Frog Legs, Clifton Chenier (Clifton Chenier),1981
Original recording: Clifton Chenier (Accordion)
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Recording information:
Released by Arhoolie Records in 1981
May 202012
Today I Started Loving You Again, Bobby “Blue” Bland (Merle Haggard, Buck Owens, Bonnie Owens)
Original recording: Bobby “Blue” Bland (Harmonica and Vocals)
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Recording information:
Recorded for MCA in the 1970s.
Lyrics:
Today I Started Loving You Again
I’m right back where I’ve really always been;
I got over you just long enough to let my heartache mend,
then Today I Started Loving You Again.
What a fool I was to think I could get by
With only these few million tears I’ve cried.
I should have known the worst was yet to come.
And that crying time for me had just begun.
‘Cause Today I Started Loving You Again,
I’m right back where I’ve really always been;
I got over you just long enough to let my heartache mend,
then Today I Started Loving You Again.
Old Original Kokomo Blues, Kokomo Arnold (Kokomo Arnold), 1934
Original recording: Kokomo Arnold (Guitar and Vocals)
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Recording information:
Recorded for Decca in 1934. It was based on a recording by Scrapper Blackwell called “Kokomo Blues and inspired Robert Johnson to record “Sweet Home Chicago” a blues classic. Arnold was one of the great slide players of all time.
Lyrics:
Now one and one is two mama : two and two is four
Mess around here pretty mama : you know we got to go
Crying oh : baby don’t you want to go
Back to the *living light* city : to sweet old Kokomo
Now four and one is five mama : five and one is six
You mess around here pretty mama : you going to get me tricked
Now six and one is seven mama : seven and one is eight
You mess around here pretty mama : you going to make me late
Says I told you mama : when you first fell across my bed
You been drinking your bad whiskey : and talking all out your head
I don’t drink because I’m dry mama : don’t drink because I’m blue
The reason I drink pretty mama : I can’t get along with you
Now eight and one is nine mama : nine and one is ten
You mess around here pretty mama : I’m going to take you in
Now ten and one is eleven mama : eleven and one is twelve
You mess around here pretty mama : you going to catch you a lot of hell
Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out, Bessie Smith 1929
Original recording: Bessie Smith (Vocals)
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Lyrics:
Once I lived the life of a millionaire,
spending my money, I didn’t care
I carried my friends out for a good time,
buying bootleg liquor, champagne and wine
Then I began to fall so low,
I didn’t have a friend, and no place to go
So if I ever get my hand on a dollar again,
I’m gonna hold on to it till them eagle’s grin
Nobody knows you when you down and out
In my pocket not one penny,
and my friends I haven’t any
But If I ever get on my feet again,
then I’ll meet my long lost friend
It’s mighty strange, without a doubt
Nobody knows you when you down and out
I mean when you down and out
Mmmmm, when you’re down and out,
mmmmm, not one penny
And my friends I haven’t any,
mmmmm, well I felt so low
Nobody wants me round their door,
mmmmm, without a doubt,
No man can use you wen you down and out
I mean when you down and out
Falling Back In Love With You, Lonnie Mack (Lonnie Mack), 1985
Original recording: Lonnie Mack (Guitar and Vocals)
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Recording information:
Recorded for Alligator Records in 1985
Roll and Tumble Blues, Hambone Willie Newbern (Traditional),1929
Original recording: Hambone Willie Newbern (Guitar and Vocals)
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Recording information:
Recorded for Okeh Records in 1929. This is the first recording of this blues standard.
Lyrics:
And I rolled and I tumbled : and I cried the whole night long
And I rosed this morning mama : and I didn’t know right from wrong
Did you ever wake up : and find your dough‑roller gone
And you wrings your hands : and you cry the whole day long
And I told my woman Lord : [just] before I left her town
Don’t she let nobody : tear her barrelhouse down
And I fold my arms Lord : and I [slowly] walked away
Says that’s all right sweet mama : your trouble going to come some day
Your Southern Can is Mine, Blind Willie McTell (Blind Willie McTell),1931
Original recording: Blind Willie McTell (Guitar and Vocals)
Lyrics:
Now looka here mama let me tell you this
If you wants to get crooked I’m gonna give you my fist
You might read from Revelations back to Genesee
But if you get crooked, your southern can belongs to me
Ain’t no need you bringin no jive to me
Cause your southern can is mine
Might go uptown have me arrested and have me put in jail
Some hotshot got money come and throw my bail
Soon as I get out, hit the ground
Your southern can worth two dollar, half a pound
Ain’t no need of bringing no stuff to me
cause your southern can is mine
You might take it from the south you might carry it up north
but understand you can’t rule or either be my boss
Take it from the east, hide it in the west
When I get it mama, your can won’t see no rest.
