Lyr Req: Prescription for the Blues

Subject: Song request: write a prescription
From: GUEST,Peter
Date: 19 Jan 14 - 08:03 PM

Hi,

Heard this on the radio, can't place it. Blues song.

[line about cocaine]

Ease my brain..oh darlin', write up a prescription for me.

I know it's vague. It wasn't Cocaine Blues.

Can anyone place it? Version I heard was an old live take.

Subject: RE: Song request: write a prescription
From: Joe Offer
Date: 19 Jan 14 - 10:39 PM

Oh, gee, this sounds familiar, but I can't place it. I hope you find it.
-Joe-

Subject: Lyr Add: PRESCRIPTION FOR THE BLUES (Skeeter Davis
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Jan 14 - 01:53 AM

PRESCRIPTION FOR THE BLUES
As recorded by Skeeter Davis on "maryfrances" (1969)

All day long I worry; all night long I'm blue.
I feel so awfully lonesome, I don't know what to do,
And so I ask you, doctor, to see if you can find
Something in your sachel to pacify my mind.
Oh, doctor, doctor, write me a prescription for the blues.
I've got those blues.

Let me tell you, doctor, while I'm in misery.
Once I had a lover; he went away from me.
I went to see the Egyptian and the hoodoo doctors too.
They shook their heads and told me there was nothin' they could do.
Oh, doctor, doctor, why not write me a prescription for the blues?

Just like a little baby, all night I cry.
Now, doctor, if you can't cure me, why, I'd just as soon to die,
So give me something poison, doctor, won't you please?
And then I'll sign a paper sayin' I died with heart disease.
Oh, doctor, doctor, write me a prescription for the blues.

Subject: RE: Song request: write a prescription
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Jan 14 - 01:55 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypBnniA3ZSs

Version done by Spanky and Our Gang back in the late 1960s.

Subject: RE: Song request: write a prescription
From: GUEST,Fred McCormick
Date: 20 Jan 14 - 11:06 AM

The blues singer and pianist Little Brother Montgomery used to sing Prescription For The blues, and he recorded it on at least three ocsasions:-

Bajez Copper Station. Blues Beacon. 63 1002        
Chicago - The Living Legends: Piano, Vocal and Band Blues. Ace. CH 263
Piano Blues - Unissued Recordings Vol 2. Magpie. PY 4452

I've no idea whether any of these are available on CD, but I'll check and see whether any of them give the author

Subject: RE: Song request: write a prescription
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Jan 14 - 11:22 AM

Earl Montgomery - Theo Saunders

But it would be good if you can support that another attribution, Fred.

Subject: RE: Song request: write a prescription
From: GUEST,Fred McCormick
Date: 21 Jan 14 - 05:58 AM

Where does Earl Montgomery come into this? Who is he anyway?

I was referring to the blues pianist Eurreal "Little Brother" Montgomery. Anyway, I checked the three LPs last night. One of them doesn't ascribe the song to anyone, another says that Montgomery wrote all the songs on the Disc. Ace CH 263 however gives Porter Grainger as the composer. So too, for what it's worth, does Wikipedia.

That seems to me to be the most reliable attribution.

Subject: Lyr Add: PRESCRIPTION FOR THE BLUES (from S Davis)
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Jan 14 - 08:03 AM

http://www.lpdiscography.com/?page=album&album=2666

11. PRESCRIPTION FOR THE BLUES
[As sung by Skeeter Davis on "Maryfrances" (1969)]
Earl Montgomery - Theo Saunders
© Jet Music, BMI

All day long I worry all night long I'm blue
I feel so awfully lonesome I don't know what to do
And so I ask you doctor to see if you can find
Something in your sachet to pacify my mind
Oh doctor doctor write me a prescription for the blues
I've got those blues

Lately tell you doctor why I'm in misery
Once I had a lover he went away from me
I went to see the ejection and the voodoo doctors too
They shook their heads and told me there was nothing they could do
Oh doctor doctor why not write me a prescription for the blues

Just like a little baby all night night long I cry
Now doctor if you can't cure me why I just as soon to die
So give me something poison doctor won't you please
And then I'll sign a paper sayin' I die with heart disease
Oh doctor doctor write me a prescription for the blues

Subject: Lyr Add: PRESCRIPTION FOR THE BLUES (Clara Smith)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 22 Jan 14 - 02:16 PM

You can hear this recording on Spotify. It's on "Clara Smith, Vol. 2: 1924" (Document Records DOCD-5365)


PRESCRIPTION FOR THE BLUES
As sung by Clara Smith on Columbia 14045D, 1924.

All day long I worry; all night long I'm blue.
I'm so awfully lonesome, I don't know what to do.
So I ask you, doctor, see if you can find
Something in your satchel to pacify my mind.
Doctor, doctor, write me a prescription for the blues,
The weary blues.

Let me tell you, doctor, why I'm in misery:
Once I had a lover; he went away from me.
Sent to see the 'Gyptian [or possibly "gypsy"], hoodoo doctor, too.
Shook their heads and told me, nothing they could do.
Doctor, doctor, write me a prescription for the blues,
The mean old blues.

Like a little baby, all day long I cry,
And if you can't cure me, I'd just as soon to die.
Give me something poison, doctor, won't you please?
Then I'll sign a paper: died with the heart disease.
Doctor, doctor, write me a prescription for the blues,
The blamed old blues.

[The Online 78-rpm Discography Project credits Porter Grainger (1891-1955?) as the composer, and so does Wikipedia.]