Lyr Req: Preachin' Blues (Son House)

Subject: Lyr Add: PREACHIN' THE BLUES (Bessie Smith)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 25 Oct 09 - 02:15 PM

From the sound file at The Red Hot Jazz Archive:


PREACHIN' THE BLUES
Bessie Smith

Down in Atlanta, G A,
Under the viaduc' ev'ry day,
Drinkin' corn an' holl'rin' hooray,
Piano's playin' till the break of day,
But as I turned my head,
I loudly said:

Preach them blues. Sing them blues. They cert'nly sound good to me.
I been in love for the last six months, an' ain't done worryin' yet.
Moan them blues. Holler them blues. Let me convert your soul.
Oh, just a little spirit of the blues tonight.
Let me tell you, girls, if your man ain't treatin' you right,
Let me tell you, I don't mean no wrong.
I will learn you somethin' if you listen to this song.
I ain't here to try to save your soul,
Just want to teach you how to save your good jelly roll.
Goin' on down Atlanta little further now,
There's a many a po' woman down.
Read on down to chapter nine.
Women must learn how to take they time.
Read on down to chapter ten.
Takin' other women men, you are doin' a sin.
Sing 'em. Sing 'em. Sing them blues. Let me convert your soul.

Oh, one old sister by the name of Sister Green,
Jumped up an' done a shimmy you ain't never seen.
Sing 'em. Sing 'em. Sing them blues. Let me convert your soul.

Subject: RE: Preachin' Blues
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 08 Jul 02 - 08:13 PM

There are at least three different "Preachin' the Blues." One was by Bessie Smith, 1927, on Columbia (later Philips).

Son House recorded his "Preachin' the Blues" in 1930 on Paramount, a very different song. The words posted by Brian Hoskin (above) are very close to those quoted from the same recording by Paul Oliver in his book, "Screening the Blues," (1968)(1989 Da Capo reprint).

Big Bill Broonzy recorded his song, "Preaching the Blues," in 1939 on Vocalion. Some of the words are given by Paul Oliver, p. 67:

Men go to church just to hide their dirt,
And women go to church just to show their skirts,
But there's a day coming, an' it may be for you:
When Gabriel blows his trumpet,
Brother, what you gonna do?
Brother, you'd better get on your knees,
Well, and pray both night and day,
Now you may have a good time with married women,
But you may go to Hell that way.

These three songs are not in the DT, although the song by Son House is covered in threads 2352 and 14127 as well as this one.
2352 Preachin'
14127 House Songs (Several House songs here).

Subject: RE: Preachin' Blues
From: Jon W.
Date: 05 Mar 99 - 10:18 AM

Click here to go to a previous posting in the forum of a more extensive version.

Subject: Lyr Add: PREACHIN' THE BLUES (Son House)
From: Brian Hoskin
Date: 05 Mar 99 - 03:29 AM

Tom, Son House recorded at least 3 version of 'Preachin' the Blues'. The one I give below is "Preachin' the Blues - Part One", recorded in Grafton, Wis., on 28 May 1930 (Pm 13013).

Brian

Oh I'm gonna get me a religion, I'm gonna join the Baptist church.
Oh I'm gonna get me a religion, I'm gonna join the Baptist church.
I'm gonna be a Baptist preacher and I sure won't have to work.

Oh I'm gonna preach these blues and then I want everybody to shout.
Mmmmmm, I want everybody just to shout.
I'm gonna do like a prisoner, I'm gonna roll my time on out.

Oh, I lay in my room, I bowed down to pray.
Oh, I lay in my room, I bowed down to pray.
Say the blues came along and they drove my spirit away.

Oh, I'd had have religion, lord this very day.
Oh, have had religion, lord this very day.
But the womens and whiskey, well, they would not let me pray.

Oh, I wished I had me a heaven of my own.
(Great God Almighty)
Yeah, heaven of my own. (Wait for it. Follow me.)
Certainly I'd give all my women a long long happy home.

Yeah I love my baby, just like I love myself.
Oh, just like I love myself. Well if she don't have me, she won't have nobody else.

Subject: Preachin' Blues
From:
Date: 04 Mar 99 - 12:03 PM

I was wondering if anyone could provide me with the lyrics to Son House's Preachin' Blues. There are a couple of lines I can't make out that I would be very interested in knowing.

thanks, tom