Lyr Req: On a Monday

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: On a Monday
From: GUEST,NobodySpecial
Date: 09 Feb 07 - 04:59 PM

On a Monday, I was arrested
on a Tuesday, I got locked up in jail
on a Wednesday, my trial was attested
and on a Thursday, nobody would go my bail

Well I'm done, I'm almost done
Yes I'm done, I'm almost done
Lord I'm done, I'm almost done
And I ain't gonna be seein' them
pretty women no more.

(I can't remember the rest)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: On a Monday
From: Tannywheeler
Date: 23 Jan 06 - 08:39 PM

I was born in 1943. As I have said here before, my mother was a musician/transcriber of a good portion of Lomax's materials and other LoC sound materials. I heard this song in the late '40s/early '50s. If Johnny Cash had heard and liked this piece, he may have used it as a base for some words of his own, but Leadbelly was doing it a good bit before he died. Pre-1969, definitely.                      Tw

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: On a Monday
From: Snuffy
Date: 23 Jan 06 - 09:33 AM

And listening to a Lonnie Donegan compilation on Friday, I "think" I heard his version, which must also be from the 1950s.

I'll have to listen again to check out the doorbells.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: On a Monday
From: toadfrog
Date: 22 Jan 06 - 09:55 PM

I think I listened to Leadbelly singing that at least a hundred times, and everytime, he it seems to me he sang "aint gonna ring them yellow womens' doorbells." Since he is "almost done" (apparently with his time in prison) and would be thinking about what he would do when he got out, that makes more sense than the more fanciful verstions.

I say "I think" I heard it, because I just read on a couple web sites that Johnny Cash wrote the song in 1969. He definitely sang it in the movie. That was more than 10 years after Leadbelly died, so maybe I just imagined Leadbelly sang it. But I would swear I heard it in 1957, at the latest.

Subject: RE: Lyrics for On a Monday
From: Tannywheeler
Date: 07 Aug 04 - 03:41 PM

"Almos' done -- yes, I'm all.
    Almos' done -- yes, I'm all.
    Almos' done --
    An' I ain't gonna bring them yalluh wimmin no bail."

This is the chorus as I remember hearing it. My mother was a friend and associate of Leadbelly, Seeger, Guthrie, Lomax, etc. I heard this song many times in childhood. The end of the 1st verse, Thursday, was "...nobody wooden (wouldn't) go my bail". Then I remember the verse about stripes/shoulders, chains/legs. Find The Richmond Organization (TRO), publisher of Leadbelly material, and see if they have books. My mother, Hally Wood, worked on at least one. If you're interested in older Leadbelly stuff.

Subject: RE: Lyrics for On a Monday
From: Amos
Date: 07 Aug 04 - 03:25 PM

I believe it is "I ain't gonna pay them yellow women no bill." Meaning, I assume, for services rendered, either because they were unsatisfactory or because he is in jail and unable to pay anyone.

Also in at least one version I have heard by Leadbelly, the verse goes:

got stripes, stripes around my shoulders
I got chains, chains around my feet
Lord, these stripes sure don't bother me none,
But them chains, them chains they're about to drag me down.

Subject: RE: Lyrics for On a Monday
From:
Date: 07 Aug 04 - 03:01 PM

I've always thought it was "I ain't gonna bring them yellow women no bail."

Subject: RE: Lyrics for On a Monday
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 07 Dec 03 - 07:07 AM

I have a double Pete Seeger/Arlo Guthrie set aside at my favourite music shop - I think it is a re-issue so it might be the album referred to above. I'll get the details & post them tomorrow night.

sandra

Subject: Lyr Add: I GOT STRIPES (Johnny Cash)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 06 Dec 03 - 03:05 PM

Chorus in Lead Belly version:

Almost done, I'm almost done,
An' I ain't gonna bring them yellow women no pail.

