Topic: Robert Johnson lyrics

[Blues Vintage]

I updated "32-20 Blues" and implemented part of Stuart's ideas, proposed after The Sheiks and McTell discussions.
I hope y'all like it.

[Johnm]

Looks fine to me, Blues Vintage.

[Blues Vintage]

I'm A Steady Rollin' Man


Robert Johnson – Vocals, Guitar

June 19, 1937 
Dallas, Texas

A Position
Standard Tuning





INTRO

I am a steady rollin’ man, I roll both night and day
I’m a steady rollin’ man, hmm hmm, I roll both night and day
But I haven’t got no sweet woman, hmm hmm boys, to be rollin’ this-a-way

I am the man that roll, when icicles hangin’ on the tree
I’m the man that roll, when icicles is hangin’ on the tree
And now you hear me howlin’, baby, hmm mmm, down on my bended knee

I am a hard working man, have been for many years I know
I’m a hard working man, have been for many long years I know
And some cream puff’s usin’ my money, ooh well babe, but that’ll never be no more

You can’t give your sweet woman, everything she wants in one time
Hoo ooo, you can’t give your sweet woman, everything she wants in one time
Well boys, she get ramblin’ in her brain, hmm mmm, some monkey man on her mind

I’m a steady rollin’ man, I roll both night and day
I am a steady rollin’ man, and I roll both night and day
Well, I don’t have no sweet woman, hmm hmm boys, to be rollin’ this-a-way

OUTRO

[islandgal]

In the first three verses, I think he's singing I am, not I'm in the first line. The second line, he uses I'm. Conversely, in the last line, he starts with I'm and the second line sings I am. That's the way I hear it anyway. Thanks for this Blues Vintage.

Jean

[Blues Vintage]

Thanks for the suggestions, Jean. But I feel like it's unnecessary to make those changes.

Edited to add; upon re-listening I made those changes, Jean. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

[Blues Vintage]

Ramblin' On My Mind


There’s some controversy which takes of Ramblin' On My Mind are take 1 and take 2.
According to “official data” this is take 2 issued as the master take, not the alternate take on The Complete Recordings (2011, Stephen LaVere).

Stefan Wirz has it listed as Take 1.

To make it even more confusing,

Note also that although we accepted the view of specialist Robert Johnson discographers that most of the takes originally issued were used indiscriminately on all the 78 RPM issues, and have no definite evidence to the contrary, our considered judgement is that this is unlikely to be the case (Blues and Gospel Records).


Robert Johnson – Guitar, Vocals

San Antonio, Texas
November 23, 1936

Vestapol Tuning





INTRO

I got ramblin', I got ramblin' on my mind
I got ramblin', I got ramblin' all on my mind
Hate to leave my baby, but you treats me so unkind

Hey now, babe, I will never forgive you anymore
Little girl, little girl, I will never forgive you anymore
You know, you did not want me, baby, why didn’t you tell me so

And I’m runnin' down to the station, catch that first mail train I see (Spoken: I hear her coming now)
I’m runnin' down to the station, catch that old first mail train I see
I got the blues ‘bout Miss So-and-So, and the child got the blues about me

{And they tell me}, she got devilment on her mind
She got devilment, little girl, you got devilment all on your mind
Now, I’m got to leave this mornin’, with my arms fold up and cryin’

I believe, I believe my time ain’t long
I believe, I believe that my time ain’t long
But I’m leavin’ this mornin’, I believe I will go back home

[Stuart]

Hi Blues Vintage:

Thanks for the post. I don't know if I would use "indiscriminately." Perhaps the two takes, although different, were considered to be of  equal value with respect to releasing them as commercial recordings with potential sales in mind. It's difficult to say with any certainty what the considerations were at the time.

BTW: I ran across this: https://loc.gov/loc/lcib/0605/johnson.html

[Blues Vintage]

Cross Road Blues Take 1


Robert Johnson – Guitar, Vocals

San Antonio, Texas
November 27, 1936

Spanish Tuning





INTRO

I went to the crossroad, fell down on my knees
I went to the crossroad, fell down on my knees
Asked the Lord above for mercy, now “Save poor Bob if you please"

I-ee, standin' at the crossroad, tried to flag a ride
Wi-ee-ee, I tried to flag a ride
Ain’t nobody seem to know me, babe, everybody pass me by

Standin' at the crossroad, baby, risin' sun goin' down
Standin' at the crossroad, baby, i-ee, risin' sun goin' down
I believe to my soul, now, poor Bob is sinkin' down

You can run, you can run, tell my friend Willie Brown
You can run, you can run, tell my friend Willie Brown
That I got the crossroad blues this mornin', Lord, baby, I'm sinkin' down

And I went to the crossroad, mama, I looked east and west
I went to the crossroad, baby, I looked east and west
Lord, I didn't have no sweet woman, ooh well, babe, in my distress {despair?}