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Rock Lyrics:
African-American Roots
1450-c.1850 Era of the Middle
Passage; by some estimates, 22 million Africans are transported as slaves to
the Americas; only half survive the voyage (from Gale's Literature
Resource Center/Encyclopedia of Literature).
Materials below are from the Library of
Congress Archive of Folk Culture; The Alan Lomax Collection; Ella Jenkins' African American Folk Rhythms;Slave Songs, by Jerry Silverman, Chelsea House Publishers, 1994; and Slave Songs of the United States, by William Francis Allen et al, Dover Publications, (1995;
first published 1867).
Roots of Rock Disk: African
AFRICAN SONGS: a selection.
Roots of Rock Disk #1: Early African-American
GAME
SONGS (These and all below are New World)
1) Skip.
2) Run, Nigger, Run (:42)
This song "speaks of the 'patrollers'
who watched the roads in many parts of the South on the lookout for slaves
who were away from their plantations without passes or who had overstayed the
time allowed them in their passes for visits to neighboring plantations. The
patrol system was set up partly to guard against slave uprisings."
HOLLERS
"Out of this singing style...the blues have developed.
The listener will notice the same use of falsetto stops, the same drop of the
voice at the end of the lines that characterize the blues. The singers
generally do not refer to these work songs as singing at all. They say they
are 'just hollerin'" (Shirley 10).
"The words are improvised each time the songs are sung,
the lines coming out of a stock of phrases and verses that have been sung before
or else directly out of the immediate thoughts of the singer. Each singer
generally has his own melody or 'holler'; but these melodies are so free that
each time the song is enunciated it is a new recreation of the singer's
feelings at the moment of performance. The 'hollers' on this record were
recorded in the penitentiary and for this reason the texts are colored by the
thoughts of the convict."
3) Lost John (3:32) or Whoa Buck (lots of
virtuoso improvising) (3:55)
(Note: either "Lost John" or "Whoa Buck" isn't on disk;
not sure which) SKIP
4) I Don't Mind the Weather (1:51)
5) Joe the Grinder (2:01) (This one is truly haunting)
i. O Lord, a few days longer, now, man. (3x)
ii. They call me Joe the Grinder, O baby.
iii. When I roll my long time down, I'm goin' home.
6) Tangle Eye Blues (3:09) PLAY PARTIAL
(A holler by "a cross-eyed prisoner whose mates had
named him Tangle Eye." "Often these tunes are kin to the blues,
often they are composed of free yodeling tones with African roots. The wild,
free melodies permit the singers literally to think and free associate out
loud.")
RING SHOUTS, SPIRITUALS,
GOSPEL
7) Run, Old Jeremiah (shout; earliest
type of Afro-American religious song) (4:29)
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By myself (5 tx)
You know I've got to go.
You got to run.
I've got to run.
I've got to run.
By myself. (3)
I got a letter, (2)
Ol' brown skin.
Tell you what she say.
"Leavin' tomorrow
Tell you goodbye,
Tell you goodbye."
O my Lordy. (6)
Well, well, well. (2)
O my Lord.(2)
O my Lordy. (2)
Well, well, well. (2)
I've got a rock.
You got a rock.
Rock is death.
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O my Lordy.
O my Lord.
Well, well, well.
Run here, Jeremiah. (2)
I must go
On my way. (4)
Who's that ridin' the chariot? (2)
Well, well, well...
(NEW LEADER)
One morning'
Before the evening
Sun was goin' down (3)
Behind them western hills.(3)
Old number twelve
Comin' down the track. (3)
See that black smoke.
See that old engineer.
See that engineer. (2)
Tol' that old fireman
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Ring his ol' bell
With his hand.
Rung his engine bell. (2)
Well, well, well.
Jesus tell the man,
Say, I got your life
In My Hand;
I got your life
In My Hand. (2)
Well, well, well.
Ol' fireman told,
Told that engineer,
Ring your black bell,
Ding, ding, ding,
Ding, ding, ding,
Ding, ding, ding, ding.
Ol' fireman say
????
????
????
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That morning',
Well, well, well (2)
Ol' fireman say,
Well, well,
I'm gonna grab my
Old whistle too.
