Lyr Req: Red Lantern Blues (Victoria Spivey)

Subject: Lyr Req: Red Lantern Blues - Victoria Spivey
From: GUEST,Bessie Bow
Date: 04 Jul 10 - 05:30 PM

The song "Red Lantern Blues" by Victoria Spivey. I have it on "Victoria Spivey Vol. 1, 1926-1927", but it might be on other CDs. I'd really like to know what the lyrics are to this song. What I have so far is...


I saw a little red lantern moving from home to home
I saw a little red lantern moving from home to home
I passed by and I listened,
Then I heard somebody groan

Every house it went to, it left all the doors painted red
Every house it went to, it left all the doors painted red
When he come out, I know
He's left all poor souls there dead

It ??? lightening
It shivered like jelly roll
It ??? lightening
It shivered like jelly, too
And when he comes to your house
That mean it ain't nothing more to you

Please, keep it safe from my house
I'm prayin' on my bended knees
Please, keep it safe from my house
I'm prayin' on my bended knees
'Cause it it takes my man
I would ???

???
??? taken one by one
???
The windows shaking one by one
???
??? doggone world was done

The question marks I have no idea about. Some of the words I have put in may be, and probably are, wrong. Please give your interpretations, because some parts I cannot even guess!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Red Lantern Blues (Victoria Spivey)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 08 Jul 10 - 02:34 PM

This song can be heard at The Red Hot Jazz Archive. (Click to play.)

I can only suggest a few more words, and they are very tentative interpretations:


RED LANTERN BLUES
As sung by Victoria Spivey

1. I saw a little red lantern moving from home to home.
I saw a little red lantern moving from home to home.
I passed by and I listened, then I heard somebody groan.

2. Every house it went to, it left all the doors painted red.
Every house it went to, it left all the doors painted red.
When he come out, I know he's left all poor souls there dead.

3. It was a ... of lightning. It shivered like jelly roll.
It was a ... of lightning. It shivered like jelly do,
And when it comes to your house, that mean it ain't nothing more to you.

4. Please keep it safe from my house, I'm prayin' on my bended knees.
Please keep it safe from my house, I'm prayin' on my bended knees,
'Cause if it takes my man, I would just(?) like the leaves on trees.

5. Keep ... sisters, were all taken one by one.
Keep ... has fallen, the windows shakin' one by one.
That night I raised my head up, till the doggone world was done.


[p.s. What is she describing here? A tornado? An earthquake? Something supernatural? Why does it appear like a little red lantern?]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Red Lantern Blues (Victoria Spivey)
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 08 Jul 10 - 03:27 PM

For 4 & 5 I hear:

I would drop like the leaves on trees. (pretty definite)

and

Good men ??? had just fallen, widows taken one by one. (not quite as definite).

Need to listen a bit more, esp v3.

Mick