Origins: Nasty Operation Blues & related

Subject: Nasty Operation Blues
From: robd
Date: 23 Apr 01 - 07:25 PM

"The Nasty Operation Blues", recorded by Big Bill Broonzy, and, supposedly by Homer Clemons and the Texas Swingbillies. I heard it from Magpie (Terry Leonino and Greg Artzner(sp?)).

Bring on that ether, bring on the gas
The doctor's got to cut you mama, yes, yes, yes
The doctor knows the fixin', the doctor knows just what to do.

It's borderline naughty, and a great song. I don't know if Magpie ever recorded it (I heard it at Old Dominion Folk Fest in about '78).

If anybody has the whole lyric to this one!?!?!...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Nasty Operation Blues
From: Sorcha
Date: 23 Apr 01 - 07:43 PM

I don't know it, and didn't find it, but it sounds wonderful.....spaw needs to see this one, too!

Subject: Lyr Add: OPERATION BLUES (from Homer Clemons)
From: Stewie
Date: 23 Apr 01 - 11:12 PM

I do not have a recording by Big Bill Broonzy, but I have the original 1947 recording, under the title 'Operation Blues', by Homer Clemons & His Swingbillies reissued on Various Artists 'Diggin': Hot Small Label Texas Swing 1946-55' Krazy Kat KK CD 24. This is a reissue of Swing 1001, recorded in January 1947. Some months later, Clemons' band (with some different personnel) recorded it again for Blue Bonnet. In 1950, Clemons recorded it yet again for Imperial and Modern reissued the Blue Bonnet as a 45 a few years later. The lyrics to the Swing recording differ from what you have posted - Clemons, who is credited with authorship in the KK collection, may have altered the lyrics with later recordings or they may have been changed by Broonzy and others. The Swing recording sounds like an old Paramount 78 - recorded underwater and pressed on corrugated cardboard - so there are bits missing in my transcription. There is not much to it anyway - seems more of a vehicle for some nice clarinet and piano. It is interesting that Home Zeke Clemons seems to have first surfaced as a member of Jimmie Davis' 1943-44 gubernatorial band in Louisiana - now there's a claim to fame! Here is what I can decipher from the record:

OPERATION BLUES
(Homer Clemons)
Now won't you climb up on the table,
Pull up that gown
Raise up that left leg,
Let that right leg down
Pull off them stockin's,
That silk underwear
'Cos the doctor's got to cut you, mama,
Don't know where

The doctor knows his business
The doctor knows just what to do

Too much of (?),
One old ( ?)
Two pair of step-ins
That's all I can say (save)
Your ribs are all loosened,
Your carburettor's stalled
I'll duck into your hood,
And clean your spark plugs all

The doctor knows his business
The doctor knows just what to do

(Long instrumental break)

Repeat all above lyrics

--Stewie.

Subject: Lyr Add: TERRIBLE OPERATION BLUES (Georgia Tom)
From: GUEST,robd
Date: 03 Aug 16 - 01:58 PM

Better late than never:

TERRIBLE OPERATION BLUES
Thomas A. Dorsey aka. Georgia Tom - 1930

Bring in the next patient, nurse

Get up on this table, pull off that gown
Raise up that right leg, let that left one down
Pull off them stockings, that silk underwear
The doctor's got to cut you, mama, don't know where
You got two or three tumors, shaped like a cube
Two or three leaks in your inner tube
Bring on that ether, bring on that gas
The doctor's got to cut you, mama, yas, yas, yas
The doctor knows to fix it, the doctor knows just what to do

Oh doctor, can I have a glass of water?
Oh, not now
Oh doctor, I'm so sick!
Sh, be quiet, doctor ain't gonna hurt you
Oh, what you gonna do with that long knife?
Oh, that's just the doctor's tools
Oh doctor, what you gon' do with that saw?
Oh, we take off a legs with that, that's all
Ooooh!
Be quiet, now, just a moment
There you are, the doctor's through!
Oh doctor, what did you take out of me?
Oh, just a minute, I'll tell you, dear

Four monkey wrenches, two horse-shay
Pair of old britches and a bale of hay
Your ribs were kinda loosened, they moved about
if I hadn't sewed you up, everything would fell out
I put in new tubes, tightened up the exhaust
Went into your hood and cleaned your spark plugs off
Your body's kinda weak, don't be hard
From now on you'll be careful with them there connection rods
Alright, doctor!

