Can anyone help me out with the second verse to this song? It starts out: The wind in Chicago winter and fall, is what caused me to wear my overalls. Got broke was my fault, been used to eating porkchops meat and salt.
After that I'm not entirely sure what he is singing. The recording I heard had only two verses. Is there another version with more than two verses? Thanks.
« Last Edit: June 17, 2023, 02:32:27 PM by Johnm »
Try this....not sure about verse 3, line 2??? Prof S
I met a girl at the the cabaret/ Said 'Pretty Papa, I'm goin' your way' Her man know what it all about/ Waiting home just to throw me out
Broke my nose, split my chin/ Don't let me catch you here again Whipped me from the kitchen back to the door/ Beat me with the chair till my head got sore
That'll never happen no more x2
Was in Chicago Winter and Fall/ Caused me to wear my overalls Got broke, it wasn't my fault/ Used to eatin' porkchops and leavin' the salt
I met a woman with a beckoning smile/ big fat mouth , neat parloured hair She pulled a gun and kicked my door/ Didn't even holler and I didn't get sore
I hear an almost identical first verse to the Prof. However the second sung verse I hear:
Weather in Chicago, winter and fall (??) me caused me to wear my overalls Got broke was my fault I's used to eatin' porkchops 'n meat 'n salt. I met a woman with a big mink fur Big fat mouthed me followed her She pulled a gun, took my dough (??) Didn't even hollar and I didn't get sore That'll never happen no more, That'll never happen no more
As part of my 1930 schtick I've been trying to do something with possibly the most covered country blues tune of all time, "Sittin' on Top of the World" by the Mississippi Sheiks, which was recorded in 1930. The original is not very guitar-friendly (the melody is taken by a fiddle), so I've decided to approach the tune through two of it's well- known (at least to me) copies, BB Broonzy's "Worrin' You Offa My Mind" and Blake's "Depression's Gone From Me Blues" (incidently the very last tune he ever recorded, in 1932), which Mary Flowers gave an outline of at PT.
Anyway some parts of the last two verses of the lyrics have me stumped and I hope that some of you can help.
Depression's Gone From Me Blues Blind Blake 1932
Key of E Capo III
1) Introduction
2) All that winter and all that fall I didn't have nobody to worry me at all
Refrain: But now she's gone, I ain't worrin' 'Cus depression has gone from me.
3) No need to runnin', holdin' out your hand I can get a woman, same as you can a man (refrain)
4) instrumental verse
5) When I first met you, you had your diamonds on Since I done left you, you got 'em all in pawn (refrain)
6) instrumental verse
7) Don't need to runnin', hollerin' and cryin' I'd take you back if you was dyin' (refrain)
Come on baby and try me one more time When I left I didn't have my right mind (refrain)
9) instrumental verse
10) ?? with my head hung down out of town (refrain)
Coda.
Thanks, Alex
« Last Edit: June 17, 2023, 02:31:23 PM by Johnm »
Come on baby and try me one more time When I left I didn't have my right mind (refrain)
I'm almost positive the third word is NOT baby. At regular speed, I hear "dadding" or "dedding", but when I slow it down, it sounds like "daddy". Also, "try" sounds like "tell" to me. So my best guess at this verse is:
Come on daddy and tell me one more time When I left I didn't have my right mind
10) ?? with my head hung down out of town (refrain)
Here's my best guess at the last verse -- brackets [first choice / second choice] indicate a choice of words:
10) [You'll / We'll] need a set in with my head [held / hung] down Since [I'm not / my mind] oughtta getto out of town
I know "set in" and "oughtta getto" don't make sense, but they are the closest words I can find to what I hear -- maybe they'll help someone else figure out what they really are.
Thanks UB and Paul. Unkie Bud was especially hot on this one.
I'm still not completely sure of the last line, any other insights from anyone else?
The amended lyrics are set out below, with all the refrains written out.
Depression's Gone From Me Blues Blind Blake 1932
Key of E Capo III
1) instrumental verse
2) All last winter and all last fall I didn't have nobody to worry me at all Now she's gone, I ain't worrin' For depressions has gone from me.
3) No need runnin', holdin' out your hand I can get a woman, same as you can a man Now you're gone, baby, and I ain't worrin' For depression has gone from me.
4) instrumental verse
5) When I first met you, you had your diamonds on Since I done left you, you got 'em all in pawn Now I'm gone and please don't worry For depression has gone from me.
6) instrumental verse
7) Don't need a-runnin', hollerin' and cryin' I'd take you back, baby if you was dyin' Now I'm gone and you better not worry For depression has gone from me.
Eight) Come on daddy and try me one more time When I left I didn't have my right mind, no! 'Cause you've gone and I ain't gonna worry 'Cause depression is gone from me.
9) instrumental verse
10) Ain't no need a-standin'?with my head hung down Guess I'd oughtta get on out of town Now youse gone and I swear I ain't gonna worry For depression has gone from me
Coda (refrain)
Thanks again!
I'd rather keep you and mistreat you myself, Alex
« Last Edit: April 20, 2005, 03:04:49 PM by Johnm »
Hi, Another great interpretation of Sittin on Top of the World is Charley Patton's Some Summer Day. Check it out. He does a great job of substituting slide for fiddle. Aaron
Elsewhere there's been a discussion of the chords and key of this Blake two-parter but I think the dark lyric needs an airing too!
Although the matrix indicate that the second section was recorded prior to the first (?!)I've sequenced as 1 and 2. I ain't much good at this sort of thing so feel free to question the transcription which is done from a 1966 Riverside LP!:
I caught a stranger in my house and I busted his head with a club. I caught a stranger in my house, I busted his head with a club. I laid him out cold, with his heels in a tub.
I seen the sheriff comin' and I jumped for the door. I seen the sheriff comin', then I jumped for the door. But I jumped too late, the sheriff had done jumped before.
They buried a man, Thursday, just two short days, you see. They buried a man Thursday, just two short days, you see. And it makes me wonder what they're gonna do to me.
I killed a man and that's the how and how. I killed a man and that's the how and how. I'm sittin' here wonderin' if a woman's worth it now.
Mmm, rope is stretchin' all day long. Mmm, rope's stretchin' all day long. In just a few more days, I won't even be able to sing my song. ---------------
Don't trust no woman who mistreats her man. Don't trust no woman who mistreats her man. When you think she's in your kitchen cookin', she's got a stranger by the hand.
Ain't no need of you chasin' women, brother, if you really haven't got the cash. Ain't no need of chasin' women, brother, if you really haven't got the cash. Other men get all the chicken and all you get is hash.
I has a lot of women but I sure don't want none now. I has a lot of women but I sure don't want none now. They always milks me dry, quicker than you ever milked a cow.
Mmm, rope stretchin' all day long. Mmm, rope is stretchin' all day long. I'm singin' now mama, because it won't be long.
It wouldn't be so bad if the rope would just get slack. Oh, it wouldn't be so bad if the rope would just get slack. I wouldn't mind at all but I just got a crick in my back.
When it's all over mama, and you're alone by my side. When it's all over mama, and you're all alone by my side. Just keep the flies from buzzin' 'bout me and then I will be satisfied.
« Last Edit: June 17, 2023, 02:34:42 PM by Johnm »
Those lyrics look good to me, Bunker Hill. I've always thought the line, "Found a stranger in my house, I busted his head with a club", one of the funniest opening lines in the Blues. What a grabber! All best, Johnm