Wah, wah, ho,
Wah, wah, wah, ho (etc.
Mmmmmmmmm.
Soon, soon, soon.
Wah-------o.
Well, well, well.Ol' engineer,
I've got your life
In my hands. (2)
Tol' your father, (2)
Well, well, well,
I was travellin', (2)
I was ridin' (3)
Over there. (2)
Ol' engineer.
This is the chariot.
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8) Choose Your Seat and Set Down (religious
meeting; what happens when you Christianize African spirituals? (2:35)
9) Handwriting on the Wall (religious
meeting; gospel) (2:22)
10) Trouble So Hard (spiritual) (2:19)
11) No More Auction Block for Me (or Many
Thousand Go) (spiritual--a very polished recent version) (2:09)
12) Wade in the Water
(spiritual; polished recent) (4:06)
13) Black Woman (2:57) (work song) SKIP DOWN TO "FOLLOW THE DRINKING GOURD" AFTER
"WADE IN THE WATER."
("Black Woman is out of order; should be in "Work
Songs" below. Can skip it--though is ok example of work song.
"Stewball" below is possibly a tad better for work rhythms and
basing.)
14) Old Alabama (work song) (3:05) SAME AS FOR
"BLACK WOMAN" ABOVE.
15) Follow the Drinking Gourd (spiritual;
recent, polished version)
(An example of a song with coded meaning. The
"drinking gourd" is the Big Dipper, and a directional aide for
slaves in the Underground Railroad. Some songs contained coded insults or
jokes aimed at slave masters!)
When the sun comes back,
and the first Quail calls,
Follow the drinking gourd,
For the old man is waiting
for to carry you to freedom
If you follow the drinking gourd.
Chorus:
Follow the drinking gourd,
Follow the drinking gourd,
For the old man is waiting
for to carry you to freedom
If you follow the drinking gourd.
The riverbank will make a very good road,
The dead trees show you the way.
Left foot, peg foot traveling on,
Following the drinking gourd.
The river ends between two hills,
Follow the drinking gourd,
There's another river on the other side,
Follow the drinking gourd.
When the great big river meets the little river,
Follow the drinking gourd.
For the old man is waiting
for to carry you to freedom
If you follow the drinking gourd.
WORK SONGS
16) Stewball (pretty good example of "basing") (3:25)
17) Did You Feed My Cow? (call and
response work song, here highly polished) (:041)
18) What Makes A Work Song Leader? (prison
conversation) (2:08)
19) Keep Your Lamps
Trimmed THIS IS FIRST ITEM ON SECOND DISK; SKIP
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Question: what do you get when you secularize gospel?
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Roots of Rock Disk #2: Blues to Rock
VERY EARLY BLUES
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Question: what is the form of the blues lyric? Where did that particular form come from?
* * * * * * * * * * * *
1) Keep Your Lamps
Trimmed (excellent example of spiritual leading into blues—note
the religious content. The lyrics are structured as blues verses but the
piece is referred to as a spiritual) (2:45)
Note how, in many of these pieces, you can still hear the field hollar, the shout, the spiritual, the work song.
2) Two White Horses (2:29)
(This piece has a typical blues stanza: one line
repeated two or more times, followed by an end line. The final word of the
end line may, or may not, rhyme with the final word of the previous lines.
The presence of repeated lines harks back to the various complex types of
call-and-response (or leading and basing) in slave songs out in the fields or
at religious meetings. Also evident here, and typical of blues
verse, is a caesura (or pause) about mid-way through each line. Note too the
terrific way in which the slide guitar "talks" some of the lines.)
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Now, two white horses standin' in a line.
Now, two white horses standin' in a line.
Now, two white horses standing' in a line.
Gonna take me to my buryin' ground.
Did you ever hear that coffin sound?
Did you ever that coffin?
Did you ever that coffin?
You know now poor boy's in the ground.
Please dig my grave with a silver spade.
Please dig my grave with a silver spade.
Please dig my grave with a silver spade.
You can let me down with a golden chain.
It's one kind favor I'll ask of you.
It's one kind favor I'll ask of you.
