Topic: Cripple Clarence Lofton Lyrics

[Thomas8]

2.2 BANGING on my baby's door

[Harry]

Thanks Chris, Wax and Thomas.

It's really hard to hear if it's howlin' hounds or howlin' owls. I'll stick with howlin' hounds for now.

[banjochris]

On hounds vs. owls, it's less the ending and more that I can hear a voiced "h" at the beginning of that word.
Chris

[Harry]

When The Soldiers Get Their Bonus

Red Nelson - Vocals
Cripple Clarence Lofton - Piano
Al Miller - Vocals (2), Guitar
Unknown - Bass

February 6, 1936
Chicago, Illinois

Probably Key of C





It’s good morning mama you look mighty swell now you say you got somethin’ to sell
We’ll have a nice time (when the soldiers get their bonus)
We’ll have a nice time (when the soldiers get their bonus)
We’ll have a nice time even if it don’t last long

I’ve got some liquor got some wine we can get drunk have a whompin' good time
We’ll have a nice time (when the soldiers get their bonus)
We’ll have a nice time (when the soldiers get their bonus)
We’ll have a nice time even if it don’t last long

I had two dollars I don’t know where it went show me what you got there fifty cents
We’ll have a nice time (when the soldiers get their bonus)
We’ll have a nice time (when the soldiers get their bonus)
We’ll have a nice time even if it don’t last long

My gal’s got a heart big as a whale shake up her body she just won’t move her tail
We’ll have a nice time (she won’t get no bonus)
We’ll have a nice time (she won’t get no bonus)
We’ll have a nice time even if it don’t last long

I plays a little coon can shoots a little dice sometimes fool with a old man's wife
We’ll have a nice time (when the soldiers get their bonus)
We’ll have a nice time (when the soldiers get their bonus)
We’ll have a nice time even if it don’t last long

Grandpa told grandma last year we got too old for to shift your gear
We’ll have a nice time (when the soldiers get their bonus)
We’ll have a nice time (when the soldiers get their bonus)
We’ll have a nice time even if it don’t last long

My black gal’s head won’t be so hard even her good man won’t have me barred
We’ll have a nice time (when the soldiers get their bonus)
We’ll have a nice time (when the soldiers get their bonus)
We’ll have a nice time even if it don’t last long

[Johnm]

Hi Harry,
That's a rocking tune! I think I'm hearing some of the missing spots and would change some of the other places. Here goes:

1.1 It's "Good morning, mama, YOU look mighty swell. Now you say you got somethin' to sell
2.1 . . . a WHOMPIN' good time
3.1 "Show me what you got THERE." "Fifty cents".
4.1 Shake up her BUTT, . . .
5.1 I plays a little COON CAN, . . ., sometimes fool with A old MAN'S wife
6.1 . . . we got TOO old for to SHIFT YOUR GEARS
7.1 even HER good man won't have me barred

Coon can is a gambling game mentioned in several songs, as is the phrase "too old to shift your gears". 3.1 is two different people talking--the first had two dollars taken from him, and he's trying to determine if the second person took it. The second person says he just has fifty cents, in other words, not the missing two dollars. Weird vowel sound on "butt", but it's the only thing that makes sense there.

All best,
Johnm

[Harry]

Thanks John, I took them all except "gears". I hear "gear".
I had "butt" and "there" orginally. I realize more and more you gotta go with what makes sense.

[banjochris]

I think it's "body" in 4.1, not "butt" – pronounced with the ending swallowed some. I've never heard "butt" used  (in this context as opposed to a cigarette butt) on a 78 of this vintage, I think it would have been a no-no. Fun tune!

PS Harry, I think there are a couple of vestigial words from the editing process still in there at 5.1 and 6.1 (cat and the).

Chris

[Harry]

Thanks Chris. Yes it's "body" and I think I was in a rush when I did the editing. Everything is corrected now.
I see John already has the accurate transcription (with "body") up in weeniepedia.