I'll give it a go. Crowd sourcing lyrics is great.
Blake's playing sounds like his typical Drop D moves.
Leola Wilson, Back Biting Bee Blues
Early this morning heard somebody calling me Early this morning heard somebody calling me It wasn't my baby, that black, back biting bee
Gonna take my razor, cut my honeysuckle vine Take my razor, cut my honeysuckle vine Some black bee done stole that honey of mine
Rather have my head in alcohol, my body on the railroad track Gonna have my head in alcohol, my body on some railroad track Than to have that black bee, bitin' me in my back
solo mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm
It's rainin' in my kitchen, lightnin' on my walls It's rainin' in my kitchen, lightnin' on my walls I know by that, some mule is kickin' in my stall
coda
Edited 5/31/23 to pick up suggestions from Blues Vintage and banjochris.
« Last Edit: May 31, 2023, 04:22:44 PM by David Kaatz »
Hi all, Leola Wilson recorded "Ashley Street Blues" at an earlier session, accompanied by Blind Blake, playing in C position in standard tuning. Blake's playing is remarkable, even by his standards, and one can sense how liberating it was for him simply to play and not to have to worry about remembering lyrics and having to accompany himself. His solo is so loose; have you ever heard anybody else do what he did at 2:05--2:07? Me neither! I feel like Leola Wilson is easier to hear and de-cipher on this cut, despite it being pretty whupped. That remains to be seen, I guess. Here is "Ashley Street Blues":
INTRO
I don't want none of you women, to be frettin' and cryin' I don't want none of you women, to be frettin' and cryin' If you ain't got no man, I'll give you one of mine
My mama told me, before I left home My mama told me, before I left home "You better let them Jacksonville men alone."
Some women want a yalla, and some women want brown Some women want a yalla man, and some women want brown I know a black man will beat you but he sure won't th'ow you down
SOLO
Please let me ride your train, I know you worry, too Please let me ride your train, I know you worry, too I'm a heartbroken woman, with the Ashley Street blues
CODA
Edited 5/31 to pick up correction from Blues Vintage
Thanks Blues Vintage, I have mostly taken your suggestions. It sure sounds like "alcohol" on the second line to me, now, so I put it on the first as well.
Thanks Blues Vintage, I have mostly taken your suggestions. It sure sounds like "alcohol" on the second line to me, now, so I put it on the first as well.
Dave
I'm quite sure on "rather", Dave, but not 100 %, it sure fit the context better. A lot of blues have a similar line like that. I'd rather be the devil....
1.3 It WAS my baby, that black BACK biting bee (pretty confident this is WAS with the M of baby stuck to it, not WASN'T)
2.1 and 2.2 I hear VINE both times
3.1 RATHER have my head in ALCOHOL, my body on SOME railroad TRACK 3.2 Gonna have my head in ALCOHOL, my body on some railroad TRACK 3.3 THAN to have...
(I hear RATHER only on the first time through, then "gonna" on the repeat – "alcohol" clear to me both times)
Thanks Blues Vintage, I have mostly taken your suggestions. It sure sounds like "alcohol" on the second line to me, now, so I put it on the first as well.
Dave
I'm quite sure on "rather", Dave, but not 100 %, it sure fit the context better. A lot of blues have a similar line like that. I'd rather be the devil....
Ahh, yeah, I get you. I missed that you said "rather". The way you edit existing posts here, you can't see the posts that came after it while editing, so I couldn't refer to your suggestions.
Agree with Blues Vintage on "worry" for Ashley St. – that F lick really is something else. Interestingly his first verse is a little tribute to Sylvester Weaver, and then he's Blake for the whole rest of the piece!
1.3 It WAS my baby, that black BACK biting bee (pretty confident this is WAS with the M of baby stuck to it, not WASN'T)
2.1 and 2.2 I hear VINE both times
3.1 RATHER have my head in ALCOHOL, my body on SOME railroad TRACK 3.2 Gonna have my head in ALCOHOL, my body on some railroad TRACK 3.3 THAN to have...
(I hear RATHER only on the first time through, then "gonna" on the repeat – "alcohol" clear to me both times)
4.3 ...SOME mule is kickin' in my stall
Chris
Thanks Chris, but I'm sticking with "Wasn't". Otherwise it sounds like "was-mm my baby", with the "mm" very distinct from "my", which makes no sense to me. I think I incorporated the rest of your suggestions.
Hi Blues Vintage and Chris, I agree with "worry" in the final verse of "Ashley Street Blues", though the vowel sound is weird, more like "warry". I'll make the change. Thanks.