The doctor knows to fix it, the doctor knows just what to do
Gee, doctor, but I feel better
That so?
Yes, I feel kinda like I wanna do a little messin' 'round
Fine, go ahead!
Ooooh, my my my my
That's the way patients do that come to this doctor, they don't die

Now, your body's kinda weak, don't be hard
From now on you be careful with them there connection rods
Alright, doctor!
The doctor knows to fix it, the doctor knows just what to do

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Nasty Operation Blues
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 03 Aug 16 - 09:39 PM

good one, Rob

this belongs with other medical songs such as Working Where The Sun Don't Shine (The Colorectal Surgeon's Song) and John Dengate's Rectal Bleeding Calypso which is on the same thread

Subject: Lyr Add: OPERATION BLUES (Amos Milburn)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 10 Aug 16 - 12:46 AM

OPERATION BLUES
As recorded by Amos Milburn, 1946.

--Doctor! Doctor! What's the matter with me?

You got bad blood, mama; yes, I believe you need a shot. (2x)
Now turn over here, mama; let's see what else you got.

Now my needle's in you, baby, and you seem to feel all right (2x)
'Cause when your medicine starts running down, I want you to hug me tight.

Well, here's some of your medicine now, baby; pull your big legs up on the wall. (2x)
I don't want to waste none, mama; I want you to have it all.

Subject: Lyr Add: OPERATION BLUES (Hank Brown)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 10 Aug 16 - 08:25 AM

This country swing version can be heard on YouTube:

OPERATION BLUES
As recorded by Hank Brown, 1953.

Now won't you climb up on this table, pull up that gown,
Raise up that left leg; let that right leg down.
Pull off them stockin's, that silk underwear,
'Cause the doctor's got to cut you, mama; don't know where.
The doctor knows his bus'ness; the doctor knows just what to do.

Two monkey wrenches, one ol' hoss shay,
Two pair o' britches; that's all I can say.
Your ribs are all loosened; your carburetor's soft.
I snuck into your hood and cleaned your spark plugs off.
The doctor knows his bus'ness; the doctor knows just what to do.

Now won't you climb up on this table, jerk up that gown,
Raise up that left leg; let that right leg down.
Pull off them stockin's, that silk underwear,
'Cause the doctor's got to cut you, mama; don't know where.
The doctor knows his bus'ness; the doctor knows just what to do.

Two monkey wrenches, one ol' hoss shay,
Two pair o' step-ins; that's all I can say.
Be careful, mama; what you gon' to eat?
Stop your runnin' round; don't take on too much meat.
The doctor knows his bus'ness; the doctor knows just what to do.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Nasty Operation Blues
From: GUEST,robd
Date: 20 Jun 23 - 11:05 AM

FWIW, there is now a youtube recording of the Big Bill Broonzy version!

Subject: Lyr Add: LOVE OPERATION (Barrel House Annie)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 06 Jul 23 - 09:50 PM

Here’s my transcription from the recording at the Internet Archive:


LOVE OPERATION
As recorded by Barrel House Annie, 1937.

When you feel bad and lonely, just call Doctor New-Way in
When you feel bad and lonely, just call Doctor New-Way in.
Good loving is his prescription; it makes you feel so good again.

He says: “I don’t use no ether; won’t need no chlooroform.
I don’t use no ether; won’t need no chloroform.
When I make the first incision, you’ll be conscious in my arm.”

And, when I cut you, sweet papa, with my own sci’ntific rules,
When I cut you, sweet papa, with my own sci’ntific rules,
You’re bound to like the operation; I’m so easy with my tools.

