*STEAMBOAT
My Version of an old Coasters number as Miller and I used to sing it. I've double-tracked a harmony part on the chorus in memory of Miller. A slow but heavy shuffle typical of many old rhythm and blues pieces.
Steamboat Lyrics
You know I talked to my captain this morning
He said we're 500 miles off shore
And if you don't get a telegram or letter
You'll know your baby don't love you no more
Whoah...steamboat
C'mon now...steamboat
Steamboat...
Mmmm...steamboat
Please carry me on home to my love
Well I gotta find out pretty baby
Tell me do you want your daddy back
I got a whole lot of water to burn up
And its not the dead end of this track
Whoah...steamboat
C'mon now...steamboat
Steamboat...
Mmmm....steamboat
Please carry me on home to my love
Well Jonah lived a while
In the belly of a whale
The Bible says its true
Well I'd jump right in the ocean
Get eat up by a whale
To get back home to you
Whoah...steamboat
C'mon now...steamboat
Steamboat....
Mmmm....steamboat
Please carry me on home to my love
Well I gotta find out pretty baby
Tell me do you want your daddy back
I got a whole lot of water to burn up
And its not the dead end of the track
Whoah...steamboat
C'mon now...steamboat
Steamboat...
Mmmm....steamboat
Please carry me on home to my love
Please carry me on home to my love
*BABY LET ME FOLLOW YOU DOWN
Originally this traditional had a text which wouldn't have passed the censors if it were recorded today. So an American folk singer changed the text to fit the heavy driving rhythm, retaining the original meaning of the song. I do more or less, mostly more, Bob Dylan's arrangement of the song. The crude pleading tone of the guitar, harmonica, and lyrics make this a very easy song to get inside of.
Baby Let Me Follow You Down Lyrics
Baby let me follow you down
Baby let me follow you down
Well I´ll do anything in this godalmighty world
If you'd just let me follow you down
Baby can I come home with you
Baby can I come home with you
Well I'll do anything in this godalmighty world
If you'd just let me come home with you
Baby can I be friends with you
I just wanna be friends with you
Well I'd do anything in this godalmighty world
If you'd just let me be friends with you
Baby let me follow you down
Baby let me follow you down
Well I'll do anything in this godalmighty world
If you'd just let me follow you down
Yes I´ll do anything in this godalmighty world
If you'd just let me follow you down
*GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY
Man! What can I say? This is a difficult song for me. No one sings a Dylan song like Bob Dylan. He wrote it, he said it, and he meant it. I can only take advantage of the great chord progression and melody line and sing it with the feeling it gives me when I hear him do it. Of course, that's a statement to be made by anyone doing another man's songs, but I think it's a very important thing to say. Everyone is doing Dylan's songs now. That's what's happening, you know. It's like the "street artists" in Paris or Copenhagen or Barcelona who draw a semblance of a Picasso on the street with chalk. People see it, recognize the "signature" of the original artist. "Wow! Fifty million people can't be wrong - throw a coin in his hat!" A big one. Anyway, Dylan's an important guy. It's too bad more people can't listen to the real sound rather than the birds.
Girl From The North Country Lyrics
Well now if you're travelin' the north country fair
Where the winds hit heavy on the borderline
Remember me to one who lives there
She once was a true love of mine
And if you go when the snowflakes storm
When the rivers freeze and summer ends
Please see she has a coat so warm
To keep her from the howlin' winds
And will you see that her hair is hangin' long
That it rolls and flows on down her breast
Yes will you see her hair's hangin' long
That's the way I remember her best
I wonder if she remembers me at all
Well many's a time I hope and pray
Mmmm in the darkness of my night
In the brightness of my day
So if you're travelin' the north country fair
Where the winds hit heavy on the borderline
Remember me to one who lives there
She once was a true love of mine
*YOU'RE SO FINE
The shuffle beat, my bag. It's my rhythm. Can be rhythmic. Can be blues. How do you feel it? Blues to me. It's just very solid material. A song originally done with Miller and now with all my throat.
You're So Fine Lyrics
You're so fine you're so fine your mine
Hey baby you're so fine
Well I walk.. and I talk.. about you
I love you I love you I do
Hey I tell the world I do
Well I walk.. and I talk.. about you
Well there's nothing in the world as sweet as your kiss
Aha so fine so fine
And when I'm gone you're the one I miss
You're my first cup of coffee
You're so fine you're so fine you're mine
Hey baby you're so fine
Well I walk.. and I talk.. about you
Well there's nothing in the world as sweet as your kiss
Aha so fine so fine
And when I'm gone you're the one I miss
You're my first cup of coffee
You're so fine you're so fine you're mine
Hey baby you're so fine
Well I walk.. and I talk.. about you
Well I walk.. and I talk.. about you
*GOT YOU ON MY MIND
This is the featured number of a well known group in Texas called "Cookie and the Cupcakes" (although I first heard it by a great Midwestern band called "Birdlegs and Pauline and The Fabulous Feathers"). Here I really miss the whole band with saxes and an organ, but the driving waltz tempo beneath the regular blues progression and the second harmony bring it straight home.
