway.




Sometimes I get discouraged. I believe my work is in vain
But the Holy Spirit whispers revive my mind again

There'll be glory, what a glory, when we reach that other shore
There'll be glory, what a glory, praising Jesus evermore.

I'm on my way to glory, to the happy land so fair
I'll soon reside with God's army with the saints of God up there

I'm on my way to glory, to that happy land so
I'll shout His spiritual army with the saints of God up there

Sometimes I have no religion, feel a-hopeless [and despair]
Well, I think of sweet King Jesus' great kingdom in the [air]

[LoneWolf]

Does anybody have the lyrics?

[dj]

From Dick Spottswood's lyric transcriptions in Screamin' and Hollerin' the Blues:

Some day, some happy day, from sin set free
I'll live with Christ for ages, some day, some day

My trials will fewer be, some day, some day

When I shall have eternal home, some day, some day

Some day I'll be in the entrance here, some day, some day

Adapted by Patton from "Some Day", words by J. Graydon Hall, music by H. E. Barnett   

[dingwall]

I've been updating this for some years, and this is the latest version.   Spoken parts are in brackets.   Each part is followed with notes in an attempt to justify difficult bits.

HIGH WATER EVERYWHERE - PART I
                   
The backwater done rose all around Sumner, Lord, drove me down the line.
Backwater done rose around Sumner, drove poor Charley down the line.
And I'll tell the world the water done struck Drew'ses town.

Lord, the whole round country, Lord, creek water has overflowed.
Lord, the whole around country, man, it's overflowed.
(You know I can't stay here, I'm bound to go where it's higher, boy.)
I would go to the hilly country, but they've got me barred.

Now, look a-here now at Leland, river was risin' high.
Look a-here, boys, around Leland, (tell me,) river was ragin' high.
(Boy it's a-risin' over there. Yeah.)
I'm gonna move over to Greenville, thought I'd bid you goodbye.

Look a-here, the water done got out and flooded, (levee broke), rose most everywhere.
The water at Greenville and (Leland), Lord, it done rose everywhere.
(Boy, you can't never stay here.)
I would go down to Rosedale, but they tell me the water's there.

Lord, the water now, mama, done struck Shaw'ses town.
Well, they tell me the water done struck Shaw'ses town.
(Boy, I'm goin' to Vicksburg.)
Well, I'm goin' to Vicksburg, on a high up mound.

I am goin' above the high water where levees don't never overflow.
Well, now, I'm goin' over the hill where water, oh, it don't never overflow.
(Boy, it sure hit this County and everything was drownin' in Stoneville.)
Bolivar County was inchin' over in Tallahatchie's shore.
(Boy, I went to Tallahatchie and they's drownin' over there.)

Lord, the water have done rushed all over that old Jackson road.
Lord, the water have done raised up, over that Jackson road.
(Boy, it's got in my clothes.)
I'm goin' back to the hilly country, won't be worried no more.
                      ----------------------
 
 6.1 I give it in full, but he sings 'where levees don't nev' o'erflow'.   The usual 'where levees don't never flow' sounds fine, but makes Charley stupid, I think.
 6.2 Similarly, this is 'don't nev' o'erflow'.
 6.3 The line ends in a fairly clear 'l', and rules out 'Stover' or 'inched over'.   Similar arguments justify the line as it is.
7.1 He sings 'rushed all o'er'(?).

HIGH WATER EVERYWHERE - PART II
                     
Backwater at Blytheville, backed up all around.
Backwater at Blytheville, done took Joiner town.
It was fifty families and their children, some of them sink and drown.

The water was risin' up in my friend's door.
The water was risin' up in my friend's door.
The man said to his womenfolk, "Lord, we'd better go."

The water was risin', got up in my bed.
Lord, the water was rollin', got up to my bed.
I thought I was takin' a trip, Lord, out on the bed where I slept.

Oh, I can hear the high waters flow, flowin' up on my door.
(You know water.   Whoooosh.   You can hear it.)
I hear the high waters flowin', Lord, I was sinkin' down.
(Whooosh.)
I couldn't get no boat, they're lettin' them sink on down.

So high the water risin', airplanes soon came down.
Sayin' the water was risin', airplanes was all around.
(The water was all around.)
It was fifty men that was killed there, floods were sinkin' them down.