I took this to mean that there were mixed women in the jail and he wasn't going to bring them any outside food. Yellow women were in demand as prostitutes and often were in jail for vagrancy, etc. Murray's reading (above), I ain't gonna ring no yellow women's doorbells, may be a better reading of his line.

Johnny Cash version


I GOT STRIPES
Words and music by Johnny Cash and Charlie Williams
As recorded by Johnny Cash as a single, Sun Records, 1959.

On a Monday, I was arrested. (Uh-huh.)
On a Tuesday, they locked me in the jail. (Poor boy!)
On a Wednesday, my trial was attested.
On a Thursday, they said guilty and the judge's gavel fell.

CHORUS: I got stripes, stripes around my shoulders.
I got chains, chains around my feet.
I got stripes, stripes around my shoulders,
And them chains, them chains, they're 'bout to drag me down.

On a Monday, got my stripèd britches. (Uh-huh.)
On a Tuesday, got my ball an' chain. (Poor boy!)
On a Wednesday, I'm workin' diggin' ditches.
On a Thursday, Lord, I begged 'em not to knock me down again. CHORUS

On a Monday, my mama come to see me. (Uh-huh.)
On a Tuesday, they caught me with a file. (Poor boy!)
On a Wednesday, I'm down in solitary.
On a Thursday, I start on bread an' water for a while. CHORUS

Subject: RE: Lyrics for On a Monday
From: GUEST,dharmagirl
Date: 15 Nov 01 - 07:11 PM

roofresh

Subject: RE: Lyrics for On a Monday
From: Roger in Baltimore
Date: 15 Jan 01 - 12:56 PM

Bill is on target about yellow girls. Light skin and straight hair have been problematic with African Americans and there is often an approach-avoidance issue. On the flip side, European Americans held similar values and associating with the yellow women was more acceptable than with women of a darker color.

Because of their lighter color, yellow women could be shunned by their peers and became prostitutes to survive. Throw in the idea that these women were more exotic and you have much emotion tied up in the subject.

Yellow Rose of Texas was about a woman of mixed heritage, but that fact is lost on most who sing the song and the image of yellow women pops up in many blues tunes. One of the less sung versions of Lead Belly's "Good Mornin' Blues" is "A brown skin woman makes a moon-eyed man go blind, but a chestnut woman will make you change your mind". That's brown as a lighter shade of color, moon-eyed as drunk, and chestnut as a still lighter shade of color.

Perhaps someday these lyrics will truly reflect history and not current concerns.

Roger in Baltimore

Subject: RE: Lyrics for On a Monday
From: Bill D
Date: 15 Jan 01 - 11:03 AM

"yeller girls"...refers to obvious 'mixed race' situation...you'll see the phrase in many songs and references...There was a time when 'real' black men were held in contempt for associating with them, though there has always been a high degree of ambivilence....

("High Yeller" can refer to any person of a certain degree of mixed race, and their place in black society is quite complex)

Subject: RE: Lyrics for On a Monday
From: Garry Gillard
Date: 15 Jan 01 - 10:08 AM

Murray, For years I've been trying to figure out what Ry Cooder sings in the chorus of this song ... and it must be what you have written above:

"And I ain't gonna ring no yellow woman's doorbells"

I still am not sure what "yellow" girls are.

Garry

(Many thanks.)

Subject: Barley n' Grapes rag lyrics
From:
Date: 18 Aug 98 - 04:21 AM

I'd like to find someone who could send me (or on the forum) the lyrics for the Rory's song. Quite hard to get for a poor French Boy Thanks in advance Kharas

Click here

for a new thread for the request from Kharas.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyrics for On a Monday
From:
Date: 06 Apr 98 - 02:01 PM

That Seeger/Guthrie 2LP set is still available according to my Elderly catalog.

WARN C2214 $10.40

Unfortunately no CD

Bob Schwarer

Subject: RE: Lyrics for On a Monday
From:
Date: 06 Apr 98 - 09:05 AM

There is one version done by Leadbelly where he sings

"And I ain't gonna ring no yellow woman's doorbells"

in place of

"And I ain't gonna see them pretty girls no more."

