Here is more information (from the All-Music Guide)
This page contains lyrics to the following song(s):
This Willie Dixon song was a Chess single in 1954. My source for this song is a French Vogue CD, "Muddy Waters on Chess, Vol. 2: 1951-1959".
The gypsy woman told my mother Before I was born I got a boy child's comin' He's gonna be a son of a gun He gonna make pretty womens Jump and shout Then the world wanna know What this all about But you know I'm him Everybody knows I'm him Well you know I'm the hoochie coochie man Everybody knows I'm him I got a black cat bone I got a mojo too I got the Johnny conkeroo I'm gonna mess with you I'm gonna make you girls Lead me by my hand Then the world will know The hoochie coochie man But you know I'm him Everybody knows I'm him Oh you know I'm the hoochie coochie man Everybody knows I'm him On the seventh hours On the seventh day On the seventh month The seven doctors say He was born for good luck And that you'll see I got seven hundred dollars Don't you mess with me But you know I'm him Everybody knows I'm him Well you know I'm the hoochie coochie man Everybody knows I'm him
Recorded in 1949. This song can be found on the French Vogue re-issue CD "Muddy Waters on Chess, Vol. 1: 1948-1951".
Hello canary bird, this is a letter home Hello canary bird, this is a letter home Well you know I want you to fly the whole world over And find how my baby been gettin' along Well canary bird, when you get to Clarksdale Please fly down on Second Street Yes canary bird when you get to Clarksdale Please fly down on Second Street Well you know I don't want you to stop flyin' Until you take the letter out to Stovall for me Fly on, canary bird, fly on! On your way back home, please stop by Memphis a while Yes on your way back home, please stop by Memphis a while Well canary bird I want you to stroll down Beale Street And see can you see my little old angel child
From the double cd "One More Mile": Chess Collectibles Vol. 1. Recorded June 13, 1972 for a radio programme in Lausanne, Switzerland.
COLD UP NORTH (McKinley Morganfield) It's so cold up north, that a bird can hardly fly Well it's so cold up north, that a bird can hardly fly Now you know I'm goin' back down south, let this winter pass on by Well I know my baby, don't know what a shape I'm in Yeah I know my baby, she don't know what a shape I'm in Now you know I ain't had me no lovin', people you know I ain't got no friend Mmm... (hums two lines) Now you know I ain't had me no lovin', people you know ain't got no friend Well I believe I go, further down the road Yeah I believe I go, further down the road Now you know I done stayed over here in Switzerland, people you know I done almost froze Well if I could hold, hold my heart in my hand Yeah if I could hold, hold my heart in my hand You know I would show you pretty girls, just how to treat your man
From the double cd "One More Mile": Chess Collectibles Vol. 1. Recorded 6 June 1963; witty and original lyrics by the incomparable Sonny Boy Williamson.
ELEVATE ME MAMA (Sonny Boy Williamson) Elevate me mama, mama five or six floors all down (2x) Ah you know everybody tell me, you must be the elevatin' woman in town Well you know when you start to elevate me You almost scared me to death You elevate me so fast I've to stop and catch my breast [sic] Elevate me mama, mama five or six floors all down Ah you know everybody tells me, you 'bout the elevatin' woman in town Well you know I went to your apartment last night You had your elevator runnin' slow You know I gave you a buzz I went to take you up on the fourteenth floor Elevate me mama, mama five or six floors on down Well you know everybody tells me, you must be the elevatin' woman in town
From the double cd "One More Mile": Chess Collectibles Vol. 1. Recorded May 2, 1963. See for comparison B.B. King's version of this Eddie Boyd classic.
See also:
FIVE LONG YEARS (Eddie Boyd) Have you ever been mistreated, and you know what I'm talkin' about Have you ever been mistreated, and you know what I'm talkin' about Now you know I work five long years for one woman, she had the nerve to put me out I finally learned a lesson, you know a long long time ago I finally learned a lesson, you know a long long time ago The next woman that I marry, she got to work and bring me some dough Yes I been mistreated, you know what I'm talkin' about Yes I been mistreated, you know what I'm talkin' about Now you know I work five long years for one woman, she had the nerve to put me out She had the nerve She had the nerve She had the nerve to put me out
This is from a 1990 Russian LP, would you believe. If my Russian were any better I could give you more information, but all I can derive from the liner notes is that this song was recorded in 1960 (and live, too - I don't need to learn Russian to hear that!).
