Hi guys. I've been playing this song for years. I laugh almost every time I play it. Anyway, I've always sung
"I once stole meat right out of Crump's furnace..." I know it sounds strange, but perhaps it made more sense back then, especially to someone like Frank. By the way, I play all of Frank's stuff. His delivery is unmatched i think.
Logged
"To be is to be the value of a bound variable." -- W.V. Quine
Frank Stokes is great- I love his duets with Dan Sane, and I also really dig Frank's deep and archaic voice. "I Got Mine" is cool, and I'm in a desperate search to find the lyrics to the tune. The fiddle playing (by Will Batts) in "Right Now Blues" is awesome too. "Nehi Mama Blues" and "Downtown Blues" are gems! As far as lyrics go, I can understand what he's saying in most of his blues songs, but his less bluesy tunes, like "Mr. Crump Don't Like It," are often harder to decipher.
My memory (what's left) rang a bell about a posting by HardLuckChild in the Frank Stokes lyrics thread that he was looking for the lyrics to "I Got Mine". Yust today I found an old scrap of paper with my stab at them that I did in the early '80's.
I can't post an .mp3 'cus the only copy I have of this song is on vinyl. I'm hopeing one of you others will be so kind
I Got Mine Frank Stokes Key of C
(1) Introduction
(2)Then I went down to a little crap game Boys, that was against my will I lost every penny that I had in my pocket but a greeback dollar bill I turned my head (??), shake my shoulders, thinkin' I was way behind. But just as I jumped in the kitchen door boys, I got mine
(Chorus)I got mine, boys, I got mine Standin' 'round here tryin' git sumpin' good eat, all the time Said ever since that I've been livin' high. I've been livin' offa chicken and wine But I belong to the knockdown society, but I got mine
(3) Now I went to church () was brought in Tell me people all began to grin Now think about the good times all would happen Couldn't say exactly when. So the mangot the turkey right by the neck But I swong wrong behind He might thought he had the whole barroom gone ()
Chorus
(4) Then I went off to work one morning That sumpthing I never did to me While the people through the crack back in my old lady Sittin' on some other man's knee () rap across the head "You've been fightin' your old lady, God darn your soul", but I got mine
(5) I went uptown to a little crap game () assume police () The man looked at me, never cracked a smile I couldn't get this fella to a () (Missing line?) So he throwed the dice out on the floor And the thing got fight like mine But just as I () back door I got mine
I have typed this old try without relistening to the song (which I can't find at the moment) so this could be pretty rough. I really like to play this one. (as you can see I usually make up my own words).
Thanks in advance for the help, Alex
« Last Edit: July 13, 2020, 06:30:41 AM by Johnm »
I finally found my copy of "I Got? Mine" (on vinyl) and tried to fix up the version I posted earlier. This is as far as I can take it with my ears. Again if anyone could post the .mp3, I'd be gratefull
I Got Mine Frank Stokes Key of C Capo I
(1) Introduction
(2) Then I went down to the little crap game Boys, that was against my will I lost every penny that I had in my pocket but a greenback dollar bill I turned my head (??), shake my shoulders, thinkin' I was way behind. But just as I jumped in the kitchen door, boys, I got mine
(Chorus) I got mine, (boys) I got mine (Standin') 'round here tryin' git sumpin' good eat, all the time (Said)(Ever) since that I've been livin' high. I've been livin' offa chicken and wine (But) (Said) I belong to the (crab)? knockdown society, but I got mine
(3) Now I went to church,? was brought in Tell me people all began to grin Now think about the good times all would happen Couldn't say exactly when. So the man got the turkey right by the neck But I swung wrong behind He might thought he had the whole barroom gone but I got mine
Chorus
(4) Instrumental
(5) Then I went off to work early? one morning That sumpthing they never did to me While the people took the crack back in my old lady Sittin' on some other man's knee () bailey rap across my head and he jumped up and cryin' "You've been fightin' your old lady, Dog gone your soul", but I got mine
(Chorus)