Oh, high water, Lordy, women and groanin' men drown.
Oh, high water, women and children sinkin' down.
(Lord have mercy on them.)
I couldn't see nobody's home, and wasn't no one to be found.
                      ----------------------

 3.3 Although 'bed where I slept' (sung 'bed wh'I slep') fits, he is vague enough to have the same said for 'big ice sled'.   I find the former makes more sense ? he wasn't going anywhere.   The water was up to his bed and he thought etc..
 4.1 'waters flow, flowin' up' has a clear 'f', here and in 4.3, and rules out horns blowin'.
 4.2 This line is clear, making high water the subject of the verse.   The 'whoosh' sound of the water, protracted in this line, is repeated in 4.4, and is not just breathing (which doesn't occur elsewhere like this.).
 5.4 I rule out 'children' for 'killed there' because of the 'k' and 'r' (making it 'kilder'!)

[CF]

FWIW here's what I hear in a couple lines (some nitpicking):
HIGH WATER PART ONE

1.2 . . . at Sumner drove . . .
1.3 . . . done struck through this town

4.2 . . . water done Lordy, levee broke . . .

5.3 . . . 'fore I have mind [prob should be 'while I have a mind']

6.1 I am going after that water where levee's don't ever flow

WHO KNOWS?

[Bunker Hill]

Just to muddy these flood waters further here?s David Evans?s transcription from his chapter "High Water Every Where" (p. 3-75) in Nobody Knows Where The Blues Come From: Lyrics And History (Ed. R. Springer, Mississippi UP, 2006). Over to the brains trust for further debate:

Part 1

I. The back water done rose all around Sumner, Lord, drove me down
the line.
Back water done rose at Sumner, drove poor Charley down the line.
And I'll tell the world the water done struck Drew'ses town.

2. Lord, the whole round country, Lord, creek water is overflowed.
Lord, the whole round country, man, it's overflowed.
(Spoken: You know, I can't stay here. I'm . . . I'll go where it's high, boy.)
I would go to the hill country, but they got me barred.

3. Now looky here now at Leland, Lordy, river was rising high.
Looky here, boys around Leland tell me river is ragin' high.
(Spoken: Boy, it's rising over there. Yeah.)
I?m gonna move over to Greenville. Bought our tickets. Good-bye.

4 Looky here, the water dug out, Lordy (Spoken: Levee broke), rose most
everywhere.
The water at Greenville and Leland, Lord, it done rose everywhere.
(Spoken: Boy, you can't never stay here.)
I would go down to Rosedale, but they tell me it's water there.

5. Lord, the water now, mama, done struck Shaw'ses town.
Well, they tell me the water done struck Shaw'ses town.
(Spoken: Boy, I'm going to Vicksburg.)
Well, I'm going to Vicksburg on a high[er] mound.

6. I am going out on high water where land don't never flow. [sic]
Well, I m going on a hill where water, oh, it don't never flow.
(Spoken: Boy, Sharkey County and Issaquena's drowned and inched over.)
Bolivar Country was inchin' over in Tallahatchie's shore.
(Spoken: Boy, I went in Tallahatchie. They got it over there.)

7. Lord, the water done rushed all over that old Jackson Road.
Lord, the water done raised up over the Jackson Road.
(Spoken: Boy, it got my clothes.)
I?m going back to the hill country. Won't be worried no more.

Part 2

1. Back water at Blytheville, backed up all around.
Back water at Blytheville, done struck Joiner town.
It was fifty families and children. "Tough luck; they can drown."

2. The water was rising up in my friend's door. (X2)
The man said to his womenfolk, "Lord, we'd better go."

3. The water was rising, got up in my bed.
Lord, the water was rolling, got up to my bed.
I thought I would take a trip, Lord, out on the big ice sled.

4. Oh, I hear the horn blow, blowin' up on my shore.
(Spoken: You know, I couldn't hear it.)
I heard the ice boat, Lord, was sinking down.
I couldn't get no boat, so I let 'em sink on down.

5. Oh-ah, the water rising, islands sinking down.
Sayin' the water was rising, airplanes was all around.
(Spoken: Boy, they was all around.)
It was fifty men and children. "Tough luck; they can drown."

6. Oh, Lordy, women is groanin' down.
Oh, women and children sinkin' down.
(Spoken: Lord, have mercy.)
I couldn't see nobody home, and wasn't no one to be found.

[MTJ3]

David Evans's transcription from c. 1984 (in his "Charley Patton--Conscience of the Delta" pp. 111-214 in The Voice of the Delta--Charley, ed. Robert Sacre (1987)) is as follows:

Part 1

I. The back water done rolled, Lord, and tumbled, Lord, drove me down
the line.
Back water done rolled and tumbled, drove poor Charley down the line.
Lord, I'll tell the world the water done struck Drew's town.

