Lyr Req: T B Blues (Victoria Spivey)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: T B Blues (Victoria Spivey)
From: NightWing
Date: 15 Nov 23 - 04:12 PM

A likely explanation for the mention of "Denver": Although many TB sufferers moved to Colorado (and elsewhere in the American Southwest) in the late 19th Century, there were no facilities for them in Denver.

"By the 1890's ... In Denver, victims of tuberculosis were literally dying in the streets as boarding houses often banned 'lungers', as they were called."

— https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Jewish_Health —

Opening late in 1899, the "National Jewish Hospital for Treatment of Consumptives" ("consumption" is an old, alternate name for "tuberculosis") provided health care for sufferers of TB. After multiple name changes (now "National Jewish Health"), it remains one of the premier hospitals for pulmonary care in the country.

By '27, I suspect that this sanitarium would have been well-known nationwide as the place to go if you got TB.

I know this 'cause I used to work and live just around the corner from it at University of Colorado Health Sciences Center on Colorado Boulevard.

BB,
NightWing

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: T B Blues (Victoria Spivey)
From: GUEST,jake
Date: 13 Nov 23 - 11:47 PM

RE: Lyr Req: T B Blues (Victoria Spivey)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: T B Blues (Victoria Spivey)
From: NightWing
Date: 15 Nov 23 - 04:12 PM

A likely explanation for the mention of "Denver": Although many TB sufferers moved to Colorado (and elsewhere in the American Southwest) in the late 19th Century, there were no facilities for them in Denver.

"By the 1890's ... In Denver, victims of tuberculosis were literally dying in the streets as boarding houses often banned 'lungers', as they were called."

— https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Jewish_Health —

Opening late in 1899, the "National Jewish Hospital for Treatment of Consumptives" ("consumption" is an old, alternate name for "tuberculosis") provided health care for sufferers of TB. After multiple name changes (now "National Jewish Health"), it remains one of the premier hospitals for pulmonary care in the country.

By '27, I suspect that this sanitarium would have been well-known nationwide as the place to go if you got TB.

I know this 'cause I used to work and live just around the corner from it at University of Colorado Health Sciences Center on Colorado Boulevard.

BB,
NightWing

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: T B Blues (Victoria Spivey)
From: GUEST,jake
Date: 13 Nov 23 - 11:47 PM

RE: Lyr Req: T B Blues (Victoria Spivey)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: T B Blues (Victoria Spivey)
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 27 Aug 12 - 07:38 PM

Jim

I think it could be tough breaks

Mick

Subject: Lyr Add: T.B.'S GOT ME (Victoria Spivey)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 27 Aug 12 - 07:33 PM

Just to round it out, here's the third song in the trilogy:


T.B.'S GOT ME
As sung by Victoria Spivey

Here I lay a-cryin'.
Somethin' is on my mind.
It's midnight; I wonder where the nurse can be?

T.B.'s got me; all my friends have throwed me down.
T.B.'s got me an' all my friends have throwed me down,
But they treated me so nice when I's a favor[ite?] to run aroun'.

Aw, my poor lungs are hurtin' me so.
Mmm, my poor lungs are hurtin' me so.
I don't get no peace or comfort no matter where I go.

Lord, my good man don't want me no mo'.
Mmm, my good man don't want me no mo'.
Well, I wisht I was dead, an' in the land I'm doomed to go.

Subject: Lyr Add: DIRTY T B BLUES (Victoria Spivey)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 27 Aug 12 - 07:16 PM

Huge Fan: Here's what I hear. I can only make some minor improvements in your transcription. I don't think "two breaks" is right but it's the best I can do.


DIRTY T.B. BLUES
As sung by Victoria Spivey

Here I lay a-cryin'.
Somethin' is on my mind.
It's midnight; wonder where the nurse can be?
I feel down, not a friend in this town.
I'm blue and all alone.
Sisters are gone; brothers are too,
No one to call my own.
I can't keep from cryin',
Left alone while I am dyin'.
Yes, it may look crazy for me to beat on my knees,
But it's a lot o' differ'nce between two breaks(?) and T.B.
Oh, Lord!
Yes, they railroaded me to the sanitarium.
It's too late, too late, mother; done finished my run.
This is the way all good women are done
When they got the dirty T.B.

