Topic: Sam Collins Lyrics

[Johnm]

Thanks very much for the help LD50.  As soon as I read your post, I could hear Sam singing "come" in that verse rather than "comes", just as you said.  I've made the correction.
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Sam Collins recorded "Signifying Blues" in 1931, accompanying himself with a slide in Vestapol.  His playing is very strong here, and on a couple of occasions he goes to a two-fingered IV chord at the base of the neck, something he did not do on his earlier recordings.  The way he goes long on the taglines to his second and third verses is unusual and really effective--in the second verse it's almost as though he did a lyrics break on that one line.  I hadn't listened to him for a little while and returned the last two days--what a singer!  Here is "Signifying Blues":



   My woman signify that my blacksnake was dead
   My woman signify my blacksnake was dead
   But she never knowed it until I went to bed

   I want to tell everybody what a signifyin' man will do
   I'm gonna tell everybody what a signifyin' man will do
   He will come to my house and he talk about you,
   Go to your house and talk about me,
   But he better learn, he ain't gonna signify no more

   Lord, this signifyin' man, I'll tell you what it's all about
   He's a signifyin' man, I'll tell you what it's all about
   She looked down the street and seen me comin'
   She put that low-down dirty rascal out

   I'm gonna tell you what you ought to do
   I'm gonna tell you what you ought to do
   If you don't b'lieve me you can aks everybody in my neighborhood

Edited 9/19/21 to pick up correction from Tonybluesboy

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Sam Collins recorded "I'm Still Sitting on Top of the World" in 1931, accompanying himself with a slide in Vestapol.  I realize that I'm inclined to assume that cover performances are by definition somewhat second-rate, despite having encountered numerous instances in which cover performances are superlative, like Robert Pete Williams' version of "Louise".  "I'm Still Sitting on Top of the World" is another example of a terrific cover of a popular number.  Sam Collins' singing is wonderful, as per usual for him, and his playing is every bit as strong.  His lyrics are different than those of the original, too, except for the refrain, and are mostly not ones I've heard elsewhere.  Once again, I'm having a tough time hearing some of the lyrics, and would very much appreciate help with the problem spots.  Here is "I'm Still Sitting On Top of the World":



   SOLO

   The day you left me, you throwed me down
   Went and hurt me so bad, babe, talk's over town
   REFRAIN: And now she's gone, I sure don't worry
   I'm sitting on top of the world

   Because I'm broke, all down and out
   You up and quit me and put me out
   REFRAIN: And now she's gone, and I ain't gon' worry
   I'm sitting on top of the world

   Went to the Nations, lived town to town
   Gonna catch me the first train, I've got to go
   REFRAIN:  And now she's gone, and I ain't gon' worry
   I'm sitting on top of the world

   You brushed my jumper, my overhalls
   Goin' up to the station, meet the Cannonball
   REFRAIN: And now she's gone, and I ain't gon' worry
   I'm sitting on top of the world

   I'd rather walk the streets all night
   To be uneasy, be treated right
   REFRAIN: And now she's gone, and I ain't gonna worry
   I'm sitting on top of the world

   I give 'er my money and a diamond ring
   Now come her fatmouth, beat me shakin' that thing
   REFRAIN: And now she's gone, and I ain't gon' worry
   I'm sitting on top of the world

   The day you left me, goin' almost blind
   I write you a letter for speakin' back
   REFRAIN: And now she's gone, and I ain't gon' worry
   I'm sitting on top of the world

All best,
Johnm 

[Oscar Wolf]

Well, I might's well get in on this.

This is the only Sam Collins tune I have (I guess he's not a big favorite on anthology compliers), Graveyard Digger's Blues.

Very unusual. The repeated line (I ain't got no lovin' baby now) is the last line of one verse and the first line of the next.

Guitar could use a tuning.

I have trouble with the bracketed parts. I'll post an .MP3 a bit later.

Graveyard Digger’s Blues

Sam Collins

Introduction (2 bars)

1) I went to the grave and I fell down on my knees.
I said "Graveyard digger, give me back my fair brown please".
Lord I ain’t got no lovin’ baby now.

2) I ain’t got no lovin’ baby now.
I went to the line, Lord some old train will run.
Take me back, to my baby, honey where I come from, Lord.
I ain’t got no lovin’ baby now.

3) I ain’t got me no mo’ lovin’ baby now.
I’d rather be dead, and buried in my grave.
Then to be ‘round here, mama treated this a-way, honey.
I ain’t got no lovin’ baby now.

4) Instrumental verse

5) I ain’t got no lovin’ baby now.
Said I dreamed last night, my bed was fallin’ down.
But it ‘twas my woman, she was makin’ her last go round, Lord.
I ain’t got no lovin’ baby now.

6) ‘Cus I ain’t got no lovin’ baby now.
I’d rather see my coffin come rollin’ in my door.
Hear my woman say, that she don’t want me no more, Lord.
I ani’t got no lovin’ baby now.

7) I ain’t got no lovin’ baby now.
My baby done quit me, b’lieve she throwed me down.
It would hurt me so bad, but the talk’s all over town, Lord.
I ain’t got no lovin’ baby now.

Alex

Note: edited to reflect Johnm comments below.


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I been playing this, and it's A position chord progression It's in standard but the tuning is lower than D, the chords are A, A7, D, Dm, E,E7, A,A, B7,E, A...  B,B7,E, A. But you know... there's a lot of bridge single notes, alternating bass and other than simple chords...

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I got back in this thread and added links to Sam Collins' performances of all of the songs.  Enjoy!
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Last week, I finally purchased my own copy of Dixon, Godrich & Rye, something I should have done long ago. I've presumed on the kindness and generosity of Weenies who already owned the book when I had questions regarding session dates or personnel for years. As those of you who already have the book know, it's an amazing work, and it must have taken an incredible amount of work to put it together. It's fascinating to see different players' recording careers put in a much more explicit time framework. And perhaps the most interesting feature of the book for me is the listing of songs that were either: released but have never been found, or that were recorded but never released.

