ADD: Huddie Ledbetter Was a Helluva Man (L.Wyatt)

Subject: Lyr Req: Huddie Ledbetter was a Helluva Man
From: babypix
Date: 25 Jun 04 - 10:36 PM

Hey there mud cats and kittens. Really up against the wall to get the complete lyrics to the wonderful song "Huddie Ledbetter was a Helluva Man" by Lorre Wyatt. Love the song, can't find words or chords on the net. Help?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Huddie Ledbetter was a Helluva Man
From: Backstage Manager(inactive)
Date: 26 Jun 04 - 01:01 PM

Get the CD, "Pete (Living Music)," by Pete Seeger. Pete does a great version and the lyrics are in the booklet.

Subject: Lyr Add: HUDDIE LEDBETTER WAS A HELLUVA MAN (Wyatt
From: Joe Offer
Date: 26 Jun 04 - 01:18 PM

Hi - I found it in Vol. 41, #2 of Sing Out!, Fall 1996. That was before they had MIDI files of the tunes for their songs. I'll see if I can transcribe a MIDI later - but it's not a simple tune. You'll find a recording on Pete Seeger's CD titled Pete. It's also in Pete's book, Where Have All the Flowers Gone?
-Joe Offer-

HUDDIE LEDBETTER WAS A HELLUVA MAN
(Lorre Wyatt, additional words by Pete Seeger, 1988)

Huddie Ledbetter was a helluva man.
Huddie got his music from the heart of the land.
In his voice you could hear John Henry's hammering
While his hands would "buck and wing" upon the big 12-string.
Sometimes a lion, sometimes a lamb,
Huddie Ledbetter was a helluva man.

CH0RUS
He's a long time gone but his songs live on.
He's a long time gone but his songs live on.

Down in Louisiana, 1888,
There was a black baby born into a white man's state;
He saw the cane and cotton stretch for miles around,
He heard his mama's voice a-singing when the sun went down.
Into a world where having dark skin was a crime,
Huddie was born — and started serving his time.
CHORUS

Teenage Huddie went to Shreveport town,
There he got in trouble, was jailhouse bound.
The odds were slim that he would get out alive,
But somehow Huddle and his music survived.
He escaped just once, was put back again.
He was called Leadbelly by the rest of the men.
CHORUS

A collector, name a' Lomax, brought a record machine,
Huddle sang 'em sweet and high, he sang 'em low and mean:
For years to come, they would tell the tale
Of how Huddie Ledbetter sang his way out-a jail.
Sayin', "If I had you. Governor, like-a you got me.
I'd awake up in the morning and I'd set you free."
CHORUS

He got his farewell ticket back in '49.
He caught the Midnight Special on the Rock Island Line;
But I bet you when he wakened from his earthly dream
He was wakened by a kiss from a gal named Irene.
Now millions of people the whole world around
Are taking Huddie's hammer up and swinging it down!

Repeat first verse and chorus

---

  
  D                       A       D
  Huddie Ledbetter was a helluva man.
                                 A             D
  Huddie got his music from the heart of the land.
           G
  In his voice you could hear John Henry's hammering
              D
  While his hands would "buck and wing" upon the big 12-string.
  F#                    B7
  Sometimes a lion, sometimes a lamb,
      E      E7           A        D
  Huddie Ledbetter was a helluva man.
  
  CH0RUS
  D                  A                       D
  He's a long time gone but his songs live on.
                     A                       D
  He's a long time gone but his songs live on.

Subject: Folklore: Pete seeger huddie leadbetter was ...
From: GUEST,banjopicker
Date: 03 Dec 11 - 09:13 PM

Anybody know if Pete ever recorded his song huddie leadbetter was a helleva man?

Subject: RE: Pete seeger huddie leadbetter was ...
From: Joe Offer
Date: 03 Dec 11 - 09:51 PM

Hi, Banjopicker -
The song was written by Lorre Wyatt, but Pete Seeger recorded it on his album titled Pete. I've moved you over to the discussion on the song in this thread, so I'm going to delete the thread you started.

-Joe Offer, Mudcat Archivist-

Subject: RE: ADD: Huddie Ledbetter Was a Helluva Man (L.Wyatt)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 03 Dec 11 - 09:54 PM

Oh....I see the song was also recorded by Work o' the Weavers, the Weavers tribute group.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: ADD: Huddie Ledbetter Was a Helluva Man (L.Wyatt)
From: GUEST,banjopicker
Date: 03 Dec 11 - 10:21 PM

Sorry I searched for this thread but didn't come up i wouldn't have started a new one my bad. Oh I thought it was Pete that wrote it Guess I was wrong too.

Subject: RE: ADD: Huddie Ledbetter Was a Helluva Man (L.Wyatt)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 03 Dec 11 - 11:27 PM

Not to worry, banjopicker. It's nice to be reminded of this great song.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: ADD: Huddie Ledbetter Was a Helluva Man (L.Wyatt)
From: GUEST,banjopicker
Date: 03 Dec 11 - 11:41 PM

Listening to it now. thanks for the album info I haven't heard this since I was young