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Subject: Lyr Req: Lead Belly's Alabama Bound 1940 From: Roberto Date: 01 Apr 12 - 08:27 AM I'd like to get the lyrics of Alabama Bound as sung by Lead Belly with the Golden Gate Quartet, 1940. This is what I can get: I'm Alabama bound I'm Alabama Bound And if the train don't stop and turn around I'm Alabama Bound Don't you leave me here Don't you leave me here And if you will go anyhow Leave me a dime for beer I'm Alabama bound I'm Alabama Bound And if the train don't stop and turn around I'm Alabama Bound You ought to be like me You ought to be like me You can drink your … ??? And let the … ??? be I'm Alabama bound I'm Alabama Bound And if the train don't stop and turn around I'm Alabama Bound The preacher's in the stand Pass his hand around Saying: brothers and sisters shoot you money to me I'm Alabama Bound I'm Alabama bound I'm Alabama Bound And if the train don't stop and turn around I'm Alabama Bound Oh, the preacher prayed Sisters they turned around Yes, the deacon in the corner hollerin': Sweet girl I'm Alabama Bound I'm Alabama bound I'm Alabama Bound And if the train don't stop and turn around I'm Alabama Bound |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lead Belly's Alabama Bound 1940 From: GUEST,999 Date: 01 Apr 12 - 08:36 AM Where did you listen to it? ########################## From wikipedia. '"I'm Alabama Bound" is a ragtime melody composed by Robert Hoffman in 1909. Hoffman "respectfully" dedicated it to one M. T. Scarlata.[1] The cover of its first edition (published by Robert Ebberman, New Orleans, 1909) advertises the music as "Also Known As The Alabama Blues" which has led some to suspect it of being one of the first blues songs. However, as written, it is an up-tempo rag (Rag Time Two Step) with no associated lyrics. It has been recorded numerous times in different styles—both written and in sound recordings—with a number of different sets of lyrics. Two recording artists claimed composing credits for the tune under two different titles and both with differing lyrics: Trixie Smith for "Railroad Blues" (Paramount 12262, 1925) and Ferdinand "Jelly Roll" Morton for "Don't You Leave Me Here" (Bluebird 10450, 1939). Huddie "LeadBelly" Ledbetter recorded perhaps the best-known version of "I'm Alabama Bound" ("Alabama Bound", Victor 27268, 1940).' |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lead Belly's Alabama Bound 1940 From: Roberto Date: 01 Apr 12 - 10:22 AM Leadbelly, Alabama Bound, RCA ND90321; also in The Definitive Leadbelly (3 CD)Proper Box 148. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lead Belly's Alabama Bound 1940 From: Roger the Skiffler Date: 01 Apr 12 - 11:00 AM It's passed his HAT around. The Leadbelly Songbook only shows four verses but one is new: Ella Green is gone, (x2) She is 'way 'cross the country, sweet gal, With her long clothes on. RtS |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lead Belly's Alabama Bound 1940 From: Roberto Date: 01 Apr 12 - 11:02 AM In other recordings Lead Belly sings "passed his hat", but on this one I think I hear "passed his hand". The main problems are in the stanza about drinking (You ought to be like me, etc). |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lead Belly's Alabama Bound 1940 From: GUEST,BanjoRay Date: 01 Apr 12 - 11:22 AM Sounds to me a bit like You could turn your good heart just like she was and let the cane corn be. Ray |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lead Belly's Alabama Bound 1940 From: Roberto Date: 01 Apr 12 - 11:40 AM Thank you, BanjoRay. Okay for "and let the cane corn be", although I wonder if it can be a sort of hard liquor (I find nothing about that on the internet). The first part of the verse, I think starts with "you can drink your good ... etc"... |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lead Belly's Alabama Bound 1940 From: Roberto Date: 01 Apr 12 - 01:01 PM I think the idea should be something like "drink your good cherry wine and let the whiskey be"... |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lead Belly's Alabama Bound 1940 From: greg stephens Date: 01 Apr 12 - 01:34 PM This verse has always defeated me, I never try to sing it(there are plenty of other good ones!) To me I sort of think it is something like: If.....just what she wants And let that cane corn be" But what comes after "if", God knows. And he ain't tellin'. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lead Belly's Alabama Bound 1940 From: Roberto Date: 01 Apr 12 - 02:06 PM From YouTube, a guy suggests: "You ought to be like me, you can drink your good Hye Texas Whiskey boys and let the king corn be". I don't think it is Ok, but it seems not far from the thing. To me, at least "you can drink your good high" is Ok. There seems to be "whiskey" after another small word: you can drink you god high ... whiskey, boys". Please, listen to it some more... And I'd like to know if "cane corn" makes sense... |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lead Belly's Alabama Bound 1940 From: Roberto Date: 01 Apr 12 - 02:08 PM Maybe: chest whiskey, boys? |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lead Belly's Alabama Bound 1940 From: Roberto Date: 01 Apr 12 - 02:23 PM Instead of cane corn or king corn, could it be canned something, like canned heat? You can drink your good high chest whiskey boys / and let the canned ... be??? |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lead Belly's Alabama Bound 1940 From: GUEST,leeneia Date: 02 Apr 12 - 10:04 AM sounds like 'canned corn' to me. You tum tum tumty tum tum and let that canned corn be. Not very probable, but it could be about growing your own food or about eating hominy instead of canned corn from a store. