Folktunes.org - 78rpm

Stealin' Stealin' by The Memphis Jug Band

Forrest Oliphant — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 16:58:23 -0500

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Lyrics:

Stealin', stealin', pretty mama don't you tell on me
I'm stealin' back to my same old used to be

Now, put your arms around me like the circle round the sun
I want ya to love me, mama like my easy rider done

If you don't believe I love ya, look what a fool I've been
If you don't believe I'm sinkin', look what a hole I'm in

Stealin', stealin', pretty mama don't ya tell on me
I'm stealin' back to my same old used to be

(kazoo and harmonica break)

The woman I'm lovin', she's just my height and size
She's a married woman, come to see me sometimes

If you don't believe I love you, look what a fool I've been
If you don't believe I'm sinkin', look what a hole I'm in

I'm stealin', stealin', pretty mama don't you tell on me
I'm stealin' back to my same old used to be

(break)

Stealin', stealin', pretty mama don't ya tell on me
I'm stealin' back to my same old used to be

Notes:

This is the first recording of this song, which has since been recorded by everyone from Taj Mahal to The Greatful Dead.

Recorded on September 15, 1928. Will Shade sings the lead with Vol Stevens on guitar, Ben Ramey on kazoo and Jab Jones on jug.

Cocaine Habit Blues by The Memphis Jug Band

Forrest Oliphant — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 16:58:23 -0500

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Lyrics:

Cocaine habit mighty bad
It's the worst old habit that I ever had
Hey, hey, Honey take a whiff on me

I went to Mr Beaman's in a lope
Saw a sign on the window said no more dope
Hey, hey, Honey take a whiff on me

If you don't believe cocaine is good
Ask Alma Rose at Minglewood
Hey, hey, Honey take a whiff on me

I love my whiskey, and I love my gin
But the way I love my coke is a doggone sin
Hey, hey, Honey take a whiff on me

(break)

Since cocaine went out of style
You can catch them shooting needles all the while
Hey, hey, honey take a whiff on me

It takes a little coke to give me ease
Strut my stuff long as you please
Hey, hey, honey take a whiff on me

(break)

(Let's all take a whiff on Hattie now.)

Hey, hey.

Notes:

Recorded on May 17, 1930. Hattie Hart sings the lead with Will Shade on harp, Tee Wee Blackman on guitar, Ben Ramey on kazoo, and Ham Lewis on the jug.

A Black Woman Is Like A Black Snake by The Memphis Jug Band

Forrest Oliphant — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 16:58:23 -0500

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Lyrics:

A black woman's like a black snake, she will strike and run,
A black woman's like a black snake, she will strike and run
...

...

I wouldn't marry a black woman, I'll tell you the reason why,
I wouldn't marry a black woman, I'll tell you the reason why,
She's so black and evil she won't look in your eye

...

Oh fish are swimming, they come into the net,
Oh fish are swimming, they come into the net,
... try to do the best they can, they do the best they can

Notes:

[This recording is included despite its overt racism as an integral part of any archive of this kind of music. This song does not represent the views of The Folktunes Archive, nor does the inclusion of any other song. - ed.]

Recorded on September 11, 1928. This jug band's lineup includes leader Will Shade on harp and guitar, Charlie Burse on guitar, Ben Ramey on kazoo, and Jab Jone on the lead vocal and jug.

Old Dan Tucker by Judge Sturdy's Orchestra

Forrest Oliphant — Mon, 13 Mar 2006 00:56:37 -0500

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Lyrics:

Old Dan Tucker! Take your partners. One Tucker over here, one over ther, c'mon boys...

Notes:

Judge Sturdy and his "Orchestra" (a small string band) play the traditional country dance tune "Old Dan Tucker", complete with calls, in this 1925 recording. From 78rpm disk.

Hiram's Valley by Judge Sturdy's Orchestra

Forrest Oliphant — Mon, 13 Mar 2006 00:50:14 -0500

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Lyrics:

Quadrille! Take your partners boys, c'mon...

Notes:

It's funny how impatient the caller sounds in these recordings. "C'mon boys, shake a leg!"

Judge Sturdy and his "Orchestra" (a small string band) play the traditional country dance tune "Hiram's Valley", complete with calls, in this 1925 recording. From 78rpm disk.