Got my mojo working, but it just won't work on you (x2) I wanna love you so bad till I don't know what to do I'm going down to Louisiana to get me a mojo hand (x2) I'm gonna have all you women right here at my command Got my mojo working [echoed by the crowd] (x4) Got my mojo working, but it just won't work on you Play on! [instrumental break] Got my mojo working [echoed by the crowd] (x4) Got my mojo working, but it - uh uh - just won't work on you
Recorded 1954.
Sail on, sail on my little honey bee, sail on Sail on, sail on my little honey bee, sail on You gonna keep on sailing till you lose your happy home Sail on, sail on my little honey bee, sail on Sail on, sail on my little honey bee, sail on I don't mind you sailing, but please don't sail so long All right little honey bee... I hear a lotta buzzing, sound like my little honey bee I hear a lotta buzzing, sound like my little honey bee She been all around the world making honey But now she is coming back home to me
One of the songs that Alan Lomax recorded on the plantation in Clarksdale where Muddy Waters lived and worked in 1941-42. These recordings have been re-issued on MCA/Chess CD "The Complete Plantation Recordings" (MCD 09344). The story of Alan Lomax' encounter (with the lyrics of the song) are included in Alan Lomax's book "The land where the blues began".
Well if I feel tomorrow Like I feel today I'm gonna pack my suitcase And make my getaway Lord I'm troubled, I'm all worried in mind And I'm never bein' satisfied, And I just can't keep from cryin' Yeah, I know my little ol' baby She gonna jump and shout That ol' train be late girl, And I come walkin' out Lord I'm troubled, I'm all worried in mind Yeah and I'm never bein' satisfied, And I just can't keep from cryin' Yeah, I know somebody Sho' been talkin' to you I don't need no telling, girl I can watch the way you do And I be troubled, I be all worried in mind Yeah and I'm never bein' satisfied, And I just can't keep from cryin' Yeah, now goodbye baby Got no more to say Just like I been tellin' you, girl You're gonna have to leave my way Lord I'm troubled, I'm all worried in mind Yeah and I'm never bein' satisfied, And I just can't keep from cryin' Yeah my baby she quit me Seem like mama was dead I got real worried gal And she drove it to my head I be's troubled, I be all worried in mind Yeah and I'm never bein' satisfied, And I just can't keep from cryin'
This re-working of the previous song was recorded after Muddy moved to Chicago, in 1948 for the Chess label. It can be found on the French Vogue re-issue CD "Muddy Waters on Chess, Vol. 1: 1948-1951".
Well I'm goin' away to leave Won't be back no more Goin' back down south, child Don't you want to go? Woman I'm troubled, I be all worried in mind Well baby I just can't be satisfied And I just can't keep from cryin' Well I feel like snappin' Pistol in your face I'm gonna let some graveyard Lord be your resting place Woman I'm troubled, I be all worried in mind Well baby I can never be satisfied And I just can't keep from cryin' Well now all in my sleep Hear my doorbell ring Looking for my baby I couldn't see not a doggone thing Woman I was troubled, I was all worried in mind Well honey I could never be satisfied And I just couldn't keep from cryin' Well I know my little old baby She gonna jump and shout That old train be late man, Lord And I come walking out I be troubled, I be all worried in mind Well honey ain't no way in the world could we be satisfied And I just can't keep from crying
From the double cd "One More Mile": Chess Collectibles Vol. 1. Recorded June 7, 1960
I GOT MY BRAND ON YOU (Willie Dixon) I got my brand on you I got my brand on you I got my brand on you I got my brand on you There ain't nothin' you can do honey I got my brand on you Oh you may go away and leave me girl, I declare you can't stay You gonna come runnin' back to me some lonesome day I got my brand on you I got my brand on you There ain't nothin' you can do darlin' I got my brand on you (Instrumental) Oh I'm puttin' my brand you know baby on no certain part But whenever I kiss you I stab it in your heart I got my brand on you I got my brand on you There ain't nothin' you can do baby I got my brand on you Oh I got you like a fish baby, you know hangin' on my line I can reel you in, most any time I got my brand on you I got my brand on you There ain't nothin' you can do baby I got my brand on you
(Willie Dixon). From 1954. On the CD: "Muddy Waters on Chess Vol. 2: 1951-1959" (Vogue). Etta James' version is probably best known, especially since it was annexed by Coca Cola for one of their TV ads.
