Topic: Blind Joe Reynolds/Blind Willie Reynolds Lyrics

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Blind Joe Reynolds recorded "Nehi Mama Blues" backing himself out of E position in standard tuning, operating in the role of social critic.  Of course, the title should be "Knee-High Mama Blues", since that is the length of dresses his lyrics are protesting--he is not singing about a soft drink.  I'd very much appreciate help with the bent bracketed passage in the tagline of the second verse.  It really has me stymied.  Here is the song:



Some girls wear short dresses, some of these married womens wears 'em, too
Some girls wear short dresses, some of these married womens wears 'em, too
That's the reason the single mens, Lord, don't know what we want to do

Wish the proper judge'd make these women let their dresses down
Wish the proper judge'd make these women let their dresses down
So there quit bein' so doggone much a-murderin' in town

When they pass the law on this short-dress style
When they pass the law on this short-dress style
So we single men can tell a married woman from a child

HUMMED STANZA

Let me tell you, boys, what these knee-high dresses will do
Let me tell you, boys, what these knee-high dresses will do
Get you broke and makin' you hungry, boy, and then come down on you

All you women, sure Lord, oughta be 'shamed
All of you young women, sure Lord, oughta be 'shamed
Takin' these old mens' money when they're walkin' on walkin' canes

HUMMED STANZA

Old man ain't nothin' but a young woman's slave
These old mens ain't nothin', but a young woman's slave
He works hard all his time tryin' to stay with a young man's ways

HUMMED STANZA

Edited to pick up corrections from banjochris and Johnm

All best,
Johnm

     

[banjochris]

John, there's a pretty high quality copy of "Nehi" on the 2017 Blues Images calendar, it is definitely easier to hear the lyrics, although it's still a pretty noisy record.

Pretty sure the missing bit makes the line:
So they quit bein' sore, doggone, much a-murderin' in town.

I would also suggest for 3.1 and 3.2:

When they pass the law on this short-dress style,
When they pass the law on the short-dress style,

Chris

[Johnm]

Thanks very much for the help, Chris.  I think what you have for 3.1 and 3.2 is right on.  Re-listening, I find myself thinking that the tagline in verse two might be:

   So THERE quit bein' SO doggone much a-murderin' in town

What do you think?  Thanks.
All best,
Johnm

[banjochris]

Thanks very much for the help, Chris.  I think what you have for 3.1 and 3.2 is right on.  Re-listening, I find myself thinking that the tagline in verse two might be:

   So THERE quit bein' SO doggone much a-murderin' in town

What do you think?  Thanks.
All best,
Johnm

You've got that for sure, totally agree.
Chris

[Johnm]

Thanks, Chris.  I will make the changes.
All best,
John

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Back at the beginning of this thread, uncle bud and banjochris were working on transcribing Blind Joe Reynolds' "99 Blues", and I think that between them, they had it transcribed, though it was never put into a final form.  The song is sort of an odd man out for Blind Joe Reynolds; he accompanied it out of C position in standard tuning, and recorded essentially the same song, "Third Street Woman Blues", as Blind Willie Reynolds.  Here is "99 Blues":



INTRO

I got ninety-nine women, cravin' nineteen more
I got ninety-nine women, cravin' nineteen more
And if I get to a hundred, boys, I'm gon' let these nineteen go

I got a big, fat mama, meat shakin' on her bones
I got a big, fat mama, the meat shakin' on her bones
And every time I quiver . . .  every time she quiver, small woman lose her home

Lord, I'm goin' away, mama, wear you off my mind
Lord, I'm goin' away, mama, just to wear you off my mind
Because you keeps me worried, bothered all the time

SOLO (Spoken: Lord have mercy!)

Uh, when you feel tomorrow, like I feel today
If I feel tomorrow, sweet mama, like I feel today
I'm gonna drink corn liquor just to drive these blues away

Oh, let me tell you boys, what these women will do
Let me tell you boys what these old women will do
They will get your money and leave a nach'l child come to you

Oh, tell me, mama, what's the matter now
Oh, tell me, mama, tell me what's the matter now
Oh, the blues I've got, the blues like ninety-nine

And my woman got something called a stingeree
Yes, mama's got something' that the mens call a stingaree
At four o-clock in the mornin' she turns it loose on me

All best,
Johnm
 

[btasoundsradio]

I highly recommend listening to the most recent John Tefteller transfers of BJR tracks, far superior to previous ones.

