Lyr Req: By the Water (from Snooks Eaglin)

Subject: by the water
From: GUEST,Sander Louwerse
Date: 16 Aug 02 - 06:52 PM

I'm searching for the lyrics of a song called 'By the water', written by Snooks Eaglin

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: by the water
From: artbrooks
Date: 16 Aug 02 - 07:43 PM

Can't help on the lyrics, but one of the web sites with his recordings lists By The Water as written by D. Bartholomew and P. King. That may help. Happy searching.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: by the water
From: Sorcha
Date: 16 Aug 02 - 11:10 PM

Here (CLICK) is one called Down By The Water. Is that it?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: by the water
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 18 Aug 02 - 11:51 AM

Smiley Lewis sings "By the Water" on the 4-disc compilation "Shame, Shame, Shame," Bear Family CD 15745, 1994. I see that Smiley Lewis has recorded a lot of songs by Bartholomew & King, so I'd guess his recording is the original.

I was able to transcribe this much from the sound sample at CDNOW:

"Yes, she can tell, tell some real pretty lies,
But she cannot look me straight in the eyes...."

Is this the right song?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: by the water
From: GUEST,Sander Louwerse
Date: 21 Aug 02 - 04:56 PM

I think this is the right song (but I don't have the cd at home yet so I can't check it out...)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: by the water
From: GUEST,Sander Louwerse
Date: 21 Aug 02 - 04:57 PM

No, I don't mean the song of PJ Harvey (Down by the water).

Subject: Lyr Add: BY THE WATER (Bartholomew/King)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 09 Oct 10 - 06:32 AM

Snooks Eaglin's recording of BY THE WATER appears on several of his albums: "Complete Imperial Recordings" (1995), "Livin' with the Blues, Vol. 1" (1996), and "Goin' up the Country/Saturday Night Function" (which appears to be 2 LPs reissued as one CD, 1998).

It was written by Dave Bartholomew and Pearl King. Smiley Lewis also recorded it on "Shame, Shame, Shame" (1993) and Seth Walker recorded it on "Seth Walker" (2006).

I listened to a sample, and Snooks Eaglin is very hard to understand.

Smiley Lewis is a bit easier. I transcribed the following lyrics from a recording at YouTube:


BY THE WATER
Dave Bartholomew and Pearl King
As sung by Smiley Lewis.

Well, I got a little girl. She's quiet when she's with me,
But when I'm not around, she's busy as can be.
Oh, still water, still water, yes, you know, that it run deep, oh, yes.

Yes, she can tell, well, some real pretty lies,
But she cannot look me straight in the eyes.
Oh, still water, yes, you know that it run deep, oh, yes.

One night as I lay sleepin' with one eye open,
Yes, I caught her sneakin', sneakin' out the front door.
Yes, still water, oh, you know that it run deep. Oh, yes, it run deep.

Well, everybody knows ... all my trouble
But I been hurt so bad, sometime I think I'm seein' double.
Oh, still water, still water, you know that it run deep, oh, run deep.