Guest Author - Elizabeth Bissette

CASTIN' MY SPELL
by Johnny Otis and Marci Lee

I took a black cat, a cave bat, and threw them in a pot pot,
pot pot, pot pot
I took a blue snake, a green snake, and tied them in a knot knot,
knot knot, knot knot
I took a hog jaw, a dog's paw, and hung them on the line line,
line line, line line
I took a horse [whore's?] hair, a green pear, and made a crazy sign sign,
sign sign, sign sign

I'm castin' my spell on you, I'm castin' my spell on you
I'm castin' my spell on you, you'll never never be untrue

I took a goat's tooth, an old shoe, and put them in the ground ground,
ground ground, ground ground
I took an old dish, a dry fish, and made a crazy sound sound,
sound sound, sound sound
I took a goose egg, a frog leg, and hid them in a sack sack,
sack sack, sack sack
I got a Hindu, to tattoo, a genii on my back back,
back back, back back

I'm castin' my spell on you, I'm castin' my spell on you
I'm castin' my spell on you, you'll never never be untrue

I took a black cat, a cave bat, and threw them in a pot pot,
pot pot, pot pot
I took a blue snake, a green snake, and tied them in a knot knot,
knot knot, knot knot
I took a hog jaw, a dogs paw, and hung them on the line line,
line line, line line
I took a horse [whore's?] hair, a green pear, and made a crazy sign sign,
sign sign, sign sign

I'm castin' my spell on you, I'm castin' my spell on you
I'm castin' my spell on you, you'll never never be untrue

You'll never never be untrue
You'll never never be untrue
You'll never never be untrue
You'll never never be untrue
You'll never never be untrue

BLACK CAT HOOT OWL BLUES
by Ma Rainey

Sp: Meow - (male voice:) Scat!

Black cat on my doorstep, black cat on my window-sill
Black cat on my doorstep, black cat on my window-sill
If one black cat don't cross me, another black cat will

It's bad luck if I'm jolly, bad luck if I cry
It's bad luck if I'm jolly, bad luck if I cry
It's bad luck if I stay here, it's still more bad luck if I die

Last night a hootin' owl come and sit right over my door
Last night a hootin' owl come and sit right over my door
A feelin' seems to tell me, I'll never see my man no more

I feel my left eye jumpin', my heart a-bumpin', I'm on my P's and Q's
I feel my brain a-thumpin', I got no time to lose
Mama's superstitious, tryin' to overcome these blues

BLACK DUST BLUES
by Ma Rainey

It was way last year, when my trouble began
It was way last year, when my trouble began
I had done quarrelled with a woman, she said I took her man

She sent me a letter, said she's gonna turn me round
She sent me a letter, said she's gonna turn me round
She's gonna fix me up so I won't chase her man around

I began to feel bad, worse than I ever before
I began to feel bad, worse than I ever before
Lord, I was out one morning, found black dust all round my door

I began to get thin, had trouble with my feet
I began to get thin, had trouble with my feet
Throwing dust about the house whenever I tried to eat

Black dust in my window, black dust on my porch mat
Black dust in my window, black dust on my porch mat
Black dust's got me walking on all fours like a cat

HOOTIN' OWL BLUES
by Dolly Ross:

Midnight on a Sunday, and the clock struck thirteen times,
It was midnight on a Sunday, and the clock struck thirteen times;
I was scared and I was frightened, 'cause I sure believe them signs.

Lord, I heard the owl a-hootin', I knowed somebody was 'bout to die,
Said, I heard the owl a-hootin', I knowed somebody was 'bout to die;
Put my head down 'neath the covers, started in to moan and cry.

Then early in the morning, the picture on the wall fell down,
It was early in the morning, the picture on the wall fell down;
And 'tain't no use in talkin', somebody sure is graveyard bound.

Hound dogs started howlin', somebody's sure to leave this land,
Hound dogs started howlin', somebody's sure to leave this land;
Take who you want to, Lordy, but please don't take away my man.

