Blues Song In The Spotlight: Robert Johnson-I Believe I'll Dust My Broom

According to Wikipedia;

"Dust My Broom" is a blues standard originally recorded by Robert Johnson, the legendary Mississippi Delta blues singer and guitarist, on November 23, 1936 in San Antonio, Texas. It was released on the ARC Records label under the title of "I Believe I'll Dust My Broom. The song was later recorded and released on the Trumpet Records label by blues singer and guitarist Elmore James and became a surprise rhythm and blues hit in 1952. James version of the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998.

Robert Johnson's version of "I Believe I'll Dust My Broom", had been originally derived from Kokomo Arnold's adaption of "Sagefield Woman Blues". Elmore James took the song from Johnson.

James closely followed Johnson's lyrics and included a bottleneck guitar blues riff used frequently by Johnson but not on his recording of this song. James' first recording was in 1951 for Trumpet Records with Sonny Boy Williamson playing the harmonica and Odie Johnson on bass. James also recorded it under the title "Dust My Blues". He became closely associated with Johnson's song, using the melody for some of his own songs as well and playing it in bottleneck or slide guitar, while Johnson's original was finger picked.

Lyrics:

I'm gointa get up in the mornin
I believe I'll dust my broom
I'm gointa get up in the mornin
I believe I'll dust my broom
Girlfriend the black man you've been lovin
girlfriend can get my room

I'm gonna write a letter
telephone everytown I know
I'm gonna write a letter
telephone every town I know
If I can't find her in West Helena
she must be in East Monroe I know

I don't want no woman
wants every downtown man she meets
I don't want no woman
wants every downtown man she meets
She's a no good dooney
they shouldn't allow her on the street

I believe, I believe I'll go back home
I believe, I believe I'll go back home
You can mistreat me here babe,
but you can't when I'm back home

And I'm gettin up in the mornin
I believe I'll dust my broom
I'm gettin up in the mornin
I believe I'll dust my broom
Girlfriend the black man you been lovin
girlfriend can get my room

I'm gonna call up Chiney
see is my good girl over there
I'm gonna call up China
see is my good girl over there
I can't find her on Phillipine's island
she must be in Ethiopia somewhere



Robert Johnson: The Complete Recordings

Robert Johnson @Amazon.com

Blues Song In The Spotlight: Robert Johnson- Malted Milk

lyrics:

I keep drinkin' malted milk , try'n to drive my blues away
I keep drinkin' malted milk, try'n to drive my blues away
Baby, you just as welcome to my lovin', as the flowers is in May

Malted milk, malted milk, keep rushin' to my head
Malted milk, malted milk, keep rushin' to my head
And I have a funny, funny feelin', and I'm talkin' all out my head

Baby, fix me one more drink, and hug your daddy one more time
Baby, fix me one more drink, and hug your daddy one more time
Keep on stirrin' my malted milk mama, until I change my mind

My door knob keeps on turnin', it must be spooks around my bed
My door knob keeps on turnin', must be spooks around my bed
I have a warm, old feelin', and the hair risin' on my head



Robert Johnson: The Complete Recordings

Robert Johnson @Amazon.com

Blues Song In The Spotlight: Robert Johnson - 32 - 20 Blues

Lyrics :

If I send for my baby
and she don't come

If I send for my baby
man, and she don't come

All the doctors in Hot Springs
sure can't help her none

And if she gets unruly
thinks she don't wan do

If she gets unruly
thinks she don't wan do

Take my 32-20 now and
cut her half in two

She got a 38 special but I believe its much too light
She got a 38 special but I believe its much too light
I got a 32-20, got to make the camps alright

If I send for my baby
and she don't come

If I send for my baby
man, and she don't come

All the doctors in Hot Springs
sure can't help her none

I'm gonna shoot my pistol, gonna shoot my Gatlin gun
I'm gonna shoot my pistol, gotta shoot my Gatlin gun

You made me love you
now your man has come

Ah-oh
baby where you stay last night

Ah-ah
baby where you stayed last night

You got your hair all tangled
and you ain't talkin right

Got a 38 special boys, it do very well



Robert Johnson: The Complete Recordings

Robert Johnson @Amazon.com

Blues Song In The Spotlight: Robert Johnson - Drunken Hearted Man

Lyrics:

I'm a drunken hearted man
my life seem so misery

I'm the drunken hearted man
my life seem so misery

And if I could change my way of livin'
it t'would mean so much to me

I been dogged and I been driven
eve' since I left my mother's home

I been dogged and I been driven
eve' since I left my mother's home

And I can't see no reason why
that I can't leave these no-goods womens alone

My father died and left me
my poor mother done the best that she could

My father died and left me
my poor mother done the best she could

Every man likes that game you call love
but it don't mean no man no good

Now, I'm the drunken hearted man
and sin was the cause of it all

spoken: Oh, play 'em now

I'm a drunken hearted man
and sin was the cause of it all

And the day that you get weak for no-good women
that's the day that you bound to fall



Robert Johnson: The Complete Recordings

Robert Johnson @Amazon.com

Blues Song In The Spotlight: Robert Johnson - Dead Shrimp Blues

Dead Shrimp Blues

Lyrics:

I woke up this mornin
and all my shrimp was dead and gone
I woke up this mornin ooh
and all my shrimp was dead and gone
I was thinin about you baby,
why you hear me weep and moan

I got dead shrimp here
someone is fishin in my pond
I got dead shrimp here, ooh
someone fishin in my pond
I served my best bait baby
and I can't do that no harm

Everything I do babe you got your mouth stuck up
Hole where I used to fish, you got me posted up
Everything I do,
You got your mouth stuck up
And the hole where I used to fish baby
you've got me posted out

I got dead shrimp here
someone fishin in my pond
I got dead shrimp here
someone fishin in my pond
Catchin my goggle eyed perches
and they barbequein the bone

Now you take my shrimp babe
you know you turned me down
I couldn't do nothin, till I got myself unwound

You taken my shrimp
oohh know you turned me down
Babe, I couldn't do nothin, untill I got myself unwound


Robert Johnson: The Complete Recordings

Robert Johnson @Amazon.com

Blues Song In The Spotlight: Robert Johnson - From Four Till Late

Lyrics:

From four till late
I was wringin my hands and cryin

From four till late
I was wringin my hands and cryin

I believe to my soul
that your daddy's Gulfport bound

From Memphis to Norfolk
is a thirty six hour ride

From Memphis to Norfolk
is a thirty six hour ride

A mans like a prisoner
and he's never satisfied

A woman is like a dresser
some man is always ramblin through its drawers

A woman is like a dresser
some man is always ramblin through its drawers

It cause so many men
wear an apron overhaul

From four until late
she get with a no good bunch and clown

From four until late
she get with a no good bunch and clown

Now, she won't do nothin
but tear a good mans reputation down

When I leave this town,
I'm 'onna bid you fare...farewell

When I leave this town,
I'm 'onna bid you fare...farewell

And when I return again
you'll have a great long story to tell


Robert Johnson: The Complete Recordings

Robert Johnson @Amazon.com

Blues Song In The Spotlight: Big Bill Blues

Big Bill Blues

Lord my hair's a-rising, my flesh begins to crawl
Aw my hair's a-rising, my flesh begin to crawl
I had a dream last night baby, another mule in my doggone stall

Now there's some people said the Big Bill blues ain't bad
Now some people said the Big Bill blues ain't bad
Lord it must not have been them Big Bill blues they had

Lord I wonder what's the matter, papa Bill can't get no mail
Lord wonder what's the matter now, papa Bill can't get no mail
Lord the post office must be on fire, the mailman must undoubtedly be in jail

I can't be a wagon, since you ain't gonna be a mule
Mmmm can't be a wagon mama, since you ain't gonna be a mule
I ain't gonna fix up your black tradition, I ain't gonna be your doggone fool


Big Bill Broonzy @ iTunes

Big Bill Blues: Big Bill Broonzy's Story
as Told to Yannick Bruynoghe





file under;
music, blues, lyrics, Big Bill Broonzy

Blues Song in the Spotlight - Sitting on Top of the World

The folk blues song Sitting on Top of the World has been done by so many great musicians over the years that I thoght I would do a post on it.

It was originally written by Walter Vinson and Lonnie Chatmon, core members of the Mississippi Sheiks, a popular country blues band of the 1930s.

According to Wikipedia;

In May 1930 Charlie Patton recorded a version of the song (with altered lyrics) called “Some Summer Day.” During the next few years cover-versions of "Sitting on Top of the World" were recorded by a number of artists: The Two Poor Boys, The Famous Hokum Boys, Big Bill Broonzy, Sam Collins, Milton Brown and Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys. After Milton Brown recorded it for Bluebird Records the song became a staple in the repertoire of western swing bands.