In that second category, Sam Collins is notable. I thought it would be interesting to list, for a number of players, songs that they recorded but which, for whatever reason, were not released. For Sam Collins, that list of unreleased songs, and the dates they were recorded looks like this:
   * From a December 14, 1927 session: Railroad Blues, I've Got No Lovin' Baby Now, and Lonesome Lane Blues, as well as Your Time Is Windin' Up, for which he accompanied John D. Fox. It seems plausible that I've Got No Lovin' Baby Now might have been the same song Sam Collins later recorded as Graveyard Digger's Blues.
   * From a December 15, 1927 session: Rattlesnake Blues, Black Cat's Bone, Midnight Dream, Long Time Rubin, All Mourners, I'm Goin' Back to Jesus, and My Mother Took A Train One Mornin' and Hallelujah, with him accompanying John D. Fox on the last two titles
   * From an October 8, 1931 session: Broken House Blues, Atlanta Fire, Troubled In Mind, Toenail Flang Dang (an instrumental), Flat Top Blues, Careless Love, Do That Thing, How Long How Long, and I Believe I'll Get Dirty
   * From his last session, on October 9, 1931: Sad And Lonesome, Maybe Next Week Sometime, Mojo Blues, Lonesome Night Blues, Blue Heaven Blues

The listing, then, gives Sam Collins a total of 23 unissued solo recordings, as well as 3 unissued recordings on which he accompanied John D. Fox. Of Sam Collins' unissued titles, only two, based on the song titles, may have duplicated songs he recorded and did have released, Do That Thing and I've Got No Lovin' Baby Now.

Looking at the unreleased titles really sparks the imagination, and in the few instances in which one of the unrecorded titles was a version of a well-known or relatively well-known song, like Careless Love, How Long, How Long or Maybe Next Week Sometime, it's fun to try and put Sam Collins' sound in your head doing those numbers. With the one-off titles, of which there are so many, you're dealing with unknowable territory, unfortunately. Anyhow, I find this feature of D,G& R fascinating, and wonder if anyone else does, too.

All best,
Johnm

[dj]

Anyhow, I find this feature of D,G& R fascinating, and wonder if anyone else does, too.

I imagine every one of us who owns a copy feels the same way.  You can exercise your imagination even more by looking for gaps in the master number sequence for a given session - there are 9 untraced masters in the Paramount sequence for May 28, 1930, when Son House, Willie Brown, and Louise Johnson were recording (though 2 of these are probably Grandma Blues and Sorry Blues).  You can let your imagination run wild picturing who may have recorded what in that blank spot.

That book was last revised 23 years ago, and new information has continued to be uncovered.  I know the economics of publishing aren't what they used to be, but I sure would spring for an updated book.

[Johnm]

I can see you're dealing with a level of analysis that hadn't yet occurred to me as a novice user of the book, dj. I will scout out that aspect of things, as well. Thanks!
All best,
Johnm

[Blues Vintage]

I think about buying a copy too like I mentioned earlier. I'm working from the 1982 3rd edition now.
Maybe there's no reason to wait for the 5th edition. It might never happen.

Link to this book below;

https://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=736.30

[Johnm]

The one I purchased was the fourth edition.

[Stuart]

... Anyhow, I find this feature of D,G& R fascinating, and wonder if anyone else does, too...

Congratulations on the purchase, John. I don't own it, but have browsed through it a few times. Like you, I sometimes think about all that led up to, as well what was left out of, a recording session. The decision to record some songs and not others were A&R and marketing decisions, I assume, as I'm sure most musicians' repertoires exceeded what they recorded. And as you also pointed out in the Bertha Lee thread, the unreleased songs cause us to think that the musical world would have been much richer if they had been released, or at least, the masters preserved. Again, the business side  of music at work.

I remember reading somewhere, maybe in Ralph Peer's biography, that some talented musicians knew a vast number of songs, but most had already been recorded by others and had sold well, so the A&R men only recorded their "unique" songs that they thought would sell. That may explain why we only have a few sides from those musicians who were obviously quite talented.

[banjochris]

I remember reading somewhere, maybe in Ralph Peer's biography, that some talented musicians knew a vast number of songs, but most had already been recorded by others and had sold well, so the A&R men only recorded their "unique" songs that they thought would sell.

And also the "unique" songs allowed said A&R men to copyright and publish those songs, which of course paid big dividends. Peer basically worked for free in exchange for those publishing rights.
Chris

[Stuart]

Hi Chris: There was definitely a personal economic incentive to do things that way, especially for a major player like Peer, but IIRC, there was also the consideration that it wasn't worth releasing--or even recording--a song that had already been a hit since potential sales weren't there for a version that was similar, with little to distinguish it.

[banjochris]

I agree, I was saying the profit was there in addition to that. That's one reason some fiddle tunes got recorded under weirdo titles – sometimes a band would want to record a standard tune and the A&R guy would say "we have that" and they'd just change the name. Of course some times weird titles got attached to tunes through the "folk process" as well.

It also was the case sometimes not just if a song had been a hit, but if it had been a hit for that label. Especially with the early hillbilly recordings there was a rush to make sure that, say, Vocalion had "Papa's Billy Goat" (by Uncle Dave Macon) since Okeh had Fiddlin' John Carson doing it. That thinking seemed to ease up over time.

[Johnm]

The appropriation of songs for the purpose of getting the publishing rights that you spoke of, Chris, happened in contexts other than commercial recordings, too. Think of all the songs that John Lomax "co-wrote" with Leadbelly.