It is really a good version with Sonny Terry adding his harmonica and whoops.

It is on the album "Where Did You Sleep Last Night"--Smithsonian Folkways Lead Belly Legacy Vol 1.

Murray

Subject: RE: Lyrics for On a Monday
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Apr 98 - 02:53 AM

Well, Alan, it ain't perfect yet. the ABC and MIDI sound quite different on this one.
-Joe-

Subject: Tune Add: ON A MONDAY (Lead Belly)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Apr 98 - 02:44 AM

Posting updated MIDITXT tune

MIDI file: ONAMON~1.MID

Timebase: 192

Name: On A Monday
Text: By Traditional
Tempo: 150 (400000 microsec/crotchet)
TimeSig: 2/4 24 8
Start
0000 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 63 110 0160 0 63 000 0032 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 60 110 0528 0 60 000 0048 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 64 110 0094 0 64 000 0002 1 64 110 0094 0 64 000 0002 1 65 110 0160 0 65 000 0032 1 66 110 0160 0 66 000 0032 1 67 110 0160 0 67 000 0032 1 62 110 0528 0 62 000 0432 1 65 110 0160 0 65 000 0032 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 65 110 0160 0 65 000 0032 1 62 110 0528 0 62 000 0048 1 67 110 0336 0 67 000 0048 1 63 110 0160 0 63 000 0032 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 60 110 0720 0 60 000 0432 1 64 110 0256 0 64 000 0032 1 63 110 0094 0 63 000 0002 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 60 110 0336 0 60 000 0048 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 64 110 0336 0 64 000 0048 1 65 110 0160 0 65 000 0032 1 66 110 0160 0 66 000 0032 1 62 110 0528 0 62 000 0432 1 65 110 0160 0 65 000 0032 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 65 110 0160 0 65 000 0032 1 62 110 0192 0 62 000 0000 1 62 110 0094 0 62 000 0002 1 67 110 0094 0 67 000 0002 1 67 110 0094 0 67 000 0002 1 67 110 0094 0 67 000 0002 1 67 110 0160 0 67 000 0032 1 67 110 0160 0 67 000 0032 1 67 110 0160 0 67 000 0032 1 60 110 0336 0 60 000 0048 1 63 110 0160 0 63 000 0032 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 60 110 0720 0 60 000 0048 1 72 110 0336 0 72 000 0048 1 70 110 0336 0 70 000 0048 1 67 110 0720 0 67 000 0432 1 63 110 0160 0 63 000 0032 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 60 110 0720 0 60 000 0048 1 72 110 0336 0 72 000 0048 1 70 110 0336 0 70 000 0048 1 67 110 0720 0 67 000 0432 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 65 110 0160 0 65 000 0032 1 67 110 0160 0 67 000 0032 1 62 110 0336 0 62 000 0048 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 67 110 0336 0 67 000 0048 1 62 110 0192 0 62 000 0000 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 67 110 0094 0 67 000 0002 1 67 110 0094 0 67 000 0002 1 67 110 0336 0 67 000 0048 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 60 110 0528 0 60 000
End

This program is worth the effort of learning it.

To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here

ABC format:

X:1
T:On A Monday
M:2/4
Q:1/4=150
K:C
E4^D4|E4C4|-C8|E8|-E4E2E2|F4^F4|G4D4|-D8|
D8|F8|-F8|F4E4|-E8|F8|-F4D4|-D8|G8|-G8|^D8|
-^D4E4|C8|-C8|C8|E8|-E8|E6^D2|-^D8|E8|-E4C4|
-C4E4|E8|F4^F4|D8|-D8|D4F4|-F8|E8|-E4F4|D4D2G2|
G2G2G4|G4G4|C8|^D4E4|C8|-C8|c8|-c8|^A8|-^A8|
G8|-G8|G8|-G8|^D8|-^D8|^D8|-^D4E4|-E8|E8|
C8|-C8|C8|-C8|c8|-c8|c8|-c8|^A8|-^A8|^A8|
-^A8|G8|-G8|G8|-G8|G8|-G8|E8|-E8|E8|-E8|E8|
-E4F4|-F8|F8|-F8|F8|G8|-G8|G8|-G8|G4D4|-D8|
D8|-D8|D4E4|-E8|E8|-E8|G8|-G8|G8|-G8|D8|-D8|
D8|-D4E4|-E8|E8|G8|-G8|G2G6|-G4G4|-G4E4|C8|
-C3||

