Topic: Clifford Gibson Lyrics

[dj]

Hi John,

I think the first two lines of the last verse are:

   NINE AND FIVE's my weakness, TEN AND FOUR keeps me all in pawn

And I'd suggest an alternate spelling of the last line:

   But if I ever get lucky, I swear I'll have my DIAMOND THRONE

[Johnm]

Thanks very much for the help, dj.  Boy, I would have gone a very long time before figuring out that homonym throne/thrown, and your interpretation makes all the sense in the world.  I will make the corrections.  Do you have any ideas for the question mark places in "Drayman's Blues"?
All best,
Johnm

[dj]

On Drayman Blues I hear what you hear, John.

[uncle bud]

Hi John -

That "Drayman's Blues" sure is a beautiful song, thanks for highlighting it. I will have to give that tuning a try, sounds cool.

I have a couple suggestions for the first two verses. I am not certain of either of them but they are what I am currently hearing.

1.3 Take my trunk down to the station, check "AIN'T never here no more"

as in tag it "I'm outta here."

then:

I'm in bad luck now, gonna catch me somebody's train
I'm in bad luck now, gonna catch me somebody's train
2.3 TAKE IT THE whole world through, my luck will be bound to change

He barely pronounces THE, it's quick and quiet.

[dj]

Good aural detective work, uncle bud! 

[Johnm]

I agree with dj, uncle bud, very well-heard and thanks for the help.  I knew I was wrong, but I didn't know what was right, which is an uncomfortable combo.  I will make the changes.
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
"Beat You Doing It" was the first song that Clifford Gibson recorded, and he played it out of Spanish tuning.  Instrumentally, it is a very flashy piece with amazing flamencoey-sounding rasguedos and florid quadruple-time fills--whew!  Lyrically, Clifford Gibson is an unusual blues singer, for his era, in placing so much emphasis on love.  The last verse is great.



   I've had the blues about my money, had the blues 'cause I's feelin' bad
   I've had the blues about my money, had the blues 'cause I's feelin' bad
   But when my sweet woman quit me, it was the worst blues I ever had

   You can have ever so much money and friends of different kinds
   You can have ever so much money and friends of different kinds
   But to find someone to love you, I swear they are hard to find

   If you should find someone to love you, someone to treat you right
   If you should find someone to love you, someone to treat you right
   You must be kind and lovin' and don't run around at night

   SOLO

   Because a woman's very funny, she wants you around her all the time
   'Cause a woman's very funny, she wants you around her all the time
   And by you bein' gone, some old rounder might change her mind

   Don't you never b'lieve your woman thinks too much of you
   Don't you never b'lieve your woman thinks too much of you
   'Cause there's always some good man to beat you doin' what you're tryin' to do

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Clifford Gibson recorded "Ice And Snow Blues" at his second session, and played it out of Vestapol tuning.  His Vestapol songs, "Ice And Snow Blues" and "Old Time Rider" probably have his simplest accompaniments, but his sound in Vestapol is really pretty and supports his singing perfectly.  More thoughtful and long-suffering lyrics from Clifford Gibson here; the tagline to verse two is particularly enigmatic.  Did he reverse "win" and "lose"?



   I'm gonna build me a castle out of the ice and snow
   I'm gonna build me a castle out of the ice and snow
   So I can freeze these bare-footed women, 'way from around my door

   Just because you were a cheater, I won't give up the game
   Just because you were a cheater, I won't give up the game
   It don't break my heart to win, when I lose I feel the same

   SOLO

   I'm going, I'm goin', my face you'll never see
   I'm going, I'm goin', my face you'll never see
   But you can kiss my picture and think the world of me

   You 'buked and 'bused me, you scold me all night long
   You 'buked and 'bused me, you dogged me all night long
   Now you expect for me to love you, baby, but you got me wrong

   You accused me of women, brought your men right before my face
   You accused me of women, brought your men right before my face
   After all your mistreatment, no one can take your place

All best,
Johnm

   