(6) I went uptown to a little crap game ( police () The man looked at me, never cracked a smile I couldn't get this fella to a (laugh ) So he throwed the dice out on the floor And the thing got fight like nine But just as I () back door Lord, I got mine
Chorus
Thanks, Alex
« Last Edit: April 18, 2005, 06:23:28 PM by Johnm »
Hi Alex. I play this tune in dropped D, but C is good too. Unfortunately, I don't have the recording with me right now, but the lyrics I sing are just about identical to the recording. Here's how I do it:
Said I went down to the little crap game, lord that was against my will I lost every penny that I had in my pocket but a greenback dollar bill I turned my head, (be)gan to shake my shoulders, thinkin' I was way behind But just as I jumped in the kitchen door boys I got mine
Chorus: I got mine, boys I got mine Standin' 'round here tryin' to get somethin' good eat all the time Said ever since that I've been livin' high, I've been livin' offa chicken and wine Said I belong to the (crap) (knockdown) society but I got mine
Now when the turkey was brought in, suddenly people all began to grin I was thinkin' 'bout the good times all would have, I coudn't say exactly when So the man grabbed the turkey right by the neck, but I swung 'round behind He might thought he had the whole bottle and gone, but I got mine
Chorus
Then I went off to work early one morning, that's somethin' never did suit me I was peepin' through the crack, back in my old lady settin' onna some other man's knee Well I rapped my baby rap across her head, and he jumped up and cryin' "Ya even fightin' your old lady, doggone your soul" but I got mine
Chorus
I went uptown to a little crap game, heard some other police was playin' That man looked at me never cracked a smile I couldn't get that fella to laugh So he throwed the dice out on the floor, and the place got fightin' like nines But just as the police jumped in the back door lord i got mine
chorus
As I recall, I think Paul Oliver hears "fowl" where I hear "bottle" in the second verse. In my interepretation, he's talking about a bottle of Wild Turkey. Whether or not this is even historically possible I don't know. But I also know that Paul Oliver makes some other, more obvious, errors in his transcription. I love Frank Stokes, and play most of his recorded output. Good luck with the lyrics.
Logged
"To be is to be the value of a bound variable." -- W.V. Quine
With some help I have just figured out how to get cuts off my vinyl on to the computer and into . mp3. Only took 5 hours . Next one should (will!) be much quicker. so here is I Got Mine.
Thanks for your version PD. Lots of good work.
Work was much more enjoyable thanks to Weenie Juke!
As I recall, I think Paul Oliver hears "fowl" where I hear "bottle" in the second verse.? In my interepretation, he's talking about a bottle of Wild Turkey.? Whether or not this is even historically possible I don't know.?
Hey PD:
I just looked at the Wild Turkey website, and according to them, the nickname "Wild Turkey" was given to this whiskey (which had been made since the late 1800's) only in 1940, a little too late for this reference in I Got Mine.
Anyway, Frank was nuts about fowl, so the included reference to a turkey would be right in character.
All for now, Alex
« Last Edit: April 18, 2005, 06:24:49 PM by Johnm »
I guess I've always peripherally suspected that my interpretation of that line was dubious. I'm pretty certain that it would have been highly illegal to make Wild Turkey at the time anyway. Thanks for the research.
Logged
"To be is to be the value of a bound variable." -- W.V. Quine
My buddy Catfish used to do this song.? Frank and I were kicking it around this weekend and he told me I should post a reply to this thread.? Here goes:
Boy, you ever do anything like stealing chickens?
Now chicken, chicken, oh chicken, You may go up in a balloon. Chicken, chicken, you may hide behind the moon, ? dogone you now. Chicken, I'll never let a fowl be. Ten thousand dollar (re)ward for the fowl on earth, He don't roost too high for me.
I got to thinkin bout chickens late last night, man I couldn't hardly rest. I jumped out the bed, grabbed up my old shoes, started where some chicken was at. I grabbed a big buckhorn, stuck him under my arm, some I never let fall. I don't think I'll rob your hen house til I get your roost(er), poor chicken and all.
