Topic: Blind Boy Fuller Lyrics

[Johnm]

Hi Blues Vintage,
Thanks for the suggestions. I'm not changing 3.4 in "Careless Love", but thanks for the catch of the typo in verse four, which I have corrected. Thanks also for the catch in "New Louise, Louise", and I have made the change there. Thanks!
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Blind Boy Fuller recorded "Baby, Quite Your Low-Down Ways, Take 1" at a session in Memphis on July 12, 1939, accompanying himself out of G position in standard tuning. I think Fuller is often thought of as being particularly expert at playing in A position in standard tuning, but I don't think his G position tunes suffer by comparison. And I'm fairly sure it has been mentioned before elsewhere on the site, but he is a player who more often than not used a capo, at least when recording.
Vocal phrasing on the song is unusual, in that Fuller sings right across the first four bars, making it sound like the song will be a chorus blues, but then he sings different second and third lines in each verse, ending up with the rare A-B-C lyric archetype. The only other song in the style that does that that I can think of right off the bat is Luke Jordan's "Church Bell Blues". Here is "Baby Quite Your Low-Down Ways, Take 1":



Yeah, baby, yeah, baby, why don't you quit your ways?
Ohhhh, your time now, mama, be mine some old day
Heyyy, nobody made me believe, that you'd treat me this-a way

Said I went to that station, went to the station, I sure didn't see no train
Whooa, didn't see my woman, no one to call her name
Heyyy, your time now, mama, be mine some old day

I says I'm beggin' you, mama, yeah, mama, why don't you quit your ways?
Whooa, your time now, sugar, be mine some old day
Heyyy, nobody made me believe, that you'd treat me this-a way

I said mmmmm, baby, mmmm, mama, why don't you quit your ways?
Whooa, your time now, sugar, be mine some old day
Heyyy, you gonna look for Blind Boy Fuller, and he'll be so far away

I looked down the road, looked down the road, fur as I could see
Whooa, tryin' to spy my woman, see 'f she comin' back to me
Heyyy, your time now, mama, be mine some old day

CODA

Edited 12/7 to pick up correction from Blues Vintage

All best,
Johnm

[Blues Vintage]

I'm enjoying this Fuller avalanche.

5.2  Whooa, tryin' to find my woman, see 'f she comin' back to me

It sounds like "tryin' to spy my woman"

[Johnm]

I'm hearing that "f" on the front end of "find" very strongly, Blues Vintage.

EDITED TO ADD: I re-listened, and I think you're right, Blues Vintage. I'll make the change, thanks!

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Blind Boy Fuller recorded "Baby, I Don't Have To Worry" at his first session, in New York City on July 23, 1935, accompanying himself in C position in standard tuning, capoed up. I believe this is the first recording he ever made, and he already sounded the consummate professional, completely poised and un-self-conscious in the studio. His guitar playing here is about the most like Blake's that I ever heard Fuller do, especially in the picking hand. I was surprised to Fuller sing "drive along so" in verse three--when I first heard the line, I thought it was "dry long so", but it is not. Here is "Baby, I Don't Have To Worry":



INTRO SOLO

We can't agree, can't get along, tell by that, mama, something' goin' on wrong
REFRAIN: But I can lay, I can lay
Says I don't have to worry, baby, 'cause the stuff is here

You talk about layin' it, I'm little and slim, way I lay it, baby, it's too bad, Jim
REFRAIN: 'Cause I can lay, I can lay
I don't have to worry, baby, 'cause the stuff is here

I laid it for the rich and I laid it for the poor, laid it for the woman I love, drive along so
REFRAIN: 'Cause I can lay, I can lay
I don't have to worry, baby, 'cause the stuff is here

A nickel is a nickel and a dime is a dime, you go your way, mama, I'm goin' mine
REFRAIN: I can lay, I can lay
I don't have to worry, baby, 'cause the stuff is here

SOLO (Spoken: Yes, that stuff is here. Gettin' good and mellow, too. Done got good to Miss Williams. You know it's been good to me)

My good gal quit me, I ain't gonna wear no black, showed her somethin' the other day will bring that fool right back
REFRAIN: 'Cause I can lay, I can lay
I don't have to worry, baby, 'cause the stuff is here

My girl said, "I'm goin' uptown, I'm gonna hurry right back. You showed me somethin' the other day, God knows, I really like."
REFRAIN: 'Cause I can lay, I can lay
I don't have to worry, baby, 'cause the stuff is here

Talk about layin' it, I can lay it on down, lay it like cross-ties from town to town
REFRAIN: 'Cause I can lay, I can lay
I don't have to worry, baby, 'cause the stuff is here

CODA

All best,
Johnm


 

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Blind Boy Fuller recorded "Looking For My Woman", an 8-bar blues played in A position, standard tuning, on his second day in the studio, July 24, 1935, in New York City. Here is "Looking For My Woman":



INTRO SOLO

My baby, packed her suitcase, and she started to the train
She's a married woman but I love her, just the same

Now I was standing here lonely, with my head hangin' low
Lookin' for the woman I love, but she won't be back no more

Now I start, walking, my feet got soaking wet
I ain't found my woman, ain't stopped walking yet

Now I start, to write a letter, but I b'lieve I'll go myself
Letter's so-so, but a telegram may get left

Now, Lord, Lor-ord, Lordy Lordy Lord
Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord

I start, write a letter, and I lied that pencil down
Heart struck sorrow and the tears come rolling down

But did you get, that letter, that I dropped in your back yard?
I woulda come to seed you, mama, but your other man had me barred

Mmm, mmm, mmmm, Lord, Lord, Lord
I'da come to seed you, baby, but your other man had me barred

SOLO X 2 (Spoken: Yeah!)

