Lyr Add: You Gotta Reap What You Sow (A Hunter)

Subject: Lyr Add: YOU GOTTA REAP WHAT YOU SOW (A Hunter)
From: GutBucketeer
Date: 27 Feb 06 - 10:56 PM

Alberta Hunter sings a spiritual or hymn version of YOU GOT TO REAP JUST WHAT YOU SOW that I've fallen in love with. It is very different from the blues song with the same name, and seems to be related to the Carter Family's SOW IT ON THE MOUNTAIN. It seems eerily apropos for today's times. The lyrics are provided below. Does anyone know anything more about this song, or even better the chords or music?

YOU GOTTA REAP WHAT YOU SOW
As sung by Alberta Hunter - (The Bluesville Years Vol. 8)

You can boast about your riches, your every wish someone's command.
You can go 'round cheatin' people, by some trickery or plan.
You tell lies on your neighbor, and think no one will ever know,
But just as sure as you are living, you got to reap just what you sow.

CHORUS: You've got to reap just what you sow.
Yes, you've got to reap just what you sow.
Oh, on the mountain, ah, in the valley,
You've got to reap just what you sow.

Yes, you can inconvenience others, to make things easy for yourself.
You can steal some poor man's idea, and accumulate great wealth,
But here's one thing that will happen—it’s been tried and proved before:
All the wrong that you are doing, you got to reap just what you sow. CHORUS

Yes, you can take every advantage of a fellow man that is down.
You can take somebody's heartstring, oooh, and drag it on the ground.
You can high-hat other people, just because you are having luck,
Even double-cross your best friend and then try and pass the buck,
But there's one thing that will happen, makes no difference where you go:
Just before your final curtain, you've got to reap just what you sow. CHORUS TWICE

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: You Got To Reap Just What You Sow
From: GUEST,Q as guest
Date: 28 Feb 06 - 08:54 PM

Bessie Smith, Tampa Red, Skip James, and others also recorded this old favorite. Similar sentiments in "Cypress Grove Blues."

Thanks for posting Alberta Hunter's song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: You Got To Reap Just What You Sow
From: wysiwyg
Date: 28 Feb 06 - 08:56 PM

I need to hear that one, GB; can you help?

~S~

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: You Got To Reap Just What You Sow
From: GutBucketeer
Date: 02 Mar 06 - 12:02 AM

you can get a snippet from the amazon.com page for the Bluesville Years Volume 8. It has some great dixieland tuba and trumpet in it and she really belts it out. I love it.

JAB

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: You Gotta Reap What You Sow (A Hunter)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 05 Mar 06 - 12:03 PM

The Online 78 rpm Discographical Project lists these recordings with similar titles:

GONNA REAP WHAT YOU SOW, sung by Pace Jubilee Singers, 9/13/1926.
WE'LL REAP WHAT WE SOW, sung by McDonald Qt, 09/15/32.
WE'LL REAP WHAT WE SOW, sung by Middle Georgia Singer Convent., 12/10/30.
WE'LL REAP WHAT WE SOW, sung by Stringfellow Qt, 10/26/31.
WE'LL REAP WHAT WE SOW, sung by Vaughan's Texas Qt, 10/9/1929.
YE SHALL REAP WHAT YE SOW, sung by Sara Martin acc C. Williams, 7/12/23, written by Alex Robinson.
YOU GONNA REAP JUST WHAT YOU SOW, sung by Nazarene Choir, 6/7/27.
YOU GONNA REAP WHAT YOU SO (sic), sung by Nazarene Choir, c1927.
YOU GOT TO REAP WHAT YOU SOW, sung by Bill "Jazz" Gillum, 5/17/39.
YOU GOT TO REAP WHAT YOU SOW, sung by Leroy Carr (a.k.a. Blues Johnson), 8/14/28.
YOU SHALL REAP JUST WHAT YOU SOW, sung by Rev. M. L. Thrasher Gospel Sing., 4/18/28.
YOU SHALL REAP WHAT YOU SOW, sung by Alberta Hunter, 02/??/23, written by Alexander Robinson.
YOU SHALL REAP WHAT YOU SOW, sung by Lil Armstrong & Her Swing Band, 2/2/38.
YOU SHALL REAP WHAT YOU SOW, sung by Owens Bros & Ellis, 12/4/29.
YOU'RE GOING TO REAP JUST WHAT YOU SOW, sung by Booker Male Qt, c1924.
YOU'RE GOING TO REAP JUST WHAT YOU SOW, sung by Fisk University Qt, 12/??/20.
YOU'RE GONNA REAP WHAT YOU SOW, sung by Statesmen Qt, c1949-50.