"Sitting on Top of the World" has become a standard of traditional American music. The song has been widely recorded in a variety of different styles – folk, blues, country, bluegrass, rock – often with considerable variations and/or additions to the original verses. The lyrics convey a stoic optimism in the face of emotional set-backs and the song has been described as a “simple, elegant distillation of the Blues”.

Check this clip out, it is a vintage clip of Howlin' Wolf doing the song Sitting On Top Of The World. The thing that caught my eye is that it is in color. That and the fact that it is a knock out performance by Mr. Howlin' Wolf. The note at YouTube states that the video is from Chicago, 1974.



mp3s of Sitting on Top of the World @Amazon.com

Sitting On Top Of The World by Howlin' Wolf

Sitting On Top Of The World by B.B. King

Sitting On Top Of The World by Cream

Sitting On Top Of The World by the Greatful Dead [Live at Fillmore West, San Francisco, CA, February 8, 1970]

Sitting On Top Of The World by Al Jolson

Sitting On Top Of The World by Dean Martin

Sitting On Top Of The World by Van Morrison With Carl Perkins

Blues Song In The Spotlight: John The Revelator

Son House's version of this song is the definitive version as far as I am concerned. But I'm trying to not be such a purist, and this song is a good jumping off point.

Lyrics of John The Revelator
From Wikipedia

The lyrics below are Blind Willie Johnson's version of "John the Revelator". Subsequent versions feature a variety of substituted verses and different interpretations of Johnson's lyrics.

[call] Well who's that a-writin'? [response] John the Revelator
Who's that a-writin'? John the Revelator
Who's that a-writin'? John the Revelator
A book of the seven seals

Tell me what's John a-writin'? Ask the Revelator
What's John a-writin'? Ask the Revelator
What's John a-writin'? Ask the Revelator
A book of the seven seals

Now who art worthy, thousands cried holy
Bound for some, Son of our God
Daughter of Zion, Judah the Lion
He redeemeth us, Jesus bought us with his blood

Now tell me who's that a-writin'? John the Revelator
Who's that a-writin'? John the Revelator
Who's that a writin'? John the Revelator
A book of the seven seals

Well what's John a-writin'? Ask the Revelator
What's John a-writin'? Ask the Revelator
What's John a-writin'? Ask the Revelator
A book of the seven seals

John the Revelator, great advocator
Get's 'em on the battle of Zion
Lord, tellin' the story, risin' in glory
Cried, "Lord, don't you love some I"
[Repeat verses 4 & 5]

Well Moses to Moses, watchin' the flock
Saw the bush where they had to stop
God told Moses, "Pull off your shoes"
Out of the flock, a-well-a you I choose
[Repeat verses 4 & 5]


These are the lyrics for Son House's 1965 recording version.

[call] Well who's that a-writin'? [response] John the Revelator
Who's that a-writin'? John the Revelator
Who's that a-writin'? John the Revelator
A book of the seven seals

[call] Well who's that a-writin'? [response] John the Revelator
Who's that a-writin'? John the Revelator
Who's that a-writin'? John the Revelator
A book of the seven seals

God walked down in the cool of the day
Called Adam by his name
But he refused to answer
Because he's naked and ashamed
[call] Well who's that a-writin'? [response] John the Revelator
Who's that a-writin'? John the Revelator
Who's that a-writin'? John the Revelator
A book of the seven seals

Christ had twelve apostles
And three he led away
He said, "Walk with me while I walk,
'til I go yon and pray."
[call] Well who's that a-writin'? [response] John the Revelator
Who's that a-writin'? John the Revelator
Who's that a-writin'? John the Revelator
A book of the seven seals

[call] Well who's that a-writin'? [response] John the Revelator
Who's that a-writin'? John the Revelator
Who's that a-writin'? John the Revelator
A book of the seven seals

Christ came on Easter morning
Mary and Martha were down to see
He said, "Go tell my disciples
to meet me in Galilee."
[call] Well who's that a-writin'? [response] John the Revelator
Who's that a-writin'? John the Revelator
Who's that a-writin'? John the Revelator
A book of the seven seals
[call] Well who's that a-writin'? [response] John the Revelator
Who's that a-writin'? John the Revelator
Who's that a-writin'? John the Revelator
A book of the seven seals


Revelations Chapter 1, versus 1-3, King James Version

(1) The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified [it] by his angel unto his servant John: (2) Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. (3) Blessed [is] he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time [is] at hand.

mp3s @ Amazon.com

John The Revelator (Album Version) by Depeche Mode

John The Revelator by Gov'T Mule

John The Revelator by Son House