Lyr Req: Little Red Rooster (Big Mama Thornton?)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Little Red Rooster (Big Mama Thornton?)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 25 Apr 17 - 05:08 PM

I just realized, Willie Dixon's LITTLE RED ROOSTER seems to be derived in part from Memphis Minnie's IF YOU SEE MY ROOSTER (1936).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Little Red Rooster (Big Mama Thornton?)
From: BrooklynJay
Date: 14 Oct 14 - 10:52 PM

Sorry, brain freeze. Didn't fully read Jim Dixon's post above.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Little Red Rooster (Big Mama Thornton?)
From: BrooklynJay
Date: 14 Oct 14 - 10:51 PM

Wouldn't the words for day actually be 'fore day? As in, "before day" - before the sunrise?

I've heard Lead Belly use the phrase in a few of his songs.


Jay

Subject: Lyr Add: LITTLE RED ROOSTER (Big Mama Thornton)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 14 Oct 14 - 04:56 PM

LITTLE RED ROOSTER (4:29)
As sung by Big Mama Thornton on "In Europe" (1965) and "Ball 'n' Chain" (1968).

Got a little red rooster, and that rooster lay just to crow for day.
I got a little red rooster; that rooster he lay to crow for day.
I know he keeps ev'rything in the barnyard upset in ev'ry way.

I heard the dog next door bark, and my hound he began to howl.
I heard the dog bark; oh, my hound he began to howl.
I said, you better watch out, all you girls; Big Mama's red rooster, he's now on the prowl.

Because he keeps all the hens, keep them fighting among themselves.
You know he keeps all the hens, keeps them fighting among themselves.
Because he don't want his hens, no! layin' any eggs for no one else.
Talkin' 'bout that red rooster....

If you see my red rooster, please, send that rooster back home.
If you see, see my red rooster, please, please, send him back home,
Because we have had no peace in the barnyard since the little red rooster—
I'm talkin' bout the little red rooster—
I mean that ol' little bitty rooster—
Since the little red, a rooster, a rooster, a rooster, a rooster—
Been gone.

*
Thorton performs sound effects at appropriate points in this performance: crowing rooster, cackling hens, barking dog, howling hound; also various exclamations like "whoa" etc. I have not attempted to reproduce them.

A different performance of LITTLE RED ROOSTER appears on "The Way It Is" (1970).

A different song appears under the title LITTLE RED ROOSTER on Thornton's albums "Jail" (1975), "The Complete Vanguard Recordings" (2000), and "Vanguard Visionaries" (2007), and on some compilations, but this seems to be a mistake; it has completely different lyrics and doesn't even mention a rooster.

I don't know what to make of the word "lay" in verse 1, since hens, not roosters, are said to "lay" (eggs). Could she have misheard Willie Dixon's song "too lazy to crow"? Also "for day" is ambiguous; it could be "'fore day."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Thornton - Little Red Rooster
From: GUEST,Michael J
Date: 03 Oct 12 - 09:06 AM

Willie Dixon is playing bass on Howlin' Wolf's version - I'd have thought that he would have said something if the lyrics were wrong!

I imagine Willie Dixon himself changed the lyrics for his later recording. Essentially it's exactly the same meaning, 'upset' doesn't mean 'unhappy' here...

Subject: Lyr Add: LITTLE RED ROOSTER (Willie Dixon)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 03 Oct 12 - 08:37 AM

Wikipedia says Howlin' Wolf was the first to record this song as a single in 1961; W. Dixon was credited as writer, although Dixon himself didn't record it until 1970.


LITTLE RED ROOSTER
As sung by Willie Dixon on "I Am the Blues" (1970)

I had a little red rooster too lazy to crow for day.
I had a little red rooster too lazy to crow for day.
He kept everything in the barnyard either settin' or ready to lay.*

You know the dogs begin to bark and the hounds they begin to howl.
You know the dogs they begin to bark and the hounds they begin to howl.
You know my little red rooster's gone; Lord, the little red rooster's on the prowl.

Now if you see my little red rooster, somebody please drive him home.
Now if you see my little red rooster, somebody please run him home.
There ain't been no peace in the barnyard since my little red rooster been gone.


* I like Dixon's line because it seems to praise the rooster's sexual power. I suspect Howlin' Wolf's 1961 version ("Keeps everything in the barnyard upset in every way") was either cleaned up for the radio market, or based on a mishearing of Dixon's line.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Thornton - Little Red Rooster
From: GUEST,Michael J
Date: 03 Oct 12 - 08:09 AM

It's been "I have a little red rooster" in all the versions I've heard.


but the first lyrics posted are a different song, Little Junior Parker's Mother In Law Blues

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0QtxBe1jXw

(credited to Don Robey, but he was just the label owner)

It was early in the mo'nin, I heard the rooster crow for days
It was early in the mo'nin, I heard the rooster crow for days
I looked out my window and saw my baby walk away

I thought Lord, please stop her, ain't gonna get drunk no mo'
I thought Lord, please stop her, ain't gonna get drunk no mo'
I hollered out my window, "Come back baby please don't go"

I know she heard me callin', she looked back and waved her hand
I know she heard me callin', she looked back and waved her hand
I could hear her tell her mother, "That's one no good man!"

Well, I watched my baby leave, her mother had her by the hand
Well, I watched my baby leave, her mother had her by the hand
I'd give anything I have, just to see my little girl again

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Thornton - Little Red Rooster
From: GUEST,999
Date: 03 Oct 12 - 07:35 AM

Little Red Rooster lyrics

I am the little red rooster
Too lazy to crow for day
I am the little red rooster
Too lazy to crow for day

Hope that help, Romeo. It is from

http://www.elyrics.net/read/b/big-mama-thornton-lyrics/little-red-rooster-lyrics.html

Keep everything in the farm yard
Upset in every way

The dogs begin to bark, and my hounds begin to how!
The dog beggin to bark, and my hounds begin to how!
Watch out now people
Little red rooseter on the prowl!

If you're about to see my little red rooster
Please drive him home
If you're about to see my little red rooster
Please set back home

Ain't had no peace in the farm yard
Since my little red rooster's been gone

Subject: Lyr Req: Big Mama Thornton - Little Red Rooster
From: GUEST,Romeo623
Date: 03 Oct 12 - 07:21 AM

English is my second languaje. Please correct me:



EARLY ONE MORNING
HAD A ROOSTER CROW? FOR DAY
EARLY ONE MORNING
HAD A ROOSTER CROW? FOR DAY
I WAS OUT FROM MY WINDOW
SHOWN MY BABY WALK AWAY

???????SAY LORD?? JUST STOP ME
I AIN'T GET WRONG NO MORE
???????SAY LORD?? JUST STOP ME
I AIN'T GET WRONG NO MORE
SAID COME BACK BABE
COME BACK HONEY PLEASE DON'T GO?

cant understand the following verses...

thanks in advance.