Lyr Req: Richland Woman Blues (John Hurt)

Subject: jim kweskin lyrics
From:
Date: 28 Mar 01 - 12:22 PM

I'm looking for the complete lyrics to a Jim Kewskin song. Here's what I can remember

Give me red lipstick... And a poppy (? pot of ?) red rouge ........(?) and a shot of good booze

With .....red garters Pink hose on my feet You know my........ Got a rumbleseat

Red rooster says kok a doodly doodly do rich land woman she says any dude will do

etc. etc.

I don't know the title! Please help! Rebecca

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: jim kweskin lyrics
From: Sorcha
Date: 28 Mar 01 - 12:40 PM

It's here, in the "Yet Another Digital Tradition" (numachi) site.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: jim kweskin lyrics
From: Joe Offer
Date: 28 Mar 01 - 01:10 PM

And if it's in "Yet Another Digital Tradition," it means we had it first. We have it right here at Mudcat in the world-famous Digital Tradition Folk Song Database: Richland Women Blues (click).
Well, Sorcha, at least you didn't copy the lyrics from that other site and paste them here. I've seen people do that, not knowing the lyrics came from here in the first place.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: jim kweskin lyrics
From: LR Mole
Date: 29 Mar 01 - 12:53 PM

While we're on the subject, does anyone have words amd chords to "Christopher Columbus" (not the dirty one--the one that's interpolated into "Sing, Sing, Sing" and which the Kweskin Juggers did on "See Reverse Side For Title")

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: jim kweskin lyrics
From: Sorcha
Date: 29 Mar 01 - 12:59 PM

Joe, I clicked that one because I couldn't get into the searches for a while yesterday. Shorty must have been down or something.

Subject: ADD Version: Richland Women Blues (John Hurt)
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Aug 17 - 04:22 PM

Richland Woman Blues
(John Hurt - recorded by Jim Kweskin)

Give me red lipstick, and a poppy red rouge
A shingle bob haircut, and a shot of good booze
Hurry home sweet daddy, and don't you take your time
If you wait too long your mama will be gone

Hurry down to the dress shop, get the one that's best
Your own pretty mama, she want a brand new dress
So hurry home sweet daddy, and don't you take your time
If you wait too long your mama will be gone

Red rooster says, "Cock-a-doodle-doodly-doo"
Richland woman she says, "Any dude will do"
Just hurry on home sweet daddy, and don't you take your time
If you wait too long your mama will be gone

With my rosy red garter, pink hose on my feet
My turkey red bloomers, they got a rumble seat
So hurry on home sweet daddy, and don't you take your time
If you wait too long your mama will be gone

Huh, hurry on home, now ...

Come along, young man, everything's sittin' right
You know my husband gone away till next Saturday night
So hurry home, sweet daddy, and don't you take your time
If you wait too long your mama will be gone

---

Recording by Jim Kweskin & the Jug Band (vocalist sounds like Maria D’Amato Muldaur):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zi5-98RovOQ

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Richland Women Blues (John Hurt)
From: GUEST,Joseph Scott
Date: 16 Aug 17 - 05:52 PM

These lyrics about Richlands, Virginia women were written by W. E. Myer of Richlands, as part of a brief songwriting partnership he had with Hurt.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Richland Women Blues (John Hurt)
From: PHJim
Date: 19 Aug 17 - 11:08 AM

John must've loved this tune, since he used it for Creole Belle as well.
Charlie Poole's "Goodbye Booze" also uses this tune.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Richland Women Blues (John Hurt)
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 19 Aug 17 - 11:31 AM

You are right about John liking this tune. It is in fact one part from the Ragtime piano number "Creole Belles". Without checking the recording I believe it is the third.

Then of course there is Richmond Blues/All Night Long, Back up and Push, Rubber Dolly Rag, the skipping game My Momma Told Me and undoubtedly numerous others.

You know the definition of country music: Three Chords and the Truth.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Richland Women Blues (John Hurt)
From: GUEST,Marcia Palmater
Date: 19 Aug 17 - 08:19 PM

Isn't it Richland WOMAN?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Richland Woman Blues (John Hurt)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 23 Aug 17 - 06:29 PM

Marcia Palmater: "Isn't it Richland WOMAN?"

I wish it were easy to give a definitive answer. It seems record publishers have not been consistent in how they report the title of this song.

This very long and detailed discography (including complation albums) has "Richland Woman Blues" 10 times and "Richland Women Blues" 10 times.

Among the recordings available at Spotify, all 8 of those by MJH are consistently called "Richland Woman Blues," while on MJH tribute albums, 2 out of 3 instances have "Richland Women Blues." Among recordings done by others but not on tribute albums, 21 out of 26 are called "Richland Woman Blues."

I have heard one live recording in which MJH introduces the song himself, saying: "This is the Richland Women Blues." Within the song itself, he sings: "The Richland women says....".

Subject: Lyr Add: RICHLAND WOMAN BLUES (John Hurt)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 23 Aug 17 - 06:57 PM

There are at least 2 extant recordings of Mississippi John Hurt singing this song.

