Lyr Req: Canned Heat Blues (Tommy Johnson)

Subject: Canned Heat: lyrics
From: gailz
Date: 27 Sep 99 - 11:52 PM

Anyone know the lyrics to this blues tune. I heard Rory Block do it, got the tab, not the lyrics. Thanks if anyone knows this!

Subject: RE: Canned Heat: lyrics
From: Helen
Date: 28 Sep 99 - 01:22 AM

gailz

Which tune is it?

Helen

Subject: RE: Canned Heat: lyrics
From: Stewie
Date: 28 Sep 99 - 03:58 AM

There is a version by Sloppy Henry on Beef Stews blues links: http://users.neca.com/bfstew/links.htm. However, that is not the one that Rory Block does (but it is a good resource to be aware of). She does the Tommy Johnson version. The original is on 'Canned Heat Blues: Masters of the Delta Blues' RCA Heritage Series. There is a Rory Block recording on Rory Block 'Women in (E) Motion' Tradition & Moderne CD T&M 107 (also available through Indigo).

Subject: Lyr Add: CANNED HEAT BLUES (Tommy Johnson)
From: Jon W.
Date: 28 Sep 99 - 11:43 AM

These are the lyrics I have transcribed from Tommy Johnson's version (the original). They are the most accurate I can get them, however there are several words which are quite difficult to distinguish, sometimes because of Johnson's blues yodel. I have italicized these and placed alternate possibilities in parentheses following the line. As I recall, Rory Block's version is fairly faithful to the original.

CANNED HEAT

Cryin' canned, canned heat mama, crying sure lord killin' me,
Cryin' canned heat mama, sure lord killin' me,
Take canned Cool Rub to take these canned heat Blues. (Alcorub)

Cryin' mom, mama mama, you know canned heat killin' me,
Cryin' mama mama mama, cryin' canned heat is killin' me.
Canned heat don't, chillun', cryin' babe I'll never die. (kill me)

I woke up, up this mornin', with canned heat on my mind,
Woke up this mornin', canned heat was on my mind.
Woke up this morn, babe canned heat's all on my mind.

Cryin' lord, lord I wonder, canned heat lord, killin' me.
Take alcorub, it tearin' 'bout my soul, (apart)
Big ol' brown skin woman don't do that easy roll.

I woke up, up this mornin', cryin' canned heat 'round my bed,
Cry and yell, somebody, take these canned heat blues, (Cryin' help)
Cry and yell, somebody, can't take these canned heat blues, (Cryin' help)

Cryin' mama mama mama, cryin' canned heat killin' me,
B'lieve to my soul, lord, it gonna kill me dead.

Subject: RE: Canned Heat: lyrics
From: Jack (Who is called Jack)
Date: 28 Sep 99 - 03:35 PM

And for those who don't know the reference. This is a song about drinking sterno for its alcohol content. Its practitoners risk neurological damage, blindness and death due to the fact that it contains both ethanol and methanol.

Subject: RE: Canned Heat: lyrics
From: Roger in Baltimore
Date: 29 Sep 99 - 07:28 AM

Oh sure Jack. Scare the people with some misinformation. Any fool knows if you strain the melted Sterno through a couple of slices of white bread (not rye, not whole wheat, not pumpernickel, and certainly not cinnamon raisin) you get rid of that nasty methanol!

Actually, I'm just joking. Don't try this at home.

Big RiB

Subject: RE: Canned Heat: lyrics
From: Helen
Date: 29 Sep 99 - 07:57 PM

Sorry for my silly question above: I thought the reference was to the band called Canned Heat, not the name of a song. Oh well...

Helen