Viola Lee Blues by Cannon's Jug Stompers

Forrest Oliphant — Thu, 2 Mar 2006 10:34:42 -0500

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Lyrics:

The judge decreed it, clerk he wrote it,
The clerk he wrote it down indeed-eh,
The judge decreed it, the clerk he wrote it down,
If you miss jail sentence, you'll be Nashville bound.

Some got six months, some got one solid,
Some got one solid, year indeed lord,
Some got six months, some got one solid year,
But me and my buddy, oh got lifetime here.

Fix my supper, mama, let me go to,
Let me go to bed, indeed lord,
Fix my supper, let me go to bed,
I've been drinking white lightning, and it just gone to my head.

Notes:

Recorded on September 20, 1928 presumably in Memphis. The lineup is the same as on "Minglewood Blues," only Noah Lewis sings. The line "ain't got a jail sentence, you must be Nashville bound," refers to the common practice in the South at that time of sometimes not sentencing black men who were arrested for certain crimes. Rather, they would often be sent to places where they had to work very hard, which was often worse than a jail sentence.

Minglewood Blues by Cannon's Jug Stompers

Forrest Oliphant — Thu, 2 Mar 2006 10:34:39 -0500

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Lyrics:

Don't you never let one woman rule your mind
Don't you never let one woman rule your mind
Said she keep you worried, troubled all the time

Don't you think your fairer was li'l and cute like mine
Don't you wish your fairer was li'l and cute like mine
She's a mar- She's a married woman,
But she comes to see me all the time

Don't you never let one woman rule your mind
Don't you never let one woman rule your mind
Said she keep you worried, troubled all the time

Well I got a letter mama and you ought to hear it read
Well I got a letter Lord and you ought to hear it read
If you comin' back baby now be on your way

Notes:

There is an interesting breakdown of the history of this song in the folk tradtion at the Roots of the Greatful Dead page.

Recorded on January 30, 1928 in Memphis, Tennessee. This recording features Gus Cannon on banjo and jug (Cannon created a contraption to hang the jug from his band so he could blow and pick banjo at the same time), Ashley Thompson on vocals and guitar and Noah Lewis on the harp. Minglewood was a lumber camp in Ashley, Tennessee, which was popular amongst musicians in the Mississippi Delta as a "hot spot." This tune became a popular staple of the Grateful Dead. Along with the Memphis Jug Band, Cannon's Jug Stompers was one of the great jug bands of the twenties.

Pig Ankle Strut by Cannon's Jug Stompers

Forrest Oliphant — Thu, 2 Mar 2006 10:27:06 -0500

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Notes:

A great example of a jug-band harmonica tune to learn.

Recorded on September 5, 1928 in Memphis. Features Gus Cannon on the jug, Ashley Thompson on guitar, and Noah Lewis on the harmonica.

The Dying Soldier by Buell Kazee

Forrest Oliphant — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 01:59:08 -0500

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Lyrics:

Oh brother Green, oh come to me,
For I am shot and bleeding,
Now I must die, no more to see,
My wife and my dear children.

The southern () has layed me low,
On this cold ground to suffer,
Stay brother stay and lay me away,
And write my wife a letter.

Tell her that I'm prepared to die,
And want to meet her in heaven,
Since I believed in Jesus Christ,
My sins are all forgiven.

My little ones, I love them well,
Oh could I once more see them,
That I might bid them a long farewell,
But we will meet in heaven.

Oh brother I am dying now,
Oh see I die so easy,
Oh surely death has lost it's sting,
Because I love my Jesus.

Go tell my wife she must not grieve,
Oh kiss my dear little children,
For they will call for me in vain,
When I am gone to heaven.

Notes:

This amazingly haunting piece grabs the listener by the heart and dares them not to shed a tear for the dying brother and soldier, who is so content in death because he loves "his Jesus."

Recorded on January 18, 1928 in New York City.

Fourteen Days In Georgia by Blue Ridge Highballers

Forrest Oliphant — Tue, 7 Feb 2006 10:37:34 -0500

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Notes:

Traditional "Mountain Dance Music" tune, recorded March 23, 1926 by the Blue Ridge Highballers ("led by Charley La Prade, fiddler").

Original 78rpm disk (Columbia 15081-D) digitized by old78collector

Flop-Eared Mule by Blue Ridge Highballers

Forrest Oliphant — Tue, 7 Feb 2006 10:30:49 -0500

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Notes:

Traditional "Mountain Dance Music" tune, recorded March 23, 1926 by the Blue Ridge Highballers ("led by Charley La Prade, fiddler").