Ain’t no need of bringing no stuff to me
cause your southern can is mine
(in the morning)
your southern can belongs to me
(i’m not dreamin)
your southern can belongs to me.
Ah ashes to ashes mama, and sin to sin,
every time I hit you you’ll think I’ve got a dozen hands.
Give you a punch through that barb-wire fence
Every time I hit you you’ll say I’ve got no sense
Ain’t no need of bringing no stuff to me
cause your southern can is mine
(every bit of it)
southern can belongs to me
Get me a brick out of my backyard
give you the devil if you get kinda hard
Ain’t no need of bringing no jive here honey
cause your southern can is mine
(you hear me cryin)
southern can belongs to me
Spank it a little bit, boy.
[guitar run]
Ah, your southern can is mine.
Now if I catch ya mama down in the heart of town
take me a bran-new brick and tear your can on down.
Ain’t no need you bringin no stuff to me,
because your southern can belongs to me
(I’m talkin to ya)
your southern can belongs to me.
You may be deathbed sick and mama and graveyard bound
I’ll make your can moan like a hound
Ain’t no need you bringin no stuff to me
because your southern can is mine
(you hear me talkin)
southern can belongs to me.
[Guitar run]
Oh spank it like that.
The way Ruthie Mae likes it.
Cause your southern can is mine.
Sit there unsteady with your eyes all red
what I said get your grandma dead.
Ain’t no need of bringing no jive to me
cause your southern can is mine
You got to stop your barkin and raising the deuce
I’ll grab you mama and turn every way but loose
Ain’t no need of bringing no jive here honey
cause your southern can belongs to me
(every bit of it)
southern can belongs to me.
[Guitar run.]
Aww, whup it boy, that’s the way the people like that thing.
Ain’t no need of bringing no jive here honey
cause your southern can is mine
(you hear me talkin)
your southern can belongs to me.
Might twiddle like a tadpole
let it jump like a frog
Every time I hit it you’ll holler
God oh God
Ain’t no need of bringing no jive here honey
cause your southern can is mine
(you hear me talkin)
southern can belongs to me.
Now play it a little bit, just whup it.
Aww shucks. Play that thing boy.
Southern can belo-ongs to me.
The Stumble, Freddy King (Freddie King and Sonny Thompson), 1961
Original recording: Freddy King (Guitar), Sonny Thomson (Piano), Bill Willis (Bass) and Philip Paul (Drums)
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Recording information: Recorded for King/Federal in 1961. The other musicians were session players for the label rather than Freddie’s Band. One of my favorites. It seems like it could just roll forever and I could listen that long!
Other covers
Jeff Beck, Peter Green with John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, Gary Moore, Luther Allison and others
Lyrics:
Instrumental
You’ll be sorry some day, Peter Green (Cotton), 2002
Original recording: Peter Green (Guitar and Vocals)
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Recording information:
Recorded for Snapper Records in 2002
Lyrics:
If you take a heart that’s his loving is mine
Then slowly tear it apart over a period of time
The life and the soul will soon slip away
And you’ll be sorry some day
I’ll bet you can’t find from the people you see
Who say they’re in love but treat each other so mean
I must be a fool to take it from you
But you’ll be sorry some day
I close my eyes and wonder what went wrong
When I first met you, girl, the days were sweet and long
But now I find whenever you’re near
You treat me so bad that the message is clear
You don’t love me no more and I guess it’s a shame
I can no longer take all the heartache and pain
And good lord is gone and I think it’s a shame
But you’ll be sorry some day
You don’t seem to know all the harm that you do
I’ll like to pick it all up and send it right back to you
Ain’t too many people who would put up with the things you do
I known the time has come to tell you that we are all through
Don’t you know that you’re wrong to treat me this way?
I give you everything and you just throw it away
Well, you’ll never find another man like me
And you’ll be sorry some day
You’ll be sorry some day
You’ll be sorry some day
Too Little, Too Late, Lonnie Brooks (Mirikitani, Walker), 1996
Original recording: Lonnie Brooks (Guitar and Vocals)
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Recording information:
Recorded for Alligator Records in 1996.
