Lyr Req: Rocks and Gravel Makes a Solid Road

Subject: Lyr Req: Rocks and Gravel Makes a Solid Road
From: Jim Krause
Date: 11 Dec 07 - 02:46 PM

There's a blues song I used to sing a long time ago and I can only remember a fragment of it. I know it under the title

Rocks and Gravel
CHORUS:    Rocks and gravel makes a solid road (2X)
                      Takes the gal I love to satisfy my soul.

(verses as I remember them)
         I'm going to the race track to see my pony run (2X)
         If he wins any money, gonna take my baby some.

         I went to the depot and looked up on the board (2X)
         Said "Good times here, but better on down the road."

Seems to me there are at least two more verses. I'm not sure where the song comes from, Mance Lipscomb, maybe? Pretty sure it isn't Mississippi John Hurt. (Dang! I hate that CRS disease.)

Jim Krause

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rocks and Gravel Makes a Solid Road
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 11 Dec 07 - 03:11 PM

According to the Folk Index, Mance Lipscomb's version was printed in a 1959 Sing Out. I've got some of the reprints somewhere, but it would take me a while to find them. If someone has access to SO, maybe they can check.

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rocks and Gravel Makes a Solid Road
From: Jim Krause
Date: 11 Dec 07 - 08:58 PM

Refresh

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rocks and Gravel Makes a Solid Road
From: Stewie
Date: 11 Dec 07 - 10:13 PM

Ian and Sylvia did a great recording with different lyrics from those above. I think theirs was based on floaters from Lomax recordings of Mississippi prison and work songs. The best thing they ever did IMO - it stands up wonderfully well. It is the first track on Ian and Sylvia 'The Complete Vanguard Studio Recordings'. It starts:

Well, if I had a-known the captain was lyin', darlin', darlin' (x2)
If I had a-known that the captain was lyin'
I wouldn't have gone to work till half past nine

Dave Van Ronk also recorded a version on his 'In The Tradition' with the Red Onion Jazz Band. The track, however, is a Van Ronk solo. See Stefan Wirz site for details. It begins:

Well, it's early in the morning, the morning, when I rise, well-a (X3)
I got an achin' (misery?), mama, in my right side

--Stewie.

Subject: Lyr. Add: ROCKS AND GRAVEL (John Jackson)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 11 Dec 07 - 10:16 PM

ROCKS AND GRAVEL
John Jackson

It takes rock and gravel to build a solid road
Takes rock and gravel to build a solid road
It takes high-priced whiskey- t' satisfy my soul.

Now tell me baby, where'd you stay last night?
Tell me baby, where'd you stay last night?
Come in this mornin', your clothes ain't fittin' you right.

(Where'd you stay baby?--)

Instrumental break # 1

Well, I love my baby, love her all night long
Yeah, I love my baby, love her all night long.
Love her when she's here, Lord, I love her when she's gone.

But I leave here running, I walked in here too slow
Yeah, I leave here running, walked in here too slow.
I'm leavin' you baby, never comin' back no more.

Instrumental break #2 (with stops)

It takes rocks and gravel to build a solid road
Rocks and gravel- to build a solid road.
It takes high-priced Whiskey, to satisfy my soul.

Rocks and Gravel

Bob Dylan picked this up and applied some different verses.

Subject: Lyr Add: ROCKS AND GRAVEL (Dylan/Levy)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 11 Dec 07 - 10:27 PM

ROCKS AND GRAVEL
(Bob Dylan and Jacques Levy remake)

Takes rocks and gravel, baby, make a solid road,
Make a solid road.
Takes rock and gravel, baby, make a solid road,
Make a solid road.

Takes a good woman, mama,
To satisfy my weary soul.

Have you ever been down on that Mobile and K. C. Line?
Have you ever been down on that Mobile and K. C. Line?

Well I just wanna ask you,
If you seen that gal of mine.
Don't the clouds look lonesome shining across the sea,
Don't the clouds look lonesome shining across the sea,
Don't my gal look good
When she's comin' after me?

Many internet sites.

Subject: Lyr Add: ROCKS AND GRAVEL (Lomax/Richardson)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 11 Dec 07 - 10:59 PM

Does anyone have the Mance Lipscomb lyrics? On the cd, "Trouble in Mind."
Also in Sing Out- post by Mick Pearce, above.

