Lyr Req: It's a Good Thing (Frank Stokes)

Subject: Lyr Req: It's a good thing - Frank Stokes
From: simon-pierre
Date: 14 May 06 - 01:29 PM

Hi everyone!

I wonder if someone has lyrics for this one, which seems delirious, as many others, but there's many words I don't understand. Thanks!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: It's a good thing - Frank Stokes
From: simon-pierre
Date: 15 May 06 - 03:04 PM

second try...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: It's a good thing - Frank Stokes
From: GUEST,MrCrump
Date: 15 May 06 - 04:25 PM

You need a copy of 'YAZOO 21 - 83' by RR Macleod - it has the lyrics to this & many other early blues; should still be available from Redlick records, UK..

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: It's a good thing - Frank Stokes
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 17 May 06 - 10:25 PM

Whoa! This is a tough one to transcribe. I found several sound samples at Allmusic.com and listened to all of them several times, and this is the best I could do.

Besides the usual indistinctness of old records, Stokes had a lisp, and drops a lot of "s" sounds.

...ev'ry day.
I knocked May down, stomped in her face.
... the po'lice raid
I went to workhouse, to work out my time.
Had the same doggone woman on my mind.
In time got out, lawd, I stumbled in sin.
I strolled right back to May's house again.
In time I tried to ... to have a little fun.
Mean to come back ... got more than one.
It's a good thing.
It's a good thing....


...Let me tell y' a little some'in' [=something]. Don't you raise no fuss.
Most these young women want ... to truck(?)
Oh, they egg you (?) from they ankle plumb to they knee.
They're as full o' dumb (?) devilment as they can be.
While you out, man, tryin' to ... plan,
She's a-winkin' an' a-blinkin' at another man.
You get out o' sight, she peepin' through the crack.
"I wonder how long 'fore th' ol' man get back?"
Her man get back, he ready t' have a little fun,
'Fore he get out o' sight, she got....


...diff'rent women all the time.
I had a woman got a name was Lou
Take God a'mighty devilment the woman would do.
Another woman got a name Henrietta.
Talk ... men says she never knowed better.
Another woman got a name was-a Jenny.
Talked to white folks, black folks. She wouldn't choose any.
Another woman got a name was Matty.
She's a slippin' in the ... some dark alley.
Another woman ... name was May....

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: It's a good thing - Frank Stokes
From: 12-stringer
Date: 18 May 06 - 01:06 AM

Sticking just to the verse (the chorus is similar but not identical from stanza to stanza, and the lyrics are not hard to decipher), I hear it as more or less:

When I was a-young, God, 'n in my prime
(Sixteen?) diff'rent women all the time
Had a woman, God, her name was Lou
Can't godamighty tell what the woman would do
Another woman, God, her name Henaretta
Talked to 16 men, says she (knew?) no better
Another woman, God, her name was Jenny
Talk to white folks, black folks, wouldn't 'cuse any
Another woman, God, her name was Matty
She's a slippin' and a (??) in some dark alley
Another woman, God, her name was May
(A fresh man on her?), God, every day.
I knocked May down, stomped in her face
Had some trouble 'mong the police race.
(Went to?) the workhouse, work out my time
Had the same doggone woman on my mind.
Time I got out, Lord, I stumbled in sin,
I tore right back to May's house again.
Time I come to her house she ready to have a little fun
(??), I got more than one.

Let me tell ya little somethin', don't raise no fuss
Most these young women won't do to trust
(??) from the ankle plumb to the knee
Full of down devilment as they can be
While you out, man, tryin' to study some plan
She's winkin' and blinkin' at another man
You get outta sight, she peepin' through the crack,
I wonder how long 'fore the old man gets back?
Man gets back, he ready to have a little fun,
Before he get out of sight she got more than one.

Now I'm gettin' old Lord my hair gettin gray
I'm not bowlegged but I walk that a-way
Claim to be the oldest rat of the barn
I known about the women long before I got grown.
Some in the daytime, some at night,
How in the world can you treat a lab'rin' man right?
The time you get out you're ready to primp your head,
Turn around, slippin' there, jumpin' in your bed,
Jump in your bed, goin' to have a little fun,
Next thing they wanna know, got a little lunch done?
A little lunch done, from three or four
(Talk?) it around before the old man goes.
You may be brownskin, color may be black,
What I say 'bout these women I won't take it back,
I get drunk, love to have my fun,
Most all the women got more than one.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: It's a good thing - Frank Stokes
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 18 May 06 - 09:40 AM

Congratulations, 12-stringer. You got a lot of the words I couldn't get. I listened to those sound samples again with your words in front of me, and I only have a little to add:

For the last line of verse 1, I think I hear:
"Made me come back in (??), got more than one."

For line 3 of verse 2, I think I hear:
"Pull their (??) from their ankles plumb to their knees."

By the way, The Beale Street Sheiks (Frank Stokes and Dan Sane) made 2 recordings of this song. The 4-CD set "Masters of the Memphis Blues" and the Document CD "The Beale Street Sheiks" each have both versions. 12-stringer: Were you able to listen to both versions?

Also, I see the Mississippi Sheiks also recorded IT'S A GOOD THING, but Allmusic.com doesn't have a sound sample.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: It's a good thing - Frank Stokes
From: simon-pierre
Date: 20 May 06 - 12:29 AM

Thank you very much for your time, 12-stringer and Jim Dixon, I just now have to get the guitar part!