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28 Jan 03 - 09:11 PM (#877177) Subject: Looking for a song: Take Me Back From: GUEST,Dustin Laurence Mudcatters, while I'm visiting I have another question. I am looking for lyrics (if they exist) for a traditional song called "Take Me Back" (yes, I know there is a modern one with that title--that's not the one). I learned it from a Steve James book called "Roots and Blues Fingerstyle Guitar." Here is all the info he gives:
Dustin |
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28 Jan 03 - 11:03 PM (#877226) Subject: Lyr Add: TAKE ME BACK -and- BOB MCKINNEY From: 12-stringer Goin' down Johnson Street, Bob McKinney was passing by Goin' down Johnson Street, make trouble in the night, Wasn't he bad? Wasn't he bad? Bobby said to Ben Curtis, I'm bound to take your life You have caused trouble, 'tween me and my wife, Wasn't he bad? Wasn't he bad? Bobby said to Marg'ret, Come to me, I said If you don't come in a hurry, put a .38 through your head Wasn't he bad? Wasn't he bad? Bobby said to the high sheriff, Needn't think I'm goin' to run If I'd had another load, me 'n you'd had some fun Wasn't he bad? Wasn't he bad? That's Bob McKinney, and as you may guess from its scansion, it is NOT to the same melody as Take Me Back! It's a standard blues ballad arrangement (first line in I, second line IV-I, third line V-I) but I can't think of another which has a particularly similar melody line. From this, Henry Thomas segues into Take Me Back and (my copy of the record is a few miles away) maybe a clip or two of yet another song. Several of his performances are medleys of this sort. If you've never heard him, do yourself a favor and buy a CD of his music. (My favorite is Run Molly Run, followed closely by Fishing Blues, but all of his recordings are just wonderful. His guitar is just strumming, though he essays rudimentary knifeblade figures on some pieces but his quill-playing and vocals are a total delight to hear.) I don't remember what lyrics Henry sings from Take Me Back, and the one I play is just a hodgepodge that may be closest to Mance Lipscomb than anyone else. It doesn't have much story. Sometimes it goes like this: Oh my babe, take me back Won't do nothing that you don't like. I went down the railroad track Beggin' my baby to take me back. She turned around, two or three times Take you back when you learn to grind I got a girl, her name is Maude Works down in the white folk's yard She brings me chicken, she brings me a goose She brings me cornbread till it ain't no use Ain't but one thing that grieves my mind My woman quit me in the summertime You can improv this stuff forever, with the "Oh my babe take me back" lines thrown in as a chorus. |
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30 Jan 03 - 01:36 PM (#878479) Subject: RE: Looking for a song: Take Me Back From: GUEST,(Dustin Laurence) 12-stringer, Thanks, that's exactly what I was looking for. I really ought to own a recording of it, but your words will do very well. They might not be any one version, but they definitely have the mark of traditional words! Dustin |