Alan Lomax and W. B. Richardson (? in Traditional Ballads Index).
Apparently copyright Lomax (and Bibb?) in 1958.

Lyr. Add: Rocks and Gravel
Silber, Folk Song Word Book, p. 77:
Lomax and Richardson, revised Leon Bibb

Rocks and gravel makes a solid road
Rocks and Gravel makes a solid road
Takes a do right woman satisfy my soul.

Well I'm going out West just to see my pony run,
If I win any money I'm gonna send my gal some.

Here's a dollar Momma, made it in the rain, (twice)
It's a hard old dollar- made it just the same.

That's your tone daddy, every time you come (twice)
I ain't got no money but I'll soom have some.

A man in the army wants a furlough home (twice)
He said, "About face rookie, you ain't been here long."

A man in the army eatin' out of a trough (twice)
Just waiting for Uncle Sam soon to pay him off.

I got a girl in the country and she won't come to town (twice)
Got one in Louisiana and she's waterbound.

I can't see how can you treat your Daddy mean, (twice)
When you lays all night and your Daddy's on benzedrine.

Note following song in FSWB- "Copyright 1958 and 1966 Ludlow Music Inc. NY, used by permission."

Subject: Lyr Add: EARLY IN THE MORNING
From: Barry Finn
Date: 12 Dec 07 - 03:18 AM

Collected by Allen Lomax from "22", Little Red, TangleEye & Hard Hair, 1947, Parchman Farm Penitentiary, Mississippi. Used as a double axe (cross-cutting) song.

On the Rounder Records Lomax collection, Prison Songs, vol.1 Murderous Home

"Early In The Morning" (Variarnt of "Rosie")

Well, it' early in the mor-in the morning
Baby, when I rise, Lordy, mama
Well, it' early in the mor-in the morning
Baby, when I rise, Lordy, well-a
Well-a, when I rise, well-a
Well, it' early in the mor-in the morning
Baby, when I rise, Lordy, baby
Wa-, in my right side, Lordy, baby
Wa-, in my right side, Lordy, sugar
Well, it's I have a misery, Berta
Right in-a my right side, well-a

Chorus
Well-a it's-a Lordy Ro-Lordy-Berta
Well, it's Lord /you keep a-talkin'/, babe
Well-a it's-a Lordy Ro-Lordy-Rosie
Well, it's O Lord, gal, well-a

Well, rocks 'n gravel, make-a
Make a solid road, sugar
Well-a it takes-a rocks-a gravel make-a
To make a solid road, well-a
It takes-a rocks-a gravel make-a
To make a solid road, well-a
It takes a good lookin' woman to make-a
To make a good lookin' whore, well-a
It takes a good lookin' woman, Lord, baby
To make a good lookin' whore, Lord, sugar
To make a good lookin' whore, well-a

Chorus

Boys, the peckerwood a-peckin' on the
On the schoolhouse door, sugar
Well, the peckerwood a-peckin' on the
On the schoolhouse door, well-a
Well, the peckerwood a-peckin' on the
On the schoolhouse door, sugar
Well he pecks so hard, Lordy, baby
Until his pecker got sore, well-a
Until his pecker got sore, Lord, sugar
Well he pecks so hard, Lord, mama
Until his pecker got sore, well-a

chorus

that's 3 out of 5 verses.

Barry

Subject: Lyr Add: ROCKS AND GRAVEL (Harry Belafonte)
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 12 Dec 07 - 04:15 AM

Well, if you're posting other versions, in addition to the ones above, the Harry Belafonte version is with the collection of his songs on the site kept by Ake Holm - Belafonte

Mick

---

ROCKS AND GRAVEL

Well it's early in the morning
Baby when I rise a well a

I got aches and pains lordy mama
Makes a man want to die a well a

Well it's hard it's hard lordy rollin´
Come on boys a well a

It takes rocks and gravel to make a
To make a solid road a well a

Well it ain't ever done lordy mamma
There's a captain that's got a gun a well a

Well a whose ever told lady told a,
He told a dirty lie a well a

He said I heard that my woman done leave me
Well o well a well

I ain't been to Georgie, Georgie
But I been told a well a

They say that Georgie gals Lordy baby
I got a sweet Jenny roll a well a


Source: Harry Belafonte

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rocks and Gravel Makes a Solid Road
From: Jim Krause
Date: 12 Dec 07 - 11:54 PM

Thanks for all who responded.


Jim Krause