Lyr Req: Rabbit Foot Blues (Blind Lemon Jefferson)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rabbit Foot Blues (Blind Lemon Jefferson)
From: Chris C
Date: 03 May 18 - 09:37 AM

Oh yeah...of course.
Endless fun with misheard lyrics.
A small but important detail. Changes it from personification of "Blues" to a song about a dog. Outstanding.
Thanks for updating this old thread!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rabbit Foot Blues (Blind Lemon)
From: GUEST,Joseph Scott
Date: 03 May 18 - 07:00 AM

Lemon sings "Blue jumped a rabbit," not "Blues jumped a rabbit."

Compare e.g. the "Old Blue jumped the rabbit and they running one solid mile" that Booker White recalled Charlie Patton sang and "Old Blue Jumped A Rabbit" by Mose Vinson.

Subject: Lyr Add: RABBIT FOOT BLUES
From: masato sakurai
Date: 20 Nov 02 - 04:26 AM

I have two different transcriptions.

(1) Eric Sackheim, The Blues Line (Ecco Press, 1993, p. 73):

RABBIT FOOT BLUES

Blue jumped a rabbit, run him a solid mile
Blue jumped a rabbit, run him a solid mile
This rabbit sat down, crying like a natural child*

Well it seem like you hungry, honey come and lunch with me
Seem like you hungry, honey come and lunch with me
I wanna stop these married looking women from worrying me

I have Uneeda biscuits and a half a pint of gin
I have Uneeda biscuits and a half a pint of gin
The gin is mighty fine but them biscuits are a little too thin

Baby tell me something about those meatless and wheatless days
I want to know about those meatless and wheatless days
This not being my home I don't think I should stay

I cried for flour and the meat I declare it was gone
Well I cried 'bout flour and the meat I declare it was gone
Keep a-feeding me corn bread, I just can't stick around long

Got an air plane, baby, and I'm gonna get a submarine
An air plane, and I'm a-gonna get a submarine
Gonna get that Kaiser, and will be seldom seen

Mmmm mm hitch me to your buggy, mama, drive me like a mule
Hitch me to your buggy and drive me like a mule
Reason I'm going home with you, sugar, I ain't much hard to be fooled

*"The most doubtful words or passages are printed in italics."

(2) David Evans, Big Road Blues (Da Capo, 1987, pp. 79-80):

RABBIT FOOT BLUES

1. Blues jumped a rabbit, run him one solid mile.
Blues jumped a rabbit, run him one solid mile.
That rabbit sat down, cried like a natural child.

2. Well, it seem like you hungry. Honey, come and lunch with me.
Seem like you hungry. Honey, come and lunch with me.
I'm gonna stop these nice looking women from worrying me.

3. I have Uneeda biscuits, gal, and a half a pint of gin.
Uneeda biscuits, gal, and a half a pint of gin.
The gin is mighty fine, but them biscuits are a little too thin.

4. Baby, tell me something about the meatless and wheatless days.
I want to know about those meatless and wheatless days
This not being my home, I don't think that I should stay.

GUITAR CHORUS.

5. I cried for flour, and meat, I declare, it was strong.
Well, I cried for flour, and meat, I declare, it was strong.
Keep a feeding me cornbread, I just can't stick around long.

6. Got an airplane, baby, now we're gonna get a submarine.
An airplane, now we're gonna get a submarine.
Gonna get that Kaiser, and we'll be seldom seen.

7. Mmmm, hitch me to your buggy, mama; drive me like a mule.
Hitch me to your buggy; drive me like a mule.
Reason I'm going home with you, sugar, I ain't much hard to be fooled.

~Masato

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rabbit Foot Blues (Blind Lemon)
From: Chris C
Date: 19 Nov 02 - 10:26 PM

Brian:
Thanks so much!
I agree with Stewie: It sounds so obvious once you know it.
Thanks again to all who've helped out on this.
Great forum.
-Chris

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rabbit Foot Blues (Blind Lemon)
From: Stewie
Date: 19 Nov 02 - 06:02 PM

Brian,

That sounds spot on to me. It is amazing what you can hear once someone tells you what it should be! You wonder why you couldn't hear it before.

Cheers, Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rabbit Foot Blues (Blind Lemon)
From: Brian Hoskin
Date: 19 Nov 02 - 05:25 AM

I don't have a recording of this here to listen to, but I do have a Robert MacLeod transcription and he has BLJ's last verse as:

Mmmm, hitch me to your buggy mama, drive me like a mule.
Hitch me to your buggy and drive me like a mule.
Reason I'm goin' home with you sugar, I ain't much hard to be fooled.

