Lyr Req: Too Many Women Will Drive a Man Insane

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Too Many Women Will Drive a Man Insane
From: wysiwyg
Date: 05 Jul 03 - 07:33 PM

Have fun! :~)

~S~

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Too Many Women Will Drive a Man Insane
From: Noreen
Date: 05 Jul 03 - 07:30 PM

Thank you, Susan.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Too Many Women Will Drive a Man Insane
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 05 Jul 03 - 01:59 PM

John, the link to Rockin' Country Style led me to a couple of items that I had been looking for. Many Thanks!
The link to the main page is somewhat buried in your discussion, so here it is repeated:
Rockin Country Style Index

Never heard of the Van (Winkle) Bros. so can't help there.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Too Many Women Will Drive a Man Insane
From: wysiwyg
Date: 05 Jul 03 - 01:21 PM

The tune is sort of a mix of Elvis' "Blue Suede Shoes" and Chuck Berry's "Maybelline." Don't wait till you get the "right" tune, if you can do it with just these clues-- it's too much fun to wait! :~)

Like this:

Too many women will drive a man insane. (Don't you... step on my blue suede shoes)
Too many women will drive a man insane. (Don't you... step on my blue suede shoes)
I'm tellin' you, boys, it don't pay to play the game. (You done started back doin' those things you used to do)

~S~

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Too Many Women Will Drive a Man Insane
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 05 Jul 03 - 12:29 PM

Deeper digging at Van Brothers: Emory shows:

Van Brothers
Arnold and Lee Van Winkle.

"Original Releases" Shows three releases by "Van Brothers," including:

Walton 7847/8, Released May 1962 containing songs:
"Sweet Marie" as by Van Brothers
"Servant of Love" as by Van Brothers [!!] and Walton
"Take that Lock from Your Heart" as by Van Brothers [!!] and Walton
"Too Many Women" by Norman Walton / Van Brothers

The significance of "as by" versus "by," or of the "[!!]" notation affixed on two of the tunes is not explained anywhere that I could find. I suspect that "by" means it's clear that the listed person(s) were the performers, the "as by" means that's what the label said but it's not certain there weren't other/supporting musicians.(?) A SWAG would suggest that the [!!] means it's obvious that the artist cited is at least the "lead performer"?

A "key" in the original tabulation indicates that the information included for the above release was obtained from an original record label.

An onsite Link Identifies: Walton, Muncie, Ind. - Affilated with Poor Boy. I found an email link on another site to mailto:[e-mail], that indicates maybe that they're still around, although the "Main Page" link on the page with the email addy was a "site not found."

The other two releases listed add only two other songs recorded by this duo: "Uncle Jim Riggs Will" and "Lonesome Tonight For Tomorrow."

There is a list of "Collector-Oriented Compilation LPs and CDs Containing Tracks" which may contain any or all of the songs/tracks on the three releases indexed. There doesn't appear to be any indication of which tracks are included in which compilations, but this might be a clue to where you picked up your fragment, if you happen to have one of these. Other sources indicate that "Servant of Love" is about the only thing by Van Brothers that anyone remembers, so it's probably the one most likely to be on one of these Compilation records(?):

a. Buffalo Bop CD 55006 Cool & The Crazy
b. Chief CD 1156501 Ultra Rare Rockabilly's, Vol. 1
c. Club PR LP 003 Pure Rockabilly, Vol. 3
d. Club PR LP 005 Pure Rockabilly, Vol. 5
e. Flesh Den CD 6901 Rock 'N' Roll Orgy, Vol. 1
f. Lucky CD 806 Rockabilly Gold, Vol. 6
g. Magnum Force CD 069 Red Hot Rockabilly, Vol. 7
h. Magnum Force LP 069 Red Hot Rockabilly, Vol. 7
i. Redwood LP 1003 Rockabilly Country, Vol. 1
j. Rock & Country LP 1006 Rock & Country Rockabilly, Vol. 1
k. White Label LP 8811 The Rocking Masters
l. White Label LP 8816 Ten Years Collector Records


A migration up to the home page at RCS shows this as:

"Rockin' Country Style
A Discography of Country Rock & Roll and Related Records, 1951 – 1964
Compiled by Terry Gordon"

Site Info Links:
Preface, Scope, Criteria for Inclusion, Sources of Information, Release Dates, Acknowledgments, What's New

Linked Indexes:
Artists, Labels, Song Titles, Comps by Label, Comps by Artist, Comps by Title, Artists on Comps, Songs on Comps, Other Indexes (Geographical, Chronological, Femal Artists, Label Shots).

