The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #94691   Message #1839860
Posted By: Jim Dixon
21-Sep-06 - 07:14 AM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Red Hot Breakdown
Subject: Lyr Add: RED HOT BREAKDOWN (from Earl Johnson)
At Honking Duck you can hear RED HOT BREAKDOWN performed by Earl Johnson & His Clod Hoppers, Okeh 45209, 1928. It shows that the Tom, Brad and Alice version has been cleaned up—rightly so, though it is interesting for historical purposes to see the original:

THE RED HOT BREAKDOWN

1. Way down yonder where I come from,
In the morning, in the morning, so soon,
Way down yonder where I come from,
In the morning, in the morning, so soon,
Way down yonder where I come from,
They fed the niggers on hard ... corn,
Sittin' on the bench where it wasn't no use,
Feet stickin' out like a chicken on a roost,
In the morning, in the morning, so soon.

2. Two little niggers was black as tar
In the morning, in the morning, so soon.
Two little niggers was black as tar
In the morning, in the morning, so soon.
Two little niggers was black as tar,
Tried to get to heaven in a 'lectric car
And they couldn't get thar
In the morning, in the morning, so soon.

3. Some folks says a preacher won't steal
In the morning, in the morning, so soon.
Some folks says a preacher won't steal
In the morning, in the morning, so soon.
Some folks says a preacher wont steal.
I caught two in my watermelon field.
Eat all of the watermelon, part of the rind,
Picking and a-praying all the time,
In the morning, in the morning, so soon.

4. Two little boys had a fight
In the morning, in the morning, so soon.
Two little boys had a fight
In the morning, in the morning, so soon.
Two little boys had a fight,
Trying to get to heaven on the tail of a kite.
Kite tail broke and they both fell.
Instead of going to heaven they went (fiddle note),
In the morning, in the morning, so soon.

5. If you want get to heaven, I'll tell you what to do
In the morning, in the morning, so soon.
If you want get to heaven, I'll tell you what to do
In the morning, in the morning, so soon.
If you want get to heaven, I'll tell you what to do:
Grease your feet in the mutton stew.
Catch the devil right by the hand.
Slide right over in the Promised Land
In the morning, in the morning, so soon.