It's one kind favor I'll ask of you.
Take pains see my grave be kept clean.
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Did you ever hear that church bell tone?
Did you ever hear that church bell?
Did you ever hear that church bell?
You know now poor boy's dead and gone.
Now, two white horses standin' in a line.
Now two white horses standin' in a line.
Now, two white horses standin' in a line.
Gonna take me to my buryin' ground.
Did you ever hear a coffin sound?
Did you ever hear that coffin?
Did you ever hear now?
You know now poor boy's in the ground.
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3) Another Man Done Gone (1:29) GOOD
This is another of the very earliest blues (between 1890 and
1910). In this piece, one line is repeated four times in each stanza. This
song is coded, about the escape of a negro from a chain gang. "I'm going
to walk your log" = "I'm going to chastise you."
4) Boll Weevil Blues (1:31) SKIP? (Note how much the vocalist sounds like a slide guitar!)
CLASSIC BLUES
5) ?
6) ?
7) If I Had Possession
Over Judgment Day (Robert Johnson) (2:39)
(Note mixing of secular and
Christian)
If I had possession over judgment
day,
If I had possession over judgment day.
Lord the little woman I'm lovin'
wouldn't have no right to pray.
And I went to the mountain lookin' far as my eyes could see.
And I went to the mountain lookin'
far as my eyes could see.
Some other man got my woman and the lonesome blues
got me.
And I rolled an' I tumbled and I
cried the whole night long.
And I rolled an' I tumbled and I cried the whole
night long.
Boy, I woke up this mornin'
and my biscuit roller gone.
Had to fold my arms and I slowly
walked away.
[Spoken] (I didn't like the way she done.
Had to fold my arms and I slowly walked away.
I said in my mind, "Yo'
trouble gonna come some day."
Now run here
baby, set down on my knee.
Now run here baby, set
down on my knee.
I wanna
tell you all about the way they treated me .
8) Crossroad Blues
(Robert Johnson) (2:41)
I went to the crossroads, fell down on my knees.
I went to the crossroads, fell down on my knees.
Asked the Lord above, have mercy now, save poor Bob if you please.
Standin' at the crossroads, tried to flag a ride. I tried to
flag a ride.
Didn't nobody seem to know me, everybody passed me
by.
Standin' at the crossroads, risin'
sun goin' down.
Standin' at the crossroads baby, the risin' sun goin' down.
I believe to my soul now, po' Bob is sinkin' down.
You can run, you can run, tell my friend Willie Brown.
You can run, you can run, tell my friend Willie Brown.
That I got the crossroad blues this mornin', Lord,
I'm sinkin' down.
I went to the crossroad, mama, I
looked east and west.
I went to the crossroad, babe, I looked east and west.
Lord, I didn't have no sweet woman, ooh well, babe, in my distress.
Crossroad Blues (alternate version) NOT ON DISK
I went to the crossroad, fell down on my knees.
I went to the crossroad, fell down on my knees.
Asked the lord above, "Have mercy, save poor Bob, if you please."
Mmmmm, standin'
at the crossroad, I tried to flag a ride.
Standin' at the crossroad, I tried to flag a ride.
Didn't nobody seem to know me, everybody pass me by.
Mmmm, the sun goin' down,
boy, dark gon' catch me here.
Dark gon' catch me here.
I haven't got no lovin'
sweet woman that love and feel my care.
You can run, you can run, tell my
friend-boy Willie Brown.
You can run, tell my friend-boy Willie Brown.
Lord I'm standin' at the crossroad, babe, I believe I'm
sinkin' down.
Country Blues
(Muddy Waters) (3:27) NOT
ON DISK
An' it's gettin' late over in the evenin', chile, I feel like blowin' my horn,
I woke up this mornin', find my baby gone.
Late up in the evenin', man, I feel like blowin' my horn.
Well, I woke up this mornin', baby, find my little
baby gone.
Well, now, some folks say the worried
ol' blues ain 't bad.
That's the miseriest feelin', child, I most ever
had.
Some folks tell me, man, that the worried ol' blues ain 't bad.
Well, that's the miseriest ol' feelin', honey now, I
most ever had.
