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![[Mississippi John Hurt]](../photographs/mississippi_john_hurt.jpg)
 
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All lyrics on this site are for private
study, scholarship, or research purposes only. Read the
copyright
notice before printing/copying
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Table Of Content (24 + 1 songs, 23
soundclips)
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by Mississippi
John Hurt
recording of 19
from The
Mississippi John Hurt (Vanguard
19/20), copyright
notice
Got to New York this mornin', just about half-past
nine
Got to New York this mornin', just about half-past nine
Hollerin' one mornin' in Avalon,
couldn't hardly keep from cryin'
Avalon is my hometown, always on my mind
Avalon is my hometown, always on my mind
Pretty mama's in Avalon want me there all the time
When the train left Avalon, throwin' kisses and wavin' at
me
When the train left Avalon, throwin' kisses and wavin' at
me
Says, "Come back, daddy, and stay right here with me"
Avalon's a small town, have no great big range
Avalon's a small town, have no great big range
Pretty mama's in Avalon, they sure will spend your
change
New York's a good town, but it's not for mine
New York's a good town, but it's not for mine
Goin' back to Avalon, near where I have a pretty mama all
the time
__________
Note: the occasion for this song was Hurt's 1928 visit to
New York for an Okeh Records recording session
Top
by Mississippi
John Hurt
recording of 19
from probably 1928
Sessions (Yazoo 1065),
copyright
notice
Raise up, baby, get your big leg offa mine
Raise up, baby, get your big leg offa mine
They're so heavy, make a good man change his mind
I asked you, baby, to come and hold my head
I ask you, baby, to come and hold my head
Send me word that you'd rather see me dead
I'm goin', I'm goin', your cryin' won't make me stay
I'm goin', I'm goin', cryin' won't make me stay
More you cry, the further you drive me away
Some crave high
yellow, I like black and brown
Some crave high yellow, I like black and brown
Black won't quit you, brown won't lay you down
It was late at midnight and the moon shine bright like
day
It was late at midnight and moon shine bright like day
I seen your faror
goin' up the right of way
Top
by Mississippi
John Hurt
recording of 19
from Today!
(Vanguard VMD-79220),
copyright
notice
Well all you ladies gather 'round
That good sweet candy man's in town
It's the candy man
It's the candy man
He likes a stick of candy just nine inch
long1
He sells as fast a hog can chew his corn
It's the candy man...
All heard what sister Johnson said
She always takes a candy stick to bed
Don't stand close to the candy man
He'll leave a big candy stick in your hand
He sold some candy to sister Bad
The very next day she took all he had
If you try his candy, good friend of mine,
you sure will want it for a long long time
His stick candy don't melt away
It just gets better, so the ladies say
__________
Note 1: well, need I say what this stick of candy nine inch
long is?. Yes, ... thats what it is!
Top
by Mississippi
John Hurt
recording of 19
from Melodeon Records, copyright
notice
Casey
Jones was a brave engineer,
he told his fireman to not to fear
Says, "All I want, my water and my coal
Look out the window, see my drive wheel roll"
Early one mornin' came a shower of rain,
'round the curve I seen a passenger train
In the cabin was Casey Jones,
he's a noble engineer man but he's dead and gone
"Children, children, get your hat"
Mama, mama, what you mean by that?"
"Get your hat , put it on your head,
go down in town, see if your daddy's dead"
"Mama, mama, how can it be?
My daddy got killed on the old I.C.1"
"Hush your mouth and hold your breath,
you're gonna draw a pension after your daddy's dead"
Casey's wife, she got the news,
she was sittin' on the bedside,
she was lacin' up her shoes
I said, "Go away, children, and hold your breath,
you're gonna draw a pension after your daddy's dead"
Casey said, before he died,
fixed the blinds
so the boys can't ride
If they ride, let 'em ride the rod,
trust they lives in the hands of God"
Casey said again, before he died,
one more road that he wanted to ride
People wondered what road could that be?
The Gulf Colorado and the Santa Fe
Casey Jones was a brave engineer,
he told his fireman to not to fear
Says, "All I want, my water and my coal
Look out the window, see my drive wheel roll"
__________
Note: according to folklorists, the real-life Casey
Jones crashed to death in 1900 en route to Canton,
Mississippi. Nine years later, the famous ballad (to which
this version is musically unrelated) became a popular hit.
It's legacy is a Casey Jones museum in Tennessee. Perhaps a
duller hero was never more celebrated in a song;
Note 1: I.C., Illinois Central railroad line running from
Miami (Florida), through Jacksonville and Birmingham to
Chicago (Illinois).
Top
by Mississippi
John Hurt
recording of 19
from Coffee Blues (Vanguard 19032), copyright
notice
(spoken:
This is the "Coffee Blues", I likes a certain brand
- Maxwell's House - it's good till the last drop,
just like it says on the can. I used to have a girl
cookin' a good Maxwell House. She moved away.
Some said to Memphis
and some said to Leland,
but I found her. I wanted her to cook me some
good Maxwell's House. You understand,
if I can get me just a spoonful of Maxwell's House,
do me much good as two or three cups this other coffee)
I've got to go to Memphis, bring her back to Leland
I wanna see my baby 'bout a lovin' spoonful,
my lovin' spoonful
Well, I'm just got to have my lovin'
(spoken: I found her)
Good mornin', baby, how you do this mornin'?
