Lyr Req: Rocks and Gravel (Mance Lipscomb)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rocks and Gravel (Mance Lipscomb)
From: SINSULL
Date: 20 Jun 12 - 08:53 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwB7B00usv0

Only took a few years but...this is the Ian and Sylvia version. Brilliant stuff!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rocks and Gravel (Mance Lipscomb)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 13 Sep 08 - 02:58 PM

Several old "Rocks and Gravel" songs.

It takes gravel and rock to make a solid road,
But it takes a chocolate baby to satisfy my soul.

I'm going to build me a railroad from Birmingham to Rome (GA)
Ain't nobody going to ride but a chocolate baby to the bone.

Coll. AL, railroad crew, 1915; in White, American Negro Folk Songs, Gang Laborers, No. 49.

White has a couple of fragments of "Early in the Morning," but I can't find a better version I had somewhere. Please post yours, it's a good example of the type.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rocks and Gravel (Mance Lipscomb)
From: Barry Finn
Date: 13 Sep 08 - 01:00 AM

There's a thread somewhere that uses the "Rocks & Gravel make a solid rod" but I don't know where it is.

Takes rocks and gravel, honey, to make a solid road, now sugar
Takes rocks and gravel, honey, to make a solid road,
Well-a, it takes rocks and gravel, honey to make a solid road, now sugar
It take a good looking woman honey to make a good looking whore.

"Prison work some called "Early In The Morning"

Barry

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rocks and Gravel (Mance Lipscomb)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 12 Sep 08 - 02:44 PM

The verses are floaters from old African-American secular songs, many of which used the two-line rhyme. It would take some time to find all the actual uses, but a few examples, and then strung together to make a song like "PO' BOY LONG WAY FROM HOME" gives the idea. There must be many hundreds (thousands?). Two of them are from jodies, Azizi should recognize them.

Going to the race track to see my pony run;
If I win any money gonna give Caledonia some.
(Collected 1915-1916 from track layers; from White, American Negro Folk Songs)

It takes the rocks and gravel to make a solid road,
It takes a good-lookin' woman to satisfy my soul.
(Heard at fertilizer plant, Al, 1915, same reference)

Takes rocks and gravel to make a solid road,
I love you woman but your husband is a man I do despise.
(Samer reference; from workers at dolomite quarry in Alabama)

Boat's up de ribber an' she won't come down
B'lieve to my soul she's water-boun'.
Oh, my ragtime Liza Jane.
(Same reference, railroad gangs, 1915, Alabama)

Examples from PO' BOY-
I wish a 'scushion train would run,
Carry me back where I cum frum.

My mother daid an' my father gone astray,
You never miss you mother till she done gone away.

No need, O babe, try to throw me down,
A po' little boy jus' come to town.

So she laid in jail, back to de wall,
Dis brown-skin man cause of it all.

or 'LOOKED DOWN DE ROAD

Looked down de road jes' far as I could see,
Well, the band did play "Nearer my God, to thee."

and etc.
I liked these-
If my girl refuse me, shove me into the sea,
Where de fishes an' de whales make a fuss over me.

and extended into four lines-
When I'se been dead, you needn't bury me at tall,
You mought pickle my bones in alkihall;
Den fold my han's "so", right across my breas';
An' go an' tell de folks I'se done gone to rest.

Also many in Odum and Johnson, The Negro and His Songs.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rocks and Gravel (Mance Lipscomb)
From: Jim Krause
Date: 12 Sep 08 - 11:39 AM

Thanks Kat. You're still here, I see. Yeah, I know, I don't post near as often as I used to. Thanks for the assist.

Jim

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rocks and Gravel
From: katlaughing
Date: 11 Sep 08 - 03:37 AM

Well, do you have the old verses? It's not in the DT and a search only brings up a few references and incomplete lyrics.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rocks and Gravel
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 11 Sep 08 - 12:14 AM

Mostly revision of old verses.

Subject: LYR ADD: Rocks and Gravel - Mance Lipscomb
From: katlaughing
Date: 10 Sep 08 - 11:31 PM

Here's what I found from HERE:

Rocks and Gravel Mance Lipscomb
Standard E

V1   Rocks and Gravel makes a solid road (x2)
   Takes a do-right woman   to satisfy my soul

V2   Well, I'm goin' out west just ta see my pony run
   Goin out west to see my pony run
   If I win any money I'm gon' send my good girl some

V3   Here's a dollar mama, made it in the rain (x2)
   It's a hard ol' dollar made it just the same

V4   That's your tone daddy, every time you come (x2)
   I ain't got no money but I'll soon have some

V5   Man in the army, wants a furlough home (x2)
   About face rookie, you ain't been here long

V6   Man in the army eatin' out of trough (x2)
   Just waitin' for Uncle Sam to try and pay him off

V7   Got a girl in the country, she won't come to town (x2)
   Got one in Louisiana and she's water bound

V8   I can't see how can you, treat your daddy mean (x2)
   When you lay all night in your daddy's arms and dream

Subject: Lyr Req: Rocks and Gravel
From: Jim Krause
Date: 10 Sep 08 - 11:14 PM

There's a scrap of a Mance Lipscomb lyric going through my head. I can't remember all the verses to Rocks and Gravel. Here's what I remember:

Chorus
Rocks and Gravel makes a solid road (2X)
Takes the gal I love to satisfy my soul.

1. I went to the racetrack to see my pony run.
    If he wins any money, gonna take my baby some. (CHO.)

2. I went to the depot and looked up on the board
    Said "Good times here, but better on down the road." (CHO.)