I don't want you to Be no slave I don't want you To wake all day I don't want you To be true I just want to make Love to you I don't want you to Wash my clothes I don't want you To keep our home I don't want your Money too I just want to make Love to you Love to you Love to you love to you They tell about the way you Switch and walk Now I can see by the way you Baby talk Now I can know by the way you Treat your man That I could love you baby until the Cryin' shame I don't want you to Cook my bread I don't want you To make my bed I don't want to Because I'm sad and blue I just want to make Love to you love to you love to you love to you... (repeat, and fade)
One of a number of Big Bill Broonzy tunes that Muddy Waters recorded for Chess in July 1959. From the French Vogue CD "Muddy Waters on Chess Vol. 2: 1951-1959".
Have you ever been walking, walking down that old lonesome road? Have you ever been walking, walking down that old lonesome road? No place to go, whee well brown no place to room and board Things look so lonesome, down that road ahead Things look so dark, down that road ahead Been thinkin' of the way you livin', whee well boy and what your mother said Things look so lonesome, when you ain't got a shelter over your head Things look so lonesome, when you ain't got a shelter over your head When you could have been at home, whee well boy sleepin' in a feather bed
Recorded in 1977 in Westport, CT. Muddy Waters was accompanied by Jerry Portnoy on acoustic harp. The song can be found on the CD "Blues Sky" in the Roots 'n' Blues series (Columbia/Legacy Contemporary Blues Masters).
Mamie (McKinley Morganfield/J. Rogers) Mamie, don't you hear me call your name Oh Mamie, don't you hear me calling your name Well Mamie I wanna see you so bad little girl, Till I don't know what to do Mamie, won't you please shake my hand Oh Mamie, Mamie, won't you please shake my hand Well I love you so hard Mamie, and you know I just can't explain - Solo - Mamie, won't you come and kiss me goodbye Oh Mamie Mamie, why don't you come and kiss me goodbye Well you know I hate to see you leave me little girl, You know you gonna make me cry Mamie, you got me down on my bended knees Mamie, you got me down on my bended knees Well little girl I hate to see you leave me, you hear me? That's why I'm beggin you please, please
This was recorded for the Aristocrat label (1948). From the double CD "The Aristocrat of the Blues: the best of Aristocrat Records" (MCA/Chess).
Mean Red Spider (McKinley Morganfield) I got a mean red spider, and she been webbin' all over town I got a mean red spider, and she been webbin' all over town I'm gonna get me a mean black spider, so I can tear her cobweb down I got a break comin', no need for me to moan I got a break is sho' comin', no need for me to moan That's jus' a mean red spider, she's breakin' up my happy home All right stop this stuff man Go ahead man If I don't go crazy, I will surely lose my mind Well you know if I don't go crazy, I will surely lose my mind That's jus' a mean red spider, and she jus' bother me all the time
From the double cd "One More Mile": Chess Collectibles Vol. 1. Recorded June 7, 1960.
MEANEST WOMAN (McKinley Morganfield) Who's that young girl come walkin' down the road She's walkin' like Maggie but I declare she's walkin' too slow, oh oh Who's that young girl walkin' down the road She walk like Maggie boy but I 'clare the girl walkin' too slow The woman I love got great long curly hair Her mother and father sho' don't 'low me there, oh oh The girl I love - great long curly hair Her mother and father, oh no boy they don't 'low me there The meanest woman I most ever seen I acked [sic] for water she brought me gasoline, oh The meanest woman boy I most ever seen I acked her for water and she come runnin' with gasoline I'm goin' away to leave and I won't be back no mo' The next time you see me my head'll be white as snow, oh Goin' away to leave you, I won't be back no mo' Next time you see me, my head'll be white as snow
From the double ced "One More Mile": Chess Collectibles Vol. 1. Recorded in 1961.
