Hi all, Jim Jackson was joined by Georgia Tom on piano for "Mean Woman Blues", an 8-bar blues which Jackson accompanied out of E position in standard tuning. Jackson and Dorsey have a really nice, deep rocking sort of groove on the tune which allows Jackson to sort of speak/sing his lyrics with a distinctive rhythmic emphasis. Was there an early Country Blues guitarist who recorded more 8-bar blues than Jim Jackson? None springs to mind for me. Here is the song:
When a woman loves you, she loves you with all her might Boys, when she hates you, she don't want you in her sight
Mean woman blues is the worst blues in the world I know she hates me, but I sure love that girl
I've got eleven dollars and fifty . . . cents For anyone to tell me where Suzie went
I looked all over the state, but she is not in Tennessee She's a mean woman, but I want her back with me
I went to St. Louis and I couldn't stay there I got to thinkin' about Suzie and I can't stay nowhere
Have you ever loved a woman that you said you did not want no more? But when she starts to leave you, you want her back 'fore she get out of the door
I love this woman, but she worries me all the time But she is one woman I can't keep off of my mind
SPOKEN: All right, Mr. Georgia Tom, let's hear that piano PIANO SOLO
I'll tell you one thing, people, I want you to know If Suzie ever comes back, I'll never let her leave me no more
Edited 9/19/21 to pick correction from Tonybluesboy
All best, Johnm
« Last Edit: September 19, 2021, 07:56:16 AM by Johnm »
Hi all, Jim Jackson is joined by a very subdued pianist on "Love Sick Blues", yet another 8-bar blues that Jim Jackson accompanied out of E position in standard tuning. Does anyone know who the pianist is on this track? I'd like to give him credit. Jim Jackson devotes an unusual amount of solo space to the guitar on this track. His tracks on which he was joined by a piano are notable for how audible his guitar is; without engaging in a lot of string snapping or very heavy playing a la Scrapper Blackwell or Henry Townsend, he nonetheless always managed to be easy to hear. Lyrically, he seems to have been a guy who was always coming up with new lines, viz., "my food swells in my throat". Here is the track--it cuts out at the very end.
Have you ever loved a woman, and she would not treat you right? She would keep you lovesick each day and night
But I love a woman that really won't treat me right I can't sleep at night, she takes my appetite
Love that woman, and the Good Lord know I do I wish some of you boys would tell me what to do
SOLO
She keeps me worried, my food swells in my throat Now if I ever stop lovin', I ain't going to love no more
SOLO
This woman I love, she is so neat I would quit my baby, but Lord knows, she's too sweet
SOLO
All best, Johnm
« Last Edit: July 10, 2020, 12:19:49 PM by Johnm »
Hi all, For "Santa Fe Blues", Jim Jackson is joined again by a pianist (anyone know who?), as the duo works through a 12-bar progression with Jackson backing himself out of E position in standard tuning. Jim Jackson once again delivers some memorable lines I've not heard sung elsewhere. I'd very much appreciate help with the bent bracketed space in the tagline to the last verse. Here is the performance:
Die-die-di-die-die Die-di-di-die-di-die-die-die
'Way out in Texas, on the Santa Fe 'Way out in Texas, on the Santa Fe My good woman is waiting there for me
I walked the railroad, and my feet got thin as a dime I walked the railroad, and my feet got thin as a dime Trying to find that good girl of mine
My girl's got something, and you can't say the same My girl's got something, and you can't say the same She's got something will make a bulldog break his chain
She's long and tall, handsome and fine She's long and tall, handsome and fine She used to love me, but now she don't pay me no mind
I came in Texas on that Santa Fe I came in Texas on that Santa Fe I was worried about that woman I thought cared for me
You can always tell when your woman don't want you 'round You can always tell when your woman don't want you 'round She's got her hair tied up and the hat's turned upside down
Edited 2/13 to pick up correction from Gumbo Edited 9/20/21 to pick up correction from Tonybluesboy and Harry
All best, Johnm
« Last Edit: September 20, 2021, 01:22:23 PM by Johnm »
Thanks for the help, Gumbo. I think hair is right, and I'll make that change. The phonetics for the end of the line sound like And the estowayne upside down. That's really weird, turning an estowayne upside down, don't you think? All best, John
Hi all, Jim Jackson was joined by a very sedate pianist for "Ain't You Sorry Mama, Part 1". Jim backed himself out of E position in standard tuning, as was most often his practice on blues material. The song is essentially "Kansas City Blues" without any mention of Kansas City. Here it is:
I'd rather see my coffin come rollin' in my door Than to hear my baby tell me she don't want me no more REFRAIN: Now, ain't you sorry, mama? Ain't you sorry, mama? Ain't you sorry, mama, a-you mistreated poor me?
Baby, you know I'd rather be dead Than to know somebody's been sleepin in my bed REFRAIN: Now, ain't you sorry, mama? Ain't you sorry, mama? Ain't you sorry, mama, a-you mistreated poor me?
