Lyr Req: Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine (J McDonald)

Subject: Sweet Lorraine
From: Philippa
Date: 16 Jan 99 - 10:19 AM

vague memories of a blues-y song with the refrain "Sweet Lorraine" perhaps sung by Jum kweskin Jug Band??? if you know it, you can carry on this thread.

But my real reason for starting the thread is to catch the attention of LORRAINE or anyone who knows her. Lorraine's last listed submission to the forum was 5.5 months ago. I'd like her to know that I added lyrics to her Ny Kirree Fo Niaghtey thread - on 12 Jan. if she wants to look for it.

Subject: RE: Sweet Lorraine
From:
Date: 16 Jan 99 - 11:42 AM

I just found joy/ I'm as happy as a baby boy/Playing with a choo-choo toy/ Since I met my sweet Lorraine.

Almost any CD anthology of Nat 'King' Cole will have this song.--John

Subject: Lyr Add: SWEET LORRAINE (Country Joe & the Fish)
From: Bobby Bob, Ellan Vannin
Date: 16 Jan 99 - 11:53 AM

This may well be the Country Joe and the Fish song of the same name, on the Electric Music for the Mind and Body album..

She hides in the attic concealed on a shelf
Behind volumes of literature based on herself
And runs across the pages like some tiny elf
Knowing that it's hard to find
Stuff way back in your mind
Winds up spending nearly all of her time
Trying to memorise every line

Sweet Lorraine, aah, Sweet Lorraine

Well you know it's a shame and a pity
You were raised back in the city
And you never learned nuthin 'bout country ways, Aah, 'bout country ways.

For joy of life she dresses in black
With celestial secrets engraved in her back
And her eyes keep flashin that's she's got the knack

And at this point the little grey cells hit a blank, but hopefully it may have put you on some track or other - who knows, perhaps even the right one. I've got no access to vinyl, on which I have the vinyl album, and even a promotional 7" single release.

And just by chance, you're not talking about Lorraine Hogan, are you, originally from the Boston area, who visited Mann quite a few years ago for Yn Chruinnaght? She went back and then moved to Colorado.

I was just enquiring on the offchance that the world really is that small.

Shoh slaynt,

Bobby Bob

Subject: RE: Sweet Lorraine
From: Bobby Bob, Ellan Vannin
Date: 16 Jan 99 - 11:59 AM

But you know when you look into her eyes
All she's learned she's had to memorise
And the only way to ever get her high
Is to let her do her thing and then watch you die

Sweet Lorraine, etc.

Something synaptic happened.

Mish, lesh yindys er y chooinaghtyn aym,

Bobby Bob

Subject: RE: Sweet Lorraine
From: Bobby Bob, Ellan Vannin
Date: 17 Jan 99 - 05:38 AM

Now she's the one who gives us all those magical things
And tells us stories of other I Ching Then she throws down a whole new basket of rings
That, when you put 'em on your hand,
Make you one of the angel band
And give you the power to be a man
But what it does for her you never quite understand

Sweet Lorraine, aah, sweet Lorraine

I think I may have got that all out of my system now. Just think how easy it would have been to slap some vinyl on a deck and listen.

I mentioned Lorraine Hogan when an earlier chemical connection had started me off. The Lorraine that Philippa referred to back in 1997 had been asking about probably the most famous song from the Isle of Man, Ny Kirree fo 'Niaghtey, so I just wondered if the query had arisen from that Lorraine's visit to Mann.

Anyway, pleasant to be reminded of Country Joe & the Fish, and strange the way these things start filtering through when you're not really thinking directly of them. They'd need checking back because even I've noticed an odd infelicity in what I put.

Gura mie eu.

Bobby Bob

Subject: RE: Sweet Lorraine
From: Philippa
Date: 18 Jan 99 - 07:08 AM

Bobby Bob, that was indeed the "Sweet Lorraine" I had vague memories of. What a coincidence that you, of Ellen Vannen, should be the one to supply the words!

But I don't know who Lorraine is or whether she ever visited your island. I found her request by serendipity, when I was doing a forum search for something else. She heard the Kirree song, in English translation!, on an album "Wassail" by Magpie Lane. I hope someone brings Lorraine back to Mudcat.

Subject: RE: Sweet Lorraine
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Jul 09 - 07:11 AM

Hi Ya'll -

Making a post to a thread 10 years old! Think I need to get a life. (But if someone else is searching for this tune, here's a little help...)

Bobby Bob is correct in that Country Joe & the Fish put out the tune on the album "Electric Music for the Mind and Body", but the correct title is "Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine"

Most of the lyrics here but for the full set, check out the page: http://www.well.com/~cjfish/electric.htm#martha

Cheers - Lendon

Subject: Lyr Add: NOT SO SWEET MARTHA LORRAINE (J McDonald)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 26 Mar 19 - 07:15 PM

Here is the whole thing put together, after another ten years. (I came here looking for a different song actually called SWEET LORRAINE. Don't worry; I have the lyrics; I was wondering where to post them.) I checked these words against the recording on Spotify.


NOT SO SWEET MARTHA LORRAINE
Words and music by Joe McDonald
As recorded by Country Joe & The Fish on "Electric Music for the Mind and Body" (1967)

She hides in an attic concealed on a shelf
Behind volumes of literature based on herself
And runs across the pages like some tiny elf
Knowing that it's hard to find
Stuff way back in her mind;
Winds up spending all of her time
Tryin' to memorize every line—
Sweet Lorraine, ah, sweet Lorraine.

Sweet lady of death wants me to die
So she can come sit by my bedside and sigh
And wipe away the tears from all my friends' eyes,
Then softly she will explain
Just exactly who was to blame
For causin' me to go insane
And fin'lly blow out my brains—
Sweet Lorraine, ah, sweet Lorraine.

Well, you know it's a shame and a pity
You were raised up in the city
And you never learned nothin' 'bout country ways,
Ah, 'bout country ways.

The joy of life she dresses in black
With celestial secrets engraved in her back
And her face keeps flashin' that she's got the knack,
But you know, when you look into her eyes,
All she's learned she's had to memorize,
And the only way you'll ever get her high
Is to let her do her thing and then watch you die—
Sweet Lorraine, ah, sweet Lorraine.

Now, she's the one who gives us all those magical things
And reads us stories out of the I Ching,
Then she passes out a whole new basket of rings
That, when you put on your hand,
Makes you one of the angel band
And gives you the power to be a man,
But what it does for her you never quite understand—
Sweet Lorraine, ah, sweet Lorraine.

Well, you know that it's a shame and a pity
You were raised up in the city
And you never learned nothin' 'bout country ways,
Ah, 'bout country ways,
Ah, 'bout country ways
Yeah, 'bout country ways. FADE

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine (J McDonald)
From: clueless don
Date: 05 Nov 20 - 06:46 AM

There was a local rock group in DC in the late 60s/early 70s. They called themselves "Claude Jones". "Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine" was one of the songs they covered.

Don