Topic: Mississippi Sheiks Lyrics

[frankie]

Hi Suzy - this is what I have for this:

I begged you, baby, both day and night
Please don't scold me, just treat me right
Baby, please make a change, baby, please make a change
Baby, please make a change, I think it will do you good

There's a change in the ocean and the deep blue sea
Be kind to your baby, there'll be a change in me
Baby, please make a change, baby, please make a change
Baby, please make a change, I think it will do you good

I've had a funny feeling all day and all night
I'm going, I'm going if it takes my life
Baby, please make a change, baby, please make a change
Baby, please make a change, I think it will do you good

I'm telling you something, think it will do you good
You'd better get your man out of this neighborhood
Baby, please make a change, baby, please make a change
Baby, please make a change, I think it will do you good

Darling, I'm telling you and I ain't mad
If I tell you again, it will be too sad
Baby, please make a change, baby, please make a change
Baby, please make a change, I think it will do you good

I'm going away but I'll be back again
Bear this in mind, I'll be forever [on your wend]
Baby, please make a change, baby, please make a change
Baby, please make a change, I think it will do you good

I hear the weird word in the last line phonetically as "wend"..  if that is what he's saying, he might mean that he going but will always be on his way back... but it's a really strange usage of that word.

[Suzy T]

Thanks Frankie, as always there with the Mississippi Sheiks lyrics!!  Really liking this song!  Let's try to connect and play some more music together when Eric and I come east in the spring.  Hope all is well with you and the kids.

[One-Eyed Ross]

So, I'm going to take a go at Bed Spring Poker on the fiddle (I've been listening to Sure Do Pull Some Bow lately) and with the luck I've not been having on Miller's Breakdown I thought I'd ask for some help.

To my ear, it sounds as if this is in E flat.  As fine musicians as these guys were, that is possibly correct, and from the fiddle breaks it sounds (at least for the fiddle and my semi-tin ear) as though that is true.

For the lyrics, I've posted what I have. (edited to add changes recommended)  Anybody else play this, and have insights?



Bed spring poker is an awful thing
Most everybody loves to play that game
Bed spring poker is a ruination to many man
If you keep on playing it, you'll lose the last dollar from your hand

Most every man has a game in his home
Rather play somebody else's than to play his own
Bed spring poker is a ruination to many man
And if he keeps on playing it, he'll lose the last dollar from his hand

There's a brown skin woman lives out on a hill
Used to play for poker and she plays it still
Bed spring poker is a ruination to many man
And if he keeps on playing it, he'll lose the last dollar from his hand

fiddle break

spoken:  Man look at that old bed shaking
that's what you call bed spring poker

When she gets to playing it she plays it in a rush
You will have three aces but she will have a royal flush
Bed spring poker is a ruination to many man
And if he keeps on playing it, he'll lose the last dollar from his hand

There is a man, name is Bill
Used to play poker and he plays it still
Now, bed spring poker is a ruination to many man
And if he keeps on playing it, he'll lose the last dollar from his hand

[frankie]

Yes on E-flat - both guitar and fiddle.

That line is:

She used to play poker and she plays it still

[One-Eyed Ross]

Thanks!

[frankie]

A couple of other changes:

When she gets to playing it she plays it in a race
You get three aces but she gets a royal place

When she gets to playing it, she plays it in a RUSH
You WILL HAVE three aces but she WILL HAVE A ROYAL FLUSH

There is a man, name is Bill
Used to play for her and he plays it still

There is a man, name is Bill
He used to play POKER and he plays it still

[One-Eyed Ross]

Thanks!

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I merged Ross's recent thread on "Bed Spring Poker" into the Mississippi Sheiks Lyrics thread.
All best,
Johnm

[One-Eyed Ross]

So, in my quest to learn some Sheiks songs, I'm currently working on "If you don't want me please don't dog me around" since it is fairly straight forward on the fiddle parts.  For the lyrics, this is what my ear hears.....hopefully I am not too far wrong....