Subject: RE: Lyrics for On a Monday
From:
Date: 09 Jan 98 - 09:00 PM

Special Thanks to Joe Offer for posting the lyrics for that tune. I'd love to hear the Pete n' Arlo version. I've heard "All my life's a circle" from that record. I'm new to this Forum, so I take it I don't have to give my E-Mail address as my handle, huh? Good stuff in the thread - thanks again Joe and everybody! Frank.

Subject: RE: Lyrics for On a Monday
From: Joe Offer
Date: 09 Jan 98 - 03:21 AM

Oh, now there was my favorite song on the CD, MOTHER, THE QUEEN OF MY HEART. Why, of course it's in the database.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyrics for On a Monday
From: Jerry Friedman
Date: 08 Jan 98 - 08:23 PM

(Steve Goodman, not Randy)

Subject: RE: Lyrics for On a Monday
From: Sir
Date: 08 Jan 98 - 02:17 PM

That LP set of Pete and Arlo was great. The first tune was Pete on "Way Out There" and Arlo had a version of "Mother, the Queen of My Heart". Arlo also had a Watergate song on the recording and Randy Goodman's song about the train they call New Orleans. It was recorded at different concerts on a tour.

Subject: RE: Lyrics for On a Monday
From: Mountain Dog
Date: 08 Jan 98 - 11:34 AM

Dear Joe!

You're quite right about the Pete and Arlo album. It's a two-record set that I wore the grooves off of in my younger years and have been looking for a replacement copy ever since.

Some favorite tunes from that album include:

Henry, My Son

My Get Up and Go (Has Got Up and Went)

He Will Just Do Nothing At All.

Hmm, I should check and see how many of those are in the DT.

Joe, thanks again for the goad to memory!

Subject: Tune Add: ON A MONDAY (Lead Belly)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 08 Jan 98 - 04:04 AM

Here's the tune:

MIDI file: ONAMON~1.MID

Timebase: 192

Name: On A Monday
Text: By Traditional
Tempo: 150 (400000 microsec/crotchet)
TimeSig: 2/4 24 8
Start
0000 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 63 110 0160 0 63 000 0032 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 60 110 0528 0 60 000 0048 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 64 110 0094 0 64 000 0002 1 64 110 0094 0 64 000 0002 1 65 110 0160 0 65 000 0032 1 66 110 0160 0 66 000 0032 1 67 110 0160 0 67 000 0032 1 62 110 0528 0 62 000 0432 1 65 110 0160 0 65 000 0032 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 65 110 0160 0 65 000 0032 1 62 110 0528 0 62 000 0048 1 67 110 0336 0 67 000 0048 1 63 110 0160 0 63 000 0032 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 60 110 0720 0 60 000 0432 1 64 110 0256 0 64 000 0032 1 63 110 0094 0 63 000 0002 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 60 110 0336 0 60 000 0048 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 64 110 0336 0 64 000 0048 1 65 110 0160 0 65 000 0032 1 66 110 0160 0 66 000 0032 1 62 110 0528 0 62 000 0432 1 65 110 0160 0 65 000 0032 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 65 110 0160 0 65 000 0032 1 62 110 0192 0 62 000 0000 1 62 110 0094 0 62 000 0002 1 67 110 0094 0 67 000 0002 1 67 110 0094 0 67 000 0002 1 67 110 0094 0 67 000 0002 1 67 110 0160 0 67 000 0032 1 67 110 0160 0 67 000 0032 1 67 110 0160 0 67 000 0032 1 60 110 0336 0 60 000 0048 1 63 110 0160 0 63 000 0032 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 60 110 0720 0 60 000 0048 1 72 110 0336 0 72 000 0048 1 70 110 0336 0 70 000 0048 1 67 110 0720 0 67 000 0432 1 63 110 0160 0 63 000 0032 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 60 110 0720 0 60 000 0048 1 72 110 0336 0 72 000 0048 1 70 110 0336 0 70 000 0048 1 67 110 0720 0 67 000 0432 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 65 110 0160 0 65 000 0032 1 67 110 0160 0 67 000 0032 1 62 110 0336 0 62 000 0048 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 67 110 0336 0 67 000 0048 1 62 110 0192 0 62 000 0000 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 67 110 0094 0 67 000 0002 1 67 110 0094 0 67 000 0002 1 67 110 0336 0 67 000 0048 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 60 110 0528 0 60 000
End