Lord, I knows I'm black and ugly, but he's so doggone good and fine,
I knows I'm black and ugly, but he's so doggone good and fine;
Lord, take 'most anybody, but please don't take this man of mine.

LADY LUCK BLUES
by Bessie Smith

Bad luck has come to stay
Trouble never end
My man has gone away
With a girl I thought was my friend
I'm worried down with care
Lordy, can't you hear my prayer

Lady Luck, Lady Luck
Won't you please smile down on me
There's the time, friend of mine
I need your sympathy
I've got a horseshoe on my door
I've knocked on wood till my hands are sore
Since my man's done turned me loose
I've got those Lady Luck blues, I mean
I've got those Lady Luck blues

Lady Luck, Lady Luck
Won't you please smile down on me
There's the time, friend of mine
I need your sympathy
I've got his picture turned upside down
I've sprinkled goofer dust all around
Since my man is gone I'm all confused
I've got those Lady Luck blues
Find my good man
I've got those Lady Luck blues

BEDTIME BLUES
by Frank Stokes
Don't want no jealous-hearted woman makin' up my bed
She'll put something in the mattress, man, make you wish you was dead
She'll give you pains to your body, give you hurtin' all through your head

Now when you lay down at night, call your good friend by name
Now when you lay down at night, call your good friend by name
You don't like my treatment, you sure can make a change

And i looked at the sun and the sun was shinin' warm
And i looked at the sun and the sun was shiny warm
You never miss your good gal 'til you've got the train and gone

And you stood and cried, "What you want me to say to you?"
Hey, stood and cried, "What you want me to say to you?"
"I want you t'think 'bout the things, baby, that me and you used to do."

And then run here, baby, let's try the other hand
Hey, run here, baby, i said, "Let's try th'other hand"
I've had a troubled complaint, God, ever since i been your man

If the blues was whiskey, i'd stay drunk every day
If the blues was whiskey, i'd stay drunk every day
The last time i seen you, tried to make your getaway.

I'VE BEEN HOODOOED
by Jim Towel

I've been hoodooed, I've been hoodooed
Hoodooed, hoodooed by a darky hoodoo
I've been hoodooed, I've been hoodooed
Hoodooed by a doctor, sure as you're born

A gal for me had a great infatuation
She wanted me to marry, but she had no situation
When I refused, she near went wild,
Says, "I'm bound to hoodoo that child"

She went and got a rabbit foot, she buried it wit' a frog
Right in the hollow of an old burnt log.
Right on the road where I had to walk along
Ever since then my head's been wrong.

My bones begin to ache, my teeth begin to chatter
I went to the doctor, he couldn't tell the matter
Says, "Ol' child, you're goin' up the spout,"
He looked at my hair and my hair fell out

Nobody knows how funny I feel
Even 'til the husk fell off my heel
I went to the dock, start to jump in the river
Looked at the water, my bones begin to quiver

Laid on the dock, fell fast asleep
Try to wake up, my flesh begin to creep
Laid on the dock, I got a pain in the head
When I woke up, to tell the truth, I found myself dead

I've been hoodooed, hoodooed
Hoodooed, hoodooed by a doctor hoodoo
I've been hoodooed, hoodooed
Hoodooed by a doctor, sure's you're born

Put on your state, you children
Listen to what i say
Don't disgrace the coloured race
Now, don't be led astray

Put on your state, you children
There's a time to make your mark
If you can't come yeller, come the right colour
But for goodness sake, don't come dark

'Cause I've been hoodooed, hoodooed
Hoodooed, hoodooed by a doctor hoodoo
I've been hoodooed, I've been hoodooed
I've been hoodooed by a doctor, sure as you're born

SOLD IT TO THE DEVIL
by Black Spider Dumpling

I sold my soul, sold it to the Devil and my heart done turned to stone
I sold my soul, sold it to the Devil, he won't let me alone
Said i'm hateful and i'm evil, I carries a Gatling gun
I drink carbolic acid, be darned if i will run
But I sold it, I sold it
Sold it to the Devil and my heart done turned to stone.