2. Lord, the whole round country, Lord, creek water is overflowed.
Lord, the whole round country, man, it's overflowed.
Spoken: You know, I can't stay here. I'm bound to go where it's high, boy.
I would go to the hill country, but it's got me barred.

3. Now looky here now, in Leland, Lord, river is rising high.
Looky here, boys around Leland tell me river is ragin' high.
Spoken: Boy, it's rising over there. Yeah.
I?m going over to Greenville. Bought our tickets, good-bye.

4 Looky here, the water dug out, Lordy, levee broke, rolled most
everywhere.
The water at Greenville and Leland, Lord, it done rose everywhere.
Spoken: Boy, you can't never stay here.
I would go down to Rosedale, but they tell me there's water there.

5. Lord, the water now, mama, done struck Shaw's town.
Well, they tell me the water done struck Shaw's town.
Spoken: Boy, I'm going to Vicksburg.
Well, I'm going to Vicksburg on a higher mound.

6. I am going out dry water where land don't never flow. [sic]
Well, I m going on a hill where water, oh, it don't never flow.
Spoken: Boy, Sharkey County and Issaquena's drowned and inched over.
Bolivar Country was inchin' over in Tallahatchie's shore.
Spoken: Boy, I went in Tallahatchie and it got it over there.

7. Lord, the water done rushed all down old Jackson Road.
Lord, the water done raised up over the Jackson Road.
Spoken: Boy, it stopped up my clock. (?)
I?m going back to the hill country. Won't be worried no more.

Part 2

1. Back water at Blytheville, backed up all around.
Back water at Blytheville, done struck Joiner town.
It was fifty families and children. Tough luck, they can drown.

2. The water was rising up in my friend's door.
The water was rising up in my friend's door.
The man said to his womenfolk, "Lord, we'd better go."

3. The water was rising, got up in my bed.
Lord, the water was rolling, got up to my bed.
I thought I would take a trip, Lord, out on the big island.

4. Aw, I hear the horn blow, blowing up on my shore.
Spoken: You know, I...couldn't hear it.
I heard the lifeboat, Lord, was sinking down.
I couldn't get no boat, so I let 'em sink on down.

5. Oh-ah, the water rising, islands sinking down.
And the water was rising; airplanes was all around.
Spoken: Boy, they was all around.
It was fifty men and children. Tough luck, they can drown.

6. Oooh, Lordy, women is groaning down.
Oooh, women and children sinking down.
Spoken: Lord, have mercy.
I couldn't see nobody home, and wasn't no one to be found.


Evans's remarks on the song at pp. 194-195 are as follows:

"Part 1 of the song is set in Mississippi and portrays mainly the sense of confusion and mounting fear of someone caught in the Delta with the water rising aroung him in all directions.  Patton's description is not tied to any one location.  Instead he becomes a kind of "Delta everyman," constantly changing his mind about where to go as he hears fresh reports of rising water.  This must have been the real experience of thousands of people like Patton.  Typically, Charley concentrates on this rather odd matter.  His phrase, "I'll tell the world", in the last line of stanza 1 should probably be taken quite literally.  The attention of the world was fixed on this disaster, and Patton here sets himself up as a spokesman for thousands of Delta residents who had no other voice to tell their story to the world.  Following an amusing mistake in the first line of stanza 6, he introduces a remarkable image of entire counties being literally carried away by the water and deposited on the shore of another county.  The mood of fear and confusion in Part 1 changes to a mood of stark terror in Part 2.  No longer is he able to compare reports and ponder where to go to find higher ground.  Now the water is up to the singer's bed, and the only hope is for rescue.  Part 2 is set in Arkansas and evidently is based on the experience of friends of Patton (cf. stanza 2), although typically Charley sings some verses in the first person as if he himself had experienced the events.  In truth, there wasn't much difference.  Those with access to boats became rescuers.  Those without boats hopefully became rescued.  Charley paints a grim picture of islands being created and then submerged by the rising water, rescue boats blowing horns and people unable to hear them, a lifeboat itself sinking in the flood, and reconnaisance planes flying overhead unable to offer any assistance.  One lifeboat, the Pelican, did, in fact, sink when it was drawn into a crevasse in the levee near Helena, Arkansas, drowning eighteen refugees.  The mood of helplessness that Patton depicts of both the victims and the rescuers is awesome and terrifying.  The final chilling stanza, with its imagery of complete devastation and an absence of life anywhere, is one of Patton's greatest musical moments and one of the greatest in all of recorded blues."