Does this sound right at all?

Brian

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rabbit Foot Blues (Blind Lemon)
From: Stewie
Date: 18 Nov 02 - 06:53 PM

Hi Chris,

The Casey Bill set that I have is on a French blues reissue label. There are 24 sides on the CD and a useful booklet in French and English: Will Weldon as Casey Bill 'The Hawaiian Guitar Wizard 1935-38' Blues Collection 158292. I don't know whether it is still available. It was readily available here in Oz a few years ago, and one would assume also in the US and UK, so you may be able to pick it up in a second hand CD store if it has been deleted.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rabbit Foot Blues (Blind Lemon)
From: Chris C
Date: 18 Nov 02 - 12:52 PM

Hey Stewie:
Thanks for the info.
You are correct: definatly of interest. I can't believe I don't have any of the Casey Bill records at home. I will...
Anyway, you're also correct that I'm still hoping someone might know that last Blind Lemon Jefferson line.
Looking forward to any additional suggestions.
Thanks.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rabbit Foot Blues (Blind Lemon)
From: Stewie
Date: 17 Nov 02 - 09:23 PM

I must be losing it. It slipped completely from mind that Will Weldon [Casey Bill] was a member of the original Memphis Jug Band (g/v) for its 1927 sessions and some of its 1928 sessions. The 'Hitch Me To Your Buggy' is not actually a Memphis Jug Band recording. Following the 20 October 1927 recording session in Atlanta in which the band recorded 2 sides, solo sides were recorded by Will Weldon and Vol Stevens who accompanied each other. The 2 sides that Weldon recorded were 'Turpentine Blues' and 'Hitch Me To Your Buggy and Ride Me Like a Mule'. Will sang and played his own guitar, accompanied by Stevens on guitar and spoken comments. Vol Stevens recorded 'Vol Stevens Blues' and 'Baby Got the Rickets (Mama's Got the Mobile Blues', vocal and banjo-mandolin, accompanied by Weldon on guitar. These sides are listed under their own names, not MJB, in the Dixon & Godrich discography. They were the only recordings by Stevens under his own name, but Casey Bill went on to record numerous sides in the 1930s, beginning in 1935. Casey Bill seems to have left the band some time after the February 1928 sessions and Charlie Burse (v/g) joined for the 11 September 1928 session.

The Burns & Charles version differs sufficiently from the Weldon original that it is worth posting the latter. There is a word in the second stanza that I cannot decipher: it sounds like it could be 'fellow', but that doesn't make much sense to me. I have not attempted to decipher Stevens' spoken asides. [I must confess too that I prefer the Burns and Charles vigorous mandolin/guitar attack to the more sedate original accompaniment].


HITCH ME TO YOUR BUGGY
(Casey Bill Weldon)

You can hitch me to your buggy, babe, drive me just like I was a mule
You can hitch me to your buggy, drive me like I was a mule
And I want you to understand, woman, ain't nobody's fool

Oh I may be right, lord, but lord I may be wrong
Then I may be right, lor', and I may be wrong
And my ? done come here, baby, caught that train and gone

Gonna buy me a bulldog, watch my baby while she sleep
Gonna buy me a bulldog, watch my baby while she sleep
Gonna keep my baby from makin' her midnight creep

Miss Ida says she'd love me, but I don't believe she told me the truth Miss Ida says she'd love me, don't believe she told the truth
Every time I put my hand on her, boy, she'd rather get 'er loose

Source: transcription of Will Weldon (Casey Bill) 'Hitch Me To Your Buggy And Drive Me Like A Mule' recorded on 20 October 1927 in Atlanta Georgia and issued as Vi 21134. Reissued on Memphis Jug Band 'Memphis Jug Band Volume I' JSP CD 606.

All this, of course, doesn't help with your original query, Chis, but it may be of interest to some.

Cheers, Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rabbit Foot Blues (Blind Lemon)
From: GUEST,Richie
Date: 17 Nov 02 - 10:00 AM

Line number 2 of "Hitch Me To Your Wagon" probably comes from Handy's Joe Turner Blues:

Handy: I bought a bulldog for to, watch you while you sleep,
Guard you while you sleep,

Weldon:I'm gonna buy me a bulldog, watch my baby while she sleeps (x2)
I'm gonna stop my rider makin' a midnight creep

I could just be a floating blues lyrics as many are combined from different songs.

