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02 Jun 15 - 04:46 PM (#3714065) Subject: William Harris & ordinary folk blues From: GUEST,Joseph Scott William Harris's blues "I'm Leavin' Town (But I Sho' Don't Wanna Go)," which is currently on youtube, is interesting as possibly quite representative of ordinary folk blues as of roughly 1910, because of its marked similarity to other available blues lyrics. From "Midnight Blues" by William Moore (who was 17 in 1910): "Tell me, fair brownie, where did you stay last night Tell me, fair brownie, where did you stay last night Tell me, fair brownie, where did you stay last night Your hair's all down and your clothes ain't fitting you right" Collected by Howard Odum from a black folk musician before 1909: "Got up in the morning, couldn't keep from crying Got up in the morning, couldn't keep from crying Got up in the morning, couldn't keep from crying Thinking 'bout that brownskin man of mine" From "March Winds Goin' To Blow My Blues All Away" by the Carter Family (A.P. was 19 in 1910): "Sun's gonna shine in my back door some day Sun's gonna shine in my back door some day Sun's gonna shine in my back door some day March wind's going to blow my blues all away" From "Motherless Child Blues" by Elvie Thomas (who was 19 in 1910): "But I did not listen to what my mother said But I did not listen to what my mother said But I did not listen to what my mother said And I'm her child and I'm drifting 'round" |