Lyr Req: The Mobile Line

Subject: The Mobile Line
From:
Date: 31 Oct 01 - 07:15 PM

Anybody have or know where I could find the words to "The Mobile Line"? If you can help, please drop me a line or leave a reply here. Thanks for any help. Regards, Tweed Tweed's Blues

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Mobile Line
From: Charley Noble
Date: 31 Oct 01 - 07:44 PM

Is this a parody of "The Gray Funnel Line"?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Mobile Line
From: GUEST,Tweed
Date: 31 Oct 01 - 07:51 PM

Nope, One verse that I can remember goes:

"Did you ever take a trip,
Baby, on the Mobile Line?
I say, hey Lordy Mama. hey Lordy Papa
Hollerin 'bout the Mobile Line.
That's the road to ride
To ease your troubled mind."

That's about all I can pull loose from my poor old brain cells. I got it on an LP but don't have a turntable anymore to hear the dang thing.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Mobile Line
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Oct 01 - 08:03 PM

Click here or here

You have a website, yet can't use a search engine. Very strange...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Mobile Line
From: GUEST,Tweed
Date: 31 Oct 01 - 08:50 PM

Sorry, thought I could get some help over here without appearing to be strange. I'll get back to my tarpaper and chickenwire website and leave you folks to your folks.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Mobile Line
From: Amos
Date: 31 Oct 01 - 09:39 PM

Well I got me a letter, an' this is the way it read!

Say hello to Mama, Papa, say hello to Papa Mama, talkin' bout the way it read, Please hurry home, because your love is dead.

Was your ever down to Memphis, a-riding on that Mobile line?

Say hello to Mama, Papa, say hello to Papa, mama, talkin' bout that Mobile line It's the line to ride if you haven't got the time.

All I remember.

Regards,

A.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Mobile Line
From: GUEST,Tweed
Date: 31 Oct 01 - 11:00 PM

Thanks Amos that's the one. I had the title wrong first time around. It's France Blues. I'd try a google on that one if I can figure out these search engines;~)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Mobile Line
From: toadfrog
Date: 31 Oct 01 - 11:12 PM

Yes. "Ragtime" Texas Thomas.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Mobile Line
From: Amos
Date: 31 Oct 01 - 11:13 PM

It was recorded by ALVIN YOUNGBLOOD HART

Big Mama's Door Okeh BK 67593

The first verse goes:

Have you ever took a trip, baby, on the Mobile Line
Hey Lordy Mama, Mama, Hey Lordy Papa, Papa
Talkin' bout the Mobile Line
That's the road to ride, to ease your troublin' mind.

'S all I could find.

Subject: Lyr Add: FRANCE BLUES
From: GUEST,Tweed
Date: 31 Oct 01 - 11:37 PM

Got the rest of it. Thanks people, Alvin Hart recently recorded it but it's a lot older than he is. I got a version on an old Folkbox record stored in a box somewhere. I think that version was recorded in the forties. Thanks again. Tune in Sunday afternoon for the my Badly Recorded version.
Tweed's Badly Recorded(and performed)Blues
France Blues

Did you ever take a trip baby down on the Mobile Line
Hey lawdy mama mama, hey lawdy papa papa, hollering Down on the Mobile line,
That's the road to ride to ease your trouble in mind.

I got a letter how do you reckon it read?
Hey lawdy mama mama, hey lawdy papa papa hollerin' how do you reckon it read?
Said Come home, come home, the gal you love is dead.

So I packed my suitcaseand bundled up my clothes
Hey lawdy.....
And when I got there she was laying on the cooling board.

So I took my baby to the burying ground,
Hey lawdy....
You oughta heard me crying when they let her down

Now when I die don't bury Daddy at'all,
Hey lawdy.....
Just leave my bones picklin' in alcohol.

When I die put my picture in a frame,
Hey lawdy....
So you can look and see me just the same.

When I die I'm gonna stop by France
Hey lawdy....
Gonna stop by France just to give all the women a chance.

Hello Heaven, I wanna use the telephone,
Hey lawdy....
So I can talk to my baby any time she's gone.


sure hope html works on this thing!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Mobile Line
From: radriano
Date: 01 Nov 01 - 11:39 AM

Tweed, there's always someone around who is quick to put down others for the least little thing. Please don't judge all of us because of one jerk.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Mobile Line
From: GUEST,Tweed
Date: 01 Nov 01 - 07:07 PM

Sorry for that. I regretted my response up there as soon as I hit "post". What an amazing message board this is. The people over at my site's board thought we got going pretty good at times, but this place is something else! Here's a link to a pic of the folks back home. One of the regular gals over there has made a collage of the lot of us and put it on a webpage. We make a truly motley crew. Don't mind the music. Good midis are hard to dig up;~) Regards and peace, Tweed

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Mobile Line
From: Suffet
Date: 01 Nov 01 - 09:49 PM

I sing verses similar to the ones posted above, but I do the France verse this way:

Before I die I'm goin' back to France,
Hey Lordy mama, hey Loedy papa, I'm goin' back to France,
Goin' back to France, give girls there one more chance.