Well, brook's runnin'
into the ocean, the ocean runnin' into the sea.
If I don't find my baby, somebody gonna bury me.
Well, brook's runnin' into the ocean, the ocean runnin' into the sea.
If I don't find my baby, somebody gonna bury me.
Yes, minutes seem like hours an' hours seem like days.
Seems like my baby would stop her lowdown ways.
Minutes seem like hours, chil', an' hours seem like
days.
Yes, seems like my woman, now, she might stop her lowdown ways.
Well, now, I'm leavin' this morning, if
I hadda ride the blinds.*
I feel mistreated, girl, you know now I don't mind
dyin'—ha!
Leavin' this mornin', if I hadda ride the blinds.
Yes, I been mistreated baby, now, an' I don't mind
dyin'.
- "To
go on the bum; to hobo."
Chauffeur's Blues
(Lightnin' Hopkins) NOT ON DISK
You're lookin'
happy, baby, drivin' around in your brand new automobile.
You're lookin' happy,
baby, drivin' around in your brand new automobile.
You know I seen you, baby, I seen your handsome
driver at the wheel.
I don't mean to cause no trouble;
Baby can I drive sometime?
She says, "Your chauffeur's a good chauffeur,
Daddy, no, but he ain 't like mine, like
mine."
C'mon on and get me. Mama, let's go and have some fun.
I just wanna see Mama
with that new car on.
Everything would be all right 'long
about the break of dawn.
I see you drivin' around, Mama, in your brand new
automobile. (2x)
You're lookin' happy,
baby, with your handsome driver at the wheel.
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9) Empty Bed Blues (Bessie Smith) (Women
dominated the blues market for a period!)
I woke up this mornin' with an awful achin' head
I woke up this mornin' with an awful achin' head
My new man had left me just a room and empty bed.
Bought me a coffee grinder, got the best one I could find
Bought me a coffee grinder, got the best one I could find
So he could grind my coffee, 'cause he had a brand new grind
He's a deep sea diver with a stroke that can't go wrong
He's a deep sea diver with a stroke that can't go wrong
He can touch the bottom and his wind holds out so long.
He knows how to thrill me and he thrills me night and day
Lord, he knows how to thrill me, he thrills me night and day
He's got a new way of loving' almost takes my breath away.
Lord, he's got that sweet somethin', and I told my gal
friend Lou
He's got that sweet somethin', and I told my gal friend Lou
From the way she's ravin', she must have gone and tried it too.
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When my bed get empty, make me feel awful mean and blue
When my bed get empty, make me feel awful mean and blue
My springs are gettin' rusty, sleepin' single like I do
Bought him a blanket, pillow for his head at night
Bought him a blanket, pillow for his head at night
Then I bought him a mattress so he could lay just right
He came home one evening with his spirit way up high
He came home one evening with his spirit way up high
What he had to give me made me wring my hands and cry
He gave me a lesson that I never had before
He gave me a lesson that I never had before
When he got through teachin' me, from my elbow down was sore
He boiled my first cabbage and he made it awful hot
He boiled my first cabbage and he made it awful hot
Then he put in the bacon, it overflowed the pot
When you get good lovin', never go and spread the news
Yeah, it will double-cross you and leave you with them empty bed blues.
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10) Wild Women Don't Have the Blues (Ida
Cox) LYRICS DIFFERENT FROM DISK
I've got a disposition and a way of my own,
When my man starts to kicking I let him find a new home,
I get full of liquor, walk the street all night,
Go home and put my man out if he don't act right.
Wild women don't worry,
Wild women don't have the blues.
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You never get nothing by being
an angel child,
You'd better change your ways an' get real wild.
I wanta' tell you something, I wouldn't tell you no lie,
Wild women are the only kind that ever get by.
Wild women don't have the blues.
