Hello heaven, daddy wants to use your telephone... So you can call good daddy anytime when he's gone - Papa Harvey Hull & Long Cleve Reed, France Blues
Hi all, Leadbelly played "Sweet Mary", a raggy 8-bar tune from his "Last Sessions" out of F position in standard tuning, sounding just a little high of C. The recorded performance is unusual in that it both fades in at the front end and out at the back end. The song employs the following progression:
| D7 | D7 | G | G |
| C7 | C7 | F | F |
Leadbelly does all his singing over the D7 and G chords, except for pick-ups into the next verse, which fall on the tail end of the F at the end of the form. He works the verses in pairs. He fingers both the D7 and C7 out of the C shape, and both the G and the F out of the F shape. He really makes the most of the way that bass runs lay out beautifully in the F position. As is most often the case with his playing, he accelerates greatly, but at a consistent rate, over the course of the rendition I'm not at all sure I have the bent bracketed phrase right, so I'd appreciate any help.
Mary, sweet Mary
Oh Mary, sweet Mary
Oh Mary, sweet Mary
Oh Mary, sweet Mary
Nineteen hundred and twenty-three, when the judge took my liberty away from me
In nineteen hundred and twenty-three, when the judge took my liberty away from me
I left my wife wringin' her hands and cryin', sayin', "Lord have mercy on that man of mine."
I left my wife wringin' her hands and cryin', sayin', "Lord have mercy on that man of mine."
Told my wife before I left the land, if I never no more see her do the best she can
I told my wife before I left the land, if I never no more see her do the best she can
Goodbye, Mary, ooo ooo ooo
Oh Mary, ooo ooo ooo
Had the Governor Neff like you got me, I'd a-wake up in the mornin', I'd set you free
If I had the Governor Neff like you got me, I'd a-wake up in the mornin', I would set you free
Goin' back to Mary, sweet Mary
Oh Mary, ooo ooo
Edited 3/3 to pick up correction from Uncle Bud
All best, Johnm
« Last Edit: July 17, 2020, 05:02:04 PM by Johnm »
It's a reference to Texas Governor Pat Neff, whom Lead Belly petitioned for a pardon. There are some other recordings of the song under the title "Governor Pat Neff". What a great guitar part.
« Last Edit: March 03, 2009, 05:15:38 PM by uncle bud »
Thanks, Andrew, that's great! I should read that Leadbelly biography and get caught up more on the particulars of his life. You're right about the guitar part--it's sensational, and Leadbelly had such heavy time. I will make the change. All best, Johnm
Hey Rivers, in that spoken part in 'Daddy I'm Comin' Back To You', I don't have the recording handy at the moment but I think he's saying
' . . . His papa's hair had turned to silver When he got back home.'
This is a really great song & I think I prefer Leadbelly's version to Jimmie Rodgers'. This & 'You Don't Know My Mind' & 'Roberta' all from these 1935 sessions have been in my repertoire for years.
Hey Rivers, in that spoken part in 'Daddy I'm Comin' Back To You', I don't have the recording handy at the moment but I think he's saying
' . . . His papa's hair had turned to silver When he got back home.'
Excellent! That was the only question I had in that one. I'll copy it across to the bit bucket and post another one, 3 to go and the Columbia ARC is done and dusted.
« Last Edit: March 03, 2009, 05:52:09 PM by Rivers »
Incredible piece, nuff said. Never really struck me as great until I really listened to it. Lead's fatalistic sense of humor shines throughout.
Yellow Jacket - Leadbelly 25 March 1935 NYC ARC 17179-1 unissued Transcribed from Leadbelly King of the 12-String Guitar, Columbia Roots 'N' Blues 467893 12 string in standard down 4 semitones to C and played in A position, actual pitch is F
[Intro, 4 bars on the I]
Yellow jacket, yellow jacket! Please sting me once more Yellow jacket, yellow jacket! Please sting me once more You can sting me once more And then I've got to go
You stung me this mornin', stung me 'til I was sore Ah you stung me this mornin', stung me 'til I was sore You can sting me one more time Please don't sting me no more
[Two instrumental lines] You can sting me one more time Please don't sting me no more
You can buzz yellow jacket, buzz all around my face You can buzz yellow jacket, buzz all around my face I don't want no other yellow jacket To, God, take your place
You can go down town, kinfolks all around You can go down town, kinfolks all around But if I catch you stingin', baby I'll burn your nest on down
Ooooooh, I'll burn your nest on down Ooooooh, I'll burn your nest on down [spoken] Great God almighty yellow jacket, don't sting me no more[/spoken] But if I catch you stingin', I'll burn your nest on down
« Last Edit: July 17, 2020, 05:03:18 PM by Johnm »
I'll keep going and post the last two, transcribed them a few days back but have been pacing the postings so I can keep up with the corrections. There's a questionable line in this one, ideas most welcome.