Original 78rpm disk (Columbia 15081-D) digitized by old78collector

Sally Goodin by Obed "Dad" Pickard on Mouth Harp

Forrest Oliphant — Sun, 5 Feb 2006 19:59:56 -0500

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Lyrics:

Had a little gal and her name was Sally Goodin,
Asked her to marry me and then she said she wouldn'

Had a peice of pie and I had a peice of puddin',
And I give it all away to kiss Sally Goodin

Went up on hill to see Sally comin',
Thought to my soul I'd kill myself runnin'

Possum up a gump stump, coon up a holler,
Wish to my soul I had a silver dollar

Went to the creek, the creek was muddy,
Hugged Sally Goodin 'til she couldn't stand steady

Notes:

Great mouth harp work on this 1929 recording of the traditional folk tune "Sally Goodin" by Obed "Dad" Pickard, one of the first "Grand Old Opry" performers. From original 78rpm disk.

Arkansas Traveler by Don Richardson

Forrest Oliphant — Sun, 5 Feb 2006 19:53:10 -0500

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Notes:

Original 78rpm disk (Columbia A2140) digitized by old78collector
A very early recording of the traditional country fiddle tune "Arkansas Traveler", played by Don Richardson, dating from April of 1916. There is a barely audible piano accompaniment. This is from the original 78rpm disk, which is not in great shape, and there is considerable noise. But this recording does not seem to be widely available even as a reissue, so I thought it worthwhile to post it despite the condition.

The House Carpenter - Clarence Ashley

Forrest Oliphant — Tue, 31 Jan 2006 09:12:40 -0500

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Lyrics:

We'll met we'll met said an old true love
We'll met we'll met said he
I'm just returning from the salt salt sea and it's all for the love of thee

Climb in climb in my old true love
And have a seat with me
It's been three-fourths of a long long year since together we have been

Well I can't come in or I can't sit down
For I haven't but a moment's time
They say you're married to a house carpenter and your heart will never be mine

Now it's I coulda married a king's daughter here
I'm sure she'da married me
But I've forsaken her crowns of gold and it's all for the love of thee

Now will you forsaken your house carpenter
And go along with me
I'll take you where the grass grows green on the banks of the deep blue sea

She picked up here little ()
And kisses gave him three
Says stay right here my little darling babe and keep your pappa company

Well they hadn't been on ship but about two weeks
I'm sure it wasn't three
Well his true love began to weep and mourn and () most bitterly

Says are you a-weepin' for my silver or my gold
Says are you weeping for my store
Are you weeping for that house carpenter whose face you'll never see any more

No it's I'm not a-weepin' for your silver or your gold
Or neither for your store
I am weeping for my darling little babe whose face I'll never see any more

Well they hadn't been on ship but about three weeks
I'm sure it wasn't four
'Til they sprung a leak in the bottom of the ship and they sunk for to rise no more

Notes:

Recorded on April 14, 1930 in Atlanta, Georgia. This ballad was collected by Child as "The Daemon Lover" (Child No. 243), of which there are several variants. Harry Smith noted that the original version in the British Isles had a "supernatural theme" which didn't make it to North America.

My Sweet Farm Girl - Clarence Ashley

Forrest Oliphant — Tue, 31 Jan 2006 08:59:39 -0500

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Lyrics:

My sweet farm girl, she's jolly of my pride
My sweet farm girl, she's jolly of my pride
She knows I know how to keep her satisfied

So early in the morning I cut her grass you bet
So early in the morning I cut her grass you bet
Pull up the hose; I keep her lawn all wet

I close her fire; I shake her ashes down
I close her fire; I shake her ashes down
We eat our breakfast, then we ride on back to town

I keep her garden all free from bugs and weeds
I keep her garden all free from bugs and weeds
I plow her land, and then I sow my seeds

I trim her hedges; I clean out her back yard
I trim her hedges; I clean out her back yard
She loves her daddy because I'm long and hard

Notes:

Recorded on December 1, 1931 in New York City. Ashley plays guitar and sings, with Gwen Foster on guitar and harmonica. The sexual connotations are rather obvious.