I know, you're gwine miss me, rider, when I'm gone
I know you're gwine miss me from singin' my lonesome song

I'm gwine to the station, gwonna look up on the board
Train I ride is further on down the road

Just as sure, as the birds, fly in the sky above
Life ain't worth livin' if you ain't with the one you love

Mmmm, mmm-hmmm, said Lordy, Lordy Lord
Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord

CODA

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Blind Boy Fuller accompanied himself out of G position in standard tuning for "Evil Hearted Woman", which he recorded in New York City on July 25, 1935, after having already recorded two trio tracks with Gary Davis and Bull City Red earlier that day. Fuller's accompaniment behind his singing is very intricate here--he definitely was not of the school of "hold the chordal position and just play time under your singing". Here is "Evil Hearted Woman":



INTRO SOLO

You's a hard-hearted woman, don't mean me no good
You's a hard-hearted woman, don't mean me no good
You quit me this morning, talk's all over the neighborhood

Do you remember the morning, mama, I knocked upon your door?
Do you remember the morning, I knocked upon your door?
You had the nerve to tell me, baby, can't use me no more

SOLO

I'm down today, mama, won't be down always
Says I'm down today, won't be down always (Spoken: Aw, pshaw!)
Oh that sun gwonna shine, baby, in my back door some day

Yes, that sun gwonna shine, in my back door some day (Spoken: Yes it do)
Sun gwonna shine in my back door one day
And that wind gwonna rise, baby, blow my blues away

Goin' to the station, look up on the board
Says I'm goin' to the station, look up on the board
Say that woman I love, she gone, further on down the road

CODA

Edited 12/12 to pick up correction from Blues Vintage

All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Blind Boy Fuller recorded "Somebody's Been Playing With That Thing" the day after he recorded "Evil Hearted Woman", accompanying himself out of A position in standard tuning. His accompaniment prefigured that of "Mamie" in many ways, and he begins the song with a full solo which was a habit of his that I like for the way it sets the musical stage. The song is a chorus blues and certainly crams a lot of music into three minutes and fifteen seconds. Here is "Somebody's Been Playing With That Thing":



INTRO SOLO

Ida, Ida, where you stay last night? Hair's all tangled your clothes ain't fitting you right
REFRAIN: Just as sure as you're born, somebody's been playin' with that thing
Just as sure as you're born, Ida, somebody been playin' with that thing

Little brown rooster said to the little red hen, "Ain't had no lovin' in I-don't-know-when."
REFRAIN: Just as sure as you're born, somebody's been playin' with that thing
Just as sure as you're born, Ida, somebody been playin' with that thing

You can always tell when your girl's gon' treat you mean, your meals aren't regular, your house ain't never clean
REFRAIN: Just as sure as you're born, somebody's been playin' with that thing
Just as sure as you're born, Ida, somebody been playin' with that thing (Spoken: Play that thing now, boy!)

SOLO (Spoken: Yeah! I know somebody's been playin' with that thing.)

Said now, you remember that morning, knocked upon your door, had the nerve to tell me you don't want me no more?
REFRAIN: Just as sure as you're born, somebody's been playin' with that thing
Just as sure as you're born, Ida, somebody been playin' with that thing

Now, you run here, doctor, run here quick, Ida had something this morning done, made her sick
REFRAIN: Just as sure as you're born, somebody's been playin' with that thing
Just as sure as you're born, Ida, somebody been playin' with that thing

Said that little brown rooster said to the little red hen, "Meet me down at the barnyard 'bout, half-past-ten."
REFRAIN: Just as sure as you're born, somebody's been playin' with that thing
Just as sure as you're born, Ida, somebody been playin' with that thing

SOLO

Edited 12/12 to pick up correction from waxwing

All best,
Johnm

 

[Blues Vintage]

Some minor suggestions for "Evil Hearted Woman"


3.3 For Oh that sun gwonna shine, baby, in my back door some day

4.1 Yes, that sun gwonna shine, in my back door some day (Spoken: Yes it is)  Yes it will

[Johnm]

Thanks, Blues Vintage, for those suggestions. I'll take "Oh" and make that change. I don't think Fuller says "will" in the spoken comment in the next verse. I think he got caught between "will", "do", and "did" and ended up pronouncing "do" with a very weird vowel sound at the end. Basically, he was between a couple of different words. Thanks for your help.
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Blind Boy Fuller recorded "Log Cabin Blues, Take 1" on July 26, 1935 in New York City, accompanying himself out of C position in standard tuning. The song has a 18-bar With a 2-bar tag) rag blues progression and is basically Fuller's version of "Come On Down To My House" or "Ain't Nobody Home But Me". I'd very much appreciate help with the bent bracketed places or anything else you think I have wrong. Here it is:



