Topic: Brownie McGhee Lyrics

[Blues Vintage]

Ease My Worried Mind


I can't find any session information on this one.
If anybody can help out (particularly the piano player)?


Piano in F





INTRO

So many mornings, so worried and so blue
Ain’t got nobody, to talk my troubles to
I need a lover, need a real sweet lover, to ease, my worried mind

What good is money, if your money won’t spend
Life ain’t worth livin’, without a sweet lovin’ friend
I need a lover, need a real sweet lover, to ease, my worried mind

I lay down laughin’, wake up screamin’ and cryin’
With the one I love, always on my mind
I need a lover, need a real sweet lover, to ease, my worried mind

Spoken: Talk to me a little while boy, Lord have mercy, I do

SOLO

Blue skies need sunshine, gold diggers dig for gold
Ain’t got no heaven, my story ain’t been told
I need a lover, a real sweet lover, to ease, my worried mind

When I lay down, I feel so sad and blue
Sometimes I don’t know, even what to do
I need a woman, need a real sweet lover, to ease, my worried mind

[dj]

Ease My Worried Mind is, per the Fancourt/McGrath post-war discography, probably from a 1952 session in New York City.  The backing band would have been Bob Gaddy on Piano, Bob Harris on bass, and George Wood on drums.

[Blues Vintage]

Thanks dj,   Bob Gaddy a new name to me (bass and drums too, probably all New York cats).

[Blues Vintage]

Trouble In Mind


Brownie McGhee – vocals, guitar
Sonny Terry – Harmonica

Los Angeles, California
Ca. 1960/1961

Though billed as “live” at the Ash Grove, this is a studio recording with audience effect added.

E position
Standard tuning

Please correct me if I’m wrong about the guitar position/tuning.





INTRO

Trouble in mind, I'm blue
But I won't be blue alway
Sun's gonna shine, in my backdoor some day

I'm gonna lay, my head
On some cold old railroad iron
Let that 2.19 train, passify my mind

Trouble in mind, I'm blue
Won't be blue alway
Sun's gonna shine in, my backdoor some day

Trouble in mind, trouble in mind, I'm blue
I've almost lost my mind
Sometimes I feel like livin', and again I feel, feel like dyin'

Trouble in mind, I'm blue
My poor heart is beatin’ slow
I ain't never had so much trouble, in my doggone life before (Spoken: Go ahead)

HARMONICA SOLO

I'm goin' down, to the river
Gonna take me a rockin' chair (Spoken: What you gotta do, man)
If this trouble don't leave me, gonna rock on away from there

My good girl, she’s done quit me
Sure does grieve my mind
Sometimes I feel like livin', yeah, and again I feel, feel like cryin'

HARMONICA/GUITAR OUTRO SOLO

[Johnm]

Hi Blues Vintage,
Thanks for posting that version. I'm hearing a couple of differences:
   1.2 But I won't be blue ALWAY
   2.2 On some cold OLD railroad iron
   3.2 Won't be blue ALWAY
   6.3 If THIS trouble don't leave me, gonna rock on away from THERE

[Blues Vintage]

Thanks John, how could I make mistakes on such a pristine clear recording? Never knew the word "alway".
I caught one myself in 3.3 Sun's gonna shine in.

[Blues Vintage]

Me And My Dog


Hard to find solo session from McGhee. More to come on the Weenie Campbell YouTube channel. Took me a while to track down even the year and location.
Almost every Brownie McGhee compilation out there has the 1940 recording (with a washboard added).
I think he's playing out of E position, somebody correct if I'm wrong.

Brownie McGhee - Vocals, Guitar

New York, New York
1947





INTRO

Just me and my dog, we don’t have no friend right now
Just me and my dog, we don’t have no friend right now
The woman I love live like a queen, boys, but I get along somehow (Spoken: Yes, yes, yes)

I rolled and I tumbled, lying all in my bed, my heart was hurting, and I had a aching head
Just me and my dog, we don’t have no friends right now
The woman I love live like a queen, boy, but I get along somehow

I got up the next morning, put on my shoes and clothes, I was broke and hungry, I walked on out the door
I walked down the street, tried to tip my hat, some woman wanted to know, just what tramp is that
It was me and my dog, we don’t have no friends right now
Woman I love live like a queen, boy, but I get along somehow (Spoken: Yes, yes)

SOLO

I tried to help you woman, when you down, couldn’t help yourself, I bought you two or three dresses, now you helping someone else
Went off and left me and my dog, we don’t have no friend right now
Woman I love live like a queen, boys, but I get along somehow

[Blues Vintage]

My Father's Words


It was requested on YouTube to decipher the end of 6.3. I did the whole song anyway.
Usually I don't transcribe video performances but what the hell. Great lyrics.
I suspected McGhee is playing out of B Position (!) when preparing the video. Daddystovepipe pointed that out when it was published.
Could be one for Miller's breakdown to unlock exactly what's going on here.