Yes, I run around for months and months
From gin mill to gin mill to honky-tonks.
Now it's too late; just look what I done done.
Now I got the dirty T.B.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: T B Blues (Victoria Spivey)
From: GUEST,huge Victoria Spivey fan
Date: 27 Aug 12 - 05:14 PM

I memorized this song while I was practically dying in the hospital with pneumonia...feel confident they are correct except for three words I could not decipher.

Victoria Spivey – Dirty TB Blues
Here I lay a-crying
Something is on my mind
Its midnight, wonder where the nurse can be?
I'm feel down, not a friend in this town
I'm blue and all alone
Sisters are gone, brothers are too
No one to call my own
I can't keep from crying
Left alone while I am dying
Yes, it may look crazy for me to beat on my knees
But it's a long _____ between ___ ____ and TB
Oh lord
Yes they railroaded me to the sanatorium
It's too late, too late mother I've finished my run
This is the way all the women are done
When they got the dirty TB
Yes, I run around for months and months
From gin mil to gin mil to honkey tonks
Now it's too late just look what I done done
I got the dirty TB
(written down by a huge fan named Becky)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: T B Blues (Victoria Spivey)
From: GUEST,LC
Date: 05 Apr 12 - 06:09 PM

Here is a transcription of the TB Blues as performed by Victoria Spivey in 1963 (TV performance)

TB Blues / Victoria Spivey

Too late, too late, too late, too late, too late
Lord, it's too late, too late, too late, too late, too late
Well I'm on my way to Denver
I know I mustn't hesitate

TB is all right to have
But your friends will treat you so lowdown
Said TB is alright to have
But your friends will treat you so lowdown
Don't ask them for no favors
Why, they even stopped coming around

Mmm, TB's killing me
Mmm, TB's killing me
Why, you can just drop my poor body
Lord, in that deep blue sea

When I was on my feet
I could not walk down these streets
You men was lookin' at me
From my head to my feet
But oh now TB's killing me
You can just bury my poor body
Lord, in that deep blue sea

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: T B Blues (Victoria Spivey)
From: GUEST,Anne
Date: 24 Feb 11 - 09:44 AM

Who holds the rights to these? I'd like to use one on a public access TV show,

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: T B Blues (Victoria Spivey)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 29 Oct 09 - 10:52 AM

You can hear all 3 recordings: T B BLUES (1927), DIRTY T B BLUES (1929), and T B'S GOT ME (1936) at The Red Hot Jazz Archive.

Subject: RE: TB Blues - Victoria Spivey Version?
From: GUEST,Jim Ward
Date: 04 Aug 03 - 07:18 AM

Just for the record(?) the words given by treaties1 are of 'Dirty TB Blues' recorded for Victor in 1929 and backed by a section of the Luis Russell Orchestra, Henry 'Red' Allen on trumpet.

Subject: RE: TB Blues - Victoria Spivey Version?
From: Peter T.
Date: 03 Aug 03 - 02:19 PM

Ah, of course!!! yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: TB Blues - Victoria Spivey Version?
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 03 Aug 03 - 01:04 PM

Denver may have had some meaning- At the time the song was written, many TB-sufferers went west; to a TB sanitorium in Denver, Santa Fe, Arizona towns, or just to stay where the air was dry and warm.

Subject: Lyr Add: T B BLUES (Victoria Spivey)
From: Peter T.
Date: 03 Aug 03 - 11:42 AM

TB Blues - Victoria Spivey

Too late, too late,too late, too late, too late,
It's too late, too late, too late, too late,
Well, I'm on my way to Denver and mama must I hesitate.

TB's all right to have if your friends didn't treat you so low down
TB's all right to have if your friends didn't treat you so low down,
Don't you ask 'em for no favors, they even stop coming around.

Mmm... TB's killing me,
Mmm...TB's killing me,
I'm like a prisoner, always wishing he's free.

When I was up on my feet, I could not walk down the street,
For the mens lookin' at me,
From my head to my feet --
But, ohhh, now, the TB's killing me,
I want my body buried, in the deep blue sea,

Mmm...
Mmm...
The Tuberculosis,
The Consumption's killing me. (1926?)

