Guest Author - Elizabeth Bissette
FOGYISM
by Ida Cox
Why do people believe in some old sign?
Why do people believe in some old sign?
To hear a hoot owl holler, someone is surely dying
Some will break a mirror, cry, "Bad luck for seven years,"
Some will break a mirror, and cry, "Bad luck for seven years;"
And if a black cat crosses them, they'll break right down in tears
To dream of muddy water, trouble is knocking at your door,
To dream of muddy water, trouble is knocking at your door;
Your man is sure to leave you and never return no more
When your man comes home evil, tells you you are getting old,
When your man come home evil, tells you you are getting old;
That's a true sign he's got someone else baking his jelly roll
MOJO HAND BLUES
by Ida Cox
I'm going to Louisiana, to get myself a mojo hand
I'm going to Louisiana, to get myself a mojo hand
'Cause these backbiting women are trying to take my man
I woke up this morning, 'bout half past three
I woke up this morning, 'bout half past three
And to my surprise, my man had tipped out on me
You may tip now, sweet papa, while tipping is grand
You may tip now, sweet papa, while tipping is grand
But your tipping will be over, when mama gets her mojo hand
Daddy, oh daddy, why don't you treat me kind?
Daddy, oh daddy, why don't you treat me kind?
Because a gal like me is mighty darn hard to find
When I got you, daddy, in your pants was a great big hole
When I got you, daddy, in your pants was a great big hole
But now I can't hand you an apple on a ten foot pole
HOODOO LADY BLUES
by Arthur "Big Boy" Ccrudup
Believe I'll drop down in Louisiana, just to see a dear old friend of mine
Believe I'll drop down in Louisiana, just to see a dear old friend of mine
You know, maybe she can help me, durn my hard, hard time.
You know they tell me in Louisiana, there's hoodoos all over there
You know they tell me in Louisiana, there's hoodoos all over there
You know they'll do anything for the money, man, in the world, I declare.
Spoken: Yeah, man, play it for me [followed by guitar solo]
"Now, Miss Hoodoo Lady, please give me a hoodoo hand;
"Now, Miss Hoodoo Lady, please give me a hoodoo hand;
"I wanna hoodoo this woman of mine, I believe she's got another man."
Now, she squabbles all night long, she won't let me sleep.
Lord, I wonder what in the world this woman done done to me.
"Now, Miss Hoodoo Lady, please give me a hoodoo hand;
"Now, Miss Hoodoo Lady, please give me a hoodoo hand;
"I wanna hoodoo this woman of mine, I believe she's got another man."
I AIN'T SUPERSTITIOUS
by Willie Dixon
Well, I ain't superstitious, black cat just cross my trail
Well, I ain't superstitious, oh the black cat just cross my trail
Don't sweep me with no broom, I might get put in jail
When my right hand itches, I gets money for sure
When my right hand itches, I gets money for sure
But, when my left eye jumps, somebody's got to go
Well, I ain't superstitious, black cat just cross my trail
Well, I ain't superstitious, black cat just cross my trail
Don't sweep me with no broom, I just might get put in jail
Well, the dogs are howlin', all over the neighborhood
Whoa, the dogs are howlin', all over the neighborhood
That is true sign of death, baby, that ain't no good
Well, I'm not superstitious, but that black cat cross my trail
Well, I'm not superstitious, a black cat cross my trail
Don't sweep me with no broom, I just might get put in jail
DON'T PUT THAT THING ON ME
by Clifford Gibson
Don't put that thing on me,
Don't put that thing on me,
I swear, I'll be good, kind Mama,
Don't put that thing on me
Don't care what you say,
Don't what you do,
You sure can't quit your woman
If she put that thing on you
She put that thing on you,
She puts it on you right,
You can't eat when you get hungry, partner,
And you can't sleep at night
You can't sleep at night,
You can't sleep at night,
You can't eat when you get hungry, partner,
And you can't sleep at night
I asked a maried woman,
To let me be her kid,
She said she'd swear she'd put that thing on me
And i couldn't keep it hid
I couldn't keep it hid,
I couldn't keep it hid,
She said she'd swear she'd put that thing on me
And i couldn't keep it hid
My woman quit me,
Found her another man,
And the way she had that thing on me
I couldn't raise my hand
Now from my exerience,
I give you your advice:
If you got a good woman, partner,
You'd better treat her right
You'd better treat her right,
You'd better treat her right,
If you got a good woman, partner,
You'd better treat her rught
THE BLUES WHAT AM
by Jazz Gillum
I don't want my rooster crowin' after the sun go down
I don't want my rooster crowin' after the sun go down
Don't bring peanuts in my house, it will make a coffin turn around
I don't want nobody to put their bare hands on my head
I don't want nobody to put their bare hands on my head
I don't eat everyone's cooking, i am suspicious of my corn bread
