Lyr Req: Charley Patton: Running Wild Blues

Subject: Lyr Req: Charley Patton: Running Wild Blues
From: GUEST,Hennessy
Date: 31 Aug 14 - 12:04 PM

I've been getting back into Charley Patton recently and remembered a song I've always loved, Running Wild Blues. I can't for the life of me understand what old Charley is saying in the poor recording I have of it. It sounds like something along the lines: "My mighty boy, he's running wild, running wild, he's all I need". Any clarifications would be greatly appreciated!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Charley Patton: Running Wild Blues
From: GUEST,#
Date: 31 Aug 14 - 01:13 PM

Google

mighty boy, he's running wild, running wild,

just as is. That should lead to The Devil's Music: A History of the Blues. On p 56 of that book are three stanzas of the song and one person's explanation of why the words seem mixed up.

I can't cut and paste from Google books or else I'da posted the words.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Charley Patton: Running Wild Blues
From: GUEST,Mike Yates
Date: 01 Sep 14 - 03:58 AM

This is the transcript from the Revenant album No. 212 "Screamin' and Hollerin' the Blues: The Worlds of Charlie Patton"

Chorus:
I'm running wild, that mighty boy (girl)
That mighty boy (girl), (s)he's running wild

He's on my knee, oh, how I grieve
That mighty boy, he's running wild

He's all night long, she's on my mind
That girl of mine, that girl of mine, she's on my (his) mind

All night long, my baby gone
He's on my mind, that boy of mine

He's all I need, it seems to me
That mighty girl, mighty girl, she's running wild

All night long, Cordelia gone
That mighty boy, he's running wild

It seems to be, you talkin' to me
That mighty girl, she's running wild.

There is also the following note: "This is a reduction of the 1923 James P. Johnson-Cecil Mack Broadway hit 'Runnin' Wild, set to a tune that reminds us of the 1921 Prohibition anthem 'How Dry I Am'."

The transcript in John Fahey's book "Charlie Patton" has some word differences. (In fact, quite a few differences!)