Lyr Req: East Coast Blues + Muddy Water

Subject: Lyr Req: Brownie and Sonny
From:
Date: 16 Mar 98 - 11:22 PM

Have worked up two B &S songs from memory, but don't have the source any more. One is probably called "East Coast Blues" Baby I'm on the east coast, with the west coast on my mind. The other has the old standard lyrics, "I'd rather drink muddy water and sleep in a hollow log. Would appreciate both, and would share my guitar chords if interested. Brad Sondahl http://www.camasnet.com/~asondahl

Subject: Lyr Add: EAST COAST BLUES (S Terry & B McGhee)
From: Jon W.
Date: 17 Mar 98 - 11:25 AM

I think this is the first song you're looking for. Please post your chords for all to share, if you don't mind.

EAST COAST BLUES
Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee

Woke up this mornin', woke up this mornin',
blues all around my head, Lord lordy,
Woke up this mornin', blues all around my head.
Well I dreamed last night, the girl I loved was dead.

You can read my letter, you can read my letter,
You sure can't read my mind, Lord lordy,
You can read my letter, you sure can't read my mind.
Well when you see me laughin', I'm laughin' just to keep from cryin'.

The mailman passed me, the mailman passed me,
He did not leave no news, Lord lordy, ahh,
The mailman passed me, he did not leave no news.
Well I'll tell the world one thing, he left me with those East Coast Blues.

(all right the blues now)

Woke up this mornin', woke up this mornin',
Just could not keep from cryin', Lord lordy,
Woke up this mornin', just could not keep from cryin'
Well you know I'm on the east coast with the west coast on my mind.

You know I love you, you know I love you,
Been lovin' you all the time, Lord lordy,
You know I love you, been lovin' you all the time
Well I woke up on the east coast, with the west coast on my mind.

Subject: Lyr Add: MUDDY WATER (Sonny Terry, Brownie McGhee)
From: Jack (who is calle jack)
Date: 17 Mar 98 - 01:49 PM

Is the second one the one that starts out

There's one thing, baby, that's on my mind.
It's got to be you, and you all the time
I know your kisses, baby, are sweet as can be
But before I let you give away what belongs to me
I'd rather drink muddy water, sleep in a hollow log.

(Bridge)
Here's my confession baby. I want you to take heed
From this day on, darlin', you can do anything you please, oh yeah.

(2nd verse)
Well I know baby you found some, some mellow stuff.
I can see why that you can't get enough.
I know a dollar was meant to go from hand to hand
But before I let you run man to man.
I'd rather drink muddy water, sleep in a hollow log.

I can't swear that's all of them, or that I haven't shuffled the lyrics (but what the hey, it's the blues. you're allowed to do that).

I am very interested in your chords for Muddy Water.

A good reissue of their stuff that I have on LP is "Midnight Special." I learned to play blues harp to it in high school (although trying to do what Sonny did was kind of discouraging). It has both those songs and lots more. Brownie's voice is really clear so you pick up almost all of the lyrics on each song. If you get hold of it check out Red River blues, which I have worked out a little for guitar. If I remember, I'll look up the album info for you and post it. I've seen it on CD as well.

Best Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Brownie and Sonny
From: Brad
Date: 18 Mar 98 - 09:38 AM

Thanks, I'll post the chords to these later to this thread.

Subject: Lyr/Chords Add: EAST COAST BLUES and MUDDY WATERS
From: Brad
Date: 18 Mar 98 - 01:17 PM

Neither of these is necessarily in the key performed by Brownie and Sonny--I haven't heard either song for 20 years.

Notes for East Coast
The A chord in the song is just sliding the G chord up two frets to catch the right melody note...

EAST COAST BLUES
Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee

  G            G7       G            G7
  Woke up this mornin', woke up this mornin',
   G        A (G slid up)G7   
  Blues all around my head, Lord lordy,
   C                     C7                  G    D G
  Woke up this mornin', blues all around my head.
           D                      C           C7   G    D G 
  Well I dreamed last night, the girl I loved was dead.

You can read my letter, you can read my letter,
You sure can't read my mind, Lord lordy,
You can read my letter, you sure can't read my mind.
Well when you see me laughin', I'm laughin' just to keep from cryin'.

The mailman passed me, the mailman passed me,
He did not leave no news, Lord lordy, ahh,
The mailman passed me, he did not leave no news.
Well I'll tell the world one thing, he left me with those East Coast Blues.

(All right the blues now)

Woke up this mornin', woke up this mornin',
Just could not keep from cryin', Lord lordy,
Woke up this mornin', just could not keep from cryin'
Well you know I'm on the east coast with the west coast on my mind.

You know I love you, you know I love you,
Been lovin' you all the time, Lord lordy,
You know I love you, been lovin' you all the time
Well I woke up on the east coast, with the west coast on my mind.

MUDDY WATERS

The opening chord series is up on the neck partial chords. The first G is an regular D position chord slid up to the 7th fret. The next chord is a D chord (index finger on the 6th string, 5th fret, next two strings fretted by middle and fourth fingers on the seventh fret). The next G chord is the top 4 notes of an F chord slid up two frets (not barred). Quick changing in this progression takes practice.

   G           D     G     C           C7
  There's one thing baby, That's on my mind. 
    G          D  G            D      
  It's got to be you, and you all the time 
  G        D     G               C        C7
  I know your kisses, baby, are sweet as can be 
   G         D  G                      D  - C# -C(Slide D chord down)
  But before I let you give away what belongs to me 
   G           C                   D        D7     G   D G
  I'd rather drink muddy water, sleep in a hollow log.

(Bridge) Here's my confession baby. I want you to take heed
From this day on darlin, you can do anything you please oh yea.

(2nd verse) Well I know baby you found some, some mellow stuff.
I can see why that you can't get enough.
I know a dollar was meant to go from hand to hand
But before I let you run man to man.
I'd rather drink muddy water, sleep in a hollow log.

Thanks for the lyrics
Brad
http://www.camasnet.com/~asondahl

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Brownie and Sonny
From: GUEST,PJ
Date: 15 Feb 00 - 01:02 AM

T for Texas, T for Tennessee,
T for Texas, T for Tennessee,
T for Thelma, that gal that made a wreck of me.

I'm gonna buy me a pistol just as long as I'm tall.
Gonna buy me a pistol just as long as I'm tall.
I'm gonna shoot poor Thelma just to see her up and fall.

Well, I'd drink muddy water sleep in a hollow log
Well, I'd drink muddy water and sleep in a hollow log
Before bein' shafted, treated like a prairie dog.