The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #76036   Message #2324779
Posted By: GUEST,Dave MacKenzie
24-Apr-08 - 06:50 PM
Thread Name: Origins: Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out
Subject: RE: Origins: Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out
I originally got it from a Jerry Silverman book back in the 60s, transcribed in D. A few years later I picked up a version by Scrapper Blackwell on EP, which was in C and works better on guitar,at least in standard tuning. Scrapper also sings a second verse, as does Billie Pierce, which goes something like this ( I don't have transcriptions handy, and I'm not certain which one this is, - probably Billie's)

I met one of my friends the other day.
This is what my friend had to say:
"Look a-here buddy, don't I know you?
Give me one of your dimes so I can buy some stew".
I told it to my friend just like this:
"I give you one more dime you gotta be in this fix -
You're blind in both eyes and you cannot see,
Both your legs are cut off above the knee
You got malaria and the Asian flu.
Lie upon your back, babe, that's what you do,
You gotta receive a telegram that your Grandmammie's dyin'
Before I get a notion to let you have a dime, let you have a dime.

Must be Billie's - the tune resolves.