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One Hour Mama (Ida Cox)
NOT ON DISK
I've always heard that haste
makes waste
So I believe in taking my
time
The highest mountain can't be
raced
It's something you must
slowly climb
I want a slow and easy man
He needn't ever take the lead
Cause I work on that
long-time plan
And I ain't
a lookin' for no speed
I'm a one hour mama
So no one minute papa
Ain't
the kind of man for me
Set your alarm clock, papa
One hour, that's proper
Then love me like I like to
be
I don't want no lame excuses
About my lovin'
being so good
That you couldn't wait no
longer
Now I hope I'm understood
I'm a one hour mama
And no one minute papa
Ain't
the kind of man for me
I can't stand no greenhorn
lover
Like a rookie goin' to war
With a load of big artillery
And don't know what it's for
He's got to bring me a
reference
With a great long pedigree
And must prove he's got
endurance
Or he don't mean that to me
I don't like no crowin' rooster
What just kicks a lick or two
Action is the only booster
Of just what my man can do
I don't want no imitation
My requirements ain't no joke
Cause I've got pure
indignation
For a guy who's lost his
stroke
I'm a one hour mama
So no one minute papa
Ain't
the kind of man for me
Set your alarm clock, papa
One hour, that's proper
Then love me like I like to
be
I may want love for one hour
Then decide to make it two
Takes an hour before I get
started
Maybe three 'fore I'm through
I'm a one hour mama
So no one minute papa
Ain't the kind of man for me
Go to PPT for blues lyric
assignment
RHYTHM & BLUES
11) Blueberry Hill (Fats Domino)
I found my thrill on Blueberry Hill,
On Blueberry Hill, where I found you.
The moon stood still on Blueberry Hill,
And lingered till my dreams came true.
The wind in the willow played
Love's sweet melody,
But all of those vows we made
Were never to be.
Though we're apart, you're part of me still,
For you were my thrill on Blueberry Hill.
12) My
Baby Left Me (Louis
Jordon) (Pre-Elvis)\Skip but may be useful later
13) That's
Alright Mama (Louis
Jordon) (Pre-Elvis) Definately play prior to #14
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Question: what important element was mixed with the blues to result in rock and roll?
* * * * * * * * * * * *
14) Lousiana Hay Ride and Long
Exposition PLAY JUST HAY RIDE INTRO, THEN SKIP REST.
15) That's Alright Mama (Elvis at Louisiana Hay Ride)
16) Blue Moon of Kentucky ("
" Definitely hear the country here)
17) Hound Dog (Big Mama Thornton) (rhythm
& blues) (2:51)
You ain’t nuthin’
but a hounddog, quit snoopin’
around my door.
You ain’t nuthin’ but a hounddog, been snoopin’ around
my door.
Well you can wag your tail but I ain’t gonna feed you no more.
You told me you was high class, but I
can see through that.
You told me you was high class, but I can see through
that.
And daddy I know you ain’t no real cool cat.
Ah play it. You know you make me
feel good.
Ah don’t mess around. I’ll wag your tail.
Ah get it. You’re an old hound dog.
You made me feel so blue, you made me weep and moan.
You made me feel so blue, yeah you made me weep and
moan.
Cuz you ain’t lookin’ for a woman—all you’re lookin’
is for a whore.
18) Hound Dog
(Elvis's version; LIVE! author unknown)
(2:41) Look only at lyric for comparison to Thornton
You ain 't nuthin'
but a hound dog, cryin' all the time.
You ain
't nuthin' but a hound dog, cryin' all the time.
Well you never caught a rabbit, and you ain 't no friend of mine.
Well you know
you said you was high class; well that was just a
lie.
Well you know you said you was
high class; well that was just a lie.
Well you never caught a rabbit, you ain 't no friend of mine.
Elvis may have been watered-down African-American, but he represented a real threat to some sectors of society. See Como-Elvis comparison in Elvis '56.
All of which raises questions about what constitutes offensive language, when is censorship desirable and when not, how do we deal with varying moral beliefs in a pluralistic society, and what's this got to do with Governor's School?
BLUES POEMS
Go Down, Death (A funeral sermon) —James
Weldon Johnson (1871-1938)
Weep not, weep not,
She is not dead;.
She's resting in the bosom of Jesus.
Heart-broken husband—weep no more.
Grief-stricken son—weep no more.
Left-lonesome daughter—weep no more.
She only just gone home.
Day before yesterday morning,
God was looking down from his great, high heaven,
Looking down on all his children,
And his eye fell on Sister Caroline,
Tossing on her bed of pain.