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Clifford Gibson recorded "Blues Without A Dime" at his third session, in New York City on December 10, 1929.  I believe that he played it in the same modified cross-note tuning that he used on "Drayman Blues", which if played out of E would involve re-tuning the D string up to E, so that you ended up with the guitar tuned EAEGBE.  He is pitched a little sharp of G for the song.  Even more than in "Drayman's Blues", this tuning appears to be the most logical choice, for in his final solo Clifford Gibson is free-handing around the seventh and sixth frets of the second and third strings respectively, while keeping that intermediate octave I note thumping in the bass.  In E position, standard tuning, he would have to fret that I note at either the second fret of the fourth string or at the seventh fret of the fifth string;  neither option is plausible, the first for reasons having to do with the reach required and the way the notes in the treble are sustaining, and the second because the degree to which he's inflecting his notes in the treble make a simultaneous fixed hand position in the bass impracticable.
Clifford Gibson's somewhat sour lyrics here impute mercenary instincts to all women.  In the tagline of the last verse, I think he's describing the primary advantage of being with a woman who's got a railroad man.  Interesting that he doesn't want to hear baby talk--most often that's treated as something to be much desired.



   Bad luck and trouble and the blues without a dime
   Bad luck and trouble and the blues without a dime
   When a man's got money, the blues don't cross his mind

   Always try to keep a dollar in your hand
   Always try to keep a dollar in your hand
   When you ain't got no money, your woman get another man

   Don't never allow your woman to talk no baby talk to you
   Don't never allow your woman to talk baby talk to you
   You can tell by that they got somethin' in thei' heads to do

   SOLO

   I don't want no woman if she ain't got a railroad man
   I don't want no woman if she win't got a railroad man
   'Cause every day's like Sunday, and she's always got a dollar in her hand

   SOLO

All best,
Johnm
 

[Johnm]

Hi all,
"Jive Me Blues" was recorded at the same December 10, 1929 session as "Blues Without A Dime", and shares substantially the same accompaniment, played by Clifford Gibson, I believe, out of the modified cross-note tuning, EAEGBE.  Clifford Gibson always had a beautiful sound on the guitar, and had a really nice variety of licks he was comfortable with in this playing position.
Lyrically, he works from the same stance as in many or most of his songs: no power in his relationships.  He is unusual for a blues lyricist in having a pretty much complete lack of exuberant or bragging material.  The closest he got to that is in "Tired Of Being Mistreated", which is sort of his "the worm turns" song, in which he threatens violence after too much ill-use at the hands of others.  It would be interesting to know what his most common performance situation was.  It's very difficult to envision Clifford Gibson playing at a juke.  I know that in his later life he played on the street a lot and had a performing dog as part of his act.



   You can jive me, baby, but I don't believe a thing you say
   You can jive me, baby, but I don't believe a thing you say
   You just a confidencin' woman and wants to have your way

   You can spend my money, baby, you can get my lovin', too
   You can spend my money, baby, you can get my lovin', too
   I do most anything just to get along with you

   I laid down on my pillow, I rolled from side to side
   I laid down on my pillow, I rolled from side to side
   I didn't have no blues, I just was not satisfied

   SOLO

   When you see me comin', my head all hangin' down
   When you see me comin', with my head all hangin' down
   Just sayin', my sweet woman done quit me, the news all over town

   My suitcase is packed, my trunk's already gone
   My suitcase is packed, my trunk's already gone
   You can tell by that, I won't be here long

   OUTRO

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
"Hard-Headed Blues" is another song from Clifford Gibson's third session.  He played it in Spanish tuning, capoed up, employing pretty much the same accompaniment he used for several of his other songs in Spanish, though he always varied his fills and solos.



   A hard-headed woman, just like a bulldog without a chain
   A hard-headed woman, just like a bulldog without a chain
   They won't never listen to what you say, and that will leave your heart with pain

   I've fooled with women 'til I lost everything I own
   I have fooled with women, 'til I lost everything I own
   It was a married woman caused me to lose my home

   A woman's so deceitful, but she's so lovin' and kind
   A woman's so deceitful, but she's so lovin' and kind
   You can pack up your trunk to move, but you will change your mind

   SOLO

   You told me you loved me, told my boy friend, too
   You told me you loved me, and told my boy friend, too
   And I would not have been here, if it don't be for you

   When a dumb man tries to gamble, he expect to lose
   When a dumb man tries to gamble, he expect to lose
   When you've got a hard-headed woman, you bound to have a blues

All best,
Johnm
   

[Johnm]

Hi all,
"Society Blues" was the last tune Clifford Gibson recorded at his third session, and like "Hard-Headed Blues", it was accompanied out of Spanish tuning.  This performance is available in a very clean copy, and Clifford Gibson's playing is spectacular, particularly his second solo, where he goes up the neck.  He devoted great attention, in general, to his playing and his accompaniments to his vocals are good examples of the guitar operating in the "wordless voice" capacity, providing instrumental responses to his vocal calls.  As most often seems to be the case with Clifford Gibson, he doesn't appear to dip into the common pool for his lyrics, making up what appear to be his own in almost every instance.



