Lyr Req: Landlord's coughing blood

Subject: Know lyrics, but what's the song?
From:
Date: 20 Nov 02 - 12:05 PM

Heard this song in the mid-seventies and taped it, but I have no idea who it's by or what it's called. The lyrics go something like...

Landlord's coughing blood
You know he's almost sick as me
But that don't never pay my rent
Or keep me company
Company I keep is just like waiting for a train
???????????????????? and you stand out in the rain

So long down the line
So long down the line

?????????? mum and dad
You know a decent boy like me
Feed myself most everday
On yams, chips, beans


Any ideas?

Subject: RE: lyr req: Landlord's coughing blood
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 Nov 02 - 02:52 PM

This is intriguing. I know nothing about the song, but I sure hope we find information about it. I changed the thread title to see if a title change will garner any responses.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: lyr req: Landlord's coughing blood
From: Sorcha
Date: 20 Nov 02 - 05:05 PM

I Googled and didn't find. Masato, over to you!

Subject: RE: lyr req: Landlord's coughing blood
From: masato sakurai
Date: 20 Nov 02 - 07:36 PM

No luck so far.
~Masato

Subject: RE: lyr req: Landlord's coughing blood
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 20 Nov 02 - 07:50 PM

Could it be "spitting blood"? - that being a turn of phrase you hear a bit more often.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Landlord's coughing blood
From: Sorcha
Date: 20 Nov 02 - 09:27 PM

He stumped Masato??? Wow.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Landlord's coughing blood
From:
Date: 21 Nov 02 - 04:15 AM

I don't know all the lyrics, but it's definately " coughing blood" in the first line.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Landlord's coughing blood
From: Charley Noble
Date: 21 Nov 02 - 09:29 AM

Beats me as well! And I thought I had all the landlord/tenant songs.

Sounds like an early country blues. Any more clues, like where you ran across it?

Maybe it's another varient of "All Around the Water Tank/Waitin' for a Train".

Landlady's Daughter, not to be confused with Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Landlord's coughing blood
From:
Date: 21 Nov 02 - 02:39 PM

Only other clues I can think of are:

I heard it on Alan Freeman's Saturday Rock Show. Have tried emailing "Fluff" about it, but typical of the Beeb, the addie doesn't work:(

There is one repeated line towards the end of the song.......

"barely, barely, barely stayin' alive"

The singer is male and the voice sounds to be somehow synthesised.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Landlord's coughing blood
From: Wildtyke
Date: 21 Nov 02 - 03:40 PM

Ok, here's the biggest clue of the lot. I have just put up a simple web page with a link to download the song.

Download the song here

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Landlord's coughing blood
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 23 Nov 02 - 12:02 AM

Well, Wildtyke, when I play the song you posted, RealOne Player displays "So Long Down the Line - IBIZA". Is that just an arbitrary title you gave it when you created the MP3 file? What does Ibiza have to do with it?

Anyway, here's my best crack at transcribing the lyrics. Several phrases don't make sense, and are highly doubtful.

Landlord's coughing blood. You know, he's almost sick as me.
That don't never pay my rent or keep me company.
Company I keep is just like waiting for a train.
Landed right on time and you stand out in the rain.

So long down the line.
So long down the line.

Staked to mum and dad you know a decent boy like me.
Feed myself most every day on yams, chips, beans.
Leather doctor keeps me warm. Winter makes its scene.
Wall is going to save my soul, stop this lack of green.

And it's so long down the line.
So long down the line.

Barely, barely, barely just stayin' alive.
Barely, barely, barely just stayin' alive.

So long down the line.
So long down the line.
So long down the line.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Landlord's coughing blood
From: Wildtyke
Date: 24 Nov 02 - 10:28 AM

The title it shows is just a name I gave it to recognise it. Ibiza has nothing to do with it (it was lifted from an MP3 mix made for a holiday to Ibiza lol)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Landlord's coughing blood
From: X
Date: 24 Nov 02 - 05:11 PM

My Landlord isn't coughing blood, though he's drinking plenty of mine.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Landlord's coughing blood
From: Wildtyke
Date: 27 Nov 02 - 08:05 PM

PLEASE don't give up on it!! We've taken this song half way round Europe and not found an answer. You guys are my best hope!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Landlord's coughing blood
From: GUEST,Eclipse at work
Date: 27 Nov 02 - 08:34 PM

This is going to drive me nuts.... I recognize the voice of the singer. It has the feel of someone I listen to in highschool - but I don't know who arrguh!!!

I'd say
Let out right on time, and you stand out in the rain

and the rest that Jim Dixon wrote seems the same.
-Eclipse

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Landlord's coughing blood
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 30 Nov 02 - 12:28 AM

AMG/All Music Guide lists 110 recordings of various songs called "Down the Line".