Got You On My Mind Lyrics
Got you on my mind
Feeling kind of sad and low
Got you on my mind
Feeling kind of sad and low
Wondering where you've gone
Wondering why you had to go
Tears fall from my eyes
Every time I hear your name
Tears fall from my eyes
Every time I hear your name
Wondering why you've gone
Wondering why things aren't the same
(Baby you know I got you on my mind
mmmm hmmmm
I'm feeling kinda sad and low
You know ah ha
I said I've got you on my mind
I'm feeling kind of sad and low
You know how I feel
I'm wondering where you've gone
Why did you have to go)
Got you on my mind
Feeling kind of sad and low
Got you on my mind
Feeling kind of sad and low
Wondering where you are
Wondering why you had to go
Tears fall from my eyes
Every time I hear your name
Tears fall from my eyes
Every time I hear your name
Wondering why you've gone
Wondering why things aren't the same
*THAT'S ALL RIGHT
This is an "Early Elvis". A fun song to sing and a good chance to beat hell out of my guitar.
That's All Right Lyrics
Well now that's all right mama
That's all right for you
That's all right mama
Just anyway you do
That's all right
That's all right
That's all right by mama
Anyway you do
Well your mama she done told me
Papa done told me too
Son that gal you're fooling with
She ain't no good for you
That's all right
That's all right
That's all right by mama
Anyway you do
Well I'm leaving town baby
I'm leaving town for sure
Then you won't be bothered
With me hanging round your door
Coz that's all right
That's all right
That's all right by mama
Anyway you do
Dee dee dee dee dee dee
dee dee dee dee dee dee
dee dee dee dee dee dee
I need your loving... aha
That's all right
That's alright by mama
Any way you do
That's all right by mama
Anyway you do
*HEY BABY
My version of a song that has been bouncing around my head since I first heard it as a very popular number in America around 1960. An unusual beat and melody line for a pop song. Lends itself beautifully to a rhythm guitar and harmonica.
Hey Baby Lyrics
Hey.. hey baby
I wanna know if you'll be my girl
Hey hey baby
I wanna know if you'll be my girl
When I saw you walking down the street
I said that's the kind of girl I'd like to meet
She's so pretty Lord she's fine
I'm gonna make her mine oh mine
Hey.. hey baby
I wanna know if you'll be my girl
When she turned as she walked away
That's when I wanna say
C'mon baby give me a whirl
I wanna know if you'll be my girl
Hey.. hey baby
I wanna know if you'll be my girl
When she turned as she walked away
That's when I wanna say
C´mon baby give me a whirl
I wanna know If you'll be my girl
Hey.. hey hey now baby
I wanna know if you'll be my girl
Hey.. hey hey now baby
I wanna know if you'll be my girl
*GANGSTER OF LOVE
I learned this song from Miller. I try to sing it like him as closely as I can. Great lyrics and the "shuffle" beat which is to me The rhythm of Rhythm & Blues. This is self penned by a mythical young man of rather dubious character. "Is your name Johnny "guitar" Watson?"
