This page contains lyrics to the following song(s):
Recorded 7 August 1940 in Chicago, with "Oh Red" (George Washington - no, not thatGeorge Washington) on washboard.
From "the complete Brownie McGhee" (Columbia Legacy Roots 'n' Blues).
My baby she done somethin, never done before When I come home, had a pail up on the floor Won't you tell me woman, who's that left here while ago? When I come home, who's that went out my back door? Well it must have been a stranger, he did not understand Went out my back door, padlock in his hand Now won't you tell me woman, who's that left here while ago? When I come home, who's that went out my back door? Well I ain't gonna use no ice, gon' buy me a frigidaire Know that'll keep the ice man away from here Now won't you tell me woman, who's that left here while ago? When I come home, who's that went out my back door? Well it must have been a stranger, he did not understand Went out my backdoor, hat in his hand Now won't you tell me woman, who's that left here while ago? When I come home, who's that went out my back door? Well I'm gonna buy my groceries, bring 'em home every day I know that'll keep that groceries boy away Now won't you tell me woman, who's that left here while ago? When I come home, who's that went out my back door? Well it must have been a stranger, did not understand Went out my backdoor, the passage in his hand Now won't you tell me woman, who's that left here while ago? When I come home, who's that went out my back door?
This song was recorded by Brownie with his long time partner Sonny Terry on harmonica, in 1946. It's from the CD "Brownie McGhee 1944-1955", on Travelin' Man.
Big legged woman now, where have you been? I ain't had no lovin' now since God knows when Aah big legged woman tell me where have you been I ain't had no lovin' yeah since God knows when Big legged woman now put on your negligee I wanna find out what you got that's getting me Aah big legged woman please put on your negligee I just wanna find out what you got that's killin' me All my life big legged women's all I crave I believe to my soul they gonna carry me to my grave All my life big legged women's all I crave I believe to my soul they gonna carry me to my grave When I was kid going to school 'T was a big legged woman made me break mama's rule Oh when I was kid goin' to the public school It was a big legged teacher made me break my mama's rule You got a big legged woman boys, pin 'r to your side She holds up her thumb now, I'm bound to let her ride You got a big legged woman, please pin her to your side Now she holds up her thumb, I'm bound to let her ride
A song from Brownie's very first recording date, 6 August 1940 in Chicago. It was released on an Okeh 78 rpm. He was accompanied by Jordan Webb on harmonica.
This and all other of Brownie's 1940-41 recordings for Okeh and Columbia can be found on the double CD "The Complete Brownie McGhee" (Columbia Legacy Roots 'n' Blues).
Boys I'm most done travellin', Lord I'm at my journey's end B'lieve I'm most done travellin', Lord at my journey's end Well I been lookin' for me a good partner, bad luck is my best friend Lord I was born for bad luck, bad luck is everything I see I was born for bad luck, bad luck is everything I see Well I wonder why, bad luck keeps on follow me There was thirteen children in my family, I was the last one born Thirteen children in our family, I was the last one born I was born on bad luck Friday, lord on the thirtheenth morn' Play it Jim Bad luck is just like my shadow, follow me everywhere I go Bad luck is just like my shadow, follow me everywhere I go Till they follow me one time, back to my best gal's door
Recorded in Chicago on 7 August 1940, with Jordan Webb (harmonica). It was not released at that time; it is collected on "the complete Brownie McGhee" (Columbia Legacy Roots 'n' Blues)
I'm just a poor coal loader, I'm diggin' deep down in the mine I'm just a poor coal loader, diggin' deep down in the mine Well the harder I work for my woman, she treats me so unkind Now I'm gettin' tired of workin', cause I believe I've got a hunch I'm gettin' tired of workin, cause I believe I got a hunch Lord I had to go into the mine, with cornbread in my lunch Sometimes I call my woman, call her 'bout five o'clock Sometimes I call my woman, call her 'bout five o'clock I'm goin' down into the mine, severin' that coal from the rock Play it! Mmm, I work from sun to sun Mmmm, I work from sun to sun I'm talkin' about a hard minin' man, cause his work is never done There's one thing about a coal miner, guess you women don't understand One thing about a coal miner, you women don't understand Seem like you wanna mistreat him, cause he's a coal minin' man
Brownie recorded this tribute to Blind Boy Fuller, who died a few months earlier, in Chicago on 23 May 1941. It's a solo, just Brownie and his guitar (he usually had washboard and/or harmonica backing).
He recorded two takes; the unissued, alternate take was longer and had an extra verse, as well as some spoken comments. We give you both versions so you can compare the two.
Blind Boy, claims Brownie in this song, asked him to "carry his business on"; and Brownie seems willing to comply, especially with regard to Blind Boy's many woman friends! (In the alternate version he sings "a million women friends", but not in the released version)
By the way, after this date Okeh released Brownie's records under the name of "Blind Boy Fuller #2".