   When I was society the women would not let me be
   When I was society the women would not let me be
   Now I'm wild and reckless and nobody cares for me

   Some people like religion, some like to rob and steal
   Some people like religion, some like to rob and steal
   But I like to play with my yella' women, and my whiskey right from a still

   SOLO

   Cigarettes is my pleasure, and whiskey I do crave
   Cigarettes is my pleasure, and whiskey I do crave
   And some long, tall, and slender to follow me to my grave

   SOLO

   I want to tell you somethin', happened to me one day
   I want to tell you somethin' that happened to me one day
   It's a little brown-skinned woman, stole my heart away

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
"Sunshine Moan" is the last tune Clifford Gibson recorded at his first session, for QRS in June of 1929 in Long Island City, NY.  The song is yet another candidate for the modified cross-note, EAEGBE, tuning.  As often seems to be the case, particularly stellar playing coincides with a recording in very poor condition.  Clifford Gibson allots an awful lot of space for the guitar on this song, with the same number of sung verses and solos, 3 each.  Off-hand, I can think of very few country blues recordings that accord equal space for verses and solos--I think John Hurt's "Big Leg Blues" does as does the Beale Street Sheiks" What's The Matter Blues".  It makes you think that Clifford Gibson felt his guitar part was special, which it certainly is.



   Oh, baby, how can it be?
   Oh, tell me, baby, how can it be?
   You will give everybody but you won't give me

   SOLO

   Now . . . the sun begin to shine
   Now, baby, the sun begin to shine
   Brought you a brand new dress and you won't pay me no mind

   SOLO

   You can spend my money, but you got to stay at home with me
   You can spend my money, but you got to stay at home with me
   Got to give me lots of lovin' and keep my company

   SOLO & OUTRO

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
"Whiskey Moan Blues" was the second song Clifford Gibson recorded at his first session, and he played it in the modified cross-note tuning, EAEGBE.  Like most of his performances from that first session, it is spectacular, and his guitar-playing is so rich and full.  This is a particularly strong lyric, and I especially like the tagline on the last verse.



   I've been drinkin' and gamblin', barrelhousin' all my days
   Mmmmm, drinkin' and gamblin', barrelhousin' all my days
   But I found someone to love me, I'm going to change my ways

   I've always heard it, but now I know it's true
   I've always heard it, but now I know it's true
   If you mistreat a good woman, she'll turn her back on you

   If your woman loves you, she'll stand by you to the end
   Mm, if your woman loves you, she'll stand by you to the end
   Nobody can steal your place, you can leave her with a bunch of men

   SOLO

   If you've got a jealous-hearted woman, be careful what you do
   If you've got a jealous-hearted woman, be careful what you do
   'Cause there's always somebody, tell her lies on you

   But she have been my pleasure, good-time places I've always found
   But she have been my pleasure, good-time places I've always found
   But it seems so different now, since I have settled down

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
"Keep Your Windows Pinned" was recorded at Clifford Gibson's third session, and is another number played in the modified cross-note tuning, EAEGBE.  I first heard it on the great old Yazoo anthology, "Blues From Alabama".  This is a beautiful set of lyrics.  Unlike most blues lyrics, which generalize on human experience, these have an unusual specificity, placing the listener in a particular place at a particular time.  As you listen to the song, you can see it all.



   Keep your back door locked, baby, keep your windows pinned
   Keep your back door locked and keep your windows pinned
   If your husband should knock, tell him you're cookin' and he can't come in

   You ought to buy you a bulldog to watch us whilst we sleep
   You ought to buy you a bulldog to watch us whilst we sleep
   So he can see your husband if he makes a 'fore-day creep

   Wake up, baby, please don't be so still
   Wake up, baby, please don't be so still
   Guess you're fixin' a good way to get your daddy killed

   SOLO

   What's that, baby, peckin' on your windowpane?
   What's that, baby, peckin' on your windowpane?
   Say, the stars are shining, I know it can't be rain

   The big stars fallin', I know it can't be long for day
   The big stars fallin', I know it can't be long for day
   And I think it's time for me to make my get-away

   OUTRO

All best,
Johnm