-Richie

Subject: Lyr Add: HITCH ME TO YOUR BUGGY (Casey Bill Weldon
From: Stewie
Date: 16 Nov 02 - 10:30 PM

Chris,

I can't decipher what Blind Lemon is singing in that line either. I reckon the transcription from Silverman is pretty sloppy though, at least from the recording I have.

The Casey Bill blues is a bird of a different wing. I don't have it on the CD of Casey Bill that I have in my collection, but I have a version by Alex Burns & Nick Charles from their 'Road More Travelled' CD - a lovely CD and unreservedly recommended. (Oz artists - New Market is a Melbourne based record label). They give their source as Casey Bill. The text follows:

HITCH ME TO YOUR BUGGY
(Casey Bill Weldon)

You can hitch me to your buggy, baby, drive me like I was a mule (x2)
I want you (to) understand, mama, ain't nobody's fool

I'm gonna buy me a bulldog, watch my baby while she sleeps (x2)
I'm gonna stop my rider makin' a midnight creep

Well I may be right, oh lord, I may be wrong (x2)
But I woke up this mornin', caught that train and gone

Oh Mrs Ida said she loved me, I don't believe she told me the truth (z2)
'Cos every time I tried to touch her, man, she tried to break it loose

Source: as recorded by Alex Burns and Nick Charles 'The Road More Travelled' New Market CD NEW 1005-2.

I have the Memphis Jug Band recording in my collection, but I doubt that it will help you. I will have a listen later.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rabbit Foot Blues (Blind Lemon)
From: Chris C
Date: 16 Nov 02 - 09:47 PM

Sorcha: Thanks for the bump!
Thanks also to Richie. I bet the words do show up in other songs.
The sample mp3 you can play for free is only 30 secs; the words I need aren't included. However, your info is very helpful. I'll get the Casey Bill Weldon CD asap. I did some more research, and I see the Memphis Jug Band also does "Hitch Me To Your Wagon".
I found an mp3 by a contemporary band doing the song, and their words are (approx): "Hitch me to your buggy/Drive me like a mule...You can whip me if you wanna but I ain't gonna be your fool".
Works fine, but definiatly not what Blind Lemon Jefferson sings.
Also, upon repeated listenings, I think Jefferson IS sticking closely to the lyrics as published.
I'm just missing that last line.
Suggestions still welcome!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rabbit Foot Blues (Blind Lemon)
From: GUEST,Richie
Date: 16 Nov 02 - 06:40 PM

There's a song "Hitch Me to Your Buggy" with mp3 here:
http://e.goo.ne.jp/music/content/ARTLISD18063/d/index_nn.asp

-Richie

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rabbit Foot Blues (Blind Lemon)
From: Sorcha
Date: 16 Nov 02 - 01:27 PM

Refresh.........

Subject: Lyr Add: RABBIT FOOT BLUES (Blind Lemon Jefferson)
From: Chris C
Date: 15 Nov 02 - 09:59 PM

I bet someone here can help me out.

I have the lyrics to Blind Lemon Jefferson's Rabbit Foot Blues as they are usually published. I copied & pasted them below for reference.
Problem is, BLJ sings a final verse that starts:
"Hitch me to your buggy mama, drive me like a mule..(2x)
Then I think the final line starts with "I?m goin' home with you sugar..."
but I can't get the rest of it!
Does anyone know these words?

Also, I'm not convinced he's actually singing the words as shown below. For instance: could "hungry" be "homely"?

Anyway, any insight or guesses are welcome.
Thanks in advance,
CC


Blues jumped a rabbit and he ran a solid mile.
Blues jumped a rabbit, and he ran a solid mile.
The rabbit sat down and cried just like a little child.

Well, it seem like you're hungry, why don't you come and lunch with me?
Well, it seem like you're hungry, why don't you come and lunch with me?
I'm gonna stop these married-lookin' wimmin from worryin' me.

I have Uneeda biscuits and a half a pint of gin.
I have Uneeda biscuits and a half a pint of gin.
The gin is mighty fine, them biscuits is a little too thin.

Baby, tell me somehting about meatless and wheatless days.
Baby, tell me somehting about meatless and wheatless days.
This not being my home, I don't think I should stay.

Well I cried for flour; meat, I declare was gone.
Well I cried for flour; meat, I declare was gone.
People feed me corn bread, I just can't stick around home.

Got a knapsack, baby, and I'm gonna get a submarine.
Got a knapsack, baby, and I'm gonna get a submarine.
Gonna get that Kaiser by 19 (hundred) 17.


SOURCE:
Folk Blues, by Jerry Silverman, Jerry Silverman Publications, a division of Saw Mill Music Corp. (C) 1983 Saw Mill Music Corp.