I. A studio recording of length 2:03 ± :01. This can be heard on 6 albums: "Vanguard Visionaries," "The Most Essential Mellow Blues," "Complete Studio Recordings 3-CD Set," "Rediscovered," "A Beginners Guide to Acoustic Blues," and "The Immortal."

RICHLAND WOMAN BLUES
(John Hurt)

1. Give me red lipstick and a bright poppy rouge,
A shingle-bob haircut and a shot o' good booze.

CHORUS:
Hurry down, sweet daddy; come blowin' your horn.
If you come too late, your mama will be gone.

2. Come along, young man; ever'thing's settin' right.
My husband's goin' away to next Saturday night.

3. Now I'm rarin' to go; got red shoes on my feet.
My mind's settin' right for Tin Lizzie's seat.

4. The red rooster says: "Cock-a-doodle-do-doo."
The Richland women says: "Any dude will do."

5. With a rosy red garter, pink hose on my feet,
Turkey-red bloomer with a rumble seat.

6. Ev'ry Sunday mornin', church watchin' me go.
My wings sprouted out; the preacher told me so.

7. Dress skirt cut high, then they cut low.
Don't you think I'm a sport? Keep watchin' me go.

8. Give me red lipstick and a bright poppy rouge,
A shingle-bob haircut and a shot o' good booze.

---

II. A live-audience recording of length 4:37. This appears on 2 albums: "The Best of," and "Live."

In the following transcription, an ellipsis represents a point where Hurt's voice goes silent for a few beats. This usually brings some laughter from the audience.

RICHLAND WOMAN BLUES
(John Hurt)

1. Give me red lipstick and a bright poppy rouge,
A shingle-bob haircut and a shot o' good booze.

CHORUS:
Hurry down, sweet daddy; come blowin' your horn.
If you come too late, your mama will be gone.

2. Now I'm rarin' to go; got red shoes on my feet.
My mind's settin' right for Tin Lizzie's seat.

3. Stop at the fashion shop; get the one looks best.
Your own sweet mama wants a brand-new dress.

4. Red rooster says: "Cock-a-doodle-do-doo."
The Richland women says: "Any dude will do."

5. Come along, young man; ever'thing's settin' right.
My husband's gone to ….

6. Ev'ry Sunday mornin', church watch me go.
My wings's sprouted out; the preacher told me so.

7. With a rosy red garter, pink hose on my feet,
Turkey-red ... with a rumble ....

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

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Richland Woman Blues (John Hurt)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 26 Apr 20 - 11:13 PM

Is the chorus:
Hurry home sweet daddy, and don't you take your time
If you wait too long your mama will be gone

Or is it:
CHORUS:
Hurry down sweet Daddy, come blowin' your horn
If you come too late your mama will be gone

Or both?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Richland Woman Blues (John Hurt)
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 27 Apr 20 - 06:01 AM

Joe I don't recall ever hearing the first of your two options. When I sing it I use come blow your horn.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Richland Woman Blues (John Hurt)
From: PHJim
Date: 27 Apr 20 - 03:03 PM

Most people use Mississippi John's "Come blowin' your horn" but some, like Maria Muldaur, sing "If you wait too long".
The late Colleen Peterson sang,"Don'tcha take your time".
I don't think I've ever heard a version of this song I didn't like.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Richland Woman Blues (John Hurt)
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 27 Apr 20 - 03:38 PM

I seem to remember Maria's version ending up slightly different to John's version changing just one word.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Richland Woman Blues (John Hurt)
From: PHJim
Date: 27 Apr 20 - 11:52 PM

I've heard after gig jams with "cock" replacing "dude", but never heard it on stage or record.
Is that what you meant Hootenanny?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Richland Woman Blues (John Hurt)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 28 Apr 20 - 01:45 AM

Mystery solved, I think. The first lyrics posted in the thread had the chorus as:

Hurry home sweet daddy, and don't you take your time
If you wait too long your mama will be gone

Jim Dixon, who is legendarily accurate, has:

Hurry down sweet Daddy, come blowin' your horn
If you come too late your mama will be gone

And that's what the Digital Tradition has, too.

I found the song on the album Jim Kweskin & the Jug Band Greatest Hits!, and the singer sounds like Maria Muldaur. She sings "don't take your time." John Hurt sings "blowin' your horn."
Q.E.D.

Kweskin Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zi5-98RovOQ - and it's really, really good.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Richland Woman Blues (John Hurt)
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 28 Apr 20 - 05:15 AM

It is also the way that John Hurt sings it on at least one recording.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Richland Woman Blues (John Hurt)
From: meself
Date: 28 Apr 20 - 10:28 AM

I'm sure I've heard John Hurt sing both on recordings - because I'm quite familiar with both, and I know the song only from him.

Btw, note how carefully Hurt articulates the 'any dude will do' phrase - it's almost as if he is taking particular care not to say the wrong thing .....

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Richland Woman Blues (John Hurt)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 28 Apr 20 - 07:41 PM

The thing I like best about Mississippi John Hurt, is how he seemed to have so much fun singing the songs he sang. There's an underlying sense of humor that really delights me.

-Joe-