Topic: Blind Boy Fuller Lyrics

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Blind Boy Fuller accompanied himself out of G position in standard tuning for "When You Are Gone".  It seems to have a strong Buddy Moss influence, with lots of brushed triplets in the treble.  It's really well played and sung, and has a more serious feel than a lot of Fuller's songs.  The last verse is a shocker.

This war is raging, what are you men going to do?
Well, this war is raging, what is you men going to do?
If Uncle Sam call you in the war, and there's no use of feelin' blue

Hey, Uncle Sam'll call you, be by one and two and three
Yeah, when Uncle Sam call you, be by one, two and three
Yeah, you no use of worryin', leave all these women back here with me

SOLO

Yeah, when you gone, no use to weep and moan
Well, when you gone, no use to weep and moan
Yeah, you ain't no use of worryin', for this good work be carried on

Yeah, when you're fighting, blood running in your face
Well, when you're fighting, blood running in your face
Ain't no use to worryin', you know this world is a funny old place

Edited 8/20 to pick up correction from dj
Edited 5/21 to pick up correction from CF

All best,
Johnm

[dj]

I think line 2.3 is:

Hey, you no use of worryin', BECAUSE these women back HERE WORRYIN' me

I also think that that last verse is one of the best verses I've heard in any song in any genre.  I love the image of someone wading ashore in the Normandy invasion or fighting at Iwo Jima and thinking "this world is a funny old place".

[Johnm]

Thanks very much for the catch, dj, I re-listened and you are sure enough right about that line.  I will make the correction.  I share your enthusiasm for the final verse, it's really striking.
All best,
Johnm

[ScottN]

Great song. Interesting to consider the timing. The recording was sometime in 1940 and Fuller died in 41 before Pearl Harbor.  Wonder if the song goes back to WW I or if he is singing in response to the activity in Europe at the time and predicting America's entry into WW II...social commentary from the noted protest singer BB Fuller ;-)

[Gumbo]

Good point, Scott. I'd guess the latter since the 1930s were an unusually quiet time for the US Military

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_United_States_military_operations#1930.E2.80.931939

[dj]

I think it's definitely from the Second World War, and it's an amazingly topical song at that.  When You Are Gone was recorded on June 19, 1940.  By that date, British troops had been forced to evacuate from France, Japan was continuing to advance in China and Southeast Asia, The United States was starting to rebuild and modernize its armed forces, and, most importantly, the Selective Service Act of 1940 was in the news.  It was being debated in Congress at that point, and would be signed into law by President Roosevelt in September, initiating the first peacetime draft in US history.

By the end of the year, a number of artists would be singing draft-related songs, like the Nat King Cole Trio's Gone With The Draft. But Fuller's might just be the earliest recorded American World War II song.   

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Blind Boy Fuller recorded "Working Man Blues" at a session in New York City on July 12, 1937.  He played the song out of D position in standard tuning, and it has some interesting phrasing.  He has a signature lick that he plays in response to his vocal phrases, and in the second vocal phrase he is consistently short with it, giving it six beats rather than 8 beats.  Fuller shows a lot of nifty moves working out of one of the most under-utilized playing positions in standard tuning.

SOLO

Somebody done learned my baby how to change gears on a Cadillac 8
Somebody done learned my baby how to change gears on a Cadillac 8
Ever since that happened I can't keep my baby straight

I hate to hear that Cadillac whistle blow, boo-hoo
Says, I do hate to hear, Cadillac whistle blow, boo-hoo
Every time my woman hear it, makes her feel like riding, too

A working man ain't nothing but a woman's slave
A working man ain't nothing but a woman's slave
When she start to lovin', Great God, it just won't 'have

I said, hey-hey, Lawdy-Lawdy Lawd
I said, hey-hey, Lawdy-Lawdy Lawd
Hey-hey, Lawdy-Lawdy Lawd

Have my dinner all ready, don't let my coffee be cold
I said, have my dinner ready, woman, don't let my coffee be cold
And don't forget, baby, save my sweet jellyroll

Now, you know my woman, she got something, I don't know what it is
Hey-hey, Lord, I don't know what it is
When I get in that bed with her, can't keep my black self still

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Blind Boy Fuller recorded "Worn Out Engine Blues" at a session in New York City on March 5, 1940, backing himself out of a position in standard tuning.  Out of all the recordings of "Broke Down Engine" by Blind Willie McTell, Buddy Moss and others, and all of the songs working out of this basic song family, this is my favorite version, mostly by virtue of Blind Boy Fuller's incredibly catchy signature lick.

