Lyr Req: Black Cat Bone

Subject: Black Cat Bone
From: Sorcha
Date: 15 May 01 - 10:50 PM

This is buried deep in the "blues lyrics" thread where folks are discussing blues language:

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Subject: blues lyrics :help on "Black cat bone"
From: Gennaro Carrillo E-mail:[e-mail]
Date: 10-Nov-98 - 05:57 AM
Shop: Black Cat Bone
I'm looking for the lyrics of "Black cat bone". Thanks in advance .

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Black Cat Bone
From: Sorcha
Date: 15 May 01 - 11:05 PM

The "lyric req" part is, I think, my mistake. I finally found the thread I was looking for, and this was in it:

The old Negro lore has it that the musician must 'take a black cat bone and a guitar and go to a lonely fork in the road at midnight'. The guitarist will soon be joined by an 'unseen musician' who will 'play in perfect unison' before taking his instrument away from him - although the sound will continue until our guitarist's fingertips bleed. 'The music,' runs the legend, 'will eventually subside, and when all is quiet, you may go home. You will be able to play any piece you desire on the guitar, but you will have sold your eternal soul and are his in the world to come.'

Even though it's been a few years, I'll try the e mail addy.........

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Black Cat Bone
From: Sorcha
Date: 16 May 01 - 10:59 AM

And there is a song by this name! I finally found it, Black Cat Bone lyrics . It won't cut and paste and the lyrics are small and very fuzzy! I sent them to Sr. Carrillo, and received an e mail thanks. He still had not found them!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Black Cat Bone
From: LR Mole
Date: 16 May 01 - 11:52 AM

Spider John Koerner did a tune, nothing like this one, called (Slappin' On My) Black Cat Bone, on the "Blues, Rags and Hollers" album (unless it's on the "Blues Project" compillation.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Black Cat Bone
From: Lin in Kansas
Date: 17 May 01 - 01:24 AM

Sorcha, there is a very good version on this CD:

#ALCD4743, Showdown!, Albert Collins/Robert Cray/Johnny Copeland, Alligator Records

Can't remember if it was Johnny Copeland or Albert Collins who sang it.

Lin

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Black Cat Bone
From: Lin in Kansas
Date: 17 May 01 - 01:28 AM

Whoops! I take it back--the version on the Showdown! CD definitely doesn't match the lyrics you posted above. Sorry about the misinformation.

But it's still a good song...

Lin

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Black Cat Bone
From: GUEST
Date: 17 May 01 - 07:53 PM

Stephen King has the verses to "Slappin on my Black Cat Bone" in The Stand....

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Black Cat Bone
From: GUEST,Felipa
Date: 18 May 01 - 06:42 PM

the www.luckymojo.com site has a number of songs including the term black cat bone, for exampleI believe to my soul, my woman has black cat bone

Subject: Lyr Add: I BLEED THROUGH MY SOUL (Hogg)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 28 Apr 02 - 06:01 PM

The link that Sorcha posted no longer works. I'm not sure if this is the same song.

Copied from http://www.luckymojo.com/bluesibleedthroughhogg.html

I BLEED THROUGH MY SOUL
(Andrew "Smokey" Hogg)

I believe to my soul, my woman has black cat bone,
I believe to my soul, my baby has a black cat bone,
Every time I leave her, sure that I'll go back home.

I tried so hard, never more to call her name.
I tried so hard, never more to call her name.
She have a sweet way of loving, would drive any man insane.

She the first girl I ever loved, the last one I ever will.
She the first girl I loved, last one I ever will.
Lord this-a thing baby, will get somebody killed.

Sometime I believe I'm on my last go round,
Sometimes I believe I'm on my last go round,
She knows that I love her. She tries to tear me down.

COMMENTS BY CAT [YRONWODE]: This song ... has the distinction ... of being tied for first place in the category some call "Song Title Most Badly Transcribed by a Tin-Eared Producer," since the title obviously should have been "I *Believe To* My Soul."

V.1 black cat bone (to force a lover to return)

DATE OF REC.: recorded in Los Angeles circa 1950 for Modern Records.
ORIGINAL ISSUE: 1966 LP "Smokey Hogg Original Folk Blues" Kent KST 5024.

Subject: Lyr Add: JIM TAMPA BLUES
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 28 Apr 02 - 06:37 PM

Here's another song that mentions a black cat bone:
Copied from http://www.luckymojo.com/bluesjimtampabogan.html

JIM TAMPA BLUES
(Lucille Bogan)

Hey, Jim Tampa, hey, Jim Tampa,
Hey, Jim Tampa, you treat your woman so mean.
You treat your tommies like a woman you ain't never seen.

Womens all know my man, call him Mister Tampa Long.
(spoken) Why shouldn't they call me? They know my name.
Womens all know my man, call him Mister Tampa Long.
He made so much money, women, when the weather was warm.
(spoken) Ah no, I ain't made no money in my life.

My man's got five womens. I can call 'em by their natural names.
He's got five womens, call them by their natural names.
(spoken) Lord, I don't know how they do it.
And all them repeaters sound just the same.
(spoken) I ain't just the same, though, no, no.

It must be a black cat bone. Jomo can't work that hard.
(spoken) Oh, what is a jomo anyhow? Tell me.
It must be a black cat bone. Jomo can't work that hard.
(spoken) What kind of a thing is it?
Every time I wake up, Jim Tampa's in my yard.

I can stand right here, five miles down the road
I can stand right here, five miles down the road,
Yeah, to get in the way Jim Tampa used to go.
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SINGER: Lucille Bogan, spoken comments by Papa Charlie Jackson
DATE OF REC.: c. June 1927
ORIGINAL ISSUE: Paramount 12504
REISSUE: Yazoo L-1017 ...

[Tommies: variant of donies or doneys (whores). Jomo: variant of mojo (charm)]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Black Cat Bone
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 28 Apr 02 - 06:56 PM

"Slappin' on My Black Cat Bone" appears on the album "Lots More Blues Rags & Hollers" by Koerner, Ray & Glover, originally issued by Elektra in 1964. It was reissued as a CD by Red House Records in 1999. Authorship is credited to Dave Ray.

Songs called "Black Cat Bone" or "Black Cat Bone Blues" have been recorded by Lightnin' Hopkins, Johnny Winter, Albert Collins, Brownie McGhee, Bukka White, and others.