Here's Dinah Washington's page at the All-Music Guide.
This page contains lyrics to the following song(s):
This R&B tune from 1948 is about Dinah's dentist, Long John. She visits him to get her cavity filled, of course. But I wonder just what cavity she's talking about...
Long John Blues (Tommy George) I've got a dentist who's over seven feet tall Yes I've got a dentist who's over seven feet tall Long John they call him, and he answers every call Well I went to Long Johns office and told him the pain was killin' Yes I went to Long Johns office and told him the pain was killin' He told me not to worry, that my cavity just needed fillin' He said "when I start drillin', I'll have to give you novocaine" He said, "Yes, when I start drillin', I'll have to give you novocaine Cause ev'ry woman just can't stand the pain" He took out his trusted drill And he told me to open wide He said he wouldn't hurt me But he'd fill my hole inside Long John, Long John, you've got that golden touch You thrill me when you drill me, and I need you very much When he got through, he said "Baby that will cost you ten" Yes when he got through, he said "Baby that will cost you ten Six months from now, come back and see me again" Say you're supposed to see your dentist 'Bout twice a year, that's right But I think I feel it bobbin' Yes I'll go back there tonight Long John, Long John, don't ever move away Say I hope I keep on achin' so I can see you every day.
Recorded in 1951.
New Blowtop Blues (Jane Feather - Leonard Feather) I've got bad news baby, and you're the first to know Yes I've got bad news baby, and you're the first to know Well I discovered this morning that my wig is about to blow Well I've been rocking on my feet and I've been talking all out of my head Yes I've been rocking on my feet and I've been talking all out of my head And when I get through talking, I can't remember a thing I've said Now I used to be a sharpie All dressed in the latest styles But now I'm walking down Broadway Wearing nothing but a smile I see all kinds of little men Although they're never there I tried to push a subway train And poured whiskey in my hair I'm a gal who blew a fuse, I've got those blowtop blues Last night I was five feet tall, Today I'm eight feet ten Every time I fall downstairs, I float right up again When someone turned the lights on me it like to drove me blind I woke up this morning in Bellevue but I've left my mind behind I'm a gal you can't excuse, cause I've got those blowtop blues Well I got high last night, and I took my man to his wife's front door Yes I got juiced last night and I took my man to his wife's front door Oh but she was a 45-packin' mama, and I ain't goin' to try that no more!
Another R&B tune with a medical twist, this time it's not the dentist but the doctor who gives Dinah the right treatment.
Short John (Elroy Crane - Leroy Kirkland) Short John is my doctor, and he sho' is good to me Yes I'm puttin' on John down, Short John's my man and he sho' is good to me When I treat him right, I get the whole treatment for free! He examines me carefully, takes care of my ills Yes he examines me carefully, and he takes care of my ills Well he checks me all over, hen he gives me the right size pills! He said, "lay down, stretch out, and please don't look so sad" Yes I laid down, I stretched out, and I stopped looking so sad Cause the medicine he gave me was enough to drive most women stark ravin' mad Now the other doctors checked me out Cause they found nothing wrong When Short John looked me over I've got other ails that never shown I cried "Doctor!", I keep singing "Doctor, I need a treatment right away For you treat me so good, I could stand these treatments every day" I was so tired and sick, I could hardly talk He gave me my right size pill, I jumped up and started to walk and wail, "Doctor, ooh doctor, another treatment right away! Yes, you'll treat me so good, I could stand those treatments every day" Oo-oo-oo-ooh yeah!
Recorded June 10, 1953 in New York City for Mercury Records; the lyrics to this novelty R 'n' B-hit makes one wonder just what kind of channels she had on her TV set (remember, this was before cable :)
It can be found on the Verve CD "The Best in Blues".
If you wanna have fun come home with me You can stay all night and play with my TV TV is the thing this year, this year TV is the thing this year Radio was great, now it's out of date TV is the thing this year Last night I was watching old Tom Nix My TV broke, I was in a fix I Got on the phone, and called my man, Said get here daddy as fast as you can TV is the thing this year, oh TV is the thing this year, Radio was great, but now it's out of date and TV is the thing this year Now he turned my dial to channel one I knew that this was gonna be fun He turned my dial to channel two That station thrilled me through and through He moved one notch to channel three I said oh how I love what you're doin' to me He said, wait a minute, let's try channel four Just about that time someone knocked on the door TV is the thing this year, oh yes TV is the thing this year, Radio was great, now it's out of date TV is the thing this year The way he eased into channel five That man musta had fluid drive He moved once more to channel six Then he opened up his bag of tricks On channel seven the show was late But we got our kicks on channel eight He turned my dial to channel nine Said Baby, your set is workin' fine He moved on up to channel ten Then we started all over again He finally hit channel eleven I cried mama, he treats your daughter so good! TV is the thing this year, yes TV is the thing this year Yes radio was great, but now it's out of date TV is the thing this year Baby my set will need fixin' just about this time every night!
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