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Kassie Jones - a masterpiece. Most surreal version of the Casey Jones theme. Keeps digressing into talk of other things. Freudian dream imagery - John Fahey, on Furry Lewis

Author Topic: Sam Chatmon lyrics  (Read 12020 times)

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Offline Slide

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Sam Chatmon lyrics
« on: November 12, 2006, 09:23:37 AM »
Can anyone here fill in the blanks?
(from the DVD, Legends of Country Blues, Volume Two)



Big Road Blues

I've got a brown skin woman.. lives up on the hill..
now don't you hear me tell what I say
I've got a brown skin woman...lives up on the hill
and that fool...quit me swear I love her still

I tell you what you______woman..like you used to do..now don't you
A hear me tell you pretty mama
Tell you won't you do...like you used to do..
How come you wanna treat me woman like you used to do

Well I left town this morning...on my... wayback home..
now don't you...hear me tellin' you pretty mama
I left town this morning...on my way back home..
Well that______________man told me your woman dead and gone

A don't _________________rollin' 'fore your door..
now don't you hear me tellin'you pretty mama
Ohh____________________rollin' 'fore your door
Take that woman you've been lovin' and she can't get back no more

Well I ain't goin down...that big road by myself..
now don't you a hear me tellin' you pretty mama
I ain't goin' down that big road by myself..
and if I can't catch you woman...try somebody else...Oh yes_____

Break:

Well.. went to the graveyard..looked down on her face..
now don't you hear me tell you pretty mama
I..went to the graveyard..looked down on her face
Says I feel your condition woman but i sure can't take your place. 
« Last Edit: July 10, 2020, 11:14:11 PM by Johnm »

Offline MuddyBuddy

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Re: Big Road Blues, Sam Chatmon's version
« Reply #1 on: November 12, 2006, 12:47:18 PM »
Hi Slide,

this is one of my all time favorite songs, and I perform it at every gig! Love Sam's performance too! Learned it from watching him...  Chris Smith, in Shetland, did the liner notes for this DVD, and this is his transcription. he was kind enough to mail it to me.

I am recording this on my next cd...

cheers
Bert

SAM CHATMON - BIG ROAD BLUES

I've got a brownskin woman, lives up on a hill,
Now don't you, ah, hear me telling you where you stay?
I've got a brownskin woman, lives on a hill;
And that fool quit me, swear I love her still.

How come you wanna do, woman, like you do, do, do?
Now don't you, ah, hear me telling you, pretty mama?
How come you wanna do like you do, do, do?
How come you wanna treat me, woman, like you do, do, do?

When I was uptown this morning, on my way back home,
Now don't you, ah, hear me telling you, pretty mama?
I was uptown this morning, on my way back home;
Ah well, the devil met me and told me, 'Your woman's dead and gone.'

Ah, don't the hearse look lonesome, rolling 'fore your door?
Now don't you, ah, hear me telling you, pretty mama?
Oh, hearse looks lonesome, rolling 'fore your door;
It's taken that woman you loving, and she can't get back no more.

Well, I ain't going down, big road by myself,
Now don't you, ah, hear me telling you, pretty mama?
I ain't going down, big road by myself;
And if I can't take you, woman, carry somebody else -
Oh, yes I is, baby!

Well, went to the grave, looked down on her face,
Now don't you, ah, hear me telling you, pretty mama?
I went to the grave, looked down on her face;
Says, 'I feel your condition, woman, but I sure can't take your place.'


Offline Slide

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Re: Big Road Blues, Sam Chatmon's version
« Reply #2 on: November 13, 2006, 08:05:58 PM »
Hi Bert,

Thanks very much for completing the Sam Chatmon lyrics! It all makes sense now. I've had the guitar part down for a while, but couldn't quite get all the lyrics.

How do I order your new CD when it comes out?

