Topic: Blind Willie McTell lyrics

[Gumbo]

 Wee Midnight Hours from the Pig n Whistle Red album featuring Curley Weaver on guitar and harmony vocal. Beautiful. EDIT: ACTually it's Weaver singing lead and McTell singing harmony.



It was in the wee wee midnight hours, long about the break of day, of day, of day
It was in the wee midnight hours, long about the break of day, of day, of day
Say it's when the blues creep down on you and carry your mind away, away, away

Have your mind been a-rambling back to the days of long ago, ago, ago
Have your mind been a-rambling back in the days of long ago, ago, ago
back to the one that you love but you don't see them anymore, no more, no more

Skee lee dee whoa whoa de whoa ho etc

Ah blues why do you worry, why do you stay with me so long, so long, so long
Oh blues why do you worry, why do you stay with me so long, so long, so long
you came to me yesterday and stay with me all night long, so long, so long

I went down to the graveyard fell down on my knees, my bended knees
I went down to the graveyard fell down on my knees, my knees, my knees
I asked the Good Lord above give me back my rider please, lord have mercy on me

thanks to  banjochris for picking out the difficult bit

[ScottN]

Hi Gumbo,

A great song. In 1.3 I hear SAID vs "safe.". I think your start on verse 3 is spot on, you should finish it out ;-)

Thanks,
           Scott

[Gumbo]

Thanks, Scott. I noticed that you added this song to the harmonies thread when i searched for the lyric. It is indeed a great song.

1.3 I listened again (and again) i definitely hear an F sound in there rather than a D - how do you feel about ...

Say if when the blues scream ...

I did muse over getting the third verse verbatim so i could perform it live and one day some weenie would recognise the devotion involved!

[banjochris]

I hear 1.3 pretty clearly as

Say it's when the blues creep down on you...

Chris

[Gumbo]

Oops! Thought I'd replied to this. Thanks Banjochris, that makes sense and sounds right.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Blind Willie McTell accompanied himself out of C position for "Hillbilly Willie's Blues", a sort of re-written version of the Crawdad Song.  Uncle Dave Macon did a similar such song called "Governor Al Smith".



SOLO

Roosevelt is a mighty fine man, darling
Roosevelt is a mighty fine man, darling
Roosevelt is a mighty fine man, got to be the President of our land, darling

My baby got a diamond ring, darling
My baby got a diamond ring, darling
My baby got a diamond ring, poor me ain't got a doggone thing, darling

SOLO

My baby got a Cadillac 8, darling
My baby got a Cadillac 8, darling
My baby got a Cadillac 8, poor me ain't got nowhere to stay, darling

My baby got a house and a lot, darling
My baby got a house and lot, darling
My baby got a house and lot, poor me ain't got doodly-squat, darling

SOLO

Moonshine been here long enough, darling
Moonshine been here long enough, darling,
Moonshine been here long enough, let's get right and drink up this stuff, darling

Came all the way from Arkansas, darling
Came all the way from Arkansas, darling
Came all the way from Arkansas, just barefoot as a darn yard dog, darling

SOLO

Ten dollar bill and a bottle of beer, darling
Ten dollar bill and a bottle of beer, darling
Ten dollar bill and a bottle of beer, I wish, by gosh, my honey was here, darling

I got a gal in the white folks' yard, darling
I got a gal in the white folks' yard, darling
I got a gal in the white folks' yard, she don't drink liquor but she do play cards, darling

SOLO

Edited 6/3 to pick up correction from banjochris

All best,
Johnm

 

[banjochris]

John, one suggestion:
Came all the way from Arkansas, just barefoot as a darn yard dog, darling.

Chris

[Johnm]

Thanks very much for the fix, Chris.  I wasn't at all happy with what I had there, and hoped someone would set me straight.  Thanks for doing that.
All best,
Johnm

[banjochris]

Willie sings "Arkansas" exactly the same way Paul McCartney sings "saw" in "Till There Was You"! 
Chris

[Lawh]

Hey, I've gotten everything except the last verse completely, but I would appreciate if someone could write down the entire song here!

Thanks guys!

[Johnm]

Hi lareth,
Standard procedure at Weenie Campbell for folks requesting assistance with lyrics is for them to enter what they already have, and then have other folks contribute their ideas.  It's an indication that the person requesting help has already made a good faith effort to get as far as they could with the lyrics, and is not just asking other people to do their work for them.  You understand. 
All best,
Johnm

[Lawh]

Ah right, I apologize, here is where I am!




I'll tell you of a poor young man who gambling night and day

he fell sick down on his death bed he tried but he could not pray

His friends all left him one for one and he began to cry

boys oh boys dont leave me now I believe I'm going to die


Chorus


One man turned round and looked at him and says to him oh well

I believe myself youre going to die and if you do you're going to hell

His body began to grow so weak and his frame began to shake

he says to the man who ran the game now I see my mistake


I always thought I was a fool my conscious had me told

While I was trying to be someone the devil had won my soul


Chorus


Don't take my body to no church house and ... remains

Somebody will think that I am satan and hell I'll be in pain

----------------------

And gamblers if you do not change I'll meet you when you come to hell

Chorus

[Lastfirstface]

"Don't take my body to no church house and say nothing over my remains"

"My dice and cards will be burning my hand I can see they know it well"

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I merged the recent thread on "Dyin' Gambler Blues" into the Willie McTell Lyrics thread.
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Blind Willie McTell played "Mama, 'Tain't Long Fo' Day" out of Spanish tuning with a slide, sounding in F#.  The song ends up having the same melody as "KC Moan", though the feel is altogether different, and it is a hauntingly beautiful performance, played with tremendous nuance.  Here it is:



Wake up, mama, don't you sleep so hard
Wake up, mama, don't you sleep so hard
For it's these old blues, walkin' all over your yard

I've got these blues, reason I'm not satisfied
I've got these blues, I'm not satisfied
That's the reason why I stole away and cried

Blues grabbed me at midnight and didn't turn me loose 'til day
Blues grabbed me at midnight, didn't turn me loose 'til day
I didn't have no mama to drive these blues away

The big star fallin', mama, it ain't long fo' day
The big star fallin', mama, 'tain't long fo' day
Maybe the sunshine'll drive these blues away

SOLO (Spoken: Oh, come here quick.  Come on, mama, you know I got you.)

Mmm-hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm
Mmm-mmm-mmm, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm
Mmm-hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm

SOLO

All best,
Johnm