Lyr Req: Dust Pneumonia Blues (Woody Guthrie)

Subject: Lyr Req: Dustpneumonia Blues
From: GUEST,Peter from Switzerland
Date: 15 Jun 05 - 11:45 AM

In a recording made by the folklorist Elizabeth Lomax of The Dust Pneumonia Blues (1940), Woody Guthrie sings a different (i.e. longer) version of this song.
Does anyone happen to know or have these lyrics? (or even better a transcript of the whole interview and song??)
I would be very grateful as I want to use it in teaching about the Dust Bowl.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dustpneumonia Blues
From: Flash Company
Date: 15 Jun 05 - 11:56 AM

Only version I've got is three verses, published in Sing Out way back when!

FC

Subject: Lyr Add: DUST PNEUMONIA (Woody Guthrie)
From: GUEST,The B-side of Mungo Jerry's
Date: 15 Jun 05 - 11:58 AM

The B-side of Mungo Jerry's song In The Summertime was a cover version of this song and its good.

there is a version in the DT.

I'll paste it here because you may have trouble accessing it.

Dust Pneumonia
Woody Guthrie

I got that dust new-mon-ee, new-mon-ee in my lungs
(Repeat above)
And I'm gonna sing that dust new-mon-ee song
I went to the doctor and the doctor said, "My son"
(Repeat)
"You got that dust new-mon-ee, an' you aint got long, not long"
Now there ought to be some yodelin' in this song
(Repeat)
But I can't yodel for the rattlin' in my lungs

My good gal sings the dust new-mon-ee blues
(Repeat)
She loves me 'cause she has the dust new-mon-ee too
If it weren't for choppin my hole would turn to rust
(Repeat)
I can't find a woman in this black ol' Texas dust

Down in Oklahoma, the wind blows mighty strong
(Repeat)
If you want to get a momma, just sing a California song

Down in Texas, my gal fainted in the rain
(Repeat)
I throwed a bucket of dirt in her face, just to bring her back again

Dust Bowl Ballads" from Rounder Records.
The song is attributed to Woodie Guthrie, and the CD is copyrighted 1988 to BMG,
Inc.

Guthrie's Do-re-mi gives a good impression of the times

Subject: Lyr Add: DUST PNEUMONIA BLUES (Woody Guthrie)
From: Brian Hoskin
Date: 15 Jun 05 - 12:23 PM

These are the lyrics on the Woody Guthrie website, it is a longer version than this you are after?:

Dust Pneumonia Blues

I got that dust pneumony, pneumony in my lung,
I got the dust pneumony, pneumony in my lung,
An' I'm a-gonna sing this dust pneumony song.

I went to the doctor, and the doctor, said, "My son,"
I went to the doctor, and the doctor, said, "My son,
You got that dust pneumony an' you ain't got long, not long."

Now there ought to be some yodelin' in this song;
Yeah, there ought to be some yodelin' in this song;
But I can't yodel for the rattlin' in my lung.

My good gal sings the dust pneumony blues,
My good gal sings the dust pneumony blues,
She loves me 'cause she's got the dust pneumony, too.

It it wasn't for choppin' my hoe would turn to rust,
If it wasn't for choppin' my hoe would turn to rust,
I can't find a woman in this black ol' Texas dust.

Down in Oklahoma, the wind blows mighty strong,
Down in Oklahoma, the wind blows mighty strong,
If you want to get a mama, just sing a California song.

Down in Texas, my gal fainted in the rain,
Down in Texas, my gal fainted in the rain,
I throwed a bucket o' dirt in her face just to bring her back again.

Words and Music by Woody Guthrie
© Copyright 1963 by Ludlow Music, Inc

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dustpneumonia Blues
From: Brian Hoskin
Date: 15 Jun 05 - 12:36 PM

I've done a quick search and I think you may find some of the information you want on this site. It has part of the recording you're after and his reflections on the dust bowl from the same recording session with Elizabeth Lomax.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dustpneumonia Blues
From: Joe Offer
Date: 15 Jun 05 - 01:13 PM

Is the Elizabeth Lomax recording of Guthrie available on CD? What's the title of the recording?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dustpneumonia Blues
From: GUEST,Peter
Date: 15 Jun 05 - 02:11 PM

Thank you for all the help!
The verses (and information) you provided are the ones I had already found on various web sites. The interview and different version can be heard on the site mentioned by Brian (that site however has only parts of the song and the interview).
The recording is availoable on CD (I had ordered it through Amazon.de
(http://www.amazon.de/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00000ILH6/qid=1118858179/sr=2-2/ref=sr_2_11_2/302-2104590-9277645) [I can't do the "blue clicky"]
and version on that CD (= interview and song) lasts 9 mts 12 sec.
Peter

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dustpneumonia Blues
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Jun 05 - 02:02 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dustpneumonia Blues
From: GUEST,Allen
Date: 16 Jun 05 - 06:00 PM

I have it on a collection called The Very Best of Woody Guthrie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dustpneumonia Blues
From: GUEST,Peter
Date: 17 Jun 05 - 02:31 AM

Yes, Allen, that is the CD I have. Do you have the lyrics of that version as well? I must admit that as a non-native speaker I don't understand all the verses.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dustpneumonia Blues
From: Joe Offer
Date: 17 Jun 05 - 05:50 AM

Peter, if there's anything you need explained, let us know. The Digital Tradition version above has some lyrics that just done't make sense, like

If it weren't for choppin my hole would turn to rust

Brian Hoskin posted a version above that makes much more sense. In the version he posted, the line is

It it wasn't for choppin' my hoe would turn to rust.

Much better, indeed. "Hoe" makes sense. The subjunctive "weren't" is grammatically correct, but I can't imagine Woody using a subjunctive...
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dust Pneumonia Blues (Woody Guthrie)
From: GUEST,Peter
Date: 18 Jun 05 - 06:10 PM

refresh
(a last time)