Steve   

Offline MuddyBuddy

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Re: Big Road Blues, Sam Chatmon's version
« Reply #3 on: November 14, 2006, 05:56:19 AM »
Hi Slide

I will announce the cd somehow through this list and the others I am on, and will have something on the webpage I have. www.deivert.com/blues.html

A new cd of old time stuff I did with Tom Paley (ex. new Lost City Ramblers) will be out in December. It is being put out by a record company but I may have some copies for sale. The record company's store is here: http://gravitation.nu/butiken.asp

Did you get the cd that was recently released with old takes by Sam Chatmon? It is worth buying for a Sam fan!
It is called Blues When It Rains

cheers
BERT



Offline Stuart

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Re: Big Road Blues, Sam Chatmon's version
« Reply #4 on: November 14, 2006, 07:20:12 AM »
Bert:

Think about making the CD available through http://CDBaby.com here in the U.S., if possible.

Offline MuddyBuddy

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Re: Big Road Blues, Sam Chatmon's version
« Reply #5 on: November 14, 2006, 07:59:37 AM »
Thanks for the tip Stuart. Will have to look into that.

cheers
Bert/Buddy

Offline ScottN

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Sam Chatmon lyrics
« Reply #6 on: May 29, 2015, 11:57:03 AM »
Forgive me if there is already a topic for this, I didn't see one.


God Don't Like Ugly from I Have To Paint My Face album

   

Spoken: Say boy where you from?  You [naturally] [born / bout] the ugliest man ever I seen.  I wish I could play the dozens but I didn't learn to count to twelve else I'd play the dozens with you.

I don't play no dozens cause I didn't learn to count to twelve
They tell me God don't like ugly, said boy your home's in Hell
I'd like to see your mammy, your pappy, too.
See how come you's born they didn't sell you out to some zoo
I don't play no dozens I didn't learn to count to twelve

They tell be God don't like ugly said boy your home's in Hell
Your mammy got scared she started in a show
Couldn't been scared of nothin but [?elephant o thing go]
I don't play no dozen I didn't learn to count to twelve

They tell me God don't like ugly say boy your home's in Hell
You standin around here you lookin big and stout
All you lack bein an elephant you ain't got a tail and a snout
I don't play no dozens I didn't learn to count to twelve

They tell me God don't like ugly said boy your home's in hell
Adam named everything I believe he skipped you
You look like you ought to be up a tree hollering hoo hoo hoo
I don't play no dozens I didn't learn to count to twelve

They tell me God don't like ugly boy your home's in Hell
God took a ball of mud when he got ready to make a man
When He got ready to make you partner ugly as you is I believe it slipped out His hand
I don't play no dozens I didn't learn to count to twelve

They tell me God don't like ugly said boy your home's in Hell
Adam named everything they put out in the zoo
I'd like Adam to be here see what the hell he'd name you
I don't play no dozens I didn't learn to count to twelve


Thanks,
           Scott
« Last Edit: July 10, 2020, 11:15:19 PM by Johnm »

Offline frankie

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Re: Sam Chatmon lyrics
« Reply #7 on: May 29, 2015, 03:15:37 PM »
I Have To Paint My Face - Sam Chatmon



Say God made us all
He made some at night
That's why he didn't take time
To make us all white

Chorus:
  I'm bound to change my name
  I have to paint my face
  So I won't be kin
  To that Ethiopian race

Say now let me tell you one thing
That a stomp down nigger will do
He'll pull up young cotton
And he'll kill baby chickens too

Chorus

Say when God made me
Say the moon was givin' light
I'm so doggone sorry
He didn't finish me up white

Chorus

Say now when God made people
He done pretty well
But when he made a jet black nigger
He made them some hell

Chorus

Say God took a ball of mud
When he got ready to make man
When he went to make you partner
I believe it slipped out his hand

Chorus

This probably should have been the B side of Good Old Turnip Greens!

Offline Johnm

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Re: Sam Chatmon lyrics
« Reply #8 on: May 29, 2015, 08:21:00 PM »
Thanks, Scott and Frank, for starting this new lyric thread.  I think, Scott, in "God Don't Like Ugly", that in 3.3 Sam sings:

   All YOU LACK bein' an elephant, you ain't got a tail and a snout

All best,
Johnm

Offline ScottN

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Re: Sam Chatmon lyrics
« Reply #9 on: June 01, 2015, 11:27:18 AM »
Hi John,

Thanks, I made the change.

Frankie, your lyrics looked dead on to me.