[M. Swamps]

Hello everyone. For some time now, I try to figure out what are the lyrics of COLD WOMAN BLUES by Blind Joe Reynolds. I can catch some words here and there like "smells like pork and beans" and "if your clothes are clean". But that's it. Can someone help?
By the way, this song is so unique, the phrases, the melody. I can't relate it to any other songs I know!

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I merged M. Swamps query on the lyrics to "Cold Woman Blues" with the pre-existing Blind Joe Reynolds/Blind Willie Lyrics thread.
All best,
Johnm

[Harry]

Now this is a challenge. This is what I got so far,




Cold Woman Blues - Blind Joe Reynolds


Now I say cold woman what the matter now
Well the reason now I ask because you she won’t let me down
Lord I say cold woman what the matter now

Well I say cold woman do your clothes all clean
Well the reason now I ask you smell like pork and beans
Lord I say cold woman is your clothes all clean

The womens screwing around all having fun
But this hot spings water sure do won’t help you none
You women running around always having fun

You ain’t so good looking you don’t dress fine
You gotta move here from town to town
Lord you ain’t good looking and you don’t dress fine   

Hey hey mama what the matter now
How can I do your lovin' when ya
I said pretty mama what the matter now

[Lyndvs]

Ah,say Cold Woman what`s the matter now?(tell me)
Reason I ask because you you won`t let me down
Lord I cried Cold Woman what`s the matter now?.

Well I say Cold Woman is your clothes unclean?
Well the reason I ask you smell like Brooklyn beans
Lord I say Cold Woman is your clothes unclean?

The womens` running around(aww)having fun
but this hot spring water steam won`t help you none
You women running around(mmm) always having fun.

She ain`t so good looking she don`t dress fine
She got`em moving here from town to town
Lord she ain`t good looking and she don`t dress fine

Mmmm hey mama what`s the matter now?
I said I`ll do your loving when your....
I said pretty mama what`s the matter now?

[Harry]

Thanks Lyndvs. I made some changes based on your transcription.
This one of the most difficult songs I've ever transcribed.

[waxwing]

Ah,say Cold Woman what`s the matter now?(tell me)
Reason I ask because you you won`t let me down
Lord I cried Cold Woman what`s the matter now?.

Well I say Cold Woman is your clothes unclean?
Well the reason I ask you smell like Brooklyn beans
Lord I say Cold Woman is your clothes unclean?

The womens` running around(aww)having fun
but this hot spring water steam won`t help you none
You women running around(mmm) always having fun.

She ain`t so good looking she don`t dress fine
She got`em moving here from town to town
Lord she ain`t good looking and she don`t dress fine

Mmmm hey mama what`s the matter now?
I said I`ll do your loving when your....
I said pretty mama what`s the matter now?

Thanks for putting it in 3 stanza form, Lyndvs, illustrating the interesting ABA rhyme scheme. I wonder if folks know other songs that share this form for the majority of verses in a song. I think I've noticed the occasional single verse here or there. I don't think there is a topic on this but it deserves one.

Wax

[Harry]

Thanks for putting it in 3 stanza form, Lyndvs, illustrating the interesting ABA rhyme scheme. I wonder if folks know other songs that share this form for the majority of verses in a song. I think I've noticed the occasional single verse here or there. I don't think there is a topic on this but it deserves one.

Wax

Little Girl In Rome - Otto Virgial, has an ABA structure.

[waxwing]

Yeah, that's a good one, Harry. And it shares the same quality of rushing the lyrics together so that the singer finishes very early in the 10th or even the 9th measure.

I actually hear both these songs pretty often because I generally listen to compilations, like Yazoo's Lonesome Road Blues, or JSP's Richer Tradition set, and the many Blues Images Calendar CDs, while doing my daily 30 mins of rowing. These artists are well covered on many compilations.

I wonder if there are others, also having the rushed lyric quality. It is similar, in a way to the stuttering lyric songs, like Bull Frog Blues.

Wax