Lyr/Chords Req: Don't You Feel My Leg

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Don't You Feel My Leg
From: GUEST,Dee Dee Bridgewater (Jazz Singer/NEA Jazz Ma
Date: 15 Jan 21 - 01:07 AM

I’ve been asked to perform DON’T YOU FEEL MY LEG for the DANNY BARKER BANJO and GUITAR FESTIVAL in New Orleans tomorrow. I was given a CD reissue of the original recording by Blu Lu Barker and Danny Barker. Here are the ORIGINAL lyrics:

Don’t you feel my leg
Don’t you feel my leg
‘Cos if you feel my leg
You’ll wanna feel my thigh
And if you feel my thigh
You’ll wanna go up high
So don’t you feel my leg

Don’t you buy no rye
Don’t you buy no rye
‘Cos if you buy some rye
You gonna make me high
And if you make me high
You gonna tell a lie
So don’t you make me high

You said you’d take me out and treat me fine
But I know there’s something you got on your mind
If you keep drinking you’re gonna get fresh
And you’ll wind up asking for this fine brown flesh

Don’t you feel my leg
Don’t you feel my leg
‘Cos if you feel my leg
You’ll wanna feel my thigh
And if you feel my thigh
You’ll wanna go up high
So don’t you feel my leg

Hope this clears up any speculation about the song and its lyrics.
Blessings Everyone! Dee Dee Bridgewater

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Don't You Feel My Leg
From: PHJim
Date: 09 Jul 14 - 01:43 AM

Chord sheet for Don't You Feel My Leg

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Don't You Feel My Leg
From: Janie
Date: 08 Jul 14 - 10:50 PM

There are two different recordings of Blu Lu Barker performing this on youtube that I could find. One is 1946. This one doesn't give information on a date for the original recording, but the production values sound earlier than the 1946 version. Doesn't mean it a remastered version of the original 1938 recording, however.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Don't You Feel My Leg
From: Jack Campin
Date: 08 Jul 14 - 06:52 PM

Does Vanessa Feltz sing it?

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Don't You Feel My Leg
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Jul 14 - 03:03 PM

I believe the frayed*=fresh
and fine brown turkey*= fine brown flesh

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Don't You Feel My Leg
From: GUEST,guest
Date: 06 Dec 10 - 07:11 PM

The Blue Lu Baker lyrics you weren't sure of are:

You said you'd take me out and treat me fine

But I know there's something you've got on your mind.

If you keep drinking you're gonna get FRESH

And you will wind up asking for THIS FINE BROWN FLESH.

Thanks to all for the background on this song. It's fun to sing!

TW

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Don't You Feel My Leg
From: GUEST,Ww at Work
Date: 04 Feb 02 - 07:48 PM

The recording I have is from House of Blues and I think they say it was recorded in 1938. I read it this a.m., but much water has passed under many bridges in my brain since then.

Thanks all,

ww

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Don't You Feel My Leg
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 04 Feb 02 - 04:19 PM

Janie, just post the number after threadid= and Wyo Woman would be able to take it from there. I'll save her the trouble, it is:
FEEL

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Don't You Feel My Leg
From: Janie
Date: 04 Feb 02 - 12:53 PM

WyoWoman,

The lyrics (but not the chords) are posted on an earlier thread from before Christmas. I have it bookmarked on by personal page, but am technologically challenged and don't know how to send you to that thread.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Don't You Feel My Leg
From: GUEST,MCP
Date: 04 Feb 02 - 11:36 AM

More listening and some noise reduction makes me believe the end of the 2nd *-line is for this fine brown person. The last word of the 1st *-line still eludes me. worse would give rhyme and sense, but it doesn't sound like that - more like straight

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Don't You Feel My Leg
From: GUEST,MCP
Date: 04 Feb 02 - 09:58 AM

Interesting song - banned for a while (on presidential authority apparently) because of it's lyrics, reissued later under the title of Don't You Make Me High. The Blu Lu Barker should be the earliest because it was apparently written by her and husband Danny Barker. Seems to have been recorded several times in recent years, Maria Muldaur's recording being quite popular.

I couldn't find you a transcription of the Blu Lu version, but here's one from another 1938 recording by Merline Johnson - The Yas Yas Girl. The recording can be found on this Buster Bennett page, real audio Don't You Make Me High (ram file). Big Bill Broonzy may be the guitarist on this.(The song credit is given as "Johnson", including the quotes)

Here's my transcription. The words marked with (*) are unclear and I haven't time to run them through any noise reduction at the moment (going out and won't be back until late - Martin Carthy etc with Jools Holland tonight). (The only other sound clip I found of it - Frank Rogala - omits only those 2 lines!). If I get a chance I'll look at it tomorrow, if it hasn't been sorted by then.

Mick


DON'T YOU FEEL MY LEG

  Don't you feel my leg, Don't you feel my leg.
  Cos if you feel my leg you're gonna feel my thigh.
  And if you feel my thigh you're goin' to go up high
  So don't you feel my thigh.
  
  Don't you buy no rye, don't you buy no rye.
  Cos if you buy some rye you're goin' to make me high.
  And if you make me high you're goin' to tell a lie.
  So don't you make me high.
  
    You said you'd take me out and treat me fine
    But I know there's something you've got on your mind.
  
    If you keep drinking you're gonna get (frayed)*

    And you will wind up asking for (fine brown turkey)*.
  
  Don't you feel my leg, Don't you feel my leg
  Cos if you feel my leg you're goin' to feel my thigh
  And if you feel my thigh you're goin' to go up high
  So don't you feel my thigh.
  
     Instrumentals - vocals over
   Don't you feel my leg now.
   You know why.
   Cos I ain't goin' to let you feel my thigh.
   Yes, you might go up high.
  
  Don't you feel my leg, Don't you feel my leg.
  Cos if you feel my leg you'll want to feel my thigh.
  And if you feel my thigh you'll want to go up high.
  So don't you feel my leg.
  

Subject: Don't You Feel My Leg
From: WyoWoman
Date: 04 Feb 02 - 07:46 AM

I have a recording of Blu Lu Barker singing this and I want to learn it. I had heard it years ago when Melanie recorded it and this apparently is a much older recording of it.

I searched the DT and couldn't find it. If it's there, would someone tell me the secret to finding it? IF not, post it here if you know it and we can add it to the DT. What a great song.

ww

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