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Table Of Content (19 songs, 6 soundclips)

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Beautiful But Dumb Best Jockey In Town Big Leg Woman Bill Crowin' Rooster Blues Careless Love Cat You Been Messin' Around Chicago Blues Death Valley Is Just Half Way To My Home	Don't Drive Me From Your Door Fine Booze And Heavy Dues Go Back To Your No Good Man Got The Blues For Murder Only Happy New Year, Darling Life Saver Blues Low Down St. Louis Blues Men, Get Wise To Yourself Racketeer's Blues	Sam, You're Just A Rat She's Making Whoopee In Hell Tonight

Beautiful But Dumb

soundclip

by Lonnie Johnson
recording of June 16 1931, New York
from Lonnie Johnson 1927-32 (Matchbox Bluesmaster Series), copyright notice

To marry a beautiful woman these days, is just like a murder crime
To marry a beautiful woman these days, is just like a murder crime
If you lookin' for a real good woman, boy you just wastin' time

First she don't know how to sweeten your coffee, she can't even make up your bed
She don't know how to sweeten your coffee, she can't make up your bed
She can't even roast your meat and how she mess up your bread

Next she can't bake cornbread, she can't even boil beef stew
She can't even bake cornbread, she can't boil beef stew
Man if your woman is beautiful and dumb, that don't mean a thing to you

My gal baked me some bread this morning, the bread refused to rise
My gal baked me some bread this morning, the bread refused to rise
The crust was tough on the bread, was as the rubber on a Maxwell tire

Some men crave beautiful women, but in my life it's not worthwhile
Some men crave beautiful women, but in my life it's not worthwhile
After all they're just beautiful, ain't got sense of a newborn child

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Best Jockey In Town

by Lonnie Johnson
recording of August 21 1931, New York
from Matchbox (LP MSE1013), copyright notice

You say you're a race horse mama, your jockey ain't never been found
You say you're a race horse mama, but your jockey ain't never been found
But you've found the best little jockey, I'm the best rider in town

Now you may be a good race horse mama, but I don't think you're so hot
You may be a good race horse , but I don't think you're so hot
'Cause when it comes to ridin' what you know, baby I've done forgotten

To be a good race horse, a good jockey's what you really need
To be a good race horse mama, a good jockey's what you really need
'Cause when you get on your home stretch, you don't know how to pick up your speed

Now to be a good race horse, you got to try and hold your second spot
To be a good race horse mama, you got try to hold your second spot
As soon as you get on your home stretch, give your jockey every bit you got

Now if you wanna be a good race horse, let me do your trainin' from now on
If you want to be a real good race horse, let me do your trainin' from now on
And I will make you win races, mama that have never been won

I'm a jockey by trade, I've rode the best horses that run
I'm a jockey by trade, I've rode the best in horses that run
And if you don't start jumpin', I will show you how the ridin's done

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Big Leg Woman

soundclip

by Lonnie Johnson
recording of 1960
from (Bluesville), copyright notice

Yes, I've got me a big legged woman, that solid rocks my soul
Yes, I've got me a big legged woman, that solid rocks my soul
And every time she turns the lights down low, Jack that's when I give up all my gold

She's so fine, she's so mellow, the rest I can't explain
Yes, she's so fine, she's so mellow, rest I can't explain
Way my baby stacked up, it's enough to drive the average cat insane

Yes, she's got great big legs, so pleasin' on the eye
Yes, she's got those great big legs, so pleasin' on the eye
And the preacher walked by, turned around and looked, Jack and hollered "My, my, my!"

She's got those big brown eyes, yes and she's somethin' really fine
Yes, she's got those big brown eyes, Jack she's somethin' really fine
And the best part about it, Jack she's mine, all mine!

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Bill Crowin' Rooster Blues

by Lonnie Johnson
recording of February 7 1941
from , copyright notice

What makes a rooster crow every mornin' 'fore day?
What makes a rooster crow every mornin' 'fore day?
To let the pimps know that the workin' man is on his way

We up before sunrise, slavin' sixteen hours a day
We up before sunrise, slavin' sixteen hours a day
We pay our house rent and grocery bills, and the pimps get the rest of our pay

Men, we've got to get together, something's got to be done,
we make the money, while the pimps really have the fun
And where there's only house rent and grocery bills, no mon, no fun

Man, can't you see, you can't keep a whole woman by yourself
Man, can't you see, you can't keep a whole woman by yourself
If your best friend can't get your woman, he'll frame her for somebody else

