Another Hokum Boys tune from the Heptone Web Site:

Somebody's Been Using That Thing Transcribed from vocals by The Hokum Boys, with the Three Shadows, recorded 1930,
From Sissy Man Blues, Mojo, CD-MOJO-304.

I took my whiskey jug to get a little shot,
Someone beat me to it, and they didn't leave a drop,
Mmm-hmm!
Somebody's been usin' that thing,
Mmm-hmm!
Somebody's been usin' that thing,
Just as sure as you're born, somebody's been usin' that thing!

I met the cutest little brown that I had ever seen,
But when she started lovin', I found she wasn't green,
Mmm-hmm!
Somebody's been usin' that thing,
Mmm-hmm!
Somebody's been usin' that thing,
Just as sure as you're born, somebody's been usin' that thing!

When Minnie was a girl, her mother kept her from men,
But Minnie had two children when she reached the age of ten,
Mmm-hmm!
Somebody's been usin' that thing,
I know,
Somebody's been usin' that thing,
Just as sure as you're born, somebody's been usin' that thing!

Oh, Jimmy Jones the gambler owned a pretty pair of dice,
He made his seven once and he made his 'leven twice,
That boy,
Somebody's been usin' that thing,
What joy!
Somebody's been usin' that thing,
Just as sure as you're born, somebody's been usin' that thing!

My friend picked a new girl in a little dance hall,
He used to be a high stepper, but now he can't walk at all!
What's the matter?
Somebody's been usin' that thing,
I thought it!
Somebody's been usin' that thing,
Just as sure as you're born, somebody's been usin' that thing!

The house on the corner is the funniest place,
The man who lives there puts paint and powder on his face.
Oh, stop now!
Somebody's been usin' that thing,
Oh, boy!
Somebody's been usin' that thing,
Just as sure as you're born, somebody's been usin' that thing!

I went down to the levee to watch the boats come in,
I saw a lot of women who walked and talked like men,
What's the matter?
Somebody's been usin' that thing,
Are you sure?
Somebody's been usin' that thing,
Just as sure as you're born, somebody's been usin' that thing!

When you see little school-girls skippin' down the street,
Shakin' and twisting from their head to their feet,
I know,
Somebody's been usin' that thing,
You can always tell,
Somebody's been usin' that thing,
Just as sure as you're born, somebody's been usin' that thing!

---

Return to the Heptune Jazz and Blues Lyrics Page.