(If nothing else, this list serves to illustrate why it is often so difficult to find a song with a search engine: Wording can vary enormously while having essentially the same meaning. Often it is different from what we remember, or think we remember.)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: You Gotta Reap What You Sow (A Hunter)
From: GutBucketeer
Date: 06 Mar 06 - 12:13 AM

Yes, but "You Shall Reap what you Sow" by Alexander Robinson as sung by Alberta Hunter in the 20s, and "You Got To Reap what you Sow" by Leroy Carr (blues song sung by many)are 2 very different songs from this one. I have them both.

BTW the lyrics that start this thread are a direct transcription from the song that is on The Bluesville Years Volume 8. At least as near as I can make it out. I only have an MP3 of the song, but Amazon.com lists Track 3 of "The Bluesville Years Vol.8: Roll Over Ms. Beethoven" as:

3. You Gotta Reap What You Sow - Alberta Hunter 2:41

The recording sounds much more recent than the 1920s. I think it was originally on "Songs We Taught Your Mother" released in 1961 (and therefore not in the 78 rpm database),and it may have been recorded when Ms. Hunter had come out of "retirement" then.

A snipet of the liner notes from "Songs We Taught Your Mother" that is online states:

Although Alberta Hunter, who had briefly come out of retirement, gets first billing on this CD reissue, in reality she shares the spotlight with two other veterans of the 1920s: Lucille Hegamin and Victoria Spivey. Each of the singers is featured on four songs apiece while backed by such top players as clarinetist Buster Bailey, trombonist J.C. Higginbottham, and Cliff Jackson or Willie "The Lion" Smith on piano. Hunter is in superior form on such numbers as "You Gotta Reap Just What You Sow" and "I Got a Mind to Ramble,"

JAB

Subject: Lyr Add: YOU SHALL REAP JUST WHAT YOU SOW
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 08 Mar 06 - 11:14 PM

The Red Hot Jazz Archive has 3 recordings of this song: one sung by Alberta Hunter, recorded Feb, 1923; one by Sara Martin, from July, 1923; and one by Lil Armstrong and Her Swing Orchestra, from 1937. My transcription is based on Alberta Hunter's; the others vary only slightly. Note this is a completely different song from the one she recorded later in life.

YOU SHALL REAP JUST WHAT YOU SOW
Alexander Robinson

VERSE: When our eyes are dimmed with tears, we fail to realize
We'll be repenting through the years. Our sins shall never die.
Now my sweetheart has thrown me down,
And in my sea, I'm left to drown,
But just as sure as wint'ry winds will blow,
You shall reap just what you sow.

CHORUS: (I tell you,) You got to reap what you sow in the sweet, sweet by and by
When the fire of my love shall cease to burn.
You're gonna call me in vain, and you'll hang your head and cry.
I'll be far, far away and I'll not return.
Lord, many times you'll feel blue. You're gonna miss my hug and kiss
When your new lover quits and turns to go.
But if you make your own bed hard,
Don't you call on the good Lord,
'Cause He's promised you shall reap just what you sow.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: You Gotta Reap What You Sow (A Hunter)
From: GUEST,nataschaa
Date: 16 May 14 - 08:20 PM

did you find chords for this song?

Subject: Lyr Add: GOT TO REAP WHAT YOU SOW (Jazz Gillum)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 19 May 14 - 06:30 PM

GOT TO REAP WHAT YOU SOW
As sung by Jazz Gillum on "Jazz Gillum: Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order, Vol. 2, 1938-1941" (Document Records, DOCD-5198)

I woke up this mornin', Lord, and my baby was gone. (2x)
I didn't have no sweet woman just to hold me in her arms.