I have no session info





INTRO

My father, my father said these words, it followed me down through the years, yes, yes, yes
B’lieve half you see, son, and nothing that you hear (Spoken: I said “Why daddy”)
There’s a many broken heart, that never sheds no tears (Spoken: That’s the truth too)

It takes a rocks, it takes a rocks and gravel, well, to make, to make a solid road, yes, yes
Everything that shines, boy, he says son, it can’t be gold, oh no
He says, the graveyard hold secrets, Brownie, that will never be told (Spoken: That’s when he tell me some more)

He says, the long, well, the longer the road, short, well, the shorter the turn, yes, yes
He says, listen my son, you’ll never grow too old to learn, oh no
He says, old coals will kindle, they will light up and begin to burn

He says, the tall, well, the taller the tree, boy, says the deep, well, the deeper, the roots, yes, yes
Then he says, the blacker the berry, son, you know the sweeter the juice
With every rose that you gather, son, you gonna get some horns too, I said, yes, yes

He said, if you want, if you want to be loved, here’s what you got, got to do, yes, yes
Son, you got to love somebody, you want somebody to love you (Spoken: He whispered and said)
Don’t let you right hand, know what your left hand do (Spoken: Lord, have mercy)

He says, a man, with a man, a man, son, a man ain’t nothin’ but a man, yes, yes
So many things I could tell you, you too young to understand (Spoken: Go ahead now, tell me anyway, dad)
You’ll see so many people happy, while you catchin' as catch can

My father, my father said these words, they followed me down through the years, yes, yes
B’lieving half that I see, people and nothing that I hear, oh Lord
I’m the one with that broken heart, that never sheds no tears (Spoken: My father’s words)

[Johnm]

Hi Blues Vintage,
That lyric at 6.3 is "while you catchin' as catch can". The sense is so many people are happy while you're just doing the best you can. "Catch as catch can" is an expression for just getting by.
All best,
Johnm

[Blues Vintage]

That was fast. Thanks, John.

[apay1]

Hi everybody,

I'm trying to transcribe the lyrics for Bottom Blues, a song Brownie McGhee and Sonny Terry recorded in 1958. It's with that song I first heard the duet and was instantly changed into a big fan of them !

Here is what I've been able to understand by ear :


well, meet me in the bottom, bring me my boots and shoes,
yes meet me in the bottom, bring me my boots and shoes,
you can tell by then (?) I ain't got no time to loose

well the woman I love caught that old some train, hey hey, hey hey,
well the woman I love caught that old some train,
she's a married woman, love her just the same.

now the woman I ...hey hey, lord lord,
woman I
every time she smiles makes my blood done cold,

--Sonny Terry plays--

my hooks in the water ...hey hey, yes yes,
hooks in the water
...hey hey, lord lord
no no, no no, no...

I know my baby, she's bound to love me some
I know my baby, she's bound to love me some
so the arms all around her


The song is this one :



Thank you all !
Antoine (from France)

[Johnm]

Hi Antoine,
I'll try to get as many of the lyrics as I can. Here goes:

INTRO

Well, meet me in the bottom, bring me my boots and shoes
Yes, meet me in the bottom, bring me my boots and shoes
You can tell by that I ain't got no time to lose

Well, the woman I love, caught that old Southern train, hey-hey, hey-hey
Well, the woman I love, caught that old Southern train
She's a married woman, love her just the same

Now, the woman I'm after got a mole below her nose, hey-hey, Lawd, Lawd
Woman I'm after got a mole below her nose
Every time she smiles, makes my blood come cold (Spoken: Walk a while!)

HARMONICA SOLO

My hook's in the water, babe, my cork's on top, hey-hey, yes-yes
Hook's in the water, babe, my cork's on top
How in the world can I lose, mama, with the help I got, hey-hey, Lawd-Lawd

No-no, no-no, no
No-no, no-no, no
No-no, no-no, no

I know my baby, she's bound to love me some
I know my baby, she's bound to love me some
Throw my arms all around her like circle around the sun

SOLO AND CODA

Edited 11/21 to pick up corrections from Blues Vintage

All best,
Johnm

[Blues Vintage]

3.1 (Well) -Now-, the woman I'm after

3.3 makes my blood (come) -run- cold

Possibly a full "around" instead of "'round" in the final line

[Johnm]

Hi Blues Vintage,
I agree with "now" and "around", but Brownie does sing "come" cold. I believe he meant to sing "run" as that's common in that line, but he didn't sing it there.

[apay1]

Woaw ! 🤩

Thank you so much Johnm and Blues Vintage ! That's exactly what I was waiting for, this forum is magic !

I wish you all the best.
Antoine.