Favorite Blues Lyrics

[Richardo Caerleoni]

OK, partly prompted by Pete’s “deal with the devil”…

But the best blues lines…?

“I’m like a Mississippi bullfrog sitting on a hollow stump

Got so many women, don’t know which way to jump” - Joe Turner

You can extend this to R&B…

“Shoppin’ for Clothes” by the Coasters …”Mmmm, C’mon right on in here and just sign on the dotted line...Well, Now, try it on...ain't that fine?”.

Or, Mose Allison..."A Goblin tried to give me a kiss, They always told me there would be days like this"...

[Underhound]

"...You're eyes look like a roadmap
I'm scared to smell your breath
You better shut your peepers
before you bleed to death"

-Wynonie Harris "Bloodshot Eyes"
(Penny/Hall)

[Richardo Caerleoni]

Mistakes, I know I've made a few
But I'm only human
You've made mistakes too
I'm cryin'
Oooh Baby Baby
Oooh Baby Baby
Ooo Baby Baby
Oooh Baby Baby



HAS to be THE greatest Motown song ever...or is that another thread...?

My hair is nappy
but my man don't care
My hair is nappy
but my man don't care
Any man's a fool
to want a woman for her hair

Written by Bessie Smith, but never recorded.

[Boris Badenov]

I'm like a one-eyed cat peepin' in a seafood store,
I'm like a one-eyed cat peepin' in a seafood store,
I'm lookin' at you, you ain't no child no more!

[Chris D]

Jimmy Reed had some great ones.
Bright lights, big city, gone to my baby's head
Whoa, bright lights, an' big city, gone to my baby's head
I tried to tell the woman, but she don't believe a word I said

[Richardo Caerleoni]

"She bent down and turned around and gave me a wink
She said "I'm gonna make it up right here in the sink"

It smelled like turpentine, it looked like Indian ink
I held my nose, I closed my eyes, I took a drink
I didn't know if it was day or night
I started kissin' everything in sight"

Clovers!!!

[clinthopson]

My all time favorite blues vocal is Joe William's "Joe's Blues" with the Capp-Pierce Juggernaut at the Century Plaza. It's about 10 minutes of pure raunchy blues with a great solo by Marshall Royal.

"I'm gonna curl your hair from the inside out."

[Richardo Caerleoni]

Originally Posted by clinthopson

My all time favorite blues vocal is Joe William's "Joe's Blues" with the Capp-Pierce Juggernaut at the Century Plaza. It's about 10 minutes of pure raunchy blues with a great solo by Marshall Royal.

"I'm gonna curl your hair from the inside out."

I KNOW that track! And it is stunning. And when Joe Williams says "Marshall Royal, Marshall Royal"....blows me away!

[Squaredancecalling Steve]

I ain't loved but three men in my life:
My father, my brother, and the man who wrecked my life.

-- Bessie Smith

**

I've got a mind to give up living,
Yes, and go shopping instead,
Pick me a tombstone
And be pronounced dead.

-- Traditional (Butterfield, East-West)

[Chris D]

Willie Dixon, the blues Shakespeare:

Well, I'll let you know,
she's built up from the ground
She's got a way of lovin',
makes my love come fallin' down

[clinthopson]

Originally Posted by Chris D

Willie Dixon, the blues Shakespeare:

Well, I'll let you know,
she's built up from the ground
She's got a way of lovin',
makes my love come fallin' down

Joe quotes that in his blues.

[Elliot]

I woke up this morning,
Had the blues three different ways,
One said go,
Two said stay.


--Taj Mahal,
Leavin' Trunk Blues

[John L]

I'm gonna lay my head down on the railroad line,
I'm gonna lay my head down on the railway line,
and let the 5:19 passify my mind.

[bluenoter]

Originally Posted by John L

I'm gonna lay my head down on the railroad line,
I'm gonna lay my head down on the railway line,
and let the 5:19 passify my mind.

How about "pacify"? Or maybe that's just the 2:19 train.

A couple of blues lyrics sites:

http://blueslyrics.tripod.com/

http://www.geocities.com/BourbonStreet/Delta/2541/

[Dr Dave]

Robert Johnson:

I got stones in my passway, and my road seem dark at night.
Stones in my passway, and my road seem dark at night.
I got pains in my heart, they have taken my appetite.

I don't know who wrote this, I heard it on a Bobby Short album:

I got the four walls and one dirty window blues
Four walls, and one dirty window blues
If I'd have saved my money, when I was young and well,
I wouldn't be up here screechin' in this cheap hotel.
I got the four walls, and one dirty window blues.