Dark Holler - Clarence Ashley

Forrest Oliphant — Tue, 31 Jan 2006 08:40:32 -0500

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Lyrics:

I was born in old Viginia
South Carolina I did go
There I courted a pretty little woman
But her age I did not know

Well her hair was brown and curly
Her cheeks were rosy red
On her dress she wore white lilies
Oh the cares that I have ()

When I'm asleep I'm dreaming about you
When I wake I have no rest
Ever' moment seems like an hour
Oh the pain () my breast

I'd rather be in some dark holler
Where the sun don't ever shine
For you to be some other man's darling
When you ain't no longer mine

Pappa says I must not marry
Momma saya it'll never do
But little girl if you are willing
I will run away with you

For I'd rather be in some dark holler
Where the sun don't ever shine
For you to be some other man's darling
When you ain't no longer mine

When I'm asleep I'm dreaming about you
When I wake I have no rest
Ever' moment seems like an hour
Oh the pain () my breast

Notes:

Recorded on October 23, 1929 in Johnson City, Tennessee. This tune has become a bluegrass standard under this name, as well as "Dark Holler Blues" and "East Virginia Blues." It shares the same melody as "Greenback Dollar," and performers often mix the lyrics of the two in ever differing versions.

Coo Coo Bird - Clarence Ashley

Forrest Oliphant — Tue, 31 Jan 2006 08:32:52 -0500

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Lyrics:

Gonna build me a log cabin
on a mountian so high
So I can see Willie
as he goes on by

Um hmm hmm...

Oh the coo-coo is a pretty bird
She wobbles when she flies
She never hollers coo-coo
'Til the fourth day of July

I've played cards in England
I've played cards in Spain
I'll bet you ten dollars
I'll beat you next game

Jack of diamonds, Jack of diamonds
I've known you from old
Now you've robbed my poor pockets
Of my silver and my gold

Um hmm hmm...

I've played cards in England
I've played cards in Spain
I'll bet you ten dollars
I beat you this game

Oh the coo-coo is a pretty bird
She wobbles when she flies
She never hollers coo-coo
'Til the fourth day of July

Notes:

Recorded on October 23, 1929 in Johnson City, Tennessee. Greil Marcus describes this tunes as a "folk-lyric" tune "made up of verbal fragments that had no direct or logical relationship to each other." Ashley's banjo is tuned to G-modal, also referred to as Sawmill tuning. Some folklorists note that the cuckoo is an ancient symbol for the coming of summer.

Sally Gooden -- Eck Robertson on fiddle

Forrest Oliphant — Tue, 31 Jan 2006 00:11:47 -0500

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Notes:

Recorded on June 30, 1922 or July 1, 1922 in New York City. Although it is indeed possible, if not likely, that country or hillbilly performers had been recorded earlier, these sessions with Texas fiddler Eck Robertson are the earliest documented recording sessions of a country performer. The recordings were not released until about a year later. "Sally Gooden" is another ubiquitous old-time fiddle tune that is rivalled only by "Soldier's Joy" in popularity.

Arkansaw Traveler fiddle duet by Henry C. Gilliland and Eck Robertson

Forrest Oliphant — Tue, 31 Jan 2006 00:05:48 -0500

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Notes:

Very early country fiddle duet, recorded June 1922. Arkansaw Traveler played by Henry C Gilliland and A C (Eck) Robertson.

From the original 78rpm disk (Victor 18956).

The Worried Blues by Samantha Bumgarner

Forrest Oliphant — Mon, 30 Jan 2006 23:44:30 -0500

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Lyrics:

Got the worried blues,
Oh, got the worried blues,
Got the worried blues...

Notes:

Recorded on April 23, 1924 in New York City. This tune is from her first recording session, which made her the first recorded female country performer. "The Worried Blues" is a variant of "Going Down The Road Feeling Bad."

Shout Lou dance calling by Samantha Bumgarner

Forrest Oliphant — Mon, 30 Jan 2006 23:33:04 -0500

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Lyrics:

...
Right hand to your partner,
...
Swing your opposite,
Swing your own,
Swing your parter 'til...

Notes:

An early banjo with calls version of a traditional Appalachian breakdown more often known as "Shout Lula", recorded April 1924. From 78rpm.

Ragtime Annie by Eck Robertson

Forrest Oliphant — Mon, 30 Jan 2006 23:28:05 -0500

MP3 url: [link]

Source webpage: [link]

Notes:

Great performance of a traditional tune by fiddler "Uncle" A.C. "Eck" Robertson in this 1922 recording. From 78rpm.