Lyr Req: Old Rock Island Blues (Lonnie Coleman)

Subject: Lyr Add: OLD ROCK ISLAND BLUES (Lonnie Coleman)
From: Roberto
Date: 13 Jan 08 - 10:40 AM

Taft's Blues concordance is the source of most lines, yet there are words missing and here and there I'm not sure. Please, help correct and complete this. Thanks. R

Old Rock Island Blues, sung by Lonnie Coleman

I've got the Rock Island blues, waiting for the Rock Island train
I've got the Rock Island blues, waiting for the Rock Island train
I took the Rock Island train and take a Rock Island ride somewhere

I've got a free transportation, looking for the train to ride
I've got a free transportation, looking for the train to ride
I need to ride the Rock Island, just riding to satisfy

If you ever been down, you know just how I feel
Say, If you ever been down, …
If you ever been down, you know just how I feel

I've got the Rock Island blues, waiting for the Rock Island train
I've got the Rock Island blues, waiting for the Rock Island train
I'll take the Rock Island train and take a Rock Island ride somewhere

An' I'm going away, ain't comin' here no mo'
I'm going away, ain't comin' here no mo'
I'm (???) leaving, hang crepe on your door

I've got the rickets and the rackets and my baby's got the Mobile blues
I've got the rickets and the rackets and my baby's got the Mobile blues
I've got the Rock Island blues and I don't know what to do

One thing about these women I cannot understand
One thing about these women I cannot understand
All wear short dresses trying to fool a workingman

I've got the rickets and the rackets and my baby's got the Mobile blues
I've got the rickets and the rackets and my baby's got the Mobile blues
I've got the Rock Island blues and I don't know what to do

Baby if anyone should ask you who composed this song
Baby if anyone should ask you who composed this song
Just tell Lonnie Coleman, done been to your town and gone

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lonnie Coleman's Old Rock Island Blues
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 13 Jan 08 - 12:41 PM

Roberto

I've just had a quick listen and I think you've mostly got it right. The missing bits you have are:

v3 line2:

Say that you ever been down you might know just how I feel

v5: I don't think there's anything between I'm and leaving (but I'll probably want to listen to this again).

I'm also not sure about train at the end of the lines in v1 and v4. It might be, but he pronounces train quite clearly elsewhere; it may just be an end of line thing, but I'd want to listen to that again.

There are a few very minor changes elsewhere, but I haven't time to list them at the moment. I'll come back to this later.

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lonnie Coleman's Old Rock Island Blues
From: Roberto
Date: 13 Jan 08 - 12:51 PM

Thank you, especially for the missing line. R

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lonnie Coleman's Old Rock Island Blues
From: Roberto
Date: 13 Jan 08 - 12:53 PM

Could it be "van" instead of "train"?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lonnie Coleman's Old Rock Island Blues
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 14 Jan 08 - 07:56 AM

Roberto

I've had a closer listen to the song and below I include the minor changes and some major ones. As you'll see from the notes below I'm still not completely happy with it. We might need another ear on it! Stewie where are you?

Mick


Old Rock Island Blues, sung by Lonnie Coleman

I've got the Rock Island blues, waiting for the Rock Island prayer   
I've got the Rock Island blues, waiting for the Rock Island prayer
I take the Rock Island train and take a Rock Island ride somewhere

I've got a free transportation, looking for the train to ride
I've got a free transportation, looking for the train to ride
I need to ride the Rock Island, just riding to satisfy

If you ever been down, you know would just how I feel
Say, that you ever been down, you might know just how I feel
If you maybe been down, you know just how I feel                                       

I've got the Rock Island blues, waiting for the Rock Island prayer   
I've got the Rock Island blues, waiting for the Rock Island prayer   
I'll take the Rock Island train and take a Rock Island ride somewhere

Well I'm going away, ain't comin' here no mo'
I'm going away, ain't comin' here no mo'
Needing crank crepe on your door

I've got the riches got the raggeds and my baby's got the Mobile blues
I've got the riches got the raggeds and my baby's got the Mobile blues
I've got the Rock Island blues and I don't know what to do

One thing about these women I cannot understand
One thing about the women I cannot understand
All wear short dresses trying to fool a workingman

I've got the riches got the raggeds and my baby's got the Mobile blues
I've got the riches got the raggeds and my baby's got the Mobile blues
I've got the Rock Island blues and I don't know what to do

And if anyone should ask you who composed this song
And if anyone should ask you who composed this song
Just tell 'm Lonnie Coleman, done been to your town and gone


Notes:
v1 and v4:
prayer seems to be the word, but I don't entirely like the sense. Flyer would be a possibility, it just doesn't sound like that. (I did think it might be your van for a while, but discounted that after more listening).

v3 last line:
maybe might just be baby

v5:
I think Needing is OK. The following words sounds like crank, but again I don't entirely like the sense. It may just be hang as originally. It might also be black (my first hearing of it).

v6 and v8:
riches got the raggeds: got between them I'm certain of. raggeds I'm fairly certain of. riches I'm less certain of. It actually sounds like ridges and I did think it might be rages but rich and ragged is an expression that's used more generally, so I settled for riches, but once again I don't entirely like the sense.