Whoa-ho-ho-ho Lordy-Lord, ah-ha, what more can I do?
Whoa-ho-ho Lordy, babe, now, what more can I do?
I'm in love with you, lyin' little woman, but I can't get along with you

Says, my babe's got a little engine, and I call it my Ford machine
Say, my baby got a little engine, I call it my little Ford machine
If your generator ain't bad, baby, Great God, you must be burnin' bad gasoline

Says, I stepped on your starter, Great God, and your motor turned over slow
Says, I stepped on your starter, babe, Great God, and your motor turn over slow
If you ain't gettin' your right spark, little woman, Great God, call on Blind Boy Fuller for more

Say, they call me a blacksmith, mam', and sometime a mechanic, too
Say, they call me a blacksmith, mam', sometime and I'm mechanic, too
If my work you okay, little woman, Great God, you know it will have to do

Says, I called up in Chicago, I couldn't find my little woman over there
Says, I called up in Chicago, couldn't find my baby nowhere
I'm gwine take a trip over in Chiny, Great God, see can I find my gal over there

Says, now, I'm lonesome here, mama, Great God, I feel lonesome everywhere
Says, I'm lonesome here, babe, Great God, I feel lonesome everywhere
When I get in my woman's arms, Great God, I can't feel lonesome there

All best,
Johnm

[frankie]

Blind Boy Fuller recorded "Worn Out Engine Blues" at a session in New York City on March 5, 1940, backing himself out of a position in standard tuning.  Out of all the recordings of "Broke Down Engine" by Blind Willie McTell, Buddy Moss and others, and all of the songs working out of this basic song family, this is my favorite version, mostly by virtue of Blind Boy Fuller's incredibly catchy signature lick.

Fuller's playing on this song is just amazing. The way he floats the A note on the 2nd fret of the 3rd string...  wow. It just HANGS there! Fantastic.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Blind Boy Fuller backed himself out of G position in standard tuning for his recording of "Worried And Evil Man Blues".  The piece shows a strong Blind Blake influence, but as most often seems to be the case with Blind Boy Fuller's renditions,  it really ends up just sounding like Fuller himself.  Fuller goes long in his ninth bar every time, and the more you study him, the more you realize his sense of time was governed by pulse and phrase length, not meter.

SOLO

Says, I can't see how these worried mens can sleep
Yes, I can't see how these worried mens can sleep
Says, he bes up all night, mama, like a police on his beat

Says, I walk last night, mama, my feet got soakin' wet (Spoken: Aw, pshaw!)
Says, I walked last night, mama, my feet got soakin' wet
Says, I ain't found the woman I'm lovin', and I ain't stopped walkin' yet

Well, I'm gonna find my little woman, don't think she can be found
Hey, hey, don't think she can be found (Spoken: Why, boy?)
I'm gon' walk this hard, hard road, mama, 'til my mustache drag the ground

SOLO (Spoken: Ah, play it a long time now.)

Yes, I got a new way of lovin', boy, you know I think it must be best
Yeah, hey, think it must be best (Spoken: Why, boy?)
'Cause these here North Carolina women just won't let Blind Boy Fuller rest

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Blind Boy Fuller accompanied himself out of A position in standard tuning for his version of "Lost Lover Blues".  I confess to a fondness for Fuller's songs on which he is joined, as on this one, by Bull City Red on washboard.  The song seems to be related to the song the Watson Family recorded as "Honey Babe Blues", and is very closely related to Sam Collins' "Graveyard Digger's Blues".  Listening to the George Mitchell Collection on Fat Possum really brought home to me just how influential Blind Boy Fuller was, and not just in the Carolinas.  In that set, you find Fuller's songs and arrangements being covered by musicians from the Carolinas and Georgia, and Alabama, and Mississippi, and this tune probably ended up being covered the most of any of his songs (with the possible exception of "Step It Up And Go").  In any event, it's a beautiful and distinctive song and performance, very memorable.

INTRO SOLO

And I went down, 'bout that freight depot
And that freight train, he come rollin' by
Lord, and I sure ain't got no lovin' baby now
And I sure ain't got no lovin' baby now

Then I went off in that far distant land
I weren't there long 'fore I got a telegram (Spoken: What it said?)
Sayin', "Man, won't you please come home?
Now, man, won't you please come home?"

Then I went back home, I looked on the bed
And that best old friend I had was dead
Lord, and I ain't got no lovin' baby now
And I ain't got no lovin' baby now

Then I'm sorry, sorry, sorry to my heart
But that best o' friends someday must part
Lord, I ain't got no lovin' baby now
And I ain't got -- lovin' baby now (Spoken: Play it for me now!)