It make sense this way if we presume the singer was a veteran, most likely of the First World War.

--- Steve

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Mobile Line
From: Tweed
Date: 01 Nov 01 - 10:01 PM

Is it that old? I was thinking maybe it was from the forties from the style it was played in. Could be wrong though. It's a snappy tune that's for sure.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Mobile Line
From: Giac
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 12:10 AM

Hi Tweed -

Although I have several versions of this song, including several jug band renditions, the oldest I have is on a 3-CD set from Yahoo called "Before The Blues." It is on Vol. 1 (Yahoo #2015).

Liner notes say it is done on that recording by Papa Harvey Hull. "The guitar playing here sounds as if it was adapted rather straightforwardly from a banjo predecessor. Pappa Harvey Hull & Cleve Reed are among the numerous musicians of the earlier part of the twentieth century who labored in obscurity. Most of their material reflects a vein of music diminished by the popularity of blues music, and it's likely they represent the Pre-World War I sound of their area. They may have been from around Carroll County, Mississippi."

Hope this helps.

Mary

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Mobile Line
From: Stewie
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 01:19 AM

The Papa Harvey Hull and Long Cleve Reed recording of 'France Blues' referred to by Mary was made in Chicago in April 1927. In his notes to 'Country Blues - The First Generation' Matchbox LP MSE 201, Paul Oliver attributed composition to Hull, with the comment that the refrain lines linked to some of the songs popularised by black vocal quartets in the 1890s. He noted also that 'Cleve Reed appears in copyright lists as composer of the popular Thirties blues song "Hey Lawdy Mama", but this may just have been confusion arising from the refrain of "France Blues"'.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Mobile Line
From: Tweed
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 07:00 AM

HooBoy, you guys are good over here. Thanks very much for the help. I did a BMI search for France Blues and came up empty for a registered writer in there. It must belong to somebody.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Mobile Line
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 07:21 AM

this song belongs to you and me

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Mobile Line
From: Tweed
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 07:34 AM

LOL! I guess that's right! By the way, the Mudcat found a cookie for tweed in there. (I was in the middle of joining last nite and thought I'd maybe joined about a year ago and forgotten) Anyhow, the search came up with my regular screen name but also says I was in here posting back in '97. Now since I didn't even believe in computers in '97 I believe there's been a mixup. I ain't the same tweed as the one back then, so just wanted to make mention of it to avoid any confusion out there. Odd that the guy had my same email and password though. Must be crazed electrons or something.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Mobile Line
From: Fortunato
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 08:40 AM

Welcome Tweed,

I've been singing France Blues since '66 or so. I learned it from the Jim Kweskin recording. When I sing it I think of Hank Snow's cadence and phrasing in "I'm moving on".

Minor differences:

Hey Lordy, Mama, Mama, Hey Lordy, Papa, Papa, All about your Mobile Line,

It's the road to ride, baby, ease your troublin' mind.

I got a letter this is the way it read

Hey Lordy, Mama, Mama, Hey Lordy, Papa, Papa, All about the way it read.

etc.

Cheers, Fortunato

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Mobile Line
From: Giac
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 10:38 AM

Stewie, thanks for the additional info.

And, I must correct a mistake. I said it was on "Yahoo" when it is actually "Yazoo." The Before The Blues series is Yazoo 2015, 2016 and 2017.

Apparently, somebody has Yahoooooed into my subconscious, sorry.

Mary

Subject: Lyr Add: HEY! LAWDY MAMA – THE FRANCE BLUES
From: Stewie
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 08:25 PM

Since this is attributed to Hull, I thought it might be useful to post his version for the purposes of comparison with later versions. Perhaps Mary and others with access to it would be kind enough to check my transcription and suggest changes. I have put the second line of the 2-line stanza within square brackets because I am not certain about it - that's what it sounds like to me. There are some oddities - I have put 'sic' to indicate that it is what is actually sung.

