John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson was one of the first great harmonica ("harp") players in the blues. He was so popular that many harp players were named Sonny Boy after him, and one (Willie Rice Miller) even took his whole name.
John Lee was born in 1912 in Jackson, Tennessee. He moved to Chicago in 1934 and became one of the founders of modern Chicago Blues. He was murdered in 1948.
Here's the All-Music Guide's page on Sonny Boy Williamson.
This page contains lyrics to the following song(s):
with Walter Davis, piano, and Big Bill Broonzy, guitar. Chicago, July 1939. From the LP Blues Classics 3.
Baby did you hear about the bad luck, the bad luck that happened just about six months ago? Now did you hear about the bad luck, the bad luck that happened just about six months ago? Now my cousin Marvin got shot down, just as he was walkin' out the do' Now and he said please mister, said please don't shoot me no mo' Now and he said please mister, said please don't shoot me no mo' He said because my breath is gettin' short, and my heart is beatin' awful slow And Marvin say I know I got some friends, I want somebody to go and get my mother for me Marvin say I know I got some friends, I want somebody to go and get my mother for me Say maybe she can help me with my trouble, people I'm in so much misery And he say I hate to go leave my mother and father, I hate to go leave my cousin Sonny Boy insane He say I hate to go leave my mother and father, say I hate to go leave my cousin Sonny Boy insane Now go tell 'em if they be good they'll come to see me, people on Resurrection Day
Recorded in November 1937 in Chicago; from the LP: Blues Classics 3.
To quote Langston Hughes' Little Lyric (Of Great Importance):
I wish the rent
Was heaven sent.
[spoken:] Who is that knockin' on that door? I believe that's that collector man. Man, go tell him I ain't got a dime today. Tell him I ain't made a penny all this week. Tell him I'm just as broke as I can be, oh just knock him down... Tell him I'll have the money sometime Now open the door, here come that collector man Go open the door, here come that collector man Why you can tell him I say come back tomorrow, because Sonny Boy ain't got a doggone thing Tell him that I ain't got no money, now he knows how times is today Tell him that I ain't got no money, then he know how times is today Why it's Saturday man ain't got no money, can hardly find a place to stay Tell him that someday I'll have some money, now I want everybody to watch and see Tell him someday I'll have some money, I want everybody to watch and see Why tell him that it's hard to keep down, you know a real good man like me Tell him I know I'm down now, now but I won't be down always Tell him that I'm down now, but I won't be down always Why now you can tell him to watch and see if don't Sonny Boy get some money, oh Lord knows some of these days
With Blind John Davis (piano), Charlie McCoy (guitar), and Alfred Elkins (bass). Chicago, December 1941. From LP "Blues Classics 3".
Now I'm a walkin' groundhog, mama and I walks around in my den Now I'm a walkin' groundhog, mama and I walks around in my den Now if I come out and see my shadow, John I believe I'll go back in Now I want some feedin' mama, so I can hear a high sound If you don't feed me baby I believe I'll go back in the ground Because I'm that walkin' groundhog, mama and I walks around in my den Now if I come out and see my shadow you say you don't love me, I believe I'll go back in Now I wanna hear some swingin' music, I wanna hear a Fats Waller song Now if I start to jitterbuggin' I'm forgettin' my hole down in the ground Because I'm that walkin' groundhog, man and I walks around in my den Now if I come out and see my shadow my woman don't love me, I believe I'll go back in Yes John, you know what I mean... Oh you know I'm a-walkin' wild... Now I need some pettin' baby, baby you know what I mean Now if you don't pet me baby, I believe I'll go back down in New Orleans Because I'm that walkin' groundhog, at night I walks around in my den Now if I come out and see my shadow my woman don't love me, yeah an' I believe I'll go back in
From LP Blues Classics #3. Recorded May 1940 in Chicago, with Joshua Altheimer (piano) and Fred Williams (drums)
Oh yes, somethin's gettin' wrong with my little machine Oh yes, somethin's gettin' wrong with my little machine Now she got a standard carburator, my baby been burnin' bad gasoline Now I'm gonna do like the eagle, I'm gonna fly on the mountain top Lord and if I don't find my baby, it ain't no tellin' where I'll stop Because oh yes, somethin's gettin' wrong with my little machine Now she got a standard carburator, oh but my baby burnin' bad gasoline Well I don't know baby, I don't know what to do You know I don't wanna hurt your feelings, baby I'm even gettin' mad with you But I tell you oh yes, some's gettin' wrong with my little machine Now you got a standard carburator, oh but you been burnin' bad gasoline Well I don't know baby, I don't know what to do Baby you is so sweet, but you just won't be true But oh yes, somethin's gettin' wrong with my little machine Now she's got a standard carburator, oh but my baby been burnin' bad gasoline
"Let me be your lemon squeezer / Until my love come down"... hmm, I'm sure there's a deeper meaning in those lines... :)
Anyhow, this song was recorded in March 1938. With Yank Rachell, mandolin; and probably Big Joe Williams, guitar. From the LP Blues Classics 3.
Now you got the fruit on your tree, lemons on your shelf You know lovin' mama that you can't squeeze them all yourself Now I say please let me be your lemon squeezer Now while's I'm in your lonesome town Now if you let me be your lemon squeezer Lord until my love come down Now it make no difference baby, what your mama don't allow Come on let me squeeze your lemons baby, I mean anyhow Now I say please let me be your lemon squeezer Now while's I'm in your lonesome town Now if you let me be your lemon squeezer Lord until my love come down I like your apple on your tree, I'm crazy about your peaches too I'm crazy about your fruit baby, 'cause you know just how to do Now please let me be your lemon squeezer (yes my Lord!) Now while's I'm in your lonesome town Now you let me be your lemon squeezer Lord until my love come down Now and it ain't but the one thing baby, now that'll really make me cry (what, man?) I asked you about your lemons baby, and you upped and tell me a lie Now please let me be your lemon squeezer Now while's I'm in your lonesome town Now I want you let me be your lemon squeezer Lord until my love come down
From 1944, this is a rather rare example of "war-mongering" blues. Sonny Boy wants to go and shoot Hitler, and bomb the rotten Japs to pieces. But he has his own reasons; it's not to save the free world and all that stuff; it's to keep the dirty Japanese from slippin' into his baby's back door...
Uncle Sam is gonna give me a Thunderbolt, he want me to fly away up above the clouds Uncle Sam is gonna give me a Thunderbolt, he want me to fly away up above the clouds He wants to drop the bombs on the Japanese, I really got to make my baby proud I wants a machine gun, and I wants to be hid out in the wood I wants a machine gun, and I wants to be hid out in the wood I wants to show old man Hitler, that Sonny Boy don't mean him no good I wants to drop a bomb and set the Japanese city on fire I wants to drop a bomb and set the Japanese city on fire Now because they are so rotten, I just love to see them die I've got the victory blues, because I know I've got to go I've got the victory blues, because I know I have got to go Now to keep the dirty Japanese from slippin' into my baby's back door.
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