I done sold my soul, sold it to the Devil, but he won't let me alone
I got a little baker shop right downtown
Everything i bake, it is nice and brown
But I sold it, I sold it
Sold it to the Devil, and my heart done turned to stone.

I sold it, I sold it, sold it to the Devil, but he won't let me be 'lone
My life it is unhapy, it won't last me long
Everything i do, seem like i do's it wrong
But I sold it, I sold it
Sold it to the Devil, and my heart done turned to stone.

I sold my soul, sold it to the Devil, but he won't let me be 'lone
I eat black spider dumplings for my dessert
Go to the blacksmith, let him make my shirt
But I sold it, I sold it
Sold it to the Devil, and my heart done turned to stone.

I sold my soul, sold it to the Devil, but he won't let me be 'lone
I live down in the valley, five hundred steps
Where the bears and the tigers, they come to take their rest
But I sold it, sold it
Sold it to the Devil, and my heart done turned to stone.

I done sold my soul, sold it to the Devil, but he won't let me be 'lone
I went to a place that I knew so well
I shot that Devil right in Hell
But I sold it, sold it
Sold it to the Devil, and my heart done turned to ... eee-eee-vohl, eee-vohl [evil]

SUSPICIOUS BLUES
by Washboard Sam

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 hands on my head
I don't want nobody to put their 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 that dog start howling, 'cause somebody have got to go

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 sit 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

JINX BLUES
by Casey Bill (WIll Weldon)

Well, the jinx on me, I can't see the reason why
Well, the jinx on me, I can't see the reason why
But seem like these jinx sure oughta pass me by

That landlady come 'round my door this mornin', she began to sweep
She said, "Casey Bill, you'll have to find you some other place to sleep"
So the jinx on me, I can't see the reason why
And seem like these jinx sure oughta pass me by

Well, well, I coudn't sleep, I had no place to lay down
Well, I went to a railroad boxcar on the edge of town
So the jinx on me, I can't see the reason why
Seem like these jinx sure oughta pass me by

Well, well, I had it in my mind, I'd make this boxcar my home
But when I got there, freight train had taken this boxcar and gone
So the jinx on me, I can't see the reason why
Seem like these jinx sure oughta pass me by

Well, well, the only way I got my breakfast, I had to beat that garbage man
But when I got there this mornin', he had moved the garbage can
So the jinx on me, I can't see the reason why
But seem like these jinx sure oughta pass me by

SPIDER IN YOUR DUMPLING
by Arnold "Doc" Wiley

Now, i've got a gal that i can't understad
But i know she's wild 'bout me
So there's no use you boys hangin' around
Just her only man o' her i'll be

Oh, love her, love her, i just can't help myself
Yes, i love her, i love her, i just cannot help myself
She can't have me and have somebody else

Every since now that i've been a good man grown
Oh, every since that i've been a good man grown
Now I've always had me a sweet mama to call my own

[piano solo]

I'm gonna sing this verse, ain't gonna sing no more
Tell all you back-bitin' pappas where i was nineteen-and-four
I was down in Louisiana on the killin' floor
And i stopped by Algiers and i want to tell you, pal
That i'll put a spider in your dumpling if you try to steal my gal

HOODOO MAN (MEMPHIS AL)
by Albert Williams

My name is Memphis Al, and they call me the hoodoo man
My name is Memphis Al, and they call me the hoodoo man
Now if you want your fortune told,
you had better see me when you can

I do my crawlin' at midnight, don't be seen in the day
I do my crawlin' at midnight, don't be seen in the day
Well, you know whilst everything quiet and easy,
the hoodoo man can have his way

Spoken: Well, all right

If you wanna see me, baby, you had better see me when you can
If you wanna see me, baby, had better see me when you can
'Cause you know I'm a very busy fellow,
and they call me the hoodoo man