Don't touch me with your broom, don't let my lamp get low
Don't touch me with your broom, don't let my lamp get low
Don't let the dogs start to howling, 'cause somebody have got to go
(harp solo)
Take your hat off of my bed and hang it on a nail
Take your hat off of my bed and hang it on a nail
If i set down on your trunk, I am bound to go to jail
I don't want my brother to put his bare feets in my shoes
I don't want my brother to put his bare feets in my shoes
Somebody stole my rabbit's foot and I've got the suspicious blues
THE BLUES WHAT AM
by Jazz Gillum
I don't want my rooster crowin' after the sun go down
I don't want my rooster crowin' after the sun go down
Don't bring peanuts in my house, it will make a coffin turn around
I don't want nobody to put their bare hands on my head
I don't want nobody to put their bare hands on my head
I don't eat everyone's cooking, i am suspicious of my corn bread
Don't touch me with your broom, don't let my lamp get low
Don't touch me with your broom, don't let my lamp get low
Don't let the dogs start to howling, 'cause somebody have got to go
(harp solo)
Take your hat off of my bed and hang it on a nail
Take your hat off of my bed and hang it on a nail
If i set down on your trunk, I am bound to go to jail
I don't want my brother to put his bare feets in my shoes
I don't want my brother to put his bare feets in my shoes
Somebody stole my rabbit's foot and I've got the suspicious blues
CONJURED
by Wynnonie Harris
You said it was love made me stutter when I talk,
But is it love that makes me stagger when I walk?
The Gypsy woman told me, "She's got you conjured, son"
Well, somebody's lyin' -- you are that Gypsy one.
You said I was jealous when I didn't go to work,
You sprinkled my shoes with graveyard dirt,
The Gypsy woman told me, "She's got you conjured, son"
Well, somebody's lyin' -- you are that Gypsy one.
The whiskey you bought me, I was afraid to unscrew it,
The Gypsy woman told me it was embalming fluid
You got a Black Cat Bone and a Buzzard Feather,
A John the Conquer Root and they're all tied together
The Gypsy woman told me, "She's got you conjured, son"
Well, somebody's lyin' -- you are that Gypsy one.
(repeat last verse and chorus)
JOMO MAN BLUES
by Waymon "Sloppy" Henry
Jomo wrecked my home one morning, made my woman move
Jomo man wrecked my home one morning, made my woman move
Got me so worried and bothered that i don't know what to do
Jomo man, jomo man, don't do me this a way
Jomo man, jomo man, don't do me this a way
Look here, jomo man, jomo man, please don't do me this a way
Engineer blowed his whistle, fireman toned the bell
Gal i'm loving crying, "Don't leave me here"
Jomo man wrecked my home one morning, baby, honey now i must go
If times don't get no better, you won't see me here no more
Eh, told yez, mama, done all i could do
All i could do and look here, my honey,
Done all that i could do
Look like you're a woman that i'm loving, can't get along with you
Eh, you toted your lodestone, John the Conquer too
Sprinkl'd your goofer dust, made my woman move
Jomo man, jomo man, you done broke up my home
Aw, got me here, sure making me weep and moan.
I BLEED THROUGH MY SOUL
by Andrew "Smokey" Hogg
I believe to my soul, my woman has black cat bone,
I believe to my soul, my baby has a black cat bone,
Every time I leave her, sure that I'll go back home.
I tried so hard, never more to call her name,
I tried so hard, never more to call her name,
She have a sweet way of loving, would drive any man insane.
She the first girl I ever loved, the last one I ever will,
She the first girl I loved, last one I ever will,
Lord this-a thing baby, will get somebody killed.
Sometime I believe, I'm on my last go round,
Sometimes I believe, I'm on my last go round,
She knows that I love her, she tries to tear me down.
MOJO HAND
by Lightnin' Hopkins
I'm goin' to Louisiana, and get me a mojo hand
I'm goin' to Louisiana, and get me a mojo hand
I'm gonna fix my woman so she can't have no other man
Cold ground was my bed last night, rocks was my pillow too
Cold ground was my bed last night, rocks was my pillow too
I woke up this morning,
I'm wondering, "What in the world am I gonna do?"
I lay down thinking, "Buy me a mojo hand."
I lay down thinking, "Buy me a mojo hand."
I did wanna fix my woman so she can't have no other man
But don't let your woman, fix you like mine fixed me
Don't let your woman, boy, fix you like mine fixed me
She make a fool about her, about as a fool can be
Now, can't a woman act funny, heheheheh, when she got another man
Can't a woman act funny, when she got another man
You know she won't look straight at you, then she's always raisin' sand
Well, I'm going tomorrow, but I won't be gone long
I'm going tomorrow, but I won't be gone verŐ long
I'm gonna get me a mojo hand, I'm gonna bring it back home
(spoken) That's what I'm gonna do.
