This page contains lyrics to the following song(s):
(Recorded in 1927, from Yazoo 1050)
EVERYBODY'S BLUES Hey baby tell me what's the matter now Hey baby tell me what's the matter now Lord you tryin' to quite me baby and you don't know how I ain't got no good girl and I ain't got no lady friend I ain't got no good girl and I ain't got no lady friend I ain't go nobody to say Furry where you been If you don't want me, won't you tell me so If you don't want me, baby, why don't you tell me so Then you won't be bothered with me round your house no mo' Hey-ey baby you don't treat me right Hey-ey baby you don't treat me right For the way you treat me, take my appetite I'd rather see my coffin come rollin' from my door I'd rather see my coffin come rollin' from my door Lord to hear my good girl tell, I don't want you no mo' Woh-oh baby what you gon' do with me? Baby, what you gon' do with me? Way you doin' me baby, I 'clare I sure can't be
Recorded 1961 for the Bluesville label and Re-released by ACE.
JUDGE BOUSHAY BLUES (F. Lewis) Good morning judge, what may be my fine? Good morning judge, what may be my fine? Good morning judge, what may be my fine? Fifty dollars eleven twenty-nine They arrest me for murder and I ain't never harmed a man Arrest me for murder and I ain't never harmed a man Arrest me for forgery and I can't even sign my name Arrest me for murder and I ain't hurt a man Arrest me for murder and I ain't harmed a man Arrest Furry for forgery and he can't even sign his name Some got six months, some got a solid year Some got six months, some got a solid year But me and my partner we got lifetime here If I just had-a known I was goin' to get so long If I just had-a known I was goin' to get so long Boy if I just had-a known I was goin' to get so long Some Western country would have been my home Western country would have been my home Western country would have been my home I know my baby she don't know I'm here I know my baby she don't know I'm here Boy my baby she don't know I'm here If she do she sure don't feel my care
Recorded in 1928; from the CD: Furry Lewis in his prime, Yazoo 1050. In his "second career" after his rediscovery by Sam Charters, Furry recorded a new version of this song as "Judge Boushay Blues".
It's a classical song about injustice (being falsely accused) and corruption ("hundred won't do, better run and get you three"). Although the song doesn't mention anything about race, that aspect would have been obvious to Furry's audience. The "11.29" means a years' sentence.
JUDGE HARSH BLUES (alternate take) Good morning judge, what may be my fine? Good morning judge, what may be my fine? Fifty dollars, eleven twenty-nine They 'rest me for murder, I ain't harmed a man 'Rest me for murder, I ain't harmed a man Women hollerin' murderer, Lord I ain't raised my hand I ain't got nobody to get me out on bond I ain't got nobody to get me out on bond I would not mind but I ain't done nothing wrong Please Judge Harsh, make it light 's you pos'bly can Please Judge Harsh, make it light 's you pos'bly can I ain't did no work judge since I don't know when My woman come runnin' with a hundred dollars in her hand Woman come runnin' with a hundred dollars in her hand Cryin' Judge, judge, please spare my man Woman, hundred won't do, better run and get you three Woman, hundred won't do, better run and get you three That'll keep your man from penitentiary Baby cause I'm arrested, please don't grieve and moan Cause I'm arrested baby, don't grieve and moan Penitentiary seem just like my home People all talking 'bout what they will do Judge all talking 'bout what they will do If they had justice he'd be in penitentiary too
Furry Lewis' version of the song Bessie Smith recorded earlier in 1927. From the CD Yazoo 1050.
Mean old bedbug sho' is evil, he don't mean me no good Mean old bedbug sho' is evil, he don't mean me no good He thinks I'm a woodpecker and he takes me for a chunk o' wood When I lay down at night I wonder how can a poor man sleep When I lay down at night I wonder how can a poor man sleep With one hole in your head while the other one in your feet Bedbug's big as a jackass, he will bite you, stand and grin Bedbug's big as a jackass, will bite you and stand and grin Drink a bowl of bedbug poison, come back and bite you again Saw one morn' in a corner, Lord I tried so hard to see Saw one morn' in a corner, Lord I tried so hard to see It was a mother bedbug Lord, prayin' for some oat to eat I had to sit up all night long, my feet can't touch the floor I had to sit up all night long, my feet can't touch the floor Cause the mean old bedbug told me I can't live there no more
(1927 - On the Yazoo 1050 CD). Not to be confused with the same-title blues by Leroy Ervin.
See also:
I'd the Rock Island Blues waiting on the Rock Island Train Rock Island Blues waiting on the Rock Island Train Got a girl in Texas and I'm scared to call her name Don't you wish your girl was long and tall like mine Don't you wish your girl was long and tall like mine Lord she ain't good-looking but I 'clare she takes her time Baby, where you stay last night? Baby baby, where you stay last night? Lord you didn't come home till the moon was shining bright I'm gon' wash my face in the Gulf of Mexico I'm gon' wash my face in the Gulf of Mexico I'm gon' eat my breakfast a thousand miles below Wonder will my suitcase hold my clothes? Wonder will my suitcase hold my clothes? I ain't got so many but I got so fur to go I ain't got no woman, I ain't got no lady friend I ain't got no woman, ain't got no lady friend I ain't got nobody t'say Furry where you been?
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