I'm gonna cut your throat, drink your blood just like wine
Cut your throat, cut your throat, and drink your blood like cherry wine.
Then I'll take your dead head, and throw it at your dead behind.

Junior Wells:

Now when a girl reach the age of eighteen, she begin to think she's grown
That's the kind of little girl you can't never find at home
Come see me early in the morning, baby 'bout the break of day.
Shoulda seen me hurt my pillow, where my baby used to lay.

Lonnie Mack:

Goin' to the river where the water goes round and round
Goin' to the river where the water goes round and round
Can't find Roberta gonna jump overboard and drown.

B.B. King:

I asked my baby for a nickel, and she gave me a twenty-dollar bill
Asked my baby for a nickel, and she gave me a twenty-dollar bill
I asked her for a little drink of liquor, and she gave me a whiskey still.

James Cotton:

She asked for two dollars to get some market
Went out on the street, old George stopped her
He knocked her down, and blacked her eye
Run back home tell her husband a lie
Don't start me talkin', I'll tell everything I know
Got to cut out this signifyin', Lord, somebodys' got to go.

Bob Dylan:

I see you got a new boyfriend, I ain't seen him before
I saw you making love to him, you forgot to close the garage door
You think he loves you for your money, but I know what he loves you for:
Your brand new leopard-skin pillbox hat.

Muddy Waters:

Had some money in the bank, I got busted, people ain't that bad
Had my money in the bank, I got busted, people ain't that bad
You can't spend what you ain't got,
you can't lose somethin' little girl you ain't never had

Sonny Boy Williamson:

Please come home to your daddy, and explain yourself to me
Because I and you are man and wife, tryin' to start a family
I'm beggin' you baby, cut out that off the wall jive
If you can't treat me no better, it gotta be your funeral and my trial

[Noj]

Willie Dixon:
"Back Door Man
Men don't know
Little girls understand"

"Could be a spoonful of coffee
Could be a spoonful of tea
But one little spoon of your precious love
Is good enough for me

Could be a spoonful of water
To save me from the desert sand
But one little spoon of my .45
Will save you from another man"

I always liked these Robert Johnson lyrics, as interpreted by Robert Plant on the Led Zeppelin cover of "Traveling Riverside Blues":
"Asked sweet mama, Let me be her kid
She said, "You might get hurt if you don't keep it hid"

Well I know my baby, If I see her in the dark
I said I know my rider, If I see her in the dark

Now, I goin' to Rosedale, Take my rider by my side
Still barrelhouse, If it's on the riverside, yeah
I know my baby, Lord, I said, "is really sloppy drunk"
I know my mama, Lord, a brownskin, but she ain't no plum

See my baby, tell her, Tell her hurry home
Had no lovin', since my baby been gone
See my baby, Tell hurry on home
I ain't had, Lord, my right mind, Since my rider's been gone

Hey, she promises, She's my rider
I wanna tell you, She's my rider
I know you're mine, She's my rider
She ain't but sixteen, But she's my rider

I'm goin' to Rosedale, Take my rider by side
Anybody argue with me man, I'll keep them satisfied
Well, see my baby, tell her, Tell her the shape I'm in
Ain't had no lovin', Lord, since you know when

Spoken: Why don't you come into my kitchen

She's a kindhearted lady. She studies evil all the time
She's a kindhearted woman. She studies evil all the time

Squeeze my lemon 'til the juice runs down my leg
Squeeze it so hard, I'll fall right out of bed
Squeeze my lemon, 'til the juice runs down my leg

Spoken: I wonder if you know what I'm talkin' about

Oh, but the way that you squeeze it girl
I swear I'm gonna fall right out of bed

She's a good rider
She's my kindhearted lady
I'm gonna take my rider by my side
I said her front teeth are lined with gold
She's gotta mortgage on my body, got a lien on my soul
She's my brownskin sugar plum..."