I'm just like a groundhog goin' back to his hole The woman I love can satisfy my soul REFRAIN: Now, ain't you sorry, mama? Ain't you sorry, mama? Ain't you sorry, mama, a-you mistreated poor me?
I'd rather be in the graveyard by myself Than hear you tell me you want somebody else REFRAIN: Now, ain't you sorry, mama? Ain't you sorry, mama? Ain't you sorry, mama, a-you mistreated poor me?
Another thing, baby, I want you to understand Everyone looks like me, ain't no monkeyman REFRAIN: Ain't you sorry, mama? Ain't you sorry, mama? Ain't you sorry, mama, a-you mistreated poor me?
Been five long years, five long years today Since I found my baby had me away REFRAIN: Ain't you sorry, mama? Ain't you sorry, mama? Ain't you sorry, mama, a-you mistreated poor me? REFRAIN: Ain't you sorry, mama? Ain't you sorry, mama? Ain't you sorry, mama, a-you mistreated poor me?
All best, Johnm
« Last Edit: July 10, 2020, 12:20:36 PM by Johnm »
Can't help with the lyric in Sante Fe yet, but regarding Jackson's piano accompanist - The Document CD has the pianist as possibly Speckled Red on Ain't You Sorry Mama and Love Sick Blues in May 1929 and unknown for Sante Fe in July 1929, both sessions in Chicago. Possibly Red again? B&GR has all piano accompaniment on these tracks as "unknown".
Thanks for that information, uncle bud. You always hope that in such instances, Jim Jackson will acknowledge the pianist by name at some point in the course of the performance, as he did Georgia Tom on that one track, but the playing of the pianist on the last couple of tracks is particularly faceless. All best, Johnm
Hi all, For "I'm Gonna Move To Lou'siana, Part 1", Jim Jackson returned to the accompaniment and structure that garnered him such a big hit with "Kansas City Blues". After a pretty spiffy intro, he goes to that familiar strain. Here is his performance:
INTRO
I'm gon' move to Lou'siana, sugar, New Orleans gon' be my home
I went up North, and it sure was cold My baby got mad with me, and now I got her told REFRAIN: I'm gon' move to Lou'siana, I'm gon' move to Lou'siana I'm gon' move to Lou'siana, sugar, New Orleans gon' be my home
SOLO
If my woman mistreat me, I ain't gon' dog her 'round I'll get me another woman in the next town REFRAIN: I'm gon' move to Lou'siana, I'm gon' move to Lou'siana I'm gon' move to Lou'siana, sugar, New Orleans gon' be my home
SOLO
Whenever you see two women walkin' down the street, hand in hand You can bet one is talkin' 'bout the other's man REFRAIN: Honey, you oughta move to Lou'siana, you oughta move to Lou'siana I'm gon' move to Lou'siana, sugar, New Orleans gon' be my home
SOLO
I met a girl in St. Louis, she lived in Birmingham town And she told me that she loved me and she wouldn't throw me down REFRAIN: We gon' move to Lou'siana, we gon' move to Lou'siana We gon' move to Lou'siana, sugar, New Orleans gon' be my home
SOLO INTERLUDE
I'm gonna tell all you men, right tonight If you got a good woman, treat her right I ain't drinkin' whiskey, or either drinkin' wine But a good woman is hard to fine REFRAIN: I'm gon' move to Lou'siana, I'm gon' move to Lou'siana I'm gon' move to Lou'siana, sugar, New Orleans gon' be my home
CODA
All best, Johnm
« Last Edit: July 10, 2020, 12:21:28 PM by Johnm »
Jim Jackson - Santa Fe Blues I hear the final bit as - She's got her hair tied up and HER HAT TURNED upside down. (Peetie Wheatstraw "Went downtown this mornin' - My hat on upside down" in Crazy With The Blues) All the best Tony
I don't know, Tonybluesboy--what you suggest doesn't match either the phonetics or the number of syllables that Jim Jackson sang there. I think the solution remains to be found. All best, Johnm
Jim Jackson - Mean Woman Blues I hear the third verse as I've got eleven dollars and fifty . . . CENT For anyone to tell me WHERE SUZIE WENT (Probably Cent rather than Cents because he is accurate with his rhymed endings, albeit with the use of worl' & mo', etc) All the best Tony
Hi Tonybluesboy, Good catch on "where Suzie went", and I will make the change. I listened several times and your can hear the "s" on "cents" so I'll leave that. All best, Johnm
Jim Jackson - Santa Fe Blues I hear the final bit as - She's got her hair tied up and HER HAT TURNED upside down. (Peetie Wheatstraw "Went downtown this mornin' - My hat on upside down" in Crazy With The Blues) All the best Tony
I got to agree with Tony with one small difference;
She's got her hair tied up and the hat turned upside down.
I'm finally hearing it, Harry and Tonybluesboy. I think you had it, Harry, except I think it is "hat's turned upside down" rather than "hat". I will make the change. All best, Johnm