And God's big heart was touched with pity,
With the everlasting pity.
And God sat back on his throne,
And he commanded that tall, bright angel standing at his right hand:
Call me Death!
And that tall, bright angel cried in a voice
That broke like a clap of thunder:
Call Death!--Call Death!
And the echo sounded down the streets of heaven
Till it reached away back to that shadowy place,
Where Death waits with his pale, white horses.
And Death heard the summons,
And he leaped on his fastest horse,
Pale as a sheet in the moonlight.
Up the golden street Death galloped,
And the hooves of his horses struck fire from the gold,
But they didn't make no sound.
Up Death rode to the Great White Throne,
And waited for God's command.
And God said: Go down, Death, go down,
Go down to Savannah, Georgia,
Down in Yamacraw,
And find Sister Caroline.
She's borne the burden and heat of the day,
She's labored long in my vineyard,
And she's tired--
She's weary--
Go down, Death, and bring her to me.
And Death didn't say a word,
But he loosed the reins on his pale, white horse,
And he clamped the spurs to his bloodless sides,
And out and down he rode,
Through heaven's pearly gates,
Past suns and moons and stars;
on Death rode,
Leaving the lightning's flash behind;
Straight down he came.
While we were watching round her bed,
She turned her eyes and looked away,
She saw what we couldn't see;
She saw Old Death. She saw Old Death
Coming like a falling star.
But Death didn't frighten Sister Caroline;
He looked to her like a welcome friend.
And she whispered to us: I'm going home,
And she smiled and closed her eyes.
And Death took her up like a baby,
And she lay in his icy arms,
But she didn't feel no chill.
And death began to ride again-—
Up beyond the evening star,
Into the glittering light of glory,
On to the Great White Throne.
And there he laid Sister Caroline
On the loving breast of Jesus.
And Jesus took his own hand and wiped away her tears,
And he smoothed the furrows from her face,
And the angels sang a little song,
And Jesus rocked her in his arms,
And kept a-saying: Take your rest,
Take your rest.
Weep not—weep not,
She is not dead;
She's resting in the bosom of Jesus.
Riverbank Blues —Sterling
Brown (1901-1989)
A man git his feet set
in a sticky mudbank,
A man git dis yellow
water in his blood,
No need for hopin', no need for doin',
Muddy streams keep him fixed for good.
Little Muddy, Big Muddy, Moreau and Osage,
Little Mary's, Big Mary's, Cedar Creek,
Flood deir muddy water roundabout a man's roots,
Keep him soaked and stranded and git him weak.
Lazy sun shinin' on a
little cabin,
Lazy moon glistenin' over river trees;
Ole river whisperin', lappin'
'gainst de long roots:
"Plenty of rest and peace in these . . ."
Big mules, black loam, apple and peach trees,
But seems lak de river washes us down
Past de rich farms, away from de fat lands,
Dumps us in some ornery riverbank town.
Went down to the river, sot me down an' listened,
Heard de water talkin' quiet, quiet lak an' slow:
"Ain' no need fo'
hurry, take yo' time, take yo'
time…"
Heard it sayin'--"Baby, hyeahs de way life go . . ."
Dat is what it tole me as I watched it slowly rollin',
But somp'n way inside me rared
up an' say,
"Better be movin' . . . better be travelin' . . .
Riverbank'll
git you ef you stay . .
."
Towns are sinkin'
deeper, deeper in de riverbank,
Takin' on de ways of deir
sulky Ole Man—
Takin' on his creepy
ways, takin' on his evil ways,
"Bes' git way, a
long way . . . whiles you can.
"Man got his sea too lak
de Mississippi.
Ain't got so long for a whole lot longer way,
Man better move some, better not git rooted.
Muddy water fool you, ef you stay."
Special Pain Blues —Raymond Patterson
(Modern-Contemporary)
Anybody can shout and holler,
It takes a special pain to sing the blues.
I say anybody can shout and holler,
But a special pain brings the blues.
It ain't about losing your last dollar
Or having holes in both your shoes.
Children cry when they lose they candy.
Babies cry when they wet theyselves.