Muddy Waters
"Bring me champagne when I'm thirsty
Reefer when I want to get high"

Esther Phillips
"I don't mind if you turn me around
Just as long as it gets found...oh, found"

Nina Simone
"You're nothin but a dirty dirty old man
You do your thinkin with a one track mind
Keep talkin bout heaven's glory
But on your face is a different story
Clean up your rap
Your stories getting dusty
Wash out your mouth
Your lies are getting rusty
Can't believe in nothin you say
'Cause I'm around and I see what you do
You know you're funkier than a mosquito's tweeter
You got a mouth like a herd of boll weevils
Same old game, same old thing
You never changed
Always rappin 'bout the same old thing
I got something to tell ya
I got something to tell you baby
That you ain't hip to baby
Blowing minds is a thing of the past
You blew your chance that's why you'll never last
You want to be a graduated mother
But in reality you're just another brother
You think you're slick but you could
Stand a lot of greasing
The things you do ain't never really pleasing
Can't believe in nothin you say
'Cause I'm around and I see what you do
You know you're funkier than a mosquito's tweeter
You got a mouth like a herd of boll weevils
Same old game, same old thing
Always rappin 'bout the same old thing
Beautiful, beautiful
Beautiful, beautiful
Put yourself upon a big stool
Nothing worse than an educated fool
Talkin' sex is your favorite conversation
But peace and love is a famous generation
What's in your head has really started showing
Your conversation's gettin kinda boring
Can't believe nothin' you say
'Cause I'm around and I see what you do
You know you're funkier than a mosquito's tweeter
You got a mouth like a herd of boll weevils
Same old game, same old game
Same old thing you never change
Same old game, same old thing
Always rappin' 'bout the same old thing"

Jimi: Red House

[bluenoter]

Originally Posted by Noj

I always liked these Robert Johnson lyrics, as interpreted by Robert Plant on the Led Zeppelin cover of "Traveling Riverside Blues":

Just for the record: A few of those lyrics are from Robert Johnson's "Traveling Riverside Blues" and a few of those lyrics are from other Robert Johnson songs, but a lot of those lyrics aren't from anything that Robert Johnson ever recorded.

[Noj]

Originally Posted by bluenoter

Just for the record: A few of those lyrics are from Robert Johnson's "Traveling Riverside Blues" and a few of those lyrics are from other Robert Johnson songs, but a lot of those lyrics aren't from anything that Robert Johnson ever recorded.

Yes, that's true. I meant to imply that by "interpreted." Part Traveling Riverside Blues, part Kindhearted Woman Blues, part...

Are the blues purists offended?

[bluenoter]

Originally Posted by Noj

Yes, that's true. I meant to imply that by "interpreted." Part Traveling Riverside Blues, part Kindhearted Woman Blues, part...

Are the blues purists offended?

I'm not offended on principle, but I'm jarred by some of the actual results and prefer the lyrics that Robert Johnson used. However, I've never heard Led Zep sing it.

[HenryMc]

Lucille Bogan's "Shave 'em Dry"

[Noj]

Is the Nina Simone song I posted blues?

Is "Love Potion #9" blues?

Originally Posted by HenryMc

Lucille Bogan's "Shave 'em Dry"

I've got nipples on my titties
big as the end of my thumb
I've got something between my legs
would make a dead man cum

...that's one of the least provocative segments.

[bluenoter]

Originally Posted by Dr Dave in #17

I don't know who wrote this, I heard it on a Bobby Short album:

I looked it up. Willard Robison--"Four Walls (and One Dirty Window) Blues" (1956).

Chris or anyone--

What's the name of that anthology of "X-rated" blues performed by female singers? (I know there is one, and there might be more than one.)

[Noj]

I want that XXX comp, sounds great! I love those dirty, low-down blues.

Like this classic by Clarence Carter:

They call me Back Door Santa
I make my runs about the break of day
They call me Back Door Santa
I make my runs about the break of day
Ho Ho Ho
I make all the little girls happy
While the boys are out to play

I ain't like Ol' Saint Nick
He don't come but once a year
I ain't like Ol' Saint Nick
He don't come but once a year
I come runnin with my presents
Every time you call me dear

[Dr Dave]

"Your love is like a cancer, eating away my life."

Son Seals! Whew!

[Dr Dave]

I just picked up an Otis Rush compliation of his Cobra singles from the mid-1950s. The most memorable chorus has to be: "I want to make violent love to you."

[SEJ]

Originally Posted by Noj

I ain't like Ol' Saint Nick
He don't come but once a year
I ain't like Ol' Saint Nick
He don't come but once a year
I come runnin with my presents
Every time you call me dear

Yeah, Back Door Santa is my favorite Christmas song!

How about Mose Allison:

Everybody's cryin' justice
Just as long as there's business first

[Jazz-in-Aust]

"My heartis heavy as lead,
because the blues have spread,
rocks in my bed,
of all the people i see,
why do they all pick on poor me,
and put rocks in my bed,"

also, "Mumbles" can anyone figure out those lyrics

[rollhead]

I have to go so far girl,
To get my hambones boiled
-- Barbeque Bob