There are actually two SBW's in blues history. The earliest one (John Lee) was a great blues harp player and many harp players called themselves after him, or were called after him, "Sonny Boy". So too Aleck "Rice" Miller, who also took on the former's last name; probably to help promote the radio show in Helena Arkansas in the 'Forties, the King Biscuit Flour show, on which he regularly appeared. Sonny Boy became one of the great figures in the post-war Chicago blues scene alongside Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf. He wrote most of his songs himself, and many of his lyrics have an original, sometimes humorous character; see e.g. "Ninety Nine", "Santa Claus", or "Your Funeral and My Trial". A good introduction to his recorded legacy is the two-CD set "The Essential Sonny Boy Williamson" on Chess/MCA, although this only covers his Chess (Chicago blues) recordings.
Here is the All-Music Guide on Sonny Boy Williamson 2.
This page contains lyrics to the following song(s):
You been talkin' about your woman, I sure wish that you cold see mine You been talkin' about your woman, I sure wish that you cold see mine Every time the little girl start to lovin', she bring eyesight to the blind Her daddy must have been a millionaire, cause I can tell by the way she walk Her daddy must have been a millionaire, cause I can tell by the way she walk Every time she start to lovin', the deaf and dumb begin to talk All right... (solo) I remember one Friday morning the little girl was makin' up her bed, Man in the next room was dyin', stopped down and held up his head He said Man, ain't she pretty And the whole state know she's fine Every time she start to lovin', she bring eyesight to the blind Let's go now... (solo)
It took me a long time, to find out my mistakes Took me a long time, to find out my mistakes (it sho' did man) But I bet you my bottom dollar, I'm not fattenin' no more frogs for snakes I found out my downfall, back in nineteen and thirty (I started checkin') I found out my downfall, from nineteen and thirty I'm tellin' all of my friends, I'm not fattenin' no more frogs for snakes All right now... (solo) Yeh it is nineteen and fifty-seven, I've got to correct all of my mistakes Whoa man, nineteen and fifty-seven, I've got to correct all of my mistakes I'm tellin' my friends includin' my wife and everybody else, not fattenin' no more frogs for snakes
Hold up your head, and don't let your conscience get you down Hold up your head darlin', don't let your conscience get you down If you never lie to me, I'll always be around You are the same little woman, was so nice and kind to me in every way You are the same little woman, was so nice and kind to me in every way But if you never lie to me, I'll be by your side both night and day You have a strong constitution, and I'm not gonna let you down You have a strong constitution, and I'm not gonna let you down And if you never lie to me darlin', I'll always be around and I won't let you down Yeah man... (solo)
Recorded in June, 1960
In my one room little cabin, just me and my little girl alone In my one room little cabin, just me and my little girl alone It makes a man feel so good when she wrap way back in your arms The little room is so small, I can't even put up no cookin' stove The little room is so small, till I can't put up no cookin' stove But you can tell from the weather, it's so cold, so cold outdoors I could hear it rainin', and see the lightnin' flashin' on my window pane Could hear it rainin', could hear it rainin', and I could see the lightnin' flashin' on my window pane But the little girl lay her head up in my chest and said "I love you, and I'm not ashamed"
Recorded September 8, 1961. See for comparison Temperature 110!
Yeah, ain't that a pity, people ain't that a cryin' shame Ain't that a pity, I declare it's a cryin' shame She wait till it got nine below zero, and put me down for another man I give her all my money, all of my lovin' and everything All of my money, all of my lovin' and everything It done got nine below zero and she done put me down for another man Nine below zero, the little girl she done put me down Nine below zero, the little girl she done put me down She know I don't have nowhere to stay, and I don't have not one dime
Darling you know exactly what happened, last year just about this time Yes you know exactly what happened, last year just about this time You asked me for one hundred dollars, and I didn't have but ninety nine Yes I'm in love with the little girl, just because she's so nice and kind I'm in love, I'm in love with the little girl, just because she's so nice and kind I was so sorry when she asked me for one hundred dollars, I couldn't give her but ninety nine Yes my baby taken sick on July twenty-nine Yes the one I love she taken sick on July twenty-nine Her doctor billed her four hundred dollars, And I didn't have but three hundred and ninety nine
Recorded in April, 1960. On this recording Sonny Boy sounds like he's trying to sound like Howlin' Wolf. He had imitated the Wolf before, quite convincingly, on a song called "Like Wolf". But I'm not sure if on this humorous Christmas song he was doing it on purpose, or if his voice just wasn't in shape when he recorded it...
My baby went shoppin' yesterday, said "I'm gonna buy what you need for Santa Claus" My baby went shoppin' yesterday, said "I'm gonna buy what you need for Santa Claus I'm gon' take mine with me, but I leave yours in my dresser drawer" So that started me to ramblin', lookin' in all of my baby's dresser drawers Whoaw that started me to ramblin', lookin' all in my baby's dresser drawers Tryin' to find out, what did she bought me for Santa Claus When I pull out the bottom dresser drawer, the landlady got mad and called the law When I pull out the bottom dresser drawer, the landlady got mad and called the law I was just tryin' to find, what did she bought me for Santa Claus The police walked in and tapped me on the shoulder, "what you're doing with your hand in that woman's dresser drawer?" And the police was lettin' my baby ___________ showin' where should I find my Santa Claus I just kept on pullin' out all of my baby's dresser drawers I walked out and left the police and the landlady arguin', said "look at the man done pull out all the lady's dresser drawers" Yes I walked out and left the police and the landlady arguin', said "look at the man done pull out all the lady's dresser drawers" But he said "I'd like to let 'm show the judge the boy just tryin' to find his Santa Claus" Oh yeah
Recorded in June, 1960.
Nine below zero on the outside, but I brought my baby's temperature to a hundred and ten Nine below zero out on the outside, and I brought my baby's temperature to a hundred and ten Ever since the little girl put me down for another man I give 'r all of my money, my lovin' and everything All of my money, all my lovin' and everything I brought my baby's temperature up to a hundred and ten, and she done put me down for another man Temperature nine below zero on the outside, I brough my baby's temperature up to a hundred and ten, oh yes I did Nine below zero, and I brought my baby's temperature up to a hundred and ten, oh yeah Ever since then she done put me down for another man
This was recorded on August 7, 1956 - from an alternate take issued on the Chess/MCA double CD "The Essential"
It's just one thing baby I'm asking you to do It's just one little thing baby I'm asking you to do Please give me back your key to your door I called the little girl about a quarter after nine I called the little girl one morning about a quarter after nine The landlady say "I'm sorry, she's not in at the present time" (solo) I called my baby back about fifteen after four I called my baby back fifteen after four I said darling, would you please give me back the key to your door?
Please come home to your daddy, and explain yourself to me Because I and you are man and wife, tryin' to start a family I'm beggin' you baby, cut out that off the wall jive If you can't treat me no better, it gotta be your funeral and my trial When I and you first got together, 't was on one Friday night We spent two lovely hours together, and the world knows allright I'm just beggin' you baby, please cut out that off the wall jive You know you gotta treat me better, if you don't it gotta be your funeral and my trial Alright... (solo) The good Lord made the world and everything / was in it The way my baby love is some / solid sentiment She can love to heal the sick / and she can love to raise the dead You think I'm jokin' but you better be- / lieve what I say I'm beggin' you baby, cut out that off the wall jive Yeh you gotta treat me better, or it gotta be your funeral and my trial
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