THE JINX BLUES [No. 1]
by Son House
Mmmm-mmmm-mmmm, mmm-mmmm-mmmm-mmmm
Mmmm-mmmm-mmmm, mmm-mmmm-mmmm-mmmm
Well, I got up this mornin', jinx all 'round
jinx all 'round, 'round my bed,
I said, I got up this mornin' with the jinx all round my bed
Know I thought about you and, honey, and it like to kill me dead
Mmmm, look a here now, baby, what you want me,
what you want me, me to do?
Look a here, honey, I say, what do you want poor me to do?
You know i done all the co'rtin' just tryin' to get along with you
You know the blues ain't nothing but a low down shaking,
low down shakin', achin' chill
I said the blues is a low down ol' aching chill
Well, if you ain't had 'em, honey, I hope you never will
Well, blues, blues, is a worried heart,
is a worried heart, heart disease
Oh, the blues is a worried ol' heart disease
Know, 'clare the woman you be lovin', man, is so doggone hard to please
Mmm, I rather be outdoors, walkin' up,
walkin' up, and down the road
I said, I'd rather be outdoors, I said, walkin' up and down the road
Than to be layin' 'round here workin' just for my boa'd and clothes
Mmm, look a here, little girl, don't you cry,
don't you cry, cry no more
I said, look a here, darlin', honey, don't you try to cry no more,
Well, when I leave this time, I'm gonna hang crepe on your door
TITLE: The Jinx Blues [No. 2]
MATRIX NO.:
SINGER: Son House
COMPOSER(S):
DATE OF REC.: 17 July 1942
ORIGINAL ISSUE(S): LoC unissued
REISSUE(S): Roots RSE 1 = Folklyric 9002, Roots RL 302
Click here to listen to an MP3 of this song
TRANSCRIPTION:
THE JINX BLUES [No. 2]
by Son House
Mm, now, baby, I sure won't be a burden.
Well, I got up this mornin' with the jinx all 'round,
jinx all 'round, 'round my bed
I said I woke up this mornin' with the, with the jinx all round my bed
You know I thought about you now, baby, and it would like to kill me dead
You know, I woke up this mornin' just at the break,
just at the break, break of day
I said, soon this mornin', I said just about the break of day
You know I was huggin' the pillow where my good gal used to lay
You know, ain't it terrible layin' down,
layin' down, by yourself
Now, ain't terrible, I said, layin' down by yourself
Now, said the blues got you, whoo, and your woman got somebody else
You know, the sun's goin' down behind the western,
behind the western, western hill
I said, hey, the sun is goin' down, I said, behind that old western hill
You know, I don't practice nothing, not against my baby's will
It looked like you wanted me, while I was lovin',
while I was lovin' and, lovin' and kind
I said, it looked like you wanted me, I said, while I was lovin' and kind
But someday you gonna want me, whoo, baby,
and I'll be done changed my mind
You know I went in my room, sat down,
sat down, and I cried
I said I went in my room, I sat down, and then I cried
Well, I didn't have no blues, I just wasn't satisfied
Mm, minutes seem like hours, hours seem,
hours seem like, seem like days
I said the minutes seem like hours, and the hours, they seem like days
Well, it seems like my baby oughta stop her lowdown ways
Mm, I believe I'll go to the Gypsy, have my fortune,
have my fortune, fortune told
I believe I'll go to the Gypsy, I said I'm gonna have my fortune told
You know, I kinda believe somebody is tryin' to steal my jelly roll
DOGGONE MY GOOD LUCK SOUL
by Hattie Hudson
Oh, play that thing, Mister Yeverson! The time ain't long now.
I've got a gold horseshoe, going to put it on my door,
doggone my good luck soul,
Hey, put it on my door;
Bad luck has gone from here, it can't come back no more.
Oh lord, I've just got lucky, I believe I'll bet and win,
doggone my good luck soul,
Hey, believe I'll bet and win,
The man I've got right now, took him from my best friend.
Oh, mama, I can't be good, I believe I'll just quit trying,
doggone my good luck soul,
Hey, believe I'll just quit trying;
I don't live in the country, on paved streets all the time.
Been with my same little sugar just ten long years today,
doggone my good luck soul,
Hey, ten long years today;
And if he should quit loving me, I'll throw myself away.
Oh, poor little rabbit, you can hop all in my yard,
doggone my good luck soul,
Hey, hop all in my yard;
I ain't going to take your feet, nor fill your head with scars.
Oh, where's the mean fortune teller, and the black cat that failed?
doggone my good luck soul,
Hey, the black cat that failed?
Come around to see me in the morning, I'm carrying keys to the jail.
I got three good mens, but it's two more in my way,
doggone my good luck soul,
Hey, two more in my way;
And if this good luck don't leave me, I'll love myself away.
