Subject: RE: Origins: 'Spoonful' by Willie Dixon From: Joe Offer Date: 18 Mar 10 - 05:42 PM This song is an absolute classic. I hadn't known about the Mike Seeger and Canned Heat versions. I enjoyed the Canned Heat version on a YouTube video, but can't find the Mike Seeger version - can anybody tell me what album it's on? -Joe- |
Subject: RE: Origins: 'Spoonful' by Willie Dixon From: PoppaGator Date: 18 Mar 10 - 02:44 PM Mississippi John Hurt's "Coffee Blues" is an entirely different song from the "Spoonful" credited to Willie Dixon. My guess is that MJH probably wrote it himself. He isn't usually thought of as a songwriter, more as a "songster" (performer/interpreter of others' material) ~ to the extent that even those of his songs which are entirely original are thought of as "traditional" or public-domain songs put to original arrangements. At any rate: "Coffee Blues" includes the oft-repeated line "...just a lovin' spoonful," after which John Sebastian named his popular folk-rock band. That is, or at least was, a very well-known story ~ might help to explain the confusion between the song entitled "Spoonful" and the entirely different song that famously includes the word "spoonful." MJH gets so little credit for "originality" because he directed his creativity towards reworking ideas and phrases already deeply ingrained in the blues tradition. He has to have been aware of Charley Patton's earlier "Spoonful Blues," and to have adopted at least that one key phrase, but his "Coffee Blues" is an original work of his own. Similarly, John Hurt's "Stack-O-Lee" is not so much a "version" of the venerable ballad as a retelling of the story, using some traditional phrases in the lyrics and setting them to an entirely original tune. |
Subject: RE: Origins: 'Spoonful' by Willie Dixon From: GUEST,JonR Date: 18 Mar 10 - 02:34 PM I remember a great version by the Yardbirds, played live on a radio sesson back in 65 I think (probably Beck on lead). Unlike the heavy Cream version, this one had a nice jazzy swing 4 feel: Someone else seems to have taped it off the radio back then like I did... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Okyd8Aei08 |
Subject: RE: Origins: 'Spoonful' by Willie Dixon From: Arkie Date: 18 Mar 10 - 02:00 PM I will make no claim as to the best version of Spoonful; in fact I have yet to hear a version that I did not like although Dion's version comes close. The Blues Project, John Hammond, Paul Butterfield Blues Band and Mike Seeger have also recorded the song. I think the Greatful Dead recorded it as well. In my opinion it is a great song and there is no wonder that it has been recorded by so many artists. I have not made a list of my 100 favorite songs but when and if I do, Spoonful will be there and near the top. |
Subject: RE: Origins: 'Spoonful' by Willie Dixon From: Rasener Date: 18 Mar 10 - 12:31 PM Spoonful - Canned Heat Spoonful - Howlin Wolf Spoonful - Wllie Dixon But my favourite is leagues ahead Spoonful - Cream |
Subject: RE: Origins: 'Spoonful' by Willie Dixon From: GUEST,Méreg Date: 18 Mar 10 - 11:41 AM naaaa the Canned Heat version is mind blowing. I think it is one of the best pieces of Rock blues I have ever heard! Sadly no one seems to have ever heard of it.... :( |
Subject: RE: Origins: 'Spoonful' by Willie Dixon From: GUEST,Neil D Date: 25 Feb 10 - 09:54 AM I love Charley Patton's version best. This video includes a transcription of the lyrics if you click more info. It is loud so turn your speakers down first. |
Subject: RE: Origins: 'Spoonful' by Willie Dixon From: mousethief Date: 24 Feb 10 - 10:20 PM You're right, sorry Joe. Does anybody know where the "Coffee Blues" comes from (other than from drinking bad coffee, boy have I heard that joke enough times)? Clearly different song from Spoonful as shown above. Any thoughts on its origin? O..O =o= |
Subject: RE: Origins: 'Spoonful' by Willie Dixon From: Dave MacKenzie Date: 24 Feb 10 - 07:46 PM Charley Patton, Charley Jordan and Papa Charlie Jackson all recorded it pre-war. All 3 versions are on the Patton 75 Year Anniversary Edition compilation. |
Subject: RE: Origins: 'Spoonful' by Willie Dixon From: ichMael Date: 24 Feb 10 - 07:44 PM Hey, that's like....magic. That's the spoonful song I was thinking of. |
Subject: ADD Versions: Spoonful From: Joe Offer Date: 24 Feb 10 - 07:33 PM Alex, you titled the thread "Spoonful," but the link you posted was to Mississippi John Hurt's song which had a different title. There apparently are several "Spoonful" songs, and they don't seem to be related. I'll steal the Willie Dixon song from this page: http://digitaldreamdoor.nutsie.com/pages/lyrics_blues/wd_spoonful.html - I listened to the Willie Dixon recording and made corrections.