If you don't want me please don't dog me around
If you don't want me please don't dog me around
If you will do me wrong I'd rather leave your town
If you don't want me please don't dog me around

I'd rather be in a river floating like a log
I'd rather be in a river floating like a log
I'd rather be in a river floating like a log
Then be around you you treating me like a dog

He's a country man but he just done moved to town
He's a country man but he just done moved to town
He's a country man but he just done moved to town
Done sold his nuts and his out walking round

lay down your window and turn your lamp down low
lay down your window and turn your lamp down low
lay down your window and turn your lamp down low
Gonna make you love me baby just before I go

I ain't no milk man and I ain't no milk man's son
I ain't no milk man and I ain't no milk man's son
I ain't no milk man and I ain't no milk man's son
But I'll churn your butter until your milk man comes

Just cause you're in town you need not think you're wise
Just cause you're in town you need not think you're wise
Just cause you're in town you need not think you're wise
Cause I got something (that'll jab) {?} right between your eyes

[frankie]

Slight differences - got most of it:

If you don't want me, please don't dog me around
If you don't want me, please don't dog me around
Please, don't dog me 'round, I'd rather leave your town
If you don't want me, please don't dog me 'round

I'd rather be in the river, floating like a log
Rather be in the river, floating like a log
Be in the river, just floating like a log
Than to be 'round here, you treat me like a dog

He's a country man but he just done moved to town
He's a country man but he just done moved to town
He's a country man and he just done moved to town
Done sold his cotton, now he is walking 'round

spoken:  Oh, step on it.

And, let down your window and turn your lamp down low
Let down your window and turn your lamp down low
Let down your window and turn your lamp down low
Gonna make you love me, baby just before I go

spoken:  Oh, step on it.

I ain't no milkman and no milkman's son
I ain't no milkman and no milkman's son
I ain't no milkman and I ain't no milkman's son
But I'll churn your butter 'til your milkman come

Now, 'cause you're in town, you need not think you're wise
Just 'cause you're in town, you need not think you're wise
'cause you're in town you needn't think you're wise
'cause I got something, job right between your eyes

For getting familiar with flat keys, it's a good idea to start with B-flat. I'd also recommend learning "Lonely One In This Town" as it's basically a set piece and manages to lay out all the essential things you need to know about B-flat on the fiddle.

[Johnm]

Just an aside, but didn't Sam Chatmon sing this pretty?  He had a voice like a bell.

[One-Eyed Ross]

For getting familiar with flat keys, it's a good idea to start with B-flat. I'd also recommend learning "Lonely One In This Town" as it's basically a set piece and manages to lay out all the essential things you need to know about B-flat on the fiddle.

Thanks for the changes.

I've been listening to all the Sheiks ones I can find lately, and plucking away at them (mostly because my fiddle was getting lonely).....

[Wilson]

Just trying to get the lyrics down for "It?s Backfiring Now", any ideas for verse 3, 5 and 6.



My old car it won?t, run no more, it?s really backfiring everywhere I go
Oh it?s backfiring now, Oh it?s backfiring now
I ready want to use it, but it?s backfiring now

I had a sweet woman all, all alone all day,
anther man came and taken my good woman away
Oh it?s backfiring now, Oh it?s backfiring now
I ready want to use it, but it?s backfiring now

(solo)

These woman all said, ?.. (1.05)
but I can?t get a spark from my dog gone car
Oh it?s backfiring now, Oh it?s backfiring now
I ready want to use it, but it?s backfiring now

I lay down last night, feeling bad, singing of the good rags I once had
Oh it?s backfiring now, Oh it?s backfiring now
I ready want to use it, but it?s backfiring now

(solo)

Here about your call back, when my car wasn't due, (2.02)
I would ?? you, when the ..? for you
But it?s backfiring now, Oh it?s backfiring now
I ready want to use it, but it?s backfiring now

I take it to the mechanic, and the doctor too,
they say it costs two whole dollars, there?s nothing I can do
Oh it?s backfiring now, Oh it?s backfiring now
I ready want to use it, but it?s backfiring now.

[frankie]

It's Backfiring Now - Mississippi Sheiks

My old car, it won't it run no more
It's really backfiring everywhere I go
Oh, it's backfiring now, oh, it's backfiring now
I really wants to use it, but it's backfiring now

I had a sweet woman on the road all day
Another man come and taken the good woman away
Oh, it's backfiring now, oh, it's backfiring now
I really wants to use it, but it's backfiring now

spoken: Oh, fiddle that thing.

The women all said they like a Ford
But I can't get a spark from my doggone car
Oh, it's backfiring now, oh, it's backfiring now
I really wants to use it, but it's backfiring now

I laid down last night, feeling bad
Thinking of the good rides I once have had
Oh, it's backfiring now, oh, it's backfiring now
I really wants to use it, but it's backfiring now

spoken: Hey, man.

If I could call back when my car was new
I would do all of you women's driving for you
But it's backfiring now, oh, it's backfiring now
I really wants to use it, but it's backfiring now

I taken it to a mechanic, and the doctor too
They say "Your car is too old, there's nothing I can do."
Oh, it's backfiring now, oh, it's backfiring now
I really wants to use it, but it's backfiring now

[Wilson]

Thanks frankie