Lyr Req: Fast Life Woman (Sam Lightnin' Hopkins)

Subject: Lyr Req: Fast life Woman (Sam Lightnin' Hopkins)
From: Leadbelly
Date: 21 Feb 07 - 02:14 PM

Hi,
who knows about complete lyrics of "Fast Life Woman" performed by Lightnin' Hopkins (on electric guitar) in 1966 or somewhat erlier? On one occasion, long time ago I have heard this blues on a record (Verve?).

Thanks in advance,

Manfred

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fast life Woman (Sam Lightnin' Hopkins)
From: Peace
Date: 21 Feb 07 - 10:09 PM

1962 Fast Life Woman • Verve

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fast life Woman (Sam Lightnin' Hopkins)
From: Peace
Date: 21 Feb 07 - 10:12 PM

"Fast Life Woman (Verve V 8453) is a reissue of recordings made in 1946-48"

From the google page of JSTOR which I can't access.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fast life Woman (Sam Lightnin' Hopkins)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 21 Feb 07 - 10:48 PM

Peace, the record review by Wilgus says the reissue cd, "Fast Life Woman," Verve V8453, contains recordings made in 1946-1948 for Bill Quinn's Gold Star label in Houston, and that there was an earlier re-issue by Dart. "Some of Hopkin's best commercial form is here."
Jour. American Folklore, vol. 76, no. 299, pp. 87-90.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fast life Woman (Sam Lightnin' Hopkins)
From: Stewie
Date: 22 Feb 07 - 02:16 AM

It has been reissued also on 'The Gold Star Sessions Vol I' Arhoolie CD 330. This CD and Vol II are first rate collections of Hopkins in his prime.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fast life Woman (Sam Lightnin' Hopkins)
From: Peace
Date: 22 Feb 07 - 01:04 PM

Thanks, Q.

Subject: Lyr Add: FAST LIFE WOMAN
From: Brian Hoskin
Date: 23 Feb 07 - 06:52 AM

I haven't got Hopkins' version of the song, but here is a set of lyrics collected by Harry Oster and published in his 1969 book Living Country Blues. This version is taken from the singing of Hogman (Matthew) Maxey at Louisiana State Penitentiary, Angola, March 27th 1959. I've reproduced it exactly as given by Oster.

Fast Life Woman

1. Woh, fast life woman, well your life won't last you long,
Woh, fast life woman, your life won't last you long,
Well, you done run around so long, baby, you gon' lose your happy home.

2. Oh, the moon risin', darlin', oh the sun shinin' in the west,
Oh Lord, the moon risin', baby, oh Lord, the sun shinin' in the west,
Oh Lord, I had to leave you, baby, I know that for the best.
Spoken: Play it for me a little while, Hogman.

3. Sung: Woh, operator, operator, what time your next train leave goin' east, (2)
Woh, you know I got to leave here, darlin', don't I never have no peace.

4. Woh, Katy May, Katy May, where you stay last night,
Oh, Katy May, wonder where you stay last night,
Oh you know your hair all tore down, darlin', your clothes don't fit you right.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fast life Woman (Sam Lightnin' Hopkin
From: Leadbelly
Date: 23 Feb 07 - 10:16 AM

Hi, Brian

nice to see you walk in again!

Although this is not what I am looking for it's highly suitable for the melody Lightnin' used (because it's a traditional blues scheme).

Nevertheless, I can offer a little help. If my memory serves me well Lightnin's version started as follows:

Fast life, fast life woman, baby you can't get very far
..repeat...
???

Maybe this will help some 'Catters to remember.

Thanks again, Brian

Manfred

Subject: Lyr Add: FAST LIFE WOMAN (Sam Lightnin' Hopkins)
From: Bob the Postman
Date: 23 Feb 07 - 10:01 PM

Fast Life Woman

Lightning Hopkins

Gold Star 665 on Arhoolie 2010

(Guitar intro)

Fast life fast life woman
Baby you can't get very far
You know a fast life woman
Boy you know she can't get very far
You know the breaks she got with the men
All of 'em is following her

You may see that fast life woman sittin around
Sittin round in a whiskey j'int
You may see a fast life woman sittin round
She be sittin around in a whiskey j'int
Yes you know she'll be sittin there smilin cause she know
Some man gon' buy her a half a pint

Take it easy fast life woman
Cause you ain't gon' live always
Please take it easy fast life woman
Cause you ain't gon' live always
Easiest way that you doin with your fast way of goin
Whiskey may carry you to your grave

(Guitar solo)

(Spoken over end of guitar solo): . . . take it easy fast life woman

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fast life Woman (Sam Lightnin' Hopkin
From: Leadbelly
Date: 24 Feb 07 - 09:55 AM

Hi Bob!!!!!

That's exactly what I'm looking for. Thank you sooo much!

There's only one open question to be left: what is meant by "j'int"? Is this a bar or something like that?

Manfred

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fast life Woman (Sam Lightnin' Hopkins)
From: Bob the Postman
Date: 24 Feb 07 - 10:29 AM

Glad to help, Manfred. J'int is a dialectical variation on joint, used here to rhyme with pint. In fact, j'int might not even be the usual pronunciation in Hopkin's natural accent, he might have used it just for the rhyme.

So a joint is a bar, speak-easy, tavern, grocery, or other type of gathering place. An old gag, possibly used by Groucho Marx, runs:

"I learned to play cards at my mother's knee . . . and other low joints."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fast life Woman (Sam Lightnin' Hopkin
From: Leadbelly
Date: 24 Feb 07 - 10:37 AM

Thanks again, Bob!

So my assumption wasn't bad at all.

Have a nice day,

Manfred