Gangster of Love Lyrics
There was Frank James and Jesse James
Billy the Kid and all the rest
Supposed to have been some bad cats
Way out in the West
Those cats would have of dug me
And my gangster ways
They would have hung up their guns child
And dug into their graves
Coz I'm a gangster of love don't you know
That I'm a gangster... of love
Well now when I walk in a bar
Girls from near and far
Say there's the gangster of love
Well I jumped my mother's Cadillac
I rode across the border line
I roped 55 girls
And kissed them all at the same time
Took 25 or 30 put 'em all on a freight
And there was a million dollar reward for me
In each and every state
Sheriff said is your name Johnny "guitar" Watson
In a very deep voice
And I said yes sir brother sheriff
And that's your wife on the back of my horse
Coz I'm a gangster of love don't you know
That I'm a gangster of love
Well now when I walk in the bar
Girls from near and far
Say there's the gangster of love
Well I'm a gangster of love
Dont' you know
That I'm a gangster of love
I declare
I'm a gangster of love
Can't you see
That I'm a gangster... of love
Well now when I walk in a bar
Girls from near and far
Say there's the gangster of love
Don't you know
I said I jumped my mothers Cadillac
I rode across the border line
I roped 55 girls
And kissed them all the same time
Took 25 or 30 put 'em all on a freight
And there was a million dollar reward for me
In each and every state
Sheriff said is your name Johnny "guitar" Watson
In a very deep voice
And I said yes sir brother sheriff
And that's your wife on the back of my horse
Coz I'm a gangster of love
Can't you see
That I'm a gangster of love
Well now when I walk in the bar
Girls from near and far
Say there's the gangster of love
Well I'm A gangster of love
Dont' you know
That I'm a gangster of love
I declare
I'm a gangster of love
Can't you see
That I'm a gangster of love
Well now when I walk in a bar
Girls from near and far
Say there's the gangster of love
*HOW LONG
I first learned the guitar part to this song. The words and the harmonica were to come later. One verse is traditional. Those remaining are to say "How long"? If I knew how to carry the harmonica like Jimmy Reed or Sonny Terry I wouldn't need the words. If I knew how to play guitar like Lightnin' Hopkins I wouldn't need the harmonica. And if I knew what Leadbelly is thinking right now, I wouldn't play.
How Long Lyrics
I know I done you dirty
I know I done you wrong
Tell me how long
Has that evening train been gone
How long... tell me baby... how long
Think I hear a whistle
Think I hear a train
Deep down inside me there's a burning pain
How long... tell me baby... how long
You know I love you baby
I swear I do
There's nothing I wouldn't do for you
How long... tell me baby... how long
If I could holler like a lumberjack
I'd climb this mountain lord
And call my baby back
How long... tell me baby... how long
I know I done you dirty
I know I done you wrong
Tell me how long
Has that evening train been gone
How long... tell me baby... how long
* LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL
A very smooth, solid number. I remember it as a very early Rhythm and Blues by Shirley & Lee. At first I didn't want to do the piece without a band. But we put on another voice in the studio and the essential rhythm of the original carries it beautifully.
Let The Good Times Roll Lyrics
Come on baby let the good times roll
Come on baby let me thrill your soul
Come on baby let the good times roll
Roll all night long
Come on baby now close the door
Come on baby lets rock some more
Come on baby let the good times roll
Roll all night long
Feels so good when you're home
Come on baby rock me all night long
Come on baby let the good times roll
Come on baby let me thrill your soul
Come on baby let the good times roll
Roll all night long
Feels so good when you're home
Come on baby rock me all night long
Come on baby now close the door
Come on baby lets rock some more
Come on baby let the good times roll
Roll all night long
Feels so good when you're home
Come on baby rock me all night long
Come on baby let the good times roll
Come on baby let me thrill your soul
Come on baby let the good times roll
Roll all night long
Roll all night long
Roll all night long
Roll all night long
*STORMY MONDAY BLUES
This is the first blues I ever learned. I heard it originally by T-Bone Walker in Dallas. It has become standard with the great Rhythm and Blues artists. One of my favorite tracks because it's closest to the tradition of music I feel the most.
Stormy Monday Blues Lyrics
They call it Stormy Monday
But Tuesday's just as bad
They call it Stormy Monday
But Tuesday's just as bad
And Wednesday's worse
And Thursday's oh so sad
The eagle flies on Friday
And Saturday I go out to play
The eagle flies on Friday
Saturday I go out to play
On Sunday I go to church
And I kneel down and pray
Whoah... lord have mercy
lord have mercy on me
Lord have mercy my soul's in misery
You know I'm crazy 'bout my baby
Please send her home to me
Whoah....lord have mercy
Lord please have mercy on me
Lord have mercy my soul's in misery
You know I'm crazy 'bout my baby
Oh send her home to me
*C.C. RIDER
My version of the traditional.
C.C. Rider Lyrics
Well C.. CC Rider
Well see what you done done
Woah CC Rider
See what you've done done
Well you made me love you
Now your man has come
I'm gonna get me a shotgun
Just as long as I am tall
I'm gonna get me a shotgun
Just as long as I am tall
I'm gonna shoot my baby
Then I'll catch that cannonball
Well I'm goin' away baby
And I won't be back till fall
mmmm goin' away baby
Won't be back till fall
If I find me a good girl
Won't be back at all
Yes I'm going away baby
And I won't be back till fall
Yeah I'm going away baby
And I won't be back till fall
If I find me a good girl
Won't be back at all
Well C...CC rider
Yeah see what you done done
Woah CC rider
Lets see what you done done
Well you made me love you
Now your man has come
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