MESSIN' WITH THE MAN (McKinley Morganfield) What did I hear goin' on 'round town You tell everybody you're gonna put the kid down Whoa Loard baby you drivin' me insane You been messin' with the kid, you better not be messin' with the man You know the kid didn't jive, you know the kid didn't play He said what he mean and he meant what he said Whoa Lord now baby you drivin' me insane You been messin' with the kid, you better not be messin' with the man You spendin' my money as it come as a gift I work for my money upon a eight-hour shift Whoa Lord now, baby you drivin' me insane You been messin' with the kid, you better not be messin' with the man Now anything you want it, when you just say it Didn't the kid buy, the time he got paid Whoa Lord, baby you drivin' me insane You been messin' with the kid, you better not be messin' with the man You taken the kid's car and you drove it all 'round town You told everybody you're gonna put him down Whoa Lord, baby you drivin' me insane You been messin' with my kid, you better not be messin' with the man
Recorded in 1965.
My Dog Can't Bark (Otis Smothers) People they're talkin' about you and I What they sayin' I know is a lie The people they're talkin' about me and you I done got tired, I'm gonna talk some too They talk about my dog, they talk about my cat Sayin' my dog can't bark and my cat can't scratch The people they're talkin' about me and you I done got tired, I'm gonna talk some too My dog can bark and my cat can scratch Who started the fire'll have to go out and stop the match The people they're talkin' about me and you I done got tired, I'm gonna talk some too Ain't nobody's business if I bark like a dog Chasin' rats all up and down the hall The people they're talkin' about me and you I done got tired, I'm gonna talk some too
Recorded in 1972.
My Pencil Won't Write No More (McKinley Morganfield) Well I wonder, I wonder, every place I go Yeah you know I just wonder, I wonder, every place I go My letter's gone dead, and my pencil it won't write no more Sometime I wonder why she put me out of doors (I don't like that one) Yeah sometime I wonder why she put me out of doors Well you know my letter's gone dead, and my pencil it won't write no more Anybody ask you, why did I punch you in your nose Yeah you know if anybody ask you, why did I punch you in your nose Well you know my letter's gone dead, and my pencil it won't write no more I went to buy some ink, but they don't keep it no more in the stores Yeah you know I went to buy myself some ink, but they don't keep it no more in the stores Well you know my letter's gone dead, and my pencil it won't write no more
Recorded in 1963.
One More Mile (McKinley Morganfield) Oh you know it has been such a hard hard journey, I don't have to cry no more Keep your light up burnin', so I can know the score I got one more mile, oh you know I only got one more mile to go Oh you know my journey was so hard, but I don't have to worry 'bout you no more Oh you know they tell me that thousands of schoolkids, every one have a mate The little girl that I love, she the richest in the state I got one more mile, oh you know I only got one more mile to go Oh you know my journey has been so hard, but I don't have to worry 'bout you no more - solo - Oh you know I made a mistake for gamblin', I betted my money wrong I was bettin' on my baby, but she weren't even at home I got one more mile, oh you know I got one more mile to go Oh you know it has been such a long journey, but I don't have to cry 'bout you no more.
Recorded in 1972.
Rock Me (McKinley Morganfield) Want you to rock me baby, rock me all night long Want you to rock me baby, rock me all night long Well I want you to rock me baby, like my back ain't got no bones Sun goin' down, the moon begin to rise Sun goin' down, the moon begin to rise Well I want you to rock me baby, till you make me satisfied See me comin', run get your rockin' chair See me comin', run get your rockin' chair Well you know I ain't no stranger, you know I used to live right here Want you to roll me, like I roll a waggon wheel Want you to roll me, like I roll a waggon wheel You know I want you to roll me over, you know how good that makes me feel Rock me easy, rock your baby slow Rock me easy, rock your baby slow Well you know I want you to rock me so easy, till I don't wanna rock no more Put your arms around me, like a circle around the sun Put your arms around me, like a circle around the sun I want you to call, call me daddy, let me lay down in your arms.