Spoonful It could be a spoonful of coffee It could be a spoonful of tea But one little spoon of your precious love Is good enough for me Men lie about that spoonful Some cry about that spoonful Some die about that spoonful Everybody fight about a spoonful That spoon, that spoon, that spoonful It could be a spoonful of water To save you from the desert sand But one spoon of lead from my forty-five Will save you from another man Men lie about that spoonful Some cry about that spoonful Some die about that spoonful Everybody fight about a spoonful That spoon, that spoon, that spoonful That spoon, that spoon, that spoonful It could be a spoonful of sugar It could be a spoonful of tea But one little spoon of your precious love Is good enough for me Men lie about that spoonful Some cry about that spoonful Some die about that spoonful Everybody fight about a spoonful That spoon, that spoon, that spoonful That spoon, that spoon, that spoonful That spoon, that spoon, that spoonful That spoon, that spoon, that spoonful Spoonful Lyrics As Recorded by Cream Album: Fresh Cream (1966) Could fill spoons full of diamonds, Could fill spoons full of gold. Just a little spoon of your precious love Will satisfy my soul. Men lies about it. Some of them cries about it. Some of them dies about it. Everything's a-fightin' about the spoonful. That spoon, that spoon, that spoonful. That spoon, that spoon, that spoonful. That spoon, that spoon, that spoonful. That spoon, that spoon, that spoonful. Could fill spoons full of coffee, Could fill spoons full of tea. Just a little spoon of your precious love; Is that enough for me? Men lies about it. Some of them cries about it. Some of them dies about it. Everything's a-fightin' about the spoonful. That spoon, that spoon, that spoonful. That spoon, that spoon, that spoonful. That spoon, that spoon, that spoonful. That spoon, that spoon, that spoonful. Could fill spoons full of water, Save them from the desert sands. But a little spoon of your forty-five Saved you from another man. Men lies. Some of them cries about it. Some of them dies. Everything's a-fightin' about it. Everything's a-cryin' about it. Everything's a-dyin' about it. Everything's a-cryin' about it. Everything's a-lyin' about it. Little old, little old spoonfull. Dyin' about it Cryin' about it That spoon, that spoon Little old, little old spoonfull That spoon, that spoon, that spoonful. That spoon, that spoon, that spoonful. Everything's a-dyin' about it. Also recorded by: Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley, Shadows of Knight, Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Canned Heat, Grateful Dead, Ten Years After, Willie King & The Liberators |
Subject: RE: Spoonful From: ichMael Date: 24 Feb 10 - 07:28 PM The title "Spoonful" made me think of the Willie Dixon song, but the lyrics don't seem to match up. Dixon wrote and recorded his Spoonful song. The rock band Cream did a version. Howlin' Wolf did an excellent version. |
Subject: ADD Coffee Blues: Mississippi John Hurt From: mousethief Date: 24 Feb 10 - 05:53 PM Was this song written by Mississippi John Hurt, or was he along an earlier work? My (admittedly poor) google-fu couldn't come up with anything. Lyrics here: Spoonful O..O =o= Blues Lyrics - Mississippi John Hurt Mississippi John Hurt |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Spoonfull' by Willie Dixon From: Jim Dixon Date: 21 Jun 04 - 09:39 PM Correct spelling is crucial. If you had tried searching for "spoonful" you would have found these threads: Lyr Req: 'Bout A Spoonful Lyr Req: Charley Patton's 'A Spoonful Blues' (which also contains Willie Dixon's SPOONFUL). |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Spoonfull' by Willie Dixon From: GUEST Date: 15 Jun 04 - 08:53 PM Spoonful? Yes! |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Spoonfull' by Willie Dixon From: GUEST Date: 15 Jun 04 - 08:49 PM I can't believe I'm only a GUEST! Peter Woodruff AKA wdyat12 |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Spoonfull' by Willie Dixon From: GUEST Date: 15 Jun 04 - 08:44 PM Thank you Sorcha! Peter AKA wdyat12 |
Subject: Lyr Add: SPOONFUL (Willie Dixon) From: Sorcha Date: 15 Jun 04 - 08:19 PM Here tis... Spoonful It could be a spoonful of coffee It could be a spoonful of tea But one little spoon of your precious love Is good enough for me Chorus: Men lie about that spoonful Some cry about that spoonful Some die about that spoonful Everybody fight about that spoonful That spoon, that spoon, that spoonful It could be a spoonful of diamonds It could be a spoonful of gold But one little spoon of your precious love Could satisfy my soul It could be a spoonful of water To save you from the burning sand But one spoon of lead from my forty-five Will save you from another man From: http://www.bluesrock.webz.cz/l_m/W_Dixon/jmeno49.html#Spoonful |
Subject: Lyr Req: 'Spoonfull' by Willie Dixon From: GUEST,Peter Woodruff Date: 15 Jun 04 - 07:54 PM Can't find "Spoonfull" lyrics in Digitrad. I can't believe it's not blues! Peter |
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