Something about some women, that I never could understand
Something about some women, that I never could understand
They not satisfied with a good husband, they want some other woman's man

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Careless Love

soundclip

by Lonnie Johnson
recording of December 17 1927, Chicago
from Lonnie Johnson, Volume 2: 1927-32 (Matchbox Bluesmaster Series),
copyright notice

Love, oh love, oh careless love
Love, love, oh careless love
You have caused me to weep
You have caused me to moan
You have caused me to lose my happy home

Don't never drive a stranger from your door
Don't never drive a stranger from your door
It may be your best friend knockin' on your door,
then it may be your brother, you will never now

Careless love, look how you carry me down
Careless love, look how you carry me down
You caused me to lose my mother and she's layin' in six feet of ground
Careless love I can't let you carry me down

Careless love, you drove me through the rain and snow
Careless love,you drove me through the rain and snow
You have robbed me out of my silver and out of all my gold,
I'll be damned if you rob me out of my soul

You've worried my mother until she died
You've caused my father to lose his mind
Now damn you, I'm goin' to shoot you and shoot you four five times,
and stand over you until you finish dyin'

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Cat You Been Messin' Around

by Lonnie Johnson
recording of January 12 1932, New York
from Matchbox (LP MSE1013), copyright notice

Now look here woman, you done lost your mind,
this is not my child, you bring me a better line
'Cause there's something wrong, woman don't start that lies there's something wrong
I never had such mix-ups in my family, since I was born

First it's loop-footin', and its head is long
And it's been half nuts ever since you brought it back home
So there's something wrong, I mean there's something wrong
Oh, take it back where you got it, woman 'cause depression is on

Now his eyes is blue, and his hair's brown
You know darn well you've been messin' around
So take that lie off of me, I mean take that lie off of me
Woman you had a twelve-month vacation, so don't put that lie on me

Now his head is nappy, and his feets is long, his eyes is crossed, and his sight is gone
You know there's something wrong, yes, woman there's something wrong
I never had nothing like that in my family, woman since I was born

Now I said it wasn't my child and you argued me down,
now my eyes ain't blue and my hair ain't brown
Woman you've been messin' around, yes,woman you've been messin' around
So woman get out of my face, or I take my fist and knock you down

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Chicago Blues

by Lonnie Johnson
recording of 19
from , copyright notice

Chicago's alright to visit, but please don't hang around
You'll find the smooth chicks and high slicks and boy, all those mellow fellows
But when your bankroll is gone, you're just another chump¹, that's dropped in town!

My first night in Chicago, my friends really treated me fine
Then overnight, they all changed like daylight saving time
And ev'rything I wanted, I had to lay my money down on the line

I said, "Baby, you're so lovely, your eyes shine like the stars above,
you wear number three shoes, yes, and wear number five gloves"
She said,"It's money I need, baby, I don't need love!"
I said,"I could make you love me darlin', baby, I just bet I could,
you can learn to love me baby, I know you could"
She says,"Lay your money down, babe, and make your bettin' good!"
I said,"Let's go to New York, baby I'll buy you anything you lack,
I will give you plenty money, gonna buy you a nineteen forty-two Cadillac!"
She says," I'm sorry, this fine round body will be here when you get back!"

__________
Note 1: chump, .

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Death Valley Is Just Half Way To My Home

by Lonnie Johnson
recording of January 23 1930, New York City
from Matchbox (LP MSE1013), copyright notice

Looked down that long old lonesome road
Looked down that long old lonesome road
My poor feet is gettin' tired, but still I've got to go

There's no train to my home town, ain't but the one way to go
There's no train to my home town, ain't but the one way to go
That's mile after mile, trampin' that muddy road

It's just one thing, that worries me both night and day
Ain't but one thing, that worries me both night and day
There's a place they call Death Valley, and it's just halfway

You can't see a house, in twenty-five miles around
I can't see nobody, goin' towards my ol' home town
I've still got three hundred miles to go, and my poor feet is giving down

I can hear the wild cats and panthers, howl when the sun go down
Can you hear the wild cats and panthers, howlin' when the sun go down
And I've got to go through Death Valley, to get to my old home town

I've been trampin' this lonely road, forty nights and days
My poor legs is gettin' tired, don't help me some ways
'Cause I've got three hundred miles to go, trampin' in this mud and clay

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Created by:
Bluesman Harry
Page last updated on:
June 8 2000