Pig Meat Papa - Leadbelly 25 March 1935 NYC ARC 17181-2 unissued Transcribed from Leadbelly King of the 12-String Guitar, Columbia Roots 'N' Blues 467893 12 string in standard down 4 semitones to C and played in F position, actual pitch is D flat
[Instrumental verse intro]
Just look a-here mama, don't treat pig meat the way you do Ooooh don't treat pig meat the way you do If you don't believe it's pig meat, ask anybody in the neighborhood
If you don't believe it's pig meat, [come down here on the grass ] Ooooh [come down here on the grass ] I got somethin' about a pig meat, sweet mama I ain't told you yet
I was born and raised in the country, mama but I'm a stayin' in town [spoken] In New York City is what I'm talkin' about [/spoken] I was born and raised in the country, mama but I'm a stayin' in town If you don't believe it's pig meat, mama put my head on down
[Instrumental verse]
[spoken] She looked at the man, and I looked at the woman She knows this was Lead Belly, wasn't nothin' but pure pig meat All over Shreveport Looziana, and all in Texarkana And I was runnin' with a gal named Sylvana, she looked at me and here' what she said, the last words: [/spoken]
You can take me to the mournin', and there will be pig meat there You can take me to the mournin' mama, will be pig meat there You take the bull to China, down to church, just anywhere
Oooooh, a church, just anywhere Wooooh, a church, just anywhere Take the bull to China, down to church, just anywhere
[Four bars out]
« Last Edit: July 17, 2020, 05:03:57 PM by Johnm »
Here's the last one from King Of The 12 String Guitar. Yee ha!
My Baby Quit Me - Leadbelly 25 March 1935 NYC ARC 17183-1 unissued Transcribed from Leadbelly King of the 12-String Guitar, Columbia Roots 'N' Blues 467893 12 string in standard down 4 semitones to C and played in A position, actual pitch is F
[3 bar intro on the I]
My baby left me, well she wouldn't come back no more My baby left me, well she wouldn't come home no more When you left me baby, ah she drive me from my door
Look a-here people, I couldn't understand her myself Look a-here people, I couldn't understand her myself When my baby left me, I didn't want nobody else
[Instrumental verse]
Yeah people! Want you to all understand Yeah people, want you to all understand My baby done left me, and she got a brand new man
[Instrumental verse]
My baby drove me, lordy, from my door My baby drove me, lordy, from my door And she said "Sweet papa, I can't use you no more"
Carried forward the completed summary, Columbia Legacy "King of.."
Title
1st pos. chord or open tuning name
Semitones down from E
Pitch
Packin' Trunk
Spanish, Ab
n/a
Ab
Becky Deem, She Was a Gamblin' Girl
E
6
Bb
Honey, I'm All Out And Down
D
6
Ab
Four Day Worry Blues
D
6
Ab
Roberta Part I
F
6
B
Roberta Part II
F
6
B
Death Letter Blues Part I
A
6
Eb
Death Letter Blues Part II
A
6
Eb
Kansas City Papa
E
6
Bb
Fort Worth & Dallas Blues
G
5
D
You Don't Know My Mind
G
5
D
Ox Drivin' Blues
A(7)
6
Eb
Daddy I'm Coming Back To You
C
5
G
Shorty George
C
4
Ab
Yellow Jacket
A
4
F
T.B. Woman Blues
A
3
Gb
Pig Meat Papa
F
4
Db
My Baby Quit Me
A
4
F
« Last Edit: July 17, 2020, 05:04:56 PM by Johnm »
Hi all, Leadbelly played "He Never Said a Mumbling Word" on his "Last Sessions" out of D position in standard tuning, sounding just a little sharp of A. It is a powerfully spirited performance, with a vocal that is every bit as rhythmically infectious as the guitar accompaniment. Leadbelly seemed to love the D position for playing up-tempo numbers with strong thumb-lead bass lines, like his versions of "John Henry" and "House of the Rising Sun".
SPOKEN: Want to see me get happy? Now, just listen to this, just don't tell--this is a Spiritual, too, tell a story about Christ, which I guess is happy--you would not know it, but you don't know that old feelin' I gets from down South. Think about my mother shoutin', uh. Holy rollers is singin' this now--It's thei' rhythm, thei' swing, and the way they sing.