From the double CD "the complete Brownie McGhee" (Columbia Legacy Roots 'n' Blues)
[From OKeh 06524:] He's gone, Blind Boy Fuller's gone away He's gone, Blind Boy Fuller's gone away Well he heard a voice calling, and he knew he could not stay Well he called me to his bedside one morning, and the clock was strikin' four Called me to his bedside one morning, and the clock was strikin' four Brownie take my guitar and carry my business on, I won't stay here no more Blind Boy had a million friends, north, east, south and west Blind Boy had a million friends, north, east, south and west Well you know it's hard to tell, which place he was loved the best Well all you women of Blind Boy's, how do you want your lovin' done? All of you women of Blind Boy's, how do you want your lovin' done? I'll do my best, I'll do my best, to carry Blind Boy's business on Goodbye Blind Boy! --- [From the unissued take:] He's gone, Blind Boy Fuller's gone away He's gone, Blind Boy Fuller's gone away Well he heard a voice calling, and he knew he could not stay Well he called me to his bedside, and the clock was strikin' four Yeah he called me to his bedside, and the clock was strikin' four Brownie take my guitar, carry my business on, Blind Boy won't be here no more Blind Boy had a million friends, east, north, south and west Blind Boy had a million friends, east, north, south and west Well you know that it's hard to tell, which place he was loved the best (spoken:) Moan... Blind Boy was my best friend, Now I declare he's gone Well I heard he had a million women friends, how I wonder how they want their lovin' done Blind Boy had a million women friends, wonder how they want their lovin' done Well just tell it to Brownie now, I'm tryin' to carry Blind Boy's business on I'm feelin' so blue now, Lord I don't know what to do Well I'm feelin' so blue now, and I don't know what to do Well I know you friends from miles around, feel just like I do
Recorded in Chicago on 23 May 1941, with Jordan Webb, harmonica, and Washboard Slim (Robert Young), washboard. Released on Okeh (along with "Money Spending Woman"); it's on the "complete Brownie McGhee" (Columbia Legacy Roots 'n' Blues).
Yes I got double trouble What am I gonna do now? Wanna leave here Well you had trouble, I've got troubles too Got double trouble, what am I gonna do? I believe I'll leave here I don't feel good no more Well the woman I been lovin' Don't love me no more I was goin' down the street Didn't have one dime The woman I been lovin' Didn't pay me no mind I believe I'll leave here I don't feel good no more Ah the woman I been lovin' Drove me from her door Play it for me boys! My father told me When I was only a kid What you gonna do son Things happen like this I believe I'll leave here I don't feel good no more Yeah the woman I been lovin' Drove me from her door Well must I had now Your heart in my hand I would teach you little woman How to treat a man I believe I'll leave here I don't feel good no more I'm blamin' you woman Drove me from your door Play it for me boys! Yeah double trouble!
Recorded in Chicago on 23 May 1941 (as "Blind Boy Fuller #2"), with Washboard Slim (Robert Young), washboard.
From "The complete Brownie McGhee" (Columbia Legacy Roots 'n' Blues).
A rather un-subtle example of "intra-racial" issues in blues: Brownie's singing the praise of "black" women as opposed to "yellow" women who are evil, crooked, and what have you.
My mother was a black woman, father a black man too And you know 'bout that, nothin' for a yellow woman to do Yellow women are mean and they're evil, crooked on every hand Yes take my advice now boys, and be a black woman's man Yellow women sit around home, wait for payday to come She'll never be good no more, till your next week's work is done Yellow women are mean and they're evil, crooked on every hand Yeah take my advice now boys, and be a black woman's man May think a yellow woman loves you, till it comes to a test She may be your type and kind, I know she's not the best Yellow women are mean and they're evil, they're crooked on every hand - yes! Yes just take my advice now boys, and be a black woman's man I'm crazy 'bout my whiskey, crazy 'bout my gin But you know a yellow woman is crazy 'bout outside men Yellow womens are mean and they're evil, crooked on every hand Why don't you take my advice now boys, and be a black woman's man Play it for me Slim! If you go see a yellow woman, got to have your dollar in your hand Go see a black woman, she gets out her fryin' pan Yellow women are mean and they're evil, crooked on every hand Why don't you take my advice now boys, be a black woman's man
Recorded in Chicago on 22 May 1941, with Jordan Webb (harmonica) and Washboard Slim (Robert Young) on - guess what! It was released on an Okeh 78 rpm coupled with "Double Trouble". By this time Brownie's records were issued under the name "Blind Boy Fuller #2". Blind Boy Fuller had died some months earlier, and next day Brownie McGhee would record his tribute "Death Of Blind Boy Fuller", in which he sings that he would carry Blind Boy's business on. Apparently the record company kept him to his word (hoping to prolong the sales success of Blind Boy Fuller's, no doubt).
From "the complete Brownie McGhee" (Columbia Legacy Roots 'n' Blues)
She's a money spending mama, don't you know, man don't you know She's a money spending mama, don't you know, man don't you know She's a money spending mama, don't want to see that gal no more Well I give her fifty dollars, now honey go down and pay my bills She come back and said Now Brownie, I need twenty more dollar as well She's a money spending mama, don't you know, man don't you know She's a money spending mama, don't want to see that gal no more She said now listen here now Brownie, I wanna tell you something if you please But I need some more money, but I'm not goin' get on my bended knees She's a money spending mama, don't you know, man don't you know She's a money spending mama, don't want to see that gal no more Play it boy! Well I carried this girl down to a big joint, I wanna show this girl a nice time I had twenty-five dollar when I enter, when I left I did not have one dime She's a money spending mama, don't you know, boy don't you know Yes she's a money spending mama, don't want to see that gal no more She said now daddy money was made to spend, I wanna give it in circulation Now if you can spare me twenty-five more dollars, I take care of the situation She's a money spending mama, don't you know, man don't you know
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