I cried: “Doctor, doctor, doctor, you cert’nly work with ease and speed.
Oh, doctor, doctor, doctor, you cert’nly work with ease and speed.
Oh, the way you got me feeling, good loving was the thing I need.”

I whispered: “When you start your working, don’t mind the telephone.
When you start your working, don’t mind the telephone.
If I say stop, just ignore it and carry the good work on.”

Oh, doc, you’re going back to Memphis, the place you got your method from.
Yes, you’re going back to Memphis, the place you got your method from.
I’ll need another operation, doctor, ev’ry time you come.

Subject: Lyr Add: OH MY OPERATION (Rose/McDonald/Greer)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 09 Jul 23 - 05:12 PM

Not blues, but here’s another comical song about an operation:


OH! MY OPERATION
Words by Billy Rose and Ballard McDonald, music by Jesse Greer, ©1927.

I. As recorded by Jack Lynch on Parlophone A2423 (which can be heard at the Internet Archive)

[Verse 1] Ev'ry person
Knew Jane McPherson
To be a regular scout.
What a sport
When a guy produced a quart!
But she’s not so hot
Ever since she got
Her appendix cut out.
Yesterday
I overheard her sweetie say:

[Chorus 1] When I bounce her on my knee,
All she does is yell at me:
“Oh, my operation!”
When I start to raise the deuce,
She gives me the same excuse:
“Oh, my operation!”
And when I want to love like anyone does,
She always tells me how nice the doctor was.
When we’re spooning on the couch,
All she does is holler: “Ouch!
Oh, my operation!”

[Verse 2] Bold and careful,
A Morris chair-full
Of cushions, pillows and such,
She’ll resist
Ev’ry effort to be kissed.
Since the surgeon,
A world of urgin’
Don’t seem to get the boys much.
Right out loud,
I heard her boyfriend tell the crowd:

[Chorus 2] What did Charlie Chaplin say
When he thinks of Letta(?) Gray?
Oh, my operation!
When my boss went off his nut,
And I had my salary cut,
Oh, my operation!
How Mrs Goldberg loves to get off her chest
How her incision is diff’rent from the rest.
When my income tax was due,
I did just the same as you.
Oh, my operation!

[Chorus 3] When I heard the doctor state:
“I will have to operate.”
Oh, my operation!
When I saw that pretty nurse,
Right away I got much worse.
Oh, my operation!
And when she let me hold that white hand of hers,
I used to bite through those hard thermometers.
Curing two mosquito bites
Took her ninety-seven nights.
Oh, my operation!

Oh, my operation!

II. As recorded by Jay C. Flippen and His Gang on Perfect 12392 B (Internet Archive)

[Verse 1 is the same as above.]

[Chorus 1 has this substitution for lines 7-8:]
And when I rave about the moon and the stars,
She interrupts me and tells me of her scars.

[Verse 2 is omitted.]

[Chorus 2] Now, when I heard the doctor state:
“I will have to operate.”
Oh, my operation!
And when my boss went off his nut,
And I had my salary cut,
Oh, my operation!
How Mrs Ginsburg loves to get off her chest
Just how her incision is diff’rent from the rest.
And when my income tax was due,
I did just the same as you.
Oh, my operation!

[Chorus 3] Now, yesterday I got a tip
Guaranteed to be a pip.
Oh, my operation!
Why, I went to the track and bet
On a horse that’s runnin’ yet.
Oh, my operation!
And then I doubled up on one that looked right.
Well, this horse started Tuesday and finished Friday night.
And just to end a perfect day,
Someone stole my watch away.
Oh, my operation!

Subject: RE: Origins: Nasty Operation Blues & related
From: GUEST,RA
Date: 10 Jul 23 - 04:11 AM

Recorded by Georgia Tom as 'Terrible Operation Blues '.

Subject: RE: Origins: Nasty Operation Blues & related
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 10 Jul 23 - 05:24 AM

I remember my mother and aunts talking about someone having a "floating appendix" removed. It was only when I grew up I discovered it was a euphemism for an abortion!.
RtS