Lyr Req/Add: Michigan Water Blues (C Williams)

Subject: Lyr Add: MICHIGAN WATER BLUES (from Sara Martin)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 25 Oct 14 - 03:30 PM

MICHIGAN WATER BLUES
As recorded by Sara Martin on "Sara Martin: In Chronological Order, Vol. 1. (1922-1923)" (Document Records, DOCD-5395)

Michigan water taste like sherry wine—I said, sherry—I mean, wine.
Oh, Michigan water taste like sherry wine.
I'm going back to Michigan to the one I left behind.

I believe to my soul that man's got a black-cat—I said, black-cat—I mean, bone.
I believe to my soul my man's got a black-cat bone.
Ev'ry time I leave, I've got to come back home.

There's two kinds of people in this world that I can't—I mean, that I can't stand.
Oh, two kinds of people in this world that I can't stand.
That's a two-faced woman and a monkey man.

I've ate so much of rabbit till I hop just like a kangaroo—I said, kanga—I mean, roo.
Oh, I've ate so much of rabbit till I hop just like a kangaroo.
Daddy, if you ain't got no hopper, let me hop for you.

I got a letter from my daddy full of good news.
Oh, a letter from my daddy full of good news.
It said: "Come back to Michigan and it would(?) cure my blues,
My Michigan blues."

Subject: Lyr Add: MICHIGAN WATER BLUES (Clarence Williams)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 25 Oct 14 - 02:29 PM

MICHIGAN WATER BLUES
As recorded by Clarence Williams on "The Very Best of" and "Mixing the Blues"

Michigan water taste like sherry—I say, sherry—I mean, wine.
Michigan water taste like sherry wine.
I'm goin' back to Michigan to see that gal of mine.

I b'lieve to my soul my baby's got a black-cat—I say, the black-cat—I mean, bone.
I b'lieve to my soul she's got a black-cat—I say, the black-cat—I mean, bone,
'Cause ev'ry time I leave, I've got to come back home.

That woman do me like she want, and I'm scared to toddle.
She done messed me up so, I'm scared to toddle.
I b'lieve she done gone to the hoodoo, and got me stopped up in a bottle.

When I first met her, she didn't have no hair at—no hair on her head at all.
When I first met her, she had no hair on her head at all.
Ever' time she makes me mad, I take my wig and let her head go bald.

Then I say: "Come here, sweet mama, and sit down on my—I mean, my confounded knee.
Oh, run, you pretty mama; sit down on my knee.
I just want to tell you how you mistreated me."

I done ate so much o' rabbit till I hop like a kanga—I said, hop like a kangaroo.
I done ate so much rabbit, I hop like a kangaroo.
If you ain't got no hopper, mama, please let me hop for you.

Michigan water taste like sherry—I say, sherry—I mean, wine.
Michigan water taste like sherry wine.
I'm a-goin' back to Michigan to see that gal of mine.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: michigan water
From: harpgirl
Date: 09 Aug 03 - 12:09 PM

Cassopolis is a Michigan town where Dennis Archer, former Detroit mayor and now ABA president, grew up.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: michigan water
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 09 Aug 03 - 03:53 AM

The town name in Frank's version (he kindly corrected me in a pm) is "Kasopolis" a black suburb of Chicago, I believe.

RtS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: michigan water
From: simon-pierre
Date: 09 Aug 03 - 12:00 AM

You ask for lyrics, someone answers two years after, you find them another year after.. I like it like that! Thanks Jim & Roger. DVR is close to Jelly Roll on this one.

Subject: Lyr Add: MICHIGAN WATER BLUES
From: Spartacus
Date: 30 Aug 02 - 10:38 AM

Here's a version I made up with some Michigan type lyrics:

Michigan water tastes like cherry wine.
Michigan water tastes like cherry wine.
But Mississippi water tastes like turpentine.

I got a girl in Traverse City, one in Cadillac.
I got a girl in Traverse City, one in Cadillac.
You know she always carry 5 pounds in a 10 pound sack.

The Michigan water tastes like cherry wine.
Michigan water tastes like cherry wine.
But Mississippi water tastes like turpentine.

I went to see my baby; she hid out with another boy.
I went to see my baby; she hid out with another boy.
That's all right mama; I got another girl in Detroit.

Where the Michigan water tastes like cherry wine.
Michigan water tastes like cherry wine.
But Mississippi water tastes like turpentine.

Well, she bark like a dog and she hop like a kangaroo.
Well, she bark like a dog and she hop like a kangaroo.
If you wont be my baby, I'm going back to Kalamazoo.

Where the Michigan water tastes like cherry wine.
Michigan water tastes like cherry wine.
But Mississippi water tastes like turpentine.

Enjoy

Spartacus

HTML line breaks added. --JoeClone, 2-Sep-02.

Subject: Lyr Add: MICHIGAN WATER (Frank Hamilton)
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 30 Aug 02 - 10:23 AM

Frank's version (on his CD Long Lonesome Home)is slightly different & includes the old "matchbox holds my clothes" line.

