Origin: Some Old Woman (S Silverstein, B Gibson)

Subject: Bob Gibson's 'Some Old Woman'
From: GUEST,Wayne M.
Date: 11 Mar 04 - 08:30 PM

Is anyone acquainted with this song, from Gibson's "Where I'm Bound" album? Is it a Gibson/Silverstein original or was it adapted from an older song? The subtitle in parenthesis (There Is A Woman) would seem to indicate the latter.

Subject: ADD: SOME OLD WOMAN (THAT OLD WOMAN)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 11 Mar 04 - 11:46 PM

Hi, Wayne - the CD booklet says it's by Shel Silverstein and Bob Gibson, but it sure has a traditional feel to it. I got the lyrics from a David Cassidy Website, and then listened to the Gibson recording and made corrections.
-Joe Offer-

Bob Gibson Version:

SOME OLD WOMAN (THAT OLD WOMAN)
(Shel Silverstein/Bob Gibson)

Well, there's some old woman and she's livin' right here, in this here town
She keeps tellin', tellin' all them lies about me
It's sin and a shame, about the way she's kickin' my name around town,
Tell me, why does that woman keep tellin' all them lies about me?

Oh, she says that I'm wicked and wild
Oh-oh-oh, I'm as pure as a newborn child
Tell me why, yeah, why can't everybody see
She only lyin', yeah she's tellin' them lies about me?

Well, I'm gonna get the bailiff,
Have him come and go, and take her down
She don't quit tellin' them lies about me

Well, there must be a law
'Bout the way she's kickin' my name around town
Tell me, why does that woman keep tellin' all them lies about me?

Oh, well I never done nothin' to her,
Oh-oh-oh, well I never said nothin' to her
Tell me why, yeah, why can't everybody see
She only lyin', she's tellin' them lies about me?

Well, there's some old woman and she's livin' right here, in this here town
She keeps tellin', tellin' all them lies about me
Well, I wish to the Lord that I had never been born
She don't quit tellin' them lies about me

You know I lie awake nights, I'm just weepin and cryin'
'Cause that old woman just won't quit lyin'
Damned old gossip, keeps signifyin'
Tellin' all them dirty white lies about me
Tell me, why does that woman keep tellin' them lies about me?

© Hollis Music, BMI
(transcribed by ear from Gibson's Where I'm Bound CD

---

David Cassidy Version:

SOME OLD WOMAN (THAT OLD WOMAN)
(Shel Silverstein/Bob Gibson)

There's a woman lyin' round this ol' town
And that woman, she tellin' lies on me
It's a shame, it's a pity
How she lie around New York City
Just tellin' lies, she tellin' lies on me

Woh, she says I'm wicked and wild
Woh, woh, woh, I'm as pure as a newborn child
Tellin' me why
Why can't everybody see now
That old woman tellin' lies on me

Woh, she says I'm wicked and wild
Woh, woh, woh, I'm as pure as a newborn child
Tellin' me why
Why can't everybody see now
That old woman tellin' lies
That old woman she just tries
That old woman tellin' lies on me
I really mean it
That old woman she tellin' lies on me
Say she tellin' lies, ooh.


© Hollis Music, BMI

Subject: RE: Bob Gibson's 'Some Old Woman'
From: Amos
Date: 12 Mar 04 - 12:20 AM

Why does this sound so similar to Elizabeth Cotton's "Babe, It Ain't No Lie"?

A

Subject: RE: Bob Gibson's 'Some Old Woman' - trad???
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 12 Mar 04 - 10:35 AM

Trad? I shouldn't think so.

The irregular structure, with the long lines of the introductory verse, and then the little three-line verses, don't seem typical of trad.

Additionally, the "woh, woh, woh" sounds too reminiscent of modern song style to be traditional.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Bob Gibson's 'Some Old Woman' - trad???
From: Joe Offer
Date: 12 Mar 04 - 11:34 AM

Hey, Dave, them pop stars add those woh, woh, woh" bits to songs to make them sound more profound. Gibson sings a 3-note "Oh," which preserves his credentials as a folkie.

-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Bob Gibson's 'Some Old Woman' - trad???
From: jaze
Date: 12 Mar 04 - 12:31 PM

I have a local Richmond folk recording with "Some Old Woman" on it, but it's the lyrics Amos posted by Libba Cotten's "Oh Babe, It Ain't No Lie".

Subject: RE: Bob Gibson's 'Some Old Woman' - trad???
From: Little Robyn
Date: 12 Mar 04 - 08:23 PM

Didn't Carolyn Hester sing Oh, Babe it aint no lie?
Robyn

Subject: RE: Bob Gibson's 'Some Old Woman' - trad???
From: Art Thieme
Date: 13 Mar 04 - 11:39 AM

I sang Libba's song many, many times over the last 40 years. That's where Gibson got the seed for it. But many of Bob's songs had roots with traditional singers. He liked to jazz 'em up --- up-town chords and tempos-- and then he'd sing them in hip 60s nighclubs with Lord Buskley and Lenny Bruce on the bill. Listen to his "Sweet Betsy From Pike" to hear an interesting but extreme variation on a trad song. Listen to Josh White do "Betty and Dupree Blues" and then listen to what Gibson and Camp did with it. And "Well Well Well" --- many others.

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Bob Gibson's 'Some Old Woman' - trad???
From: Amos
Date: 13 Mar 04 - 01:28 PM

Art, many thanks -- your erudite perspective is priceless.

A

Subject: RE: Bob Gibson's 'Some Old Woman' - trad???
From: Little Robyn
Date: 13 Mar 04 - 05:41 PM

I always liked what Bob did to Dink's song - he calls it Fare thee well.
Robyn

Subject: RE: Bob Gibson's 'Some Old Woman' - trad???
From: Art Thieme
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 12:38 PM

Amos,

I know that what I've said is "priceless" 'cause I was never ever able to make any money with it. Alas...

Art