To download the November 10 MIDItext 97 software and get instructions on how to use it click here

ABC format:

X:1
T:On A Monday
M:2/4
Q:1/4=150
K:C
E7/2z/2^D7/2z/2|E7/2z/2C4|-C7z|E7/2z/2E2E2|
F7/2z/2^F7/2z/2|G7/2z/2D4|-D7z|z8|F8|-F7/2z/2E7/2z/2|
F7/2z/2D4|-D7z|G7z|^D7/2z/2E7/2z/2|C8|-C7z|
z8|E8|-E11/2z/2^D2|E7/2z/2C4|-C3zE7/2z/2|
E7z|F7/2z/2^F7/2z/2|D8|-D3z5|z4F7/2z/2|E7/2z/2F7/2z/2|
D4D2G2|G2G2G7/2z/2|G7/2z/2G7/2z/2|C7z|^D7/2z/2E7/2z/2|
C8|-C7z|c7z|^A7z|G8|-G7z|z8|^D8|-^D7/2z/2E7/2z/2|
C8|-C7z|c7z|^A7z|G8|-G7z|z8|E8|-E7/2z/2F7/2z/2|
G7/2z/2D4|-D3zE7/2z/2|G7z|D4E7/2z/2|G2G2G4|
-G3zE7/2z/2|C8|-C3||

Subject: Lyr Add: ON A MONDAY (Lead Belly)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 08 Jan 98 - 03:32 AM

ON A MONDAY

On a Monday, Monday I was arrested,
On a Tuesday, locked up in jail.
On a Wednesday, my trial was attested,
On a Thursday, nobody wouldn't go my bail.

[chorus]
Well, it's all, almost done
Well, it's all, almost done
And I ain't gonna see them pretty girls no more.

On a Monday, me and my baby was a-walkin'
On a Tuesday, she locked me out of doors.
On a Wednesday, were settin' down a-talkin'
On a Thursday, she pawned all of my clothes.
[chorus]

Take these stripes, stripes from 'round my shoulder
Take these chains, chains from 'round my leg.
Lord these stripes, stripes sure don't worry me,
But these chains, chains gonna kill me dead.
[chorus]

-taken from the Jerry Silverman Folk Song Encyclopedia-
There's no songwriter name, so I suppose it's public domain.
Arlo Guthrie did a nice rendition of this song on a 1975 album he recorded with Pete Seeger, "Together in Concert." Certain topical songs on the album are no longer relevant, but it's still a wonderful album - but it's out of production, I believe.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyrics for On a Monday
From:
Date: 07 Jan 98 - 10:36 PM

as opposed to leadbellybuttons?

Subject: Lyrics for On a Monday
From:
Date: 07 Jan 98 - 10:10 PM

I am looking for lyrics to the old Leadbelly song "On a Monday" I have an old tape of a version by Ry Cooder, but I cannot make out the lyrics to the chorus of the song. Any Leadbellyheads out there who could help me out? I'd appreciate it.