MICHIGAN WATER

Michigan water tastes like sherry wine, sherry wine
Michigan water tastes like sherry wine,
But Chicago water tastes like turpentine

Standing on the corner looking for a place to go, a place to go
Standing on the corner looking for a place to go
I'm gonna blow this town wide open and watch my eagle grow

If you can't spare a dollar, gimme a lousy dime, a lousy dime,
If you can't spare a dollar, gimme a lousy dime,
Maybe I'll go back to Kefopolis;* It's been a long long time

If you don't think I'm fakin', look at the hole I'm in, hole I'm in
If you don't think I'm fakin', look at the hole I'm in
Well if you don't think I'm hurtin' just look at where I've been

Well, my baby asked me will a match box hold my clothes, hold my clothes
Well, my baby asked me will a match box hold my clothes?
O.K., sweet mama, I'm going where the chilly winds don't blow

Michigan water tastes like sherry wine, sherry wine
Michigan water tastes like sherry wine,
But Chicago water tastes like turpentine

*That's what it sounds like, not found in my atlas!
RtS

Subject: Lyr Add: MICHIGAN WATER BLUES (Jelly Roll Morton)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 29 Aug 02 - 01:59 PM

MICHIGAN WATER BLUES
(as sung by Jelly Roll Morton)

Michigan water taste like sherry wine, [I] mean, sherry wine.
Oh, the Mississippi water taste like turpentine.
Michigan water taste like sherry wine.

B'lieve to my soul that gal got a black-cat bone, yes, black-cat bone.
She'll go away but she's sho' to come back home.
Michigan water taste like sherry wine.

She looks like a frog, hops like a kangaroo.
If you ain't got no hopper, then she'll be your hopper too.
Michigan water taste like sherry wine.
Michigan water taste like sherry wine.

Gal in Alabama, one in Spain,
Another in Mississippi. I'm scared to call her name.
Michigan water taste like sherry wine, mm-mm.
Michigan water taste like sherry wine.

Click here to hear Jelly Roll Morton's version.

Click here to hear a guitar + vocal arrangement by John Rankin that is very similar to Morton's.

Subject: Lyr Add: MICHIGAN WATER BLUES (from Alberta Hunter
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 29 Aug 02 - 01:58 PM

"Michigan Water" also known as "Michigan Water Blues" was written by Clarence Williams. It has been recorded by Sara Martin (c1922-3), Alberta Hunter (1923), Lena Wilson (1923), Fletcher Henderson and Hannah Sylvester (1923), Viola McCoy (1923), Clarence Williams' Novelty Band (1930), Jelly Roll Morton (1939), Little Brother Montgomery (1961), Ramblin' Jack Elliott (1967), Dave Van Ronk (1980), Frank Hamilton, and others.

MICHIGAN WATER BLUES
(As sung by Alberta Hunter)

Michigan water taste like sherry, I mean sherry, Lord, I said sherry wine.
Michigan water taste just like sherry wine.
But I'm goin' back to Michigan to the one I left behind.

Lord I b'lieve to my soul that man's got a black-cat, I mean a black-cat, Lord, I said bone.
I b'lieve to my soul that man's got a black-cat bone.
'Cause ev'ry time I leave, somehow I have to head back home.

Now there's two people, two kind of people in this world that I can't stand.
Two kind of people, Lord, I just can't stand.
And that's a two-faced woman, Lord, an' a monkey man.

I was born in Texas, reared in Tenne-, I mean Tenne-, Lord, Tennessee.
I was born in Texas, reared in Tennessee.
But that Michigan man sure has made a wreck of me.

I received a letter from my daddy, from my papa, and it was chock full of good news.
I received a letter just full of good news.
It said if I come back to Michigan, it would cure me of my Michigan blues.

Click here to hear a version by Alberta Hunter that includes verses 1, 2, 3 and 5 above.

Click here to hear a version that includes slightly different versions of those verses plus verse 4 above.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: michigan water
From: simon-pierre
Date: 22 Sep 00 - 04:24 PM

I saw the thread about Dave van Ronk, so I try again...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: michigan water
From: simon-pierre
Date: 18 Jun 00 - 06:30 PM

Thanks Sorcha but it's not that song; I think I'm looking for the song recorded by Frank Hamilton. I know it from Dave Van Ronk, on the record "Somebody else, not me", Philo 1065.

SP

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: michigan water
From: Metchosin
Date: 18 Jun 00 - 05:48 PM

It is on a CD by Frank Hamilton mentioned on this thread here

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: michigan water
From: Sorcha
Date: 18 Jun 00 - 05:00 PM

I did a search in DT and found only this, with the phrase "michigan water" in it Click anybody else know?

Subject: michigan water
From: simon-pierre
Date: 17 Jun 00 - 11:00 PM

Hi folks

This song was often mentionned here but I can't find the lyrics.

SP