Young folks cry anytime it's handy.
Blues comes up from deeper wells.
Takes a natural woman
To draw that muddy water up.
Takes a natural man
To cart that bucket home
And let you drink from the broken cup
And ease the thirst that's in your bone.
(Thirsty to the bone!)
Sometimes the blues so cold
It cracks the jar it's in.
Sometimes it's scalding hot
And burns right through the skin.
Stand it up beside Ma Rainey
If you want the test.
Anything less that folks try to sing
Ain't the real thing.
Master
Charge Blues —Sonia Sanchez (Contemporary)
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it's wednesday night baby
and i'm all alone
wednesday night baby
and i'm all alone
sitting with myself
waiting for the telephone
wanted you baby
but you said you had to go
wanted you yeah
but you said you had to go
called your best freind
but he can't come 'cross no more
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did you ever go to bed
at the end of a busy day
look over and see the smooth
where your hump usta lay
feminine odor and no reason why
i said feminine odor and no reason why
asked the lord to help me
he shook his head "not i"
but i'm a modern woman baby
ain't gonna let this get me down
i'm a modern woman
ain't gonna let this get me down
gonna take my master charge
and get everything in town
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Bad Mother Blues
—Sonia Sanchez
(Contemporary)
When you were arrested, child, and I had to take your
pocketknife
When you were arrested child, and I had to take your pocketknife
It had blood on it from where you'd tried to take your life.
It was the night before Thanksgiving, all the family coming
over.
The night before Thanksgiving, all the family coming over.
We had to hide your porno magazine and put your handcuffs undercover.
Each naked man looked at you, say, Baby who do you think you
are
Each man looked straight down on you, like a waiting astronomer's star
Solely, disgustedly, each wagged his luster
I've decided to throw horror down the well and wish on it
Decided I'll throw horror down the well and wish on it
And up from the water will shine my sweet girl in her baby bonnet
A thief will blind you with his flashlight
but a daughter be your bouquet
A thief will blind you with his flashlight
but a daughter be your bouquet
When the thief's your daughter you turn your eyes the other way
I'm going into the sunflower field where all of them are
facing me
I'm going into the sunflower field so all of them are facing me
Going to go behind the sunflowers, feel all the sun that I can't see
Blues —Joseph Brodsky (Contemporary)
Eighteen years I've spent in Manhattan.
The landlord was good, but he turned bad.
A scumbag, actually. Man, I hate him.
Money is green, but it flows like blood.
I guess I've got to move across the river.
New Jersey beckons with its sulphur glow.
Say, numbered years are a lesser evil.
Money is green, but it doesn't grow.
I'll take away my furniture, my old sofa.
But what could I do with my windows' view?
I feel like I've been married to it, or something.
Money is green, but it makes you blue.
A body on the whole knows where it's going.
I guess it's one's soul that makes one pray,
even though above it's just a Boeing.
Money is green, and I am gray.
Two Blues —Donald Justice (Contemporary)
1. The Sometime Dancer Blues
When the lights go on uptown,
Why do you feel so low, honey,
Why do you feel so low-down?
When the piano and the trombone start,
Why do you feel so blue, honey,
Like a rubber glove had reached in for your heart?
Oh, when the dancers take the floor,
Why don't you step out with them, honey,
Why won't you step out with them any more?
The stars are gone and the night is dark,
Except for the radium, honey,
That glows on the hands of the bedside clock.
The little hands that go around and around,
Oh, as silently as time, honey,
Without a sound, without a sound.
2. Angel Death Blues
A dark time is coming, and the gypsy knows what else.
Fly away, O angel death.
It looks like a raven sitting on the wire.
It looks like a raven sitting on the telephone wire.
Oh, it is some high flyer!
Look out now, it's got loose in the yard.
Look out, look out, it's loose in the back yard.
Oh, no, don't you look at me, big bird.
If you are lost, I can't help.
If you are lost, I can't help.
I am a stranger in this place myself.
Fly away, fly away,
Fly away, O angel death.
And shine down, moonlight, make those long feathers shine.
I want to keep track of where it's going.
[Spoken] Shine down, moonlight.
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