[dingwall]

I hear,
'Some day I'll be with the Infant Child, some day, some day.'
not
'----in the entrance here----'.

[dingwall]

Thanks, Bunker Hill and mtj3.   I have seen the version quoted by mtj3, and similar ones like Bunker Hill's quote, which is why I was adding notes at what I reckoned to be controversial points.   Charley's diction is hardly the clearest, and what I'm looking for is some considered endorsement or rejection of the matters mentioned, as well as other variations in the lyrics.         

Cheapfeet has some valid points, and I wouldn't call it nitpicking ? not with Charley!   My comments in brackets)

1.2 . . . at Sumner drove . . .(I can hear both 'around' and 'at'.  I'm inclining to 'at', now.   1.1 is definitely 'around')

1.3 . . . done struck through this town   (Again, 'through this' and 'Drew'ses' are both arguable, and I'm unsure.)   

4.2 . . . water done Lordy, levee broke . . . (If 4.1? there are five syllables where you have 'Lordy', and if 4.2, I don't hear this.)

5.3 . . . 'fore I have mind [prob should be 'while I have a mind']   ( I now hear 'FOR THEIR high up mound'.)   

6.1 I am going after that water where levee's don't ever flow   (I hear this as ''bove the high water where levees don't nev' o'erflow' ? both 'n's are clear in latter part.   I admit to hearing only the slightest trace of 'o' in 'nev' o'erflow, and wouldn't argue a lot with anyone insisting on 'never'.   My defence is one of sense.)

[dingwall]

Some years late(!), but this is what I hear for the three items.   There's quite a few places with differences, so I've given them in full.   Where I think some of my suggestions may be controversial, I've given notes at the bottom of each to try and justify the differences.   I've given the 'Alabama' chorus each time because it differs a lot from verse to verse.
   
GOING TO MOVE TO ALABAMA
1
(SPOKEN I'm gonna move, don't wanna live 'round here.)
2
I'm gonna move to Alabama.
I'm gonna move to Alabama.
I'm gonna move to Alabama.
To make Georgia be our home.
3
Ah she's long and tall.
Treats you ever so mean makes a panther squall.
I have to move to Alabama.
Have to move to Alabam'.
I have to move to Alabama.
To make Georgia be our home.
4
I'm goin' to show you Cormorant women how I feel.
Gonna get me a Hernando woman 'fore I leave.
Then I will move to Alabama.
Then I will move to Alabama.
Then I will move to Alabama.
To make Georgia be our home.
5
Sayin', mama got the washboard, my sister got the tub.
My brother got the whiskey, and mama's got the jug.
Gonna move to Alabama.
I'm gonna move to Alabama.
I'm gonna move to Alabama.
To make Georgia be our home.
6
Well, these evil women sure make me tired.
Got a handful of gimme, mouthful of much obliged.
You must have been to Alabama.
You must have been to Alabama.
You must have been to Alabama.
To make Georgia be your home.
7
Well, I got a woman, she's long and tall.
The way she wiggles, she makes a panther squall.
She's gonna move to Alabama.
Have you been to Alabama?
Have you been to Alabama?
To make Georgia be your home.
8
Sayin' mama and papa both went a walk.
And left my little sister standin' at the waterin' trough.
Have you ever been to Louisiana?
Have you been to Alabama?
Have you been to Alabama?
To make Georgia be your home.
9
My mama told me
Never love a woman like she can't love you.
You ever been to Alabama?
Have you been to Alabama?
Have you been to Alabama?
To make Georgia be your home.
10
I got up this mornin', my hat in my hand.
Didn't have no other room, had another man.
I'd know him if he'd been to Alabama.
Have you been to Alabama?
Have you been to Alabama?
To make Georgia be your home.


1.1 Very faint.   The first part is clear, but less so at the end.   I'm using DOCD5009, and find Yazoo LP 1020 not so good, but this is probably because it's getting worn.
4.1/2 'Cormorant' (i.e., Lake Cormorant) has a 't' at the end, ruling out 'common', and 'Hernando' has a reasonable 'ando'.   A main point is that the verse makes sense: these are places in Northern Mississippi about a dozen miles apart, Hernando's population being around 1200 (1950), with Lake Cormorant having little more than double figures (with a Post Office.).
10.1/2 I think it's his woman's house, where he's having to leave because she has a new man, and there isn't a spare room for CP.
GENERAL If the transcription is correct, he thinks Georgia is a place in Alabama (or Alabama a place in Georgia), or more likely, that Alabama is so bad that anyone would travel on to the next State.   