HEY! LAWDY MAMA – THE FRANCE BLUES
(Papa Havey Hull)

Have you ever took a trip, babe, on the Mobile Line
Hey lawdy mama mama, hey lawdy papa papa, hollerin' 'bout the Mobile line,
That's the road to ride, baby, ease your trouble in mind

Well I got a letter, babe, this the way it read
Hey lawdy mama mama, hey lawdy papa papa, hollerin' 'bout the way it read
Come home, come home, baby, girl you love is dead

Well I packed my suitcase, bundled up my clothes
Hey lawdy mama mama, hey lawdy papa papa, hollerin' 'bout bundlin' up the clothes
When I got there she was laying on a cooling board

Well I took my baby, honey, to the burying ground
Hey lawdy mama mama, hey lawdy papa papa, hollerin' 'bout the buryin' ground
You oughta heard me hollerin' when they let her down

Well there's two black horses standin' on the buryin' ground
[When I turned around, babe, they just run on down]

When you (sic) go to heaven, babe, gonna stop by France
Hey lawdy mama mama, hey lawdy papa papa, hollerin' 'bout stop by France
Gonna stop by there just to give these girls a chance

Baby, when I die, don't bury daddy at all
Hey lawdy mama mama, hey lawdy papa papa, hollerin' 'bout buryin' daddy at all
Well pickle daddy's bones, baby, in alcohol

Well the boat's up the river, babe, and she won't come down
Hey lawdy mama mama, hey lawdy papa papa, hollerin' 'bout she won't come do
Well I b'lieve to my soul, babe, this boat is water bound

Baby, when I die put daddy's picture in a frame
Hey lawdy mama mama, hey lawdy papa papa, hollerin' 'bout in a frame
So when daddy's gone you can see him just the same

Hello heaven, daddy want to use your telephone
Hey lawdy mama mama, hey lawdy papa papa, hollerin' 'bout the telephone
So he can talk to his daddy anytime when he's gone (sic)

Source: Papa Harvey Hull and Long 'Cleve' Reed 'Hey! Lawdy Mama – The France Blues' Gennett 6106, recorded c 8 April 1927 in Chicago, Illinois. Reissued on CD on Various Artists 'Before the Blues Vol 1' Yazoo 2015.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Mobile Line
From: Amos
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 08:43 PM

Nice work, Stewie -- another Mudcat winner.

A

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Mobile Line
From: Tweed
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 09:00 PM

I tell you, to sing this one all the way through, you'd better have a lotta wind!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Mobile Line
From: Tweed
Date: 03 Nov 01 - 12:03 PM

FRANCE BLUES

Well I've done it and slowed it down a lot so my cigarette contaminated lungs can keep up with it. You guys can hear France Blues in it's very latest incarnation if you got a sound card and a free media player set up. This won't take you to some MP3 site, it'll just open yer media player and play it. Thanks to everyone for helping me out on here and all the information you guys came up with

The Mobile Line..Hey Lawdy Mama...France Blues(click>
P.S. I don't sell nothin at my place so I ain't lookin' for site hits for money, just sharin' badly recorded tunes is all. Thanks again everybody...

Subject: Lyr Add: THE WALKER LINE
From: Suffet
Date: 06 Feb 02 - 07:41 PM

Exceptionally bad taste parody and not my best work, but timely.

THE WALKER LINE
Music: "France Blues" by Papa Harvey Hull & Long Cleve Reed
Words: Stephen L. Suffet © 2002

Ever take a trip to Afghanistan?
Hey, Lordy, Mama, Mama! Hey, Lordy, Papa, Papa!
Hollerin' Afghanistan!
I'm goin' there, to fight for the Taliban.

Oh, Marin County is not the place for me,
Hey, Lordy, Mama, Mama! Hey, Lordy, Papa, Papa!
Hollerin' not the palce for me!
A rat hole in Kabul is where I'd rather be.

My Mama's flaky, my Papa's turnin' queer,
Hey, Lordy, Mama, Mama! Hey, Lordy, Papa, Papa!
Papa's turnin' queer!
I'm just sixteen, and I'm outta here!

Bikini beach woman, she's the devil in the sun,
Hey, Lordy, Mama, Mama! Hey, Lordy, Papa, Papa!
Hollerin' devil in the sun,
Takes a babe in a burkha to really turn me on.

Adolescent rebellion, I took it a bit too far,
Hey, Lordy, Mama, Mama! Hey, Lordy, Papa, Papa!
Hollerin' a bit too far,
Looky here, Mama, your Johnny boy is a star!

I got mud in my hair, I got blood on my brow
Hey, Lordy, Mama, Mama! Hey, Lordy, Papa, Papa!
Hollerin' blood on my brow,
Looky here, Papa, ain't you proud of Johnny boy now?

So, y'ver take a trip to Afghanistan?
Hey, Lordy, Mama, Mama! Hey, Lordy, Papa, Papa!
Hollerin' Afghanistan!
I'm goin' there, to fight for the Taliban.


--- Steve

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Mobile Line
From: GUEST,Sean B.
Date: 07 Feb 02 - 12:02 PM

That is an utterly tasteless song, but it is funny in its own sophmorish way. Be careful where you sing it.