Subject: RE: TB Blues - Victoria Spivey Version?
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Jun 03 - 03:40 AM

Peter T - you are right, it is "consumption", my mistake. As to "Denver" this seems to be an interpolated floating verse, common enough in Blues, indeed many recorded Blues are composed entirely of floating verses unrelated to any narrative thread or to each other.
Lemon Jeffersons "Matchbox Blues" is a typical example. Maybe "Denver" had personal significance for Victoria. Or maybe the singer starts off her song by implying that she is giving up, leaving town and going back to Denver, due to her illness. The line "...mama must I hesitate." is lifted from "Hesitation Blues" actually a composed, written and copyrighted Blues by W.C. Handy who probably lifted the phrase from someone else - probably it was in common parlance at the time.

Subject: RE: TB Blues - Victoria Spivey Version?
From: Peter T.
Date: 12 Jun 03 - 08:28 PM

I seem to have the 1926 version (last line: "The consumption's killing me.")

I wonder what Denver is all about?

yours,

Peter T.

Subject: RE: TB Blues - Victoria Spivey Version?
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Jun 03 - 04:35 PM

I can only reiterate: listen to Victoria sing on www.Redhotjazz.com

Subject: RE: TB Blues - Victoria Spivey Version?
From: GUEST,Peter T.
Date: 12 Jun 03 - 02:50 PM

Hmm. Thanks for the effort, all. I better go and check the version I have -- has no date on it. TB's Got Me seems to be a different title, but maybe that is wrong -- it is certainly all I can find on the web for lyrics. yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: TB Blues - Victoria Spivey Version?
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Jun 03 - 12:37 PM

The 1926 version:

It's too late, too late,too late, too late, to late, (x2)
I'm on my way to Denver and mama must I hesitate.

TB's all right to have if your friends didn't treat you so low down
(X2)
Don't you ask 'em for no favors, they even stop coming around.

Mmm... TB's killing me (x2)
I'm like a prisoner, always wishing he was free.

(Undecipherable) I could not walk down the street,
For the mens lookin' at me,
From my head to my feet,
And ohhh, now, the TB's killing me,
I want my body buried, in the deep blue sea,
Mmm... the TB's killing me.

Subject: RE: TB Blues - Victoria Spivey Version?
From: GUEST,MCP
Date: 12 Jun 03 - 05:10 AM

After TB blues she did Dirty TB Blues and TB's Got Me. I presume it's the original that's required by Peter

Mick

Subject: RE: TB Blues - Victoria Spivey Version?
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Jun 03 - 03:47 AM

Victoria Spivey recorded "TB Blues" in 1927 and again in the 1960's. Also, She recorded "TB's Got Me" in 1936, none of them have lyrics which match those sent by treaties1 which seems to be another version or recorded take of "TB's Got Me" Listen to to VS records on www.redhotjazz.com, her lyrics are quite decipherable.

Subject: Lyr Add: DIRTY T B BLUES (Victoria Spivey)
From: treaties1
Date: 11 Jun 03 - 10:28 PM

The words are transcribed as best I can from CD issued by the magazine The Blues Collection. Sorry but words in [ ] were barely decipherable.

Dirty T.B Blues

Here I lay a-crying
Something is on my mind
It's midnight, wonder where the nurse can be

Ah feel down, not a friend in this town
I blew it all alone
Sisters are gone, brothers are too
Nowhere to call my own

I can't keep from crying
Left alone while I am dying
Yes, it may look crazy, for me to be on my knees

But if the lord [has given
he creeps up grapes and T.B] oh lord
Yes he railroaded me to the sanitarium

It's too late, too late, mother; I've finished my run
This is the way all good women are done
When they got the dirty T.B.

Yes I run around for months and months
From gin mill to gin mill to honky tonks
now it's too late
Yes look what I gone done, I got the dirty T.B.

Subject: TB Blues - Victoria Spivey Version?
From: Peter T.
Date: 11 Jun 03 - 03:59 PM

Anyone have the lyrics for the Victoria Spivey song "TB Blues" (not the Jimmie Rodgers version)? yours, Peter T.