Help: Worried Blues

Subject: Worried Blues
From: tradsteve
Date: 19 Dec 99 - 03:07 PM

Does anybody out there know where Bob Dylan dug up "Worried Blues"? It's credited as "Traditional" in the booklet for bootleg series vol. 1-3, but I've never heard another artist perform it. Help would be appreciated.

Subject: RE: Help: Worried Blues
From: Paul
Date: 19 Dec 99 - 03:21 PM

Hey Steve,

I don't know if we're talking about the same song; I've never heard this Dylan song before. There's an old traditional blues that has been recorded by Big Bill Broonzy, Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Sonny Terry, Chuck Berry (believe it or not, it's an excellent version), Lightnin' Hopkins, Canned Heat, Jackson Delta, and many many more. It goes under the title Worried Blues, Worried Life Blues, You Ain't Gonna Worry Me, Gonna Worry My Life, Trouble No More, You Ain't Gonna Trouble Me No More ... as many titles as performers.

Oh lordy lord
Oh lordy lord
It hurts me so bad
I cried much too hard
But someday baby
You ain't gonna worry my life anymore

So many nights
Since you've been gone
I sat and worried
My poor life along
But someday baby
You ain't gonna worry my life anymore

Those are the two reasonably standard first verses. But from there, people seem to add their own verses. It's a fantastic song.

I hope that's what you're looking for.

Paul

Subject: RE: Help: Worried Blues
From: Helen
Date: 20 Dec 99 - 01:48 AM

A friend of mine sings a song which starts

It takes a worried man to sing a worried song It takes a worried man to sing a worried song I'm worried now, But I won't be worried long

(I might have missed a line out after the second repeat line)

Somewhere in my mass of photocopied music I have the words & music. Let me know if this is the one.

Helen

Subject: RE: Help: Worried Blues
From: tradsteve
Date: 20 Dec 99 - 02:40 AM

Well, those aren't the songs but I thank ya' for tryin'. Looks like I may not be the only one stumped.

Subject: Lyr Add: WORRIED BLUES
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 Dec 99 - 04:20 AM

Seems like it's a combination of standard folk blues phrases. here's my transcription:

WORRIED BLUES
(traditional, as recorded by Bob Dylan)

I got those worried blues
And I got those worried blues
I got those worried blues
I got those worried blues
Lord, I'm goin' where I've never been before

I'm goin' where the chilly winds don't blow
I'm goin' where the chilly winds don't blow
I'm goin' where the chilly winds don't blow
I'm goin' where the chilly winds don't blow
I'm goin' where the climate suits my clothes

Honey baby, don't leave me now
Honey baby, don't leave me now
Oh, Honey baby, don't leave me now
Honey baby, don't leave me now
I got trouble in my mind

Listen to that cold whistle blow
Lord, listen to that cold whistle blow
Listen to that cold whistle blow
Listen to that cold whistle blow
I'm goin' where I've never been before

I got those worried blues
And I got those worried blues
I got those worried blues
I got those worried blues
I'm goin' where I've never been before


I may have lost count on a verse or two, but you get the general idea. By the way, the "Bootleg Series" is three CD's of Dylan at his absolute best.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Help: Worried Blues
From: Roger the skiffler
Date: 20 Dec 99 - 04:54 AM

The one Helen mention is Worried Man Blues beloved of '50s skifflers and based on a trad/Leadbelly song that grew extra verses.
RtS

Subject: RE: Help: Worried Blues
From: Paul S
Date: 20 Dec 99 - 08:32 AM

What'n hell is a skiffler?

Paul

Subject: RE: Help: Worried Blues
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 20 Dec 99 - 12:27 PM

Roger, chances are the skifflers were singing the Carter Family version. Can't think where Leadbelly ever recorded it.
The song comes from black tradition and seems to have changed to "worried" from "wearied" which was originally more common.
C'mon back Rog and explain "Skiffle" to Paul. Canadians aren't allowed to!
Rick

Subject: RE: Help: Worried Blues
From: Roger the skiffler
Date: 21 Dec 99 - 03:48 AM

I haven't rechecked my Leadbelly Library of Congress recordings but I thought there was a fragmentary version of Worried Man Blues in there somewhere.
When I rely on memory, I'm usually wrong!
Skiffle was a sort of jug band music without the jugs popular in UK in the 1950s: Ken Colyer, Lonnie Donegan, Nancy Whisky, Wally Whyton and the Vipers, Johnny Duncan and the Bluegrass boys, Shirley Douglas and Chas McDevitt etc. Typically guitars, washboards and teachest bass, grew out of traditional jazz and transmuted in many cases into Rock 'n' Roll. People like Tommy Steele and even as late as John Lennon got into music that way.
RtS (E&OE)

Subject: RE: Help: Worried Blues
From: Roger the skiffler
Date: 21 Dec 99 - 05:48 AM

On (im)mature reflection I concede the song is "trad" and that the skifflers probably learned it from Woody Guthrie or Sonny Terry or Sleepy John Estes, or even, as Rick says,the Carter family version.
This thread made me look up the Vipers in the All-Music guide: interesting to see the bass players associated with that group: Jim Bray, a stalwart of many a UK traditional jazz band, including Alex Welsh, and Jet Harris who became one of the Shadows and then teamed up with Tony Meehan ,drums, also ex-Vipers and Shadows. Another drummer with the group was Phil Seamen who was later a leading modern jazz drummer in UK.
I may be the only surviving player of the mesh fireguard: in the absence of a washboard it made a similar sound,until my parents noticed the "brass" finish getting worn off and my mother wanted her thimbles back!
RtS

Subject: RE: Help: Worried Blues
From: Stewie
Date: 21 Dec 99 - 06:24 PM

It's not the Carter Family song. That is titled 'Worried Man Blues'. It is the 'It takes a worried man to sing a worried song' mentioned earlier. The Carters learned it from oral tradition and, subsequent to their recording, it was refashioned by numerous groups. As Joe commented, the Dylan piece seems to be merely a combination of blues floaters.