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Invitation To The Blues by DW Ditty

Jeep man 16 Dec 03 - 07:51 PM
Stewie 16 Dec 03 - 08:15 PM
GUEST,pdq 16 Dec 03 - 08:25 PM
GUEST 16 Dec 03 - 08:37 PM
GUEST 16 Dec 03 - 08:40 PM
GUEST,Jon 16 Dec 03 - 08:59 PM
GUEST 16 Dec 03 - 09:00 PM
Jeep man 16 Dec 03 - 10:38 PM
Rory B 17 Dec 03 - 07:07 PM
Jeep man 17 Dec 03 - 09:32 PM
GUEST,Jon 17 Dec 03 - 10:29 PM
Jim Dixon 16 Jan 08 - 01:37 AM
Brian Hoskin 16 Jan 08 - 04:48 AM
Jim Dixon 16 Jan 08 - 09:47 AM
dwditty 16 Jan 08 - 11:19 AM
PoppaGator 16 Jan 08 - 11:50 AM
Mick Pearce (MCP) 16 Jan 08 - 12:58 PM
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Subject: Invitation To The Blues by DW Ditty
From: Jeep man
Date: 16 Dec 03 - 07:51 PM

In DW Dittys version of this song,(And Really Good Too) the words are
"She's a moving violation, from her CONK down to her shoes".

My question; What is a Conk? I can't recall ever having heard the word before.

By the way, Isn't that a fine piece of lyrics? Jeep


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Subject: RE: Invitation To The Blues by DW Ditty
From: Stewie
Date: 16 Dec 03 - 08:15 PM

In may mean something different elsewhere, but in Oz it means 'nose' as a noun and 'to hit or bash', particularly on the head, as a verb. Also, in Oz, 'on the conk' refers to an offensive or disgusting smell.

--Stewie.


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Subject: RE: Invitation To The Blues by DW Ditty
From: GUEST,pdq
Date: 16 Dec 03 - 08:25 PM

Could it be spelled conch? That is a type of large sea shell and sometimes, in slang, refers to the head. Is this a reworking of a late fifties song written by Roger Miller?


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Subject: RE: Invitation To The Blues by DW Ditty
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Dec 03 - 08:37 PM

Conk is also British slang for nose


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Subject: RE: Invitation To The Blues by DW Ditty
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Dec 03 - 08:40 PM

that should read Head sorry :)


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Subject: RE: Invitation To The Blues by DW Ditty
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 16 Dec 03 - 08:59 PM

I would have gone for nose but from the official Tom Waits site.

conk
[Invitation to the Blues/Small Change]
negro slang for processing (straightening) the hair (see autobiography of Malcolm X).

slang term for the head; also to be hit or conked on the head.


See http://www.officialtomwaits.com/music/m_lyrdic.htm

Jon

(great job dw does of this song btw)


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Subject: RE: Invitation To The Blues by DW Ditty
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Dec 03 - 09:00 PM

A 'conk' is, or rather was a processed hairdo for black people, it involved treating the hair with chemicals to straighten it


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Subject: RE: Invitation To The Blues by DW Ditty
From: Jeep man
Date: 16 Dec 03 - 10:38 PM

This is not the Roger Miller song with the same name. I believe Tom Wait may have written it. ??

I think I know what a conk is now. Great, guys. Jeep


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Subject: RE: Invitation To The Blues by DW Ditty
From: Rory B
Date: 17 Dec 03 - 07:07 PM

Did you know that you can hear him perform this song live (Dec.17/03) tonight? He is performing at Anna Liffey's in New Haven...stop by if you are in the area!

I wish I lived closer for sure!!!


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Subject: RE: Invitation To The Blues by DW Ditty
From: Jeep man
Date: 17 Dec 03 - 09:32 PM

I'm several hundred miles south of Anna's. T'would be mighty nice to see him in person. I'm also still trying to get the chords to his"Just a little while to stay here". Jim


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Subject: RE: Invitation To The Blues by DW Ditty
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 17 Dec 03 - 10:29 PM

If you want to "meet" dwditty and have a Windows PC, do try the live music rooms in Paltalk. I can pretty welll assure you he will sound as good live there as he does on his CD.