INTRO SOLO

Come on down to my log cabin, ain't nobody there but me
Come on down to my log cabin, ain't so far, you see
My log cabin sits on the hill, get your liquor right from Dago's still
Come on down to my log cabin, ain't nobody there but me, I mean, ain't nobody there but me

Come on down to my log cabin, ain't nobody there but me
Come on down to my log cabin, ain't so far, you see
Got a girl in there cookin' them collard greens, some of the prettiest women there you 'most ever seen
Come on down to my log cabin, ain't nobody there but me, I mean, ain't nobody there but me

SOLO

Come on down to my log cabin, ain't nobody there but me
Come on down to my log cabin, ain't so far, you see
Gonna have a little fish, gonna have a little beer, have a good time, give 'em a real good hitch here
Come on down to my log cabin, air' nobody there but me, I mean, ain't nobody there but me

Come on down to my log cabin, ain't nobody there but me
Come on down to my log cabin, ain't so far, you see
Have a little whiskey, that go to your head, turn back the cover and you can go to bed
Come on down to my log cabin, ain't nobody there but me, I mean, ain't nobody there but me

SCAT VERSE
Come on down to my log cabin, ain't nobody there but me, I mean, ain't nobody there but me

(SPOKEN) Come on down to my log cabin, baby, ain't nobody there but me
Come on down to my log cabin, ain't so far, you see
Rooster chewed tobacco and that hen dipped snuff, that banty can't dance but he can strut his stuff
(SUNG) Come on down to my log cabin, ain't nobody there but me, I mean, ain't nobody there but me

SOLO

Edited 12/13 to pick up corrections from waxwing
Edited 12/13 to pick up correction from Blues Vintage

All best,
Johnm





 

[waxwing]

I'm sure it's just typing too fast, Johnm, but that's a RED hen to whom the brown rooster is talking in the last verse of "Somebody's Been Playing With That Thing".

This has been great hearing a lot of Fuller. You might remember many years ago I did the basics for a Guitar Keys and Tunings wikipedia page for him (fortunately I had lots of folks correcting my errors) and I have transcribed and perform quite a few of his songs. I particularly like his playing in G (pointed out to me by Frank Basile, also long ago) as in "Evil Hearted Woman".

For folks just beginning to transcribe for themselves, I would highly recommend trying some Fuller songs. As Johnm says, he packs a lot of music into every song, with lots of solos. It is always fun and educational working through one of his arrangements. Also, because he recorded late in this era, in the mid '30s, his recordings are usually pretty clear. Fuller sold well so there are also a lot more extant copies for the remasterers to choose from.

Wax

[Johnm]

Hi all,
For "Homesick And Lonesome Blues", recorded on July 26, 1935, Blind Boy Fuller chose to accompany himself with a slide in Vestapol tuning. He really had a nice sound with a slide, despite showcasing it so infrequently on his recordings. Here is "Homesick And Lonesome Blues":



INTRO SOLO

I lied down last night, mama, I tried to take my rest
Says I lied down last night, baby, I tried to take my rest
And, you know my mind got to ramblin', like a wild geese in the west

Ain't but the one thing, just like to change my mind
Ain't but the one thing, like to change my mind
When I started to New York, I left little Cora Mae cryin'

I sure can't sleep, mama, I sure can't rest at night
I can't sleep, mama, I sure can't rest at night
When I get to thinkin' 'bout my little woman, it takes my appetite

SOLO (Spoken: Play that thing, boy!)

I'm gwonna tell my baby, this when I go home
I'm gwine tell my baby, Lord, when I go home
These here women in Harlem, New York, won't let her baby alone

SOLO

Edited 12/13 to pick up corrections from Blues Vintage

All best,
Johnm 

[Johnm]

Thanks for the catch, wax. Sometimes my fingers have a (weak) mind of their own when I'm entering these lyrics.

I very much share your enthusiasm for Fuller. Really listening to so many of his pieces successively I've been so impressed with how little intact repetition of licks there is in his playing, from one song to the next. I think that plenty of players who are thought of as being sophisticated in comparison to Fuller repeated themselves with much greater frequency. Though I find that I sympathize with repetition, too, because it can be a kind of branding--think of Lonnie Johnson's down and up signature lick fill. In terms of identifying him as the player, it's kind of an instrumental equivalent of Peetie Wheatstraw's "Hoo-well-well" vocal identifier. And if you repeat something enough, it starts to have totemic value. So I guess I'm arguing both ends against the middle.

All best,
Johnm

[waxwing]

Looking at the bent brackets in  'Log Cabin Blues" I think the first one is probably Dago, the pejorative for an Italian. It's expressed as Dago Hill in several songs, I think. The second one might be "hitch", which could have a sexual double entendre (a hitch is a knot) or just refer to a stay at the log cabin. Like a hitch in the army, sorta. An 'h' sound is pretty easy to swallow, and Fuller seems to catch just as he says it, maybe having forgotten the word momentarily? Just ideas.

Wax