Lyr Req: Blues Ain't Nothin' Else But! (Ida Cox)

Subject: Lyr Req: 'The Blues ain't nothin'
From: Jeep man
Date: 05 Nov 03 - 11:28 PM

I know the lyrics are here somewhere, but I can't find them. I think it is a Bessie Smith song.

I remember a line which may help.

A man ain't nothin but a low down heart desease"


thanks, Jim

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'The Blues ain't nothin'
From: Jeep man
Date: 05 Nov 03 - 11:31 PM

Correction!! "The blues ain't nothin but a low down heart desease. Jim

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'The Blues ain't nothin'
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 05 Nov 03 - 11:42 PM

The line is mentioned by Elwooddelta in thread 3090 (Nov. 7), but nothing more.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'The Blues ain't nothin'
From: Stewie
Date: 06 Nov 03 - 12:48 AM

The lyrics of a Georgia White recording with that line may be found HERE

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'The Blues ain't nothin'
From: Joe_F
Date: 06 Nov 03 - 04:14 PM

I copied this out of a book a long time ago, but neglected to note the source:

THE BLUES AIN'T NOTHIN

I'm gonna build myself a raft
And float that river down.
I'll build myself a shack
In some old Texas town,
'Cause the blues am nothin
No the blues am nothin
But a good man feeling blue.

I'm going down on the levee,
Going to take myself a rocking chair
If my loving man don't come
I'll rock away from there...

Why did you leave me blue?
Why did you leave me blue?
All I do is sit
And cry for you....

I have the tune in solfa (scale is drmfsltD; dots mean continuation):

mmm|m.m.m.m.|m.d....m|
    m.m.m.m.|md....
D.|D..lD..l|D......
l|D.D.tl..|s.....
mm|m.m.fm
mr|m.m.fm
mr|mm..mm..|m.d..

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'The Blues ain't nothin'
From: Dave4Guild
Date: 06 Nov 03 - 05:06 PM

The phrase that I seem to remember is "the blues ain't nothin' but a good woman on your mind". But then it might be a Senior moment! I seem to be having a lot of them!
Does anyone else recall this?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'The Blues ain't nothin'
From: Jeep man
Date: 06 Nov 03 - 05:21 PM

Thanks for the help folks. Stewie, you found it. Thats the one I was looking for. Many thanks. Jim

Subject: Lyr Add: BLUES AIN'T NOTHIN' ELSE BUT! (Ida Cox)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 08 Nov 03 - 04:14 PM

BLUES AIN'T NOTHIN' ELSE BUT!
[As recorded by Ida Cox & Lovie Austin, 1924.
From Ida Cox's "Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 2 (1924-1925)" Document 5323.]

Oh, the blues ain't nothin' but your lover on your mind, (2x)
The man that keeps you worried and always cryin'.

Oh, the blues ain't nothin' but a good woman wanting to see her man. (2x)
She can't get him when she want him, gotta catch him when she can.

Oh, the blues ain't nothin' but a slow achin' heart disease. (2x)
Just like consumption, it kills you by degrees.

Oh, the blues ain't nothin' but a woman that cries night and day, (2x)
Cryin' about her lover, another woman took away.

Oh, papa, papa, papa, mama done gone mad. (2x)
Oh, the blues ain't nothin' but a good woman feelin' bad.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE BLUES AIN'T NOTHING BUT...(G White
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 08 Nov 03 - 04:16 PM

THE BLUES AIN'T NOTHING BUT A WOMAN CRYIN' FOR HER MAN
As recorded by Georgia White, 1938.

Oh, the blues ain't nothin' but a woman want to see her man, (2x)
'Cause she wants some lovin'; you women will understand.

Oh, the blues ain't nothin' but a lowdown heart disease. (2x)
Just lovin' your man; he's so hard to please.

Oh, the blues ain't nothin' but a woman lovin' a married man. (2x)
Can't see 'im when she wants ta; got to see 'im when she can.

Oh, the blues ain't nothin' but a good woman feelin' bad. (2x)
Always downhearted, blue, disgusted, and sad.

Oh, the blues ain't nothin' but a feelin' that will get you down. (2x)
Fallin' out with your man, you feel like leavin' town.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'The Blues ain't nothin'
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 08 Nov 03 - 04:17 PM

The phrase "The blues ain't nothin' but..." occurs in lots of blues songs. I also found these:

The Blues Ain't Nothin' (But A Woman Cryin' For Her Man)
--song title, sung by Dinah Washington

The blues ain't nothin' but a botheration on your mind.
--Memphis Slim

The blues ain't nothin' but a good man feelin' bad.
--from JIMMIE'S TEXAS BLUES by Jimmie Rodgers

The blues ain't nothin' but a good man feelin' bad.
--from SEE SEE RIDER
--as sung by Janis Joplin
--based on an earlier version by Ma Rainey

The blues ain't nothin' but a good man feelin' bad.
--from MY GOOD GAL'S GONE by Hank Snow

The blues ain't nothin' but a good woman on your mind.
--from SEE SEE RIDER
--as sung by Mississippi John Hurt

The blues ain't nothin' but a pain in your heart.
--from LADY SINGS THE BLUES
--as sung by Billie Holiday

The blues ain't nothin' but a poor workin' man feelin' down.
--from GOOD MORNING BLUES
--as sung by Huddie Ledbetter (Lead Belly)
--and covered by Van Morrison

The blues ain't nothin' but a woman lettin' a good man down.
--from BLUES AIN'T NOTHIN' by Hank Mills and Walter Hayness-Lovender
--as sung by Ferlin Husky, 1966

The blues ain't nothin' but a low-down shakin' chill.
--from JINX BLUES
--as sung by Son House

The blues ain't nothin' but a cold gray day....
The blues ain't nothin' but a dark cloud markin' time....
The blues ain't nothin' but a black crepe veil, ready-to-wear.
--from or COME SUNDAY (one of the movements of a suite called BLACK, BROWN, AND BEIGE)
--written by Duke Ellington, 1943
--sung by Mahalia Jackson

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Blues Ain't Nothin' Else But! (Ida Cox)
From: GUEST,Joseph Scott
Date: 07 Jul 16 - 12:32 PM

Ida Cox was born in Georgia in about 1889 (not 1896) and by her own account began traveling with a minstrel show in about 1903. Lasses White included the stuff about "nothing but" and "heart disease" in his 1912-1913 blues song. The "papa papa papa" stuff Ida sang was similar to stuff in H. Franklin Seals' 1912 blues hit.