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lead Belly's Alabama Bound 1940 From: GUEST,Bob Coltman Date: 02 Apr 12 - 06:29 PM I've seen the following quoted, don't know how well it fits: "Drink your high tension whisky babe, And let your cocaine be." |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lead Belly's Alabama Bound 1940 From: Roberto Date: 03 Apr 12 - 01:54 AM Thanks all. So far, to me the best supposition is: you can drink your good high Tex whiskey, boys / and let the cane corn be. TWO QUESTIONS: do "Tex whiskey" and "cane corn" make sense to mean different types of liqueur? |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lead Belly's Alabama Bound 1940 From: greg stephens Date: 03 Apr 12 - 06:09 AM Can't help feeling we are getting a bit fixed on the drinking and leaving out the sex.. I feel the sense is "have a nice time with your lady and leave the hard liquor alone" or somnething like that.It might be instructive to compare Leadbelly's verses with Charlie Patton's even more incomprehensible version of the same song"Elder Green is gone".That is also a ramble round the subject of preachers, sex, drink and general bad behaviour. Jelly Roll Morton did it too, but I dont think he sang any verse like the one we are looking at here. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lead Belly's Alabama Bound 1940 From: BanjoRay Date: 03 Apr 12 - 06:43 AM Well corn is often used for whiskey made from corncobs, so cane corn could be some sort of home-made rum. Ray |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lead Belly's Alabama Bound 1940 From: Amos Date: 03 Apr 12 - 09:56 AM "Let that cocaine be" makes good sense. A |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lead Belly's Alabama Bound 1940 From: GUEST,leeneia Date: 03 Apr 12 - 02:11 PM I thought so too, Amos, but I just could not make myself think that's what they are singing. And there are several of them, all singing 'canned corn' together. One person can mispronounce something, but not all the backup singers at the same time, in the same way. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lead Belly's Alabama Bound 1940 From: Roberto Date: 03 Apr 12 - 03:55 PM Canned corn is perfect, and it makes sense. Now the only problem is what kind of whiskey Lead Belly suggests to drink instead of canned corn: high Tex whiskey or what? Greg; I think it is clear the verses belong to the family of "drink cherry wine/let whiskey be", or, "drink whiskey, let cocaine be". |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lead Belly's Alabama Bound 1940 From: Roberto Date: 05 Apr 12 - 04:57 AM Last call. Is there somebody who would listen to this recording and try to get the missing lines? In case, please PM your e-mail to me, so that I can send you the recording. Thanks. R |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lead Belly's Alabama Bound 1940 From: GUEST,leeneia Date: 05 Apr 12 - 05:23 PM Leadbelly can be heard singing it on YouTube, Roberto. Simpler. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lead Belly's Alabama Bound 1940 From: Roberto Date: 06 Apr 12 - 08:13 AM Good idea, leeneia: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aRU5QAc7ng. Please, someone with English as mother language and good will... |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lead Belly's Alabama Bound 1940 From: Mick Pearce (MCP) Date: 06 Apr 12 - 01:36 PM Just to let you know there is someone still listening. I've been listening to that section on and off over the last two days and so far I think: 1) the 2nd line is (I'm almost certain) Let that cane corn be; that seemed to be the reading from the beginning and I haven't changed my mind about that. 2) The 1st line is harder. My current closest reading is: You can drink [your open hard], that's whiskey bought but I'm still not certain. The words I've bracketed are the ones I'm not sure about (actually I'm not 100% certain about drink, but I'll leave that for now) and it could be some sort of brand name Jupenhard, Yopenhard, but I can't find anything likely in my searches so far. I haven't given up yet! Mick |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lead Belly's Alabama Bound 1940 From: Roberto Date: 07 Apr 12 - 01:01 AM Thank you very much, Mick. R |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lead Belly's Alabama Bound 1940 From: Mick Pearce (MCP) Date: 07 Apr 12 - 08:23 AM While out walking the dog earlier I had an idea that the 1st line might be: You can drink European hard, that's whiskey bought Mick |
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