ELDER GREENE BLUES -  take 1
1
Greene disa', Elder Greene is gone.
Gone away on down the country with his long coat on.
2
With his long coat on, with his long coat on.
Gone away down the country with his long coat on.
3
Elder Greene told the deacon, "Let's go down in prayer.
There's a big association in New Orleans, come and let's go there."
4
"Come and let's go there, come and let's go there.
There's a big association in New Orleans, come and let's go there."
5
I like to fuss and fight, I like to fuss and fight.
Lord and get sloppy drunk off a bottle in bond, and walk the streets all night.
6
And walk the streets all night, and walk the streets all night.
Lord and get sloppy drunk off a bottle in bond, and walk the streets all night.
7
Elder Greene told the deacon, "Settle down in prayer.
You can take everything that I've got, this little brownie here."
8
Sell her most anywhere, sell her most anywhere.
You can take her and sell her in the world anywhere.
9
Elder Greene is gone, Elder Greene is gone.
Gone way down the country, with his long coat on.
10
If you've got a woman, fall easy to your hand,
Keep her away from mama walkin', my empty arms is lonesome, Molly Cunningham.
11
Molly Cunningham, Molly Cunningham.
Keep her away from mama walkin', my empty arms is lonesome, Molly
12
I like to fuss and fight, I like to fuss and fight.
Lord and get sloppy drunk off a bottle in bond, and walk the streets all night.
   
1.1 'Disappeared' seems to be the unfinished word completed on guitar.   Take 2, following, confirms this.
10.2 and 11.2 I don't have much faith in 'mama walkin''(or 'workin''), but if (unlikely) correct, it would be warning others off mama's beat.   Both verses are tentative.   Anyone got anything better?
GENERAL 'I like/love to fuss' ?difficult?


ELDER GREENE BLUES ? take 2
1
Elder Greene disa' (SPOKEN disappeared), Elder Greene is gone.
Gone away down the country with his long coat on.
2
With his long coat on, with his long coat on.
Gone away down the country with his long coat on.
3
Elder Greene told the deacon, "Let's go down in prayer.
There's a big association at New Orleans, come and let's go there."
4
And if you've got a woman, fall easy to your hand,
Keep her away from mama walkin', my empty arms is lonesome, Molly Cunningham.
5
Well, the creek's all muddy, and it soon be all dry.
If it wasn't for the sweet-mouthed colored boy, all the women would
6
Don't you leave me here, don't you leave me here.
Lord, I don't care where in the world you go, don't you leave me
7
I like to fuss and fight, I like to fuss and fight.
Lord, and get sloppy drunk from a bottle in bond, and walk the streets all night.
8
And walk the streets all night, just walk the streets all night.
Lord, and get sloppy drunk from a bottle in bond, and walk the streets all night.
9
Well, the creek's all muddy, and it soon be all dry.
If it wasn't for the sweet-mouthed colored boy, all the browns would die.
10
On the road somewhere, on the road somewhere.
You can find highway robbers, on the road somewhere.
11
On the road somewhere, on the road somewhere.
You can find highway robbers, on the road
12
Elder Greene told the deacon, "Let's go down in prayer.
You can find robbers, on the road somewhere."

1.1 I think 'disappeared' is likely  spoken by Henry Sims.
4.2 Same remarks as for 'mama walkin'' in take 1 notes.
5.2 'women would die.' would be the completed line.   Compare 9.2. 

[CF]

I always thought it was '& get sloppy drunk off a bottle & ball & walk the streets all night . . .'

[Bunker Hill]

I always thought it was '& get sloppy drunk off a bottle & ball & walk the streets all night . . .'

I try to stay away from lyric discussions but I'm sure it is "in bond" and cited as such by David Evans as long ago as 1969 in the Blues World Charlie Patton booklet. I think the reference is to liquor acquired/stolen from a bonded warehouse but I may be wrong in that.

[uncle bud]

My understanding is that "bottle in bond" referred to commercial liquor, as distinguished from moonshine, corn liquor, white whiskey etc. Here's a note from a piece about Prohibition:

This commercial liquor was commonly called ?bottle in bond? or just
?bond? whiskey, from the distillers? term ?bottled in bond,? which indicates 100
proof whiskey that has been aged under government supervision for at least four
years.

I don't know that Patton and Co. would have been rigorous about checking whether the distillers' standards were adhered to. Basically bottle in bond referred to anything with a real cap, I think.