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Table Of Content (24 songs, 23 soundclips)

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Avalon Blues Big Leg Blues Candy Man Blues Casey Jones Coffee Blues Corrina, Corrina Frankie Got The Blues, Can't Be Satisfied (1) Got The Blues, Can't Be Satisfied (2)	If You Don't Want Me I'm Satisfied Lazy Blues Louis Collins Make Me A Pallet On Your Floor My Creole Belle Nobody Cares For Me Nobody's Dirty Business (1) Nobody's Dirty Business (2)	Pay Day Richland's Woman Blues Salty Dog See See Rider Spike Driver Blues Stack O'Lee Blues

Pay Day

soundclip

by Mississippi John Hurt
recording of 19
from The Mississippi John Hurt (Vanguard 19/20), copyright notice

Yeah, I did all I can do, and I can't get along with you
I'm gonna take you to your mama, pay day
Pay day, pay day

Well, the rabbit in a log, I ain't got no rabbit dog
And I hate to see that rabbit get away
Get away

Baby, did all I can do, and I can't get along with you
I'm gonna take you to your mama, pay day

Just about a week ago,
I'm gonna keep my skillet¹ greasy if I can
If I can, if I can

(spoken: You know what happened to me)
Well, the hounds is on my track, and the knapsack on my back
I'm gonna make it to my shanty² 'fore day
'Fore day, 'for day

Baby, I did all I could do, an' I
I'm gonna take you to your mama, pay day

Well, and I ain't got no rabbit dog
Lord, I hate to see that rabbit get away
Get away

Baby, did all I can do, and I can't get along with you
I'm gon'

__________
Note 1: a small kettle or pot usually having three or four often long feet and used for cooking on the hearth;
Note 2: a small crudely built dwelling or shelter usually of wood. Probably from Canadian French chantier, meaning lumber camp, hut

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Richland's Woman Blues

soundclip

by Mississippi John Hurt
recording of 19
from , copyright notice

Gimme red lipstick and a bright purple rouge
A shingle bob haircut¹ and a shot of good boo'
Hurry down, sweet daddy, come blowin' your horn
If you come too late, sweet mama will be gone

Come along young man, everything settin' right
My husbands goin' away till next Saturday night
Hurry down, sweet daddy, come blowin' you horn
If you come too late, sweet mama will be gone

Now, I'm raring to go, got red shoes on my feet
My mind is sittin' right for a Tin Lizzie² seat
Hurry down, sweet daddy, come blowin' you horn
If you come too late, sweet mama will be gone

The red rooster said, "Cockle-doodle-do-do"
The Richard's' woman said, "Any dude will do"
Hurry down, sweet daddy, come blowin' you horn
If you come too late, sweet mama will be gone

With rosy red garters, pink hose on my feet
Turkey red bloomer, with a rumble seat
Hurry down, sweet daddy, come blowin' you horn
If you come too late, sweet mama will be gone

Every Sunday mornin', church people watch me go
My wings sprouted out, and the preacher told me so
Hurry down, sweet daddy, come blowin' you horn
If you come too late, sweet mama will be gone

Dress skirt cut high, then they cut low
Don't think I'm a sport, keep on watchin' me go
Hurry down, sweet daddy, come blowin' you horn
If you come too late, sweet mama will be gone

__________
Note 1: a woman's haircut with the hair trimmed short from the back of the head to the nape;
Note 2: nickname for the Model T Ford automobile (1915), a small inexpensive first time mass- produced early automobile.