SOLO

Now as sure as the bird range in the sky above
Life ain't worth livin' if you ain't with the one you love
Lord, and I ain't got no lovin' baby now
Lord, I ain't got no lover now

If I knowed you didn't love me, and didn't want me to
I would take morphine and die
Lord, I ain't got no lovin' baby now
And I ain't got no lovin' baby now

All best,
Johnm



 

[frankie]

Lost Lover Blues seems like it belongs in a family of tunes that includes 'Reno Factory' (one of the Foddrells, I think) and Raleigh and Spencer (Fields Ward).

[Johnm]

Good call, Frank, that is certainly so!  Here is Fields Ward's performance:



It's unusual the way these songs seem to back up on themselves at the end of each verse.

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Blind Boy Fuller, accompanying himself out of E position in standard tuning, was joined by Sonny Terry on harmonica and Bull City Red on washboard for "Blue and Worried Man", a loosely-structured rollicking number.  The trio starts the song as a 12-bar blues, switches to an 8-bar form for the next three verses, returns to a 12-bar form for the refrain, does two more 8-bar verses and concludes with a 12-bar final verse, interspersing four solos along the way, where Fuller really shines.  Probably the only drawback on the cut (if it strikes you so) is the tuning between Fuller's guitar and Sonny Terry's harmonica, which is noticeably flat to Fuller's guitar--the effect is pretty bilious.  It makes for some difficult listening for me, at least.

Hey, hey, baby, what is you tryin' to do?
Hey, hey, what is you tryin' to do?
Yeah, you're tryin' to quit me but that's all right for you

Aw, looky-here, mama, see what you done done
Done made me love you, now your man done come

SOLO (Spoken: Play it a long time!  Yeah!)

My baby wears a hat, then again she wears a tam
She got great big legs and they shaped like Georgia hams

I dreamed last night that the woman I love was dead
When I woke up, I was talkin' all out of my head

SOLO (Spoken: Yeah!)

Hey, hey, baby, what are you tryin' to do?
Says, hey, hey, what is you tryin' to do?
Says, the way you treat me is comin' back home to you

Just as sure as one and, I say, two is three
My man laid his head where mine, oh, ought to be

SOLO

Now if you lose your money, baby, please don't lose your mind
If you lose your little woman, please don't you fool with mine

SOLO (Spoken: Yeah!)

Then I don't see why m' baby don't write to me
Said, I don't see why my baby won't write to me
Said, I'm very deep lonesome, blue as a man can be

All best,
Johnm



 

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Blind Boy Fuller, playing out of C position in standard tuning, capoed up, is joined by Bull City Red on washboard and Rev. Gary Davis on backing guitar, in F position, for "Baby, You Gotta Change Your Mind".  The song utilizes a ragtime progression that Fuller recorded many times, but Davis's stellar work really gives the track some special excitement, as does the trio's steady acceleration over the course of the rendition.  Wow!

SOLO

Baby, if you think I'm crazy 'bout you, you got to change your mind
Baby, if you think I'm crazy 'bout you, you got to change your mind
I woke up this morning, 'bout half past four
Somebody knockin' at my back door
But if you think I'm crazy 'bout you, mama, you got to change your mind, I mean,
You got to change your mind

Baby, if you think I'm crazy 'bout you, you got to change your mind
Baby, if you think I'm crazy 'bout you, you got to change your mind
What you're doin', mama, you'll do it again
Stay out at night 'til about half past ten
But if you think I'm crazy 'bout you mama, you better change your mind, I mean,
You got to change your mind

SOLO (Spoken: Play that thing, boy!)

Baby, if you think I'm crazy 'bout you, you better change your mind
Baby, if you think I'm crazy 'bout you, you better change your mind
Up before the judge, my eyes full of tears
For beatin' up my gal I got four, five years
But if you think I'm crazy 'bout you, mama, you got to change your mind, I mean,
You got to change your mind

SCAT CHORUS
But if you think I'm crazy 'bout you, mama, you got to change your mind, I mean,
You got to change your mind

SOLO (Spoken: Play that thing, boy!  Do it a long time.)

Baby, if you think I'm crazy 'bout you, you got to change your mind
Baby, if you think I'm crazy 'bout you, you got to change your mind
My gal like whiskey, like her rye and gin
We can't get her whiskey, drink most anything she can
Baby, if you think I'm crazy 'bout you, you got to change your mind, I mean,
You got to change your mind

SOLO

All best,
Johnm