On a-Easter Sunday he rose, on a-Easter Sunday he rose On a-Easter Sunday he rose for me One day when I was lost, they hung him on the cross On a-Easter Sunday he rose for me
They whupped him up the hill, they whupped him up the hill They whupped him up the hill for me One day when I was lost, they hung him on the cross They whipped him up the hill for me
They speared him in the side, they speared him in the side They speared him in the side for me One day when I was lost, they hung him on the cross They speared him in the side for me
The blood come streamin' down, the blood come streamin' down The blood come streamin' down for me One day when I was lost, they hung him on the cross The blood came streamin' down for me
He hung his head and died, he hung his head and died He hung his head and died for me One day when I was lost, they hung him on the cross He hung his head and died for me
He never said a mumbling word, he never said a mumbling word He never said a mumbling word for me One day when I was lost, they hung him on the cross He never said a mumbling word for me
SPOKEN, DURING SOLO: No he didn't. . . yeah
He's comin' back again, he's comin' back again He's comin' back again for me One day when I was lost, they hung him on the cross He's comin' back again for me
SPOKEN: Yes, he is, coming back for me. Yeah, what you call a Spiritual--you get shoutin' you get happy.
Edited 3/5 to pick up corrections from Rivers
All best, Johnm
« Last Edit: July 17, 2020, 05:05:45 PM by Johnm »
Wow, heavy dues. I don't have that so can't assist, except for typo spotting; "sunday" lower case initial capital in verse 1, "mumblig" in verse 6, or maybe he does say it that way.
I'm going to pick another 'must-have' disc, probably the LoC / Elektra / Rounder Midnight Special CD and start on it after a short break. Richard Nevins or somebody really needs to work on those recordings, stunning as all get out but in dire need of remastering.
I have a Columbia CD titled 'Leadbelly' (CK 30035) & seems to have been an LP originally. I've had the this for years along with Columbia's 'King Of The Twelve String Guitar' & doing some referencing in B&GR today I see that these two CDs contain most of Leadbelly's extant ARC recordings from 1935. 'Death Letter Blues Pt.1 & Pt.2' & 'Kansas City Papa' have two takes each & Columbia were smart enough to offer all takes on these companion CDs. They share 'Roberta Pt.1 & 2', & 'Packin' Trunk'. The rest of 'Leadbelly' contains -C. C. Rider -You Can't Lose Me, Charlie -(New) Black Snake Moan -Alberta -Baby Don't You Love Me No More -Death Letter Blues Pt.1 (take 1) ['KO12StringG' has take 2] -Death Letter Blues Pt.2 (take 1) [""] -Kansas City Papa (take 1) [""] -Red River (Blues) -(My Friend) Blind Lemon -Mister Tom Hughes' Town -Match Box Blues -Bull Cow Blues
ARC recordings not present on these two CDs are 'Daddy I'm Coming Back To You' (16806-3), 'Shorty George' (16814-2) & 'Pig Meat Papa' (17181-1). '12 String' suggest that their 'Roberta Pt.1&2' are alternate takes but B&GR states that only one take each actually exist so this must be an error. 'The Penguin Guide to Recorded Blues' says 'Leadbelly' (CK 30035) is still available & I recommend it although the sound on '12 String' is significantly better. I'm pretty swamped but if I have the time I'll try transcribing some of these other ARC titles. What a series of sessions!
« Last Edit: March 05, 2009, 06:56:44 AM by cheapfeet »
Hi all, Leadbelly recorded "National Defense Blues" for his Last Sessions, playing out of C position in standard tuning at G. The accompaniment employs a doubled-up boogie bass line, which from the sound of it, Leadbelly was playing, all downstrokes, with his thumb, something that would tire out most players pretty quickly. The deep trucking rhythm he achieved was sensational, and the song voices out beautifully for his vocal range; it's right in his kitchen. He does a downward swoop on the last note of each of the opening lines of his verses that is pretty spectacular. Like most of the songs in the Last Sessions, this has a fairly lengthy spoken intro and outro which I've chosen not to include. It takes too much time to transcribe all that talking. I have never heard anyone but Leadbelly do this song, and it's a great one.
I had a little woman workin' on that National Defense I had a little woman workin' on that National Defense That woman got to the place, where act like she did not have no sense
Just because she was workin', makin' so much dough Just because she was workin', makin' so much dough That woman got to the place, did not love me no more
Every payday would come, her check was big as mine Every payday would come, her check was big as mine That woman thought that Defense was gonna last all the time
That Defense is gone, just listen to my song That Defense, it is gone, just listen to my song Since that Defense been gone, that woman done lose her home
SPOKEN, DURING SOLO: Yes, she is . . yeah . . . well all right, then
I will tell you the truth and it's got to be the fact I will tell you the truth and it's got to be a fact Since that Defense has gone, that woman losed her Cadillac
All best, Johnm
« Last Edit: July 17, 2020, 05:06:45 PM by Johnm »