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Salty Dog

soundclip

by Mississippi John Hurt
recording of 19
from The Mississippi John Hurt (Vanguard 19/20), copyright notice

(spoken: "Salty Dog")

Hey-hey, you salty dog
Hey-hey-hey, you salty dog

Said, the little fish, big fish swimmin' in the water
Come back, man, and gimme my quarter
Hey-hey-hey, you salty dog

Said, the scaredest I ever was in my life
Uncle Bud like to caught me kissin' his wife
Hey-hey, you salty dog

Says, God made woman, made 'em mighty funny
The lips 'round her mouth, just as sweet as any honey
Hey-hey, you salty dog

Hey-hey, you salty dog
Hey-hey-hey, you salty dog

(spoken: Well!)
Well, little fish, big fish swimmin' in the water
Come back here, man, gimme my quarter
Hey-hey-hey, you salty dog

__________
Note: when asked for the meaning of "salty dog", Hurt sheepishly replied, "To tell you the truth, I never thought about it"

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See See Rider

soundclip

by Mississippi John Hurt
recording of 19
from The Mississippi John Hurt (Vanguard 19/20), copyright notice

You see, see, rider, you see what you have done?
You made me love you
Made me love you, now your man done come
You made me love you, now your man have come

Ain't no more potatoes, the frost have killed the vine
Well, the blues ain't nothin' but a good woman on your mind
The blues ain't nothin' but a good woman on your mind
The blues ain't nothin' but a good woman on your mind

You see, see, rider, you see what you done?
You done made me love you
You made me love you

I've told you, baby and your mama told you, too
"You're three times seven, you know what you wanna do,
three times seven, you know what you wanna do,
you're three times seven, you know what you wanna do"

If I had-a listened to my second mind,
Lord, I wouldn't -a been sittin' here and wringin' my hands and cryin'
I wouldn't been sittin' here, wringin' my hands and cryin'
I wouldn't been sittin' here, wringin' my hands and cryin'

You see, see, rider, you see what you have done?
You done made me love you
You made me love you

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Spike Driver Blues

soundclip

by Mississippi John Hurt
recording of 19
from, copyright notice

Take this hammer and carry it to my captain, tell him I'm gone, tell him I'm gone, tell him I'm gone
Take this hammer and carry it to my captain, tell him I'm gone, just tell him I'm gone, I'm sure is gone

This is the hammer that killed John Henry, but it won't kill me, but it won't kill me, but it won't kill me
This is the hammer that killed John Henry, but it won't kill me, but it won't kill me, ain't gonna kill me

It a long ways from East Colarado, honey to my home, honey to my home, honey to my home
It a long ways to East Colarado, honey to my home, honey to my home, that where I'm going

John Henry he left his hammer, layin' side the road, layin' side the road, layin' side the road
John Henry he left his hammer, all over in red, all over in red, thats why I'm gone

John Henry was a steel driving man, but he went down, but he went down, but he went down
John Henry was a steel driving man, but he went down, but he went down, that's why I'm gone

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Stack O'Lee Blues

soundclip

by Mississippi John Hurt
recording of 19
from , copyright notice

Police officer, how can it be?
You can 'rest everybody but cruel Stack O' Lee
That bad man, oh, cruel Stack O' Lee

Billy de Lyon told Stack O' Lee, "Please don't take my life,
I got two little babies, and a darlin' lovin' wife"
That bad man, oh, cruel Stack O' Lee

"What I care about you little babies, your darlin' lovin' wife?
You done stole my Stetson¹ hat, I'm bound to take your life"
That bad man, cruel Stack O' Lee

...with the forty-four
When I spied Billy de Lyon, he was lyin' down on the floor
That bad man, oh cruel Stack O' Lee

"Gentleman's of the jury, what do you think of that?
Stack O' Lee killed Billy de Lyon about a five-dollar Stetson hat"
That bad man, oh, cruel Stack O' Lee

And all they gathered, hands way up high,
at twelve o'clock they killed him, they's all glad to see him die
That bad man, oh, cruel Stack O' Lee

__________
Note: Stack O' Lee or Stagolee, read more about this folk figure;
Note 1: the name Stetson is itself a trademark for a certain kind of broad-brimmed high-crowned felt hat from a specific manufacturer. In general it's used for a certain type of hat, a "cowboy hat".

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Created by:
Bluesman Harry
Page last updated on:
August 6 2000