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Subject: RE: Invitation To The Blues by DW Ditty
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 16 Jan 08 - 01:37 AM

According to Allmusic.com, several different people have written songs called INVITATION TO THE BLUES:

One written by Doris Fisher, Arthur Gershwin & Allan Roberts, recorded by:
Les Brown & His Orchestra
Doris Day
Anita Ellis
Lannie Garrett
Gene Krupa & His Orchestra
Julie London
Ella Mae Morse

One written by Mike Titre & Todorovic, recorded by:
Blues Company

One by Roger Miller, recorded by:
Tommy Alverson
Pete Drake & His Talking Steel Guitar
Bill & Bonnie Hearne
Chris Hillman
Jim & Jesse
Kiss
Reba McEntire
Roger Miller
Weldon Myrick
Willie Nelson
Ray Price and the Cherokee Cowboys
Doug Sahm
Jumpin' Gene Simmons
Wild River Band
Undertakin' Daddies

One written by Tom Waits, recorded by:
David Basse
Holly Cole Trio
James Naughton
Giant Sand
Bill Sheffield
Tom Waits
Jennifer Warnes

D. W. Ditty's recording is also listed, but it doesn't say who wrote it, and there is no sound sample.


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Subject: RE: Invitation To The Blues by DW Ditty
From: Brian Hoskin
Date: 16 Jan 08 - 04:48 AM

The linequoted in the first post as being in DW Ditty's version is a line from Tom Waits' song:Tom Waits Library


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Subject: Lyr Add: INVITATION TO THE BLUES (Fisher, et al.)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 16 Jan 08 - 09:47 AM

I've been listening to sound samples, and I figure I have pieced together nearly the whole song--but see the footnote.

I also figured out Doris Day must have been the vocalist who sang this song with Les Brown and His Band of Renown. This is probably the oldest of the songs that go by this title:

INVITATION TO THE BLUES
Doris Fisher, Arthur Gershwin & Allan Roberts, 1944

1. My heart was all dressed up to go dancing.
I had a brand new shine on my views.
The roses you sent for, the line that I went for,
Was just an invitation to the blues.

2. The very thought of love was entrancing.
I figured I had nothing to lose.
Your smile so elusive, that kiss so exclusive,
Was just an invitation to the blues.

BRIDGE: I went to town, priced a wedding gown,
Put my little red book on the shelf.
I even hired a hall, got the band and all,
And marched down the aisle by myself.

3. I guess you can't depend on romancing.
It puts your heart right down in your shoes.
Instead of a wedding, for which I was heading,
I got an invitation to the blues.

[However, according to the listing at The Indiana University Sheet Music Collections, there is a verse that begins, "What will I do with these wedding gifts?" Maybe this verse was never recorded.]


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Subject: RE: Invitation To The Blues by DW Ditty
From: dwditty
Date: 16 Jan 08 - 11:19 AM

I guess this is proof that old threads never die...they just move waaaay down the list.

I always took Waits' use of the work "conk" to mean head.

A live version of this song (me with Kenny Mack on sax) is HERE

dw


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Subject: RE: Invitation To The Blues by DW Ditty
From: PoppaGator
Date: 16 Jan 08 - 11:50 AM

GUEST of 16 Dec 03 - 09:00 PM and D.W. are correct: "conk" refers to a "process" hairstyle (chemically straightened/waved artrangement of hair originally very curly/kinky), and thus to the person's head.


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Subject: RE: Invitation To The Blues by DW Ditty
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 16 Jan 08 - 12:58 PM

Jim

Here's most of the verse for the Fisher/Gershwin/Roberts version:

  What will I do with these wedding gifts
  I'd better return them today
  <*4 syllables missing*> embarrasing situation
  But I'm sure they'll understand when I say.

(missing syllables probably something like I know it's an)


There's also an alternative first line for the bridge for male singers:

  I shopped around for a place in town.


Mick


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