(McKinley Morganfield). From 1951. On the CD: "Muddy Waters on Chess Vol. 2: 1951-1959" (Vogue).
They call me Muddy Water, I'm just as restless man as the deep blue sea Oh yeh they call me Muddy Water, I'm just as restless man as the deep blue sea You know I've been like that, ever since my baby been gone from me The night she left me, you know the rain boy was pouring down Oh yeah the night the little girl left me, you know the rain was pouring down You know I was the most bluest man, in this whole Chicago town I got a brand new babe, she just as sweet man as a girl can be Oh Lord I got a brand new girl, she just as sweet man as a apple on a tree I wanna tell all you people, how the little child been sending me.
From the double cd "One More Mile": Chess Collectibles Vol. 1. Recorded June 6 1963.
THIRTEEN HIGHWAY (McKinley Morganfield) I went down 13 Highway, drivin' a brand new V8 Ford I went down 13 Highway, drivin' a brand new V8 Ford Oh you know I was drivin' so fast, baby I couldn't hardly see the road Oh I was drivin' 60 miles an hour, all up and down the hill Oh you know I was drivin' 60 miles an hour, all up and down the hill Oh you know I was speedin' so fast, I couldn't hardly control my wheel (solo) Don't the highway look lonesome, after the sun done gone down Oh don't the highway look lonesome, after the sun done gone down Oh you know you're all alone by yourself, there ain't nobody else around
Recorded in 1966. For another version see Jeannie & Jimmy Cheatham and the Sweet Baby Blues Band.
See also:
TROUBLE IN MIND (Richard Jones) Trouble in mind, and I'm blue Oh you know I won't be blue always You know the sun is gonna shine in my back door some day I'm going down to the river Oh you know I'm gonna sit right down right down there, on the ground You know if I get to thinkin' about my baby, I wanna jump overboard and drown Well I'm going back to Jackson Oh you know to my old Jackson, Tennessee Where you know your girls ain't doin' nothin' but makin' a fool of me Well I'm going down to the railroad Oh you know I'm gonna lay my head right down on the railroad iron I'm gonna let the two-nineteen ease my worried mind
From the double cd "One More Mile": Chess Collectibles Vol. 1 - a radio broadcast in Lausanne, Switzerland, on 13 June 1972.
YOU CAN'T LOSE WHAT YOU AIN'T NEVER HAD (McKinley Morganfield) 1: Had a sweet little girl, I lose my baby, boy ain't that bad Had a sweet little girl, I lose my baby, boy ain't that bad You can't spend what you ain't got, you can't lose some little girl you ain't never had 2: Had money in the bank, I got busted, people ain't that bad Had 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 some little girl you ain't never had Ain't that the truth boys (instrumental) (Repeat 2) 3: Had a sweet little home, it got burned down, people ain't that bad My own fault, people ain't that bad Well you know you can't spend what you ain't got, you can't lose some blues you ain't never had (instrumental) Have mercy! 4: Sweet little home, got burned down, people ain't that bad Yeah you know I had a sweet little home, it got burned down, people ain't that bad Whoa you know you can't spend what you ain't got, you can't lose some little girl you ain't never had
From the double cd "One More Mile": Chess Collectibles Vol. 1. Recorded 6 June 1963. Another version of this Jimmy Reed song is here, by Jeannie & Jimmy Cheatham.
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YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO (Jimmy Reed) Oh baby, you don't have to go Oh baby, you don't have to go You know I'm gonna pack up baby, down the road I go Whoa baby, what's gettin' wrong with you Whoa baby, what's gettin' wrong with you You don't treat me nothin' girl, like you used to do (instrumental, harmonica solo by James Cotton) Well I gave you all of my money and let you / go downtown You come back in the evenin' you call me / all kind of clown Oh baby, you don't have to go You know I'm gonna pack up baby, down the road I go Whoa baby, turn your lamp down low Whoa baby, turn your lamp down low I beg you all night baby, you don't have to go
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