Well, please, ma'am, just a lovin' spoon,
just a lovin' spoonful
I declare, I got to have my lovin' spoonful
My baby packed her suitcase and she went away
I couldn't let her stay for my lovin',
my lovin' spoonful
Well, I'm just got to have my lovin'
Good mornin', baby, how you do this mornin'?
Well, please, ma'am, just a lovin' spoon,
just a lovin' spoonful
I declare, I got to have my lovin' spoonful
Well, the preacher in the pulpit, jumpin' up and down
He laid his bible down for his lovin'
(spoken: Ain't Maxwell House all right?)
Well, I'm just got to have my lovin'
Top
traditional
recording of 19
from , copyright
notice
Corrina, Corrina, where'd you stay last night?
Corrina, Corrina, where'd you stay last night?
Come in this morning, clothes ain't fittin' you right
I left Corrina, way across the sea
I left Corrina, way across the sea
She wouldn't write me no letter, she don't care for me
Oh Corrina, Corrina, where you been so long?
Oh Corrina, Corrina, where you been so long?
She wouldn't write me no letter, she don't care for me
Corrina, Corrina, where'd you stay last night?
Corrina, Corrina, where'd you stay last night?
Come in this morning, clothes ain't fittin' you right
Top
by Mississippi
John Hurt
recording of 19
from An Anthology Of American Folk Music (Folkways
RF202),
copyright
notice
(spoken introduction:
"Frankie and Albert", the same thing as "Frankie and
Johnnie")
Frankie was a good girl, everybody know,
she paid one hundred dollars for Albert's suit of
clothes
He's her man, but he did her wrong
Frankie went down to the corner saloon, she ordered her a
glass of beer,
she asked the barkeeper, "Gas my lovin' Albert been
here?"
"He been here, but he's gone again"
"Ain't gonna tell you no story, Frankie, I ain't gonna tell
you no lie"
Says, "Albert a-passed about a hour ago, with a girl you
call Alice Frye
He's your man, and he's doin' you wrong
Frankie went down to the corner saloon, she didn't go to be
gone long
She peeked through keyhole in the door, spied Albert in
Alice's arm
He's my man, and you's doin' me wrong
Frankie called Albert, she shot him three or four times,
says, "Stand back, I'm smokin' my gun, let me see is Albert
dyin'
He's my man, and he did me wrong"
Frankie and the judge walked outta the stand, and walked out
side by side
The judge says, "Frankie, you're gonna be justified,
killin' a man, and he did you wrong"
Frankie was a good girl, everybody know,
she paid one hundred dollars for Albert's suit of
clothes
He's her man, but he did her wrong
Said, "Turn me over, mother, turn me over slow,
it may be my last time, you won't turn me no more
He's my man, and he did me wrong"
Says, Frankie was a good girl, everybody know,
she paid one hundred dollars for Albert's suit of
clothes
He's her man, but he did her wrong
__________
Note: perhaps unintentionally, this song expresses a part of
cynical wisdom once current among blues singers. The wisdom
that betrayal of a "hustlin' woman" who fosters a love
affair with material gifts is suicidal. The same point of
view seems to underlie Robert Johnson's "Kindhearted
Woman Blues"
Top
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Got
The Blues, Can't Be Satisfied (Version
1)
|
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soundclip
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by Mississippi
John Hurt
recording of 19
from Origin Of Jazz Library No. 5 (Vanguard 79248),
copyright
notice
Got the blues, can't be satisfied
Got the blues, can't be satisfied
Keep the blues, I'll catch that train and ride
Yes, whiskey straight will drive the blues away
Yes, whiskey straight will drive the blues away
That be the case, I wants a quart today
I bought my baby a great big diamond ring
I bought my baby a great big diamond ring
Come right back home and caught her shaking
that thing
I said, "Babe, what make you do me this a-way?"
I said, "Babe, what make you do me this a-way?"
Well, that I bought, now you give it away
I took my gun and broke the barrel down
I took my gun and broke the barrel down
I put that joker six feet in the ground
You got the blues, and I still ain't satisfied
You got the blues, and I still ain't satisfied
Well, some old day, gonna catch that train and ride
Top
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Got
The Blues, Can't Be Satisfied (Version
2)
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soundclip
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by Mississippi
John Hurt
recording of December 28 1928, New York City
from Okeh 8724, copyright
notice
Got the blues, can't be satisfied
Got the blues, can't be satisfied
Keep the blues, I'll catch that train and ride
Whiskey straight will drive the blues away
Whiskey straight will drive the blues away
That be the case, I wants a quart today
Bought my gal a great big diamond ring
Bought my gal a great big diamond ring
Come right back home and caught her shakin'
that thing
I said, "Babe what makes you act this-a-way?"
I said, "Baby why did you act this-a-way?"
Says I won't miss a thing she gives away
Took my gun and I broke the barrel down
Took my gun and broke the barrel down
Put my baby six feet under the ground
I cut that joker so long deep and wide
Cut that joker so long deep and wide
Yet got the blues and I still ain't satisfied
Top
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