The link to Sources of Information contains some interesting info that might be helpful in future searches of this genre, but I haven't tried any follow up on any of it.

The site appears to be the result of a 20-year effort to "index every country rock recording released," and does appear to be pretty thorough. He claims, I believe, over 8,000 titles indexed. The "Criteria for Inclusion" has some interesting input on "what is rockabilly" – although the term "country rock" is indicated as the "preferred term." Anyone interested (or not) in this genre might want to take at least a general look at the site.

John

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Too Many Women Will Drive a Man Insane
From: wysiwyg
Date: 05 Jul 03 - 09:57 AM

John it probably is the one, the sound and time period are right.

Noreen-- tune-- I could try to work it up when I get back from summer travels in late August, but it would be easier to make you a copy of the tape. If you want that, please PM snail address.

~Susan

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Too Many Women Will Drive a Man Insane
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 05 Jul 03 - 06:59 AM

Song Titles Index: Emory lists a song: Too Many Women Van Brothers Walton 7847/8 1962/May, mx series.

I'm unable to find any lyric or other reference to the above song, and I'm not familiar with this artist. I do find a ref to "Van Brothers" as listed in "the Rockabilly Hall of Fame," which is consistent with your "bluesy rockabilly" description. No other hit on a search for "Van Brothers" lists anything other than his other "one hit" – not this one.

(I did find a reference to "The Van Brothers" who played at some back-east music hall in 1904(?). Probably not the same artist(s). There also was apparently a company called "The Van Brothers, Inc." that sold kits to build ultralight aircraft - also unlikely.)

A couple of "Too Many Women Blues" titles that turned up, mostly 1940-ish, can all be eliminated by confirmably dissimilar lyrics.

I'm not optimistic that this is the right song. It's just the only hit I got that I can't prove isn't it.

John

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Too Many Women Will Drive a Man Insane
From: Noreen
Date: 05 Jul 03 - 06:33 AM

Tune please?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: TOO MANY WOMEN WILL DRIVE A MAN INSANE
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 03 Jul 03 - 12:25 PM

Personally I find just one has the same effect!

Nigel

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: TOO MANY WOMEN WILL DRIVE A MAN INSANE
From: okthen
Date: 03 Jul 03 - 10:49 AM

My momma told me, my poppa told me too
They said it's too many women you got
they gonna be the death of you.
I looked at my momma I said please don't cry
If women they kill me well I don't mind dyin.

from "I don't know" heard 30 years ago by Snooks Eaglin.

Subject: Lyr Req: TOO MANY WOMEN WILL DRIVE A MAN INSANE
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 Jul 03 - 10:37 AM

I have part of this on a tape, no info on who/when. It's old. It's bluesy, it's rockabilly, it's a little western swingish, it's.... wonderful! The tape cuts out before the end!

Although it's a man singing, it could be a woman's song, and you could flip the genders as well.

I was intrigued that it seems to follow the zipper-verse pattern of spirituals. I guess you could make up any number of verses. And, you could make it about "too many" of anything!

Here's what I have.

~Susan

================================================================

TOO MANY WOMEN WILL DRIVE A MAN INSANE

INTRO:
Too many women (shoo shoo)
Too many women (shoo shoo)
Too many women (shoo shoo)
Too many women's not good for you!

Too many women will drive a man insane.
Too many women will drive a man insane.
I'm tellin' you, boys, it don't pay to play the game.

You can have a score and get a dozen more,
You'll never be the same you were before, cause
Too many women will drive a man insane.
I'm tellin' you, boys, it don't pay to play the game.

Instrumental Break

Now listen here, fellas, I've got something to say,
To have too many women well it just don't pay cause
Too many women will drive a man insane.
I'm tellin' you, boys, it don't pay to play the game.

Instrumental Break

Now when you get lonesome, and you feel so blue,
You've had too many women, that's the trouble with you, say
Too many women will drive a man insane.
I'm tellin' you, boys, it don't pay to play the game.

Instrumental Break