Thanks,
            Scott

Offline ScottN

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Re: Sam Chatmon lyrics
« Reply #10 on: June 01, 2015, 11:36:04 AM »
Frankie Jean



Spoken: I used to pick this little piece but I lost my teeth and I can't whistle but I'm goin I'm goin I'm goin sound it with my mouth like a whistle.  Y'all may may never heard nothin like this

You know I had a good little horse
His name was Frankie Jean
But one day he got loose
So I called that horse and I called
He didn't pay me no attention
So I went back and told papa bout it
He said how did you call him son
Said I called him "twoop" just like a person do to call a horse
He said well that ain't the way son, you go back and whistle to him somethin like this:
("Whistling" and guitar)
When I called him that a way you ought to heard him come a single-footin'


Thanks,
            Scott

Edited 6/2/15 with help from Johnm
« Last Edit: July 10, 2020, 11:17:08 PM by Johnm »

Offline ScottN

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Re: Sam Chatmon lyrics
« Reply #11 on: June 01, 2015, 11:57:37 AM »
Ashtray Taxi



Well I siittin on the corner in my taxi car
Brownskin lady said mister is your car for hire
I said if you's a cigarette smokin woman just throw your butts over in here
Cause I'm an old ashtray taxi baby oh just drop your shorts on over in here

Well you smoke your cigarette woman as I drive along
I'll drop all your ashes 'fore I'll get you back home
If you's a cigarette smokin woman hey throw your butts over in here
Cause I'm an old ashtray taxi baby oh just throw your butts on over in here

Well I'm gonna drive out in the country I'm gonna park on the road
I wanna dump all my ashes I got a great big load
If you're a cigarette smokin woman oh throw your butts on over in here
Cause I'm an old ashtray taxi baby oh just throw your butts on over in here

Well you look a here woman where did you stay last night
You come home this mornin your cigarettes sure ain't just right
If you're a cigarette smokin woman hey throw your butts over in here
Cause I'm an old ashtray taxi baby oh just drop your shorts on over in here

Well you set on the back put your feet up on the front seat
My cigarette'll fit your holder so doggone nice and neat
If you's a cigarette smokin woman oh throw your butts on in here
Cause I'm an old ashtray taxi baby hey just throw your shorts on over in here

Well your cigarette holder is so long it's made nice and round
It's a good fit for your cigarette woman that I totes around
If you're a cigarette smokin woman hey throw your butts over in here
Cause I'm an old ashtray taxi baby oh just throw your shorts on over in here


Thanks,
          Scott

Edited 6/2/15 with help from Frankie
« Last Edit: July 10, 2020, 11:17:43 PM by Johnm »

Offline frankie

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Re: Sam Chatmon lyrics
« Reply #12 on: June 01, 2015, 07:56:40 PM »
Some suggestions on Ashtray Taxi:

1.4 - Cause I'm A old ashtray taxi baby oh just drop your shorts on over IN here

In general on the chorus, I think he runs together "I'm-a-old" pretty consistently

2.1 - Well you smoke your cigarette woman AS I DRIVE ALONG

3.2 - I wanna dump all my ashes I got a GREAT BIG load

3.3 - If YOU'SE a cigarette smokin woman oh throw your butts on over in here

6.2 - I hear YOUR, too

What a great singer he is, and that accompaniment is like a swiss army knife for a slow blues - good for any lyric situation and sounds great!

Offline Johnm

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Re: Sam Chatmon lyrics
« Reply #13 on: June 02, 2015, 07:59:25 AM »
Hi all,
Apropos of Frank's comment regarding Sam's accompaniment to "Ashtray Taxi", there is a related post in the "Slow Blues in G Standard" thread, at:  http://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=1236.msg63426#msg63426 .
All best,
Johnm

Offline Johnm

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Re: Sam Chatmon lyrics
« Reply #14 on: June 02, 2015, 10:31:47 AM »
Hi Scott,
I have a couple of suggestions for "Frankie Jean", which was a Memphis Minnie/Kansas Joe tune originally.   

   Line 8:  Said, "I called him, "TWOOP!", just like A PERSON DO TO CALL A HORSE."

   Line 11: When I called him that-a way, you ought to heared him come, A-SINGLE-FOOTIN'

All best,
Johnm

 


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