CHORUS
That chicken made me awful mad the dother night man, that's somethin I didn't like to taste. I grabbed my little happysack, down crost my back, grabbed the chicken right by the neck. Said I turned around, quick as I could, chicken all way up there. I won't steal meat and bread, other cooked products, steal a chicken from anywhere.
CHORUS
That police rest me last Friday night, I couldn't think what it was about. I was goin down the alley where I lived at, a lotta chicken tied in my house. Say, you may carry me to the place that you want, I'll go to work out my time. Just as quick as you put me on the L&N track, I'll have chickens on my mind
CHORUS
It hear happysack instead of haversack, which is the logical lyric, and I don't hear pennitentiary wall, I hear "place that you want".?
« Last Edit: April 18, 2005, 06:19:12 PM by Johnm »
1st Verse: Line 1: late lasta night Line 2: I hear "thought of" instead of "started where" Line 3: I hear "I grabbed big buck ", I just don't hear "horn" (although I have no alternative) Line 4: I'd substitute "robbed" for "rob", "your" for "you" and "fo'" for "poor"
2nd Verse: Line 1: could "taste" be "take"? Sort of makes more sense. Line 2: I still hear "Haversack", not "Happysack" Line 3: I would put an "a" between "could," and "chicken" Line 4: Could this line be "I won't steal meat, bread outta Crump's fire, steal a chicken from anywhere"? However It could be exactly as you have it.
Verse 3: Line 1: I would substitute "you" for "I" Line 3: I hear the "n" sound on the "place that you want" and an "l" sound at the end, so I'll have to side with "pen'tentury wall"
For what it's worth, 'buckhorn' may be 'buckeye', which is actually a breed of chicken raised for its meat qualities as a roaster. Don't ask me why I know this.
My buddy Catfish used to do this song.? Frank and I were kicking it around this weekend and he told me I should post a reply to this thread.? Here goes:
I've put what I hear different from Todd's transcription in square brackets. Dang, we're close.
Boy, you ever do anything like stealing chickens?
Now chicken, chicken, oh chicken, You may go up in a balloon. Chicken, chicken, you may hide behind the moon, ? dogone you now. Chicken, I'll never let a fowl be. Ten thousand dollar (re)ward for the fowl on earth, He don't roost too high for me.
I got to thinkin bout chickens late last night, man I couldn't hardly rest. I jumped out the bed, grabbed up my old shoes, [thought o'] where some chicken was at. I grabbed a big buckhorn, stuck him under my arm, some['in'] (as in something, sum'in) I never let fall. I don't think I'll rob your hen house til I get your roost(er), poor chicken and all.
CHORUS
That chicken made me awful mad the dother night man, that's somethin I didn't like to taste. I grabbed my little happysack, down crost my back, grabbed the chicken right by the neck. Said I turned around, quick as I could, [a] chicken all way up there. I won't steal meat and bread, [outta Crump's ]? (I don't hear fire here), steal a chicken from anywhere.
CHORUS
That police rest me last Friday night, [you couldn't think-a what's it] about. I was goin down the alley where I lived at, a lotta chicken tied in my house. Say, you may carry me to the place that you want [walk?], I'll go to work out my time. Just as quick as you put me on the L&N track, I'll have chickens on my mind
CHORUS
Quote
I hear happysack instead of haversack, which is the logical lyric, and I don't hear pennitentiary wall, I hear "place that you want".?
I think I hear happysack as well. Maybe it's a version of haversack? I'm not sure it's "penitentiary" wall after listening more. Could be. Could be what Todd wrote, or "walk" instead of "want."
Edited to add: after repeated listenings, I hear "I once steal meat and bread outta Crump's front", "penitentiary wall", and have a craving for chicken...
« Last Edit: April 18, 2005, 06:20:38 PM by Johnm »