I'm a poor, poor boy, and a great long way from home. (2x)
I ain't got nobody, just to teach me right from wrong.

I'm bowed down in trouble and you know just how I feel: (2x)
Like a broke-down engine without a drivin' wheel.

That's why I'm leavin'; I ain't got no place to go, (2x)
Because the Good Book say you gonna reap just what you sow.

Subject: Lyr Add: YOU GOT TO REAP WHAT YOU SOW (Leroy Carr)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 19 May 14 - 06:48 PM

YOU GOT TO REAP WHAT YOU SOW
As sung by Leroy Carr on "Leroy Carr: Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order, Vol. 1, 1928-1929" (Document Records, DOCD-5134)

Now here's somethin', baby, I want you to know:
You got to reap, baby, just what you sow,
And you got to reap just what, what you sow.

And after all I've done for you,
You said, baby, that you was through.
You got to reap just what, what you sow.

Yeah, and you told me, baby, that you were through.
But you'll want for me, baby, when I won't want you.
You got to reap just what, what you sow.

And when I had you, baby, you had your diamonds on,
And since I've got you baby, you got them all in pawn.
You got to reap just what, what you sow.

Yeah, and you left me cold in hand.
You taken my money, give it to your other man,
But you got to reap just what, what you sow.

And when I was in trouble, you forsaken me.
Sometimes you're trouble; that I could see,
But you got to reap just what, what you sow.

Subject: Lyr Add: REAP WHAT YOU SOW (B McGhee/S Terry)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 19 May 14 - 07:10 PM

REAP WHAT YOU SOW
As sung by Brownie McGhee & Sonny Terry on "The Old Town Recordings"

1. You know I love you, but you don't seem to care.
The better I treat you, you won't play fair and square.

CHORUS: But there's one thing for sure that I really know:
You gonna reap just what you sow.

2. My mother always told me: live by the golden rule:
Do unto others as you'd have them do to you.

3. If you don't believe it, darlin', just wait around and see:
Somebody's gonna mistreat you like you treated me.

4. If you don't believe it, just wait around and see:
Somebody's gonna mistreat you like you doggin' me.

5. Babe, what you sow, babe, you've got to reap,
And what you reap is gon' to make you weep.

Subject: Lyr Add: YOU GOT TO REAP WHAT YOU SOW (M Lipscomb)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 19 May 14 - 07:32 PM

This is closely related to Leroy Carr's version.

YOU GOT TO REAP WHAT YOU SOW
As sung by Mance Lipscomb on "You Got to Reap What You Sow" (Arhoolie, 1993)

Honey, after all I did for you,
You told me, baby, that you were through.
You got to reap just what you sow.

Y'all my money, you left me cold in hand;
Taken my money and give it to your other man.
You got to reap just what you sow.

Cried all last night, the night befo'.
Sh—anyway I'm livin'; I ain't gonna cry no mo'.
You got to reap just what you sow.

When you quit me, you didn't even shake my hand.
That's all right; you gonna understand:
You got to reap just what you sow.

All I ever did for you,
You said, baby, you were through.
You got to reap just what you sow.

Goodbye; I hate to see you go.
I might never see you no mo'.
You got to reap just what you sow.

Subject: Lyr Add: REAP WHAT YOU SOW (Guitar Slim)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 20 May 14 - 11:54 AM

REAP WHAT YOU SOW
As sung by Eddie "Guitar Slim" Jones on "Story of My Life" (2011)

They say you got to reap, baby; you got to reap just what you sow.
They say you got to reap, baby; you got to reap just what you sow.
You treated me so bad, honey, when you drove me from your do'.

I met you, baby-honey, when I were a kid at home in school.
I met you, baby, when I was just a kid at home in school.
You made me mistreat my pals, baby, and I broke all my teacher's rules.

That's all right, baby; I know you gonna reap what you sow.
That's all right, honey-baby, you got to reap just what you sow.
... you, baby, and you won't mistreat me no mo'.