Lyr Req: Help Me (Sonny Boy Williamson)

Subject: Lyrics/Wanted - You Gotta Help Me....
From:
Date: 19 Mar 99 - 11:56 PM

I'm looking for the lyrics for two blues songs, of which I know only strings. They are both well known songs.

The first goes, You gotta help me baby, cuz I can't help myself..." etc.

The second: Has the words something along this line:

"blue lights down low..." or turn the blue lights down low.."

Lyrics and author, performers please!

TXS!

Subject: RE: Lyrics/Wanted - You Gotta Help Me....
From: Sophie
Date: 20 Mar 99 - 12:15 PM

Well, it's not my usual area, but I think the " You gotta help me" one is by Sonny Boy Williamson, unless I am mistaking it for something else. My copy is on some kind of compilation of Sonny Boy Williamson. If that's the song you mean it shouldn't be too hard to find. Sophie

Subject: RE: Lyrics/Wanted - You Gotta Help Me....
From:
Date: 20 Mar 99 - 09:34 PM

To Sophie:

Ah yes, I'm sure that's the one, indeed, by Sonny Boy Williamson. Now, if I can just figure out the other one!

K.

Subject: RE: Lyrics/Wanted - You Gotta Help Me....
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 22 Mar 99 - 12:51 PM

Johnny Winter did "Help Me" on his "Progressive Blues Experiment" (a.k.a 'Austin, Texas) album.

It went something like:

You gotta help me, I can't make it by myself, You gotta help me darlin', I can't make it by myself, If you don't help me little girl, I'll have to find somebody else

You might have to cook, you might have to clean, you might have to sew, You might have to ? ..,

but you gotta help me darling, I can't make it by myself, If you don't help me little girl, I'll have to find somebody else.

I can't remember the whole song, but let me know if this is the one that you are thinking of and I will listen to it and post the lyrics.

Steve Latimer

Subject: Lyr Add: HELP ME (Sonny Boy Williamson)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 23 Dec 07 - 01:30 PM

I don't think this song has been posted before, but it's hard to be sure, because there are around 80 old threads with the words "help me" in the title!

Lyrics from Downhome Blues Lyrics: An Anthology from the Post-World War II Era By Jeff Todd Titon, 1990.

HELP ME
Sonny Boy Williamson.

You got to help me. I can't do it all by myself.
You got to help me, baby. I can't do it all by myself.
You know, if you don't help me, darling, I'll have to find myself somebody else.

I may have to wash. May have to sew.
I may have to cook. I might mop the flo',
But you help me, baby.
You know, if you don't help me, darling, I'll find myself somebody else.

When I walk, you walk with me.
And when I talk, you talk to me.
Oh, baby, I can't do it all by myself.
You know, if you don't help me, darling, I'll have find myself somebody else.
(Help me, help me, darling.)

Bring me my nightshirt. Put on your morning gown.
Well, bring me my nightshirt. Put on your morning gown.
Darling, I know we ain't sleepy, but I just feel like lying down.
(Oh, yeah, help me.)

* * *

According to Allmusic.com, HELP ME was written by Ralph Bass, Willie Dixon, and Sonny Boy Williamson, and recorded by Sonny Boy Williamson, Junior Wells, Johnny Winter, John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, and many others.

And, according to Wikipedia:

Sonny Boy Williamson may refer to either of two 20th-century American blues harmonica players:

Sonny Boy Williamson I (1914–1948), John Lee Curtis Williamson, "The Original Sonny Boy Williamson", born in Tennessee and associated with Bluebird Records

Sonny Boy Williamson II (1899–1965), Aleck "Rice" Miller, the more famous of the two, born in Mississippi and associated with Checker Records.

Apparently it was Rice Miller who wrote and recorded this song--but even Allmusic.com, which acknowledges that there were two of them, sometimes gets them confused.

And there are several other songs called HELP ME, for example, one written by Joni Mitchell; and one written by Larry Gatlin and recorded by Elvis Presley.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Help Me (Sonny Boy Williamson)
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 24 Dec 07 - 11:36 AM

Record companies certainly get them confused. They are a least two albums of Sonny Boy Williamsom 1 available with Sonny Boy Williamson 11's photo on the cd covers.

Subject: Lyr Add: BLUE LIGHT BOOGIE (Jessie Mae Robinson)
From: GUEST,Metal Clarinet
Date: 07 Mar 11 - 01:31 AM

Second tune (covered by a lot of people but I think first recorded by louis Jordan

BLUE LIGHT BOOGIE
(Jessie Mae Robinson)

Recorded by : Mary Coughlan; Jellyroll; Jive At Five;
Louis Jordan; Magic Sam; Taj Mahal; Jim Mesi; Texana Dames.


They did the Boogie real slow with the blue lights way down low
They did the Boogie real slow with the blue lights way down low

1
I went to a party, was nothin' there but bobby socks
Went to a party, man you oughta seen 'em to reel and rock
They did the Boogie real slow with the blue lights way down low
They did the Boogie real slow with the blue lights way down low

2
I started rockin', man I threw my left foot out.
I started swingin', somebody begin to shout
You got to Boogie real slow with the blue lights way down low
You got to Boogie real slow with the blue lights way down low

3
The girls boys, they made so much noise
They even had a raid
But when the police got there all they could find
Was ice cream and lemonade

4
Oh what a party
I'm so glad I didn't stay at home
Oh what a party
They didn't treat me like I was a chaperone
They did the Boogie real slow with the blue lights way down low
They did the Boogie real slow with the blue lights way down low

repeat 2

5
The Women had they're heads laid on their fellas' shoulders
Who were boogie-woogeyin' and squeezin' em up in the room
I couldn't see how they was dancin'
Cuz their feet, they didn't move

repeat 4
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