[Dixielandjazz] Re: Yellow Dog Blues

[Don Kirkman]

On Mon, 6 Oct 2003 09:05:40 -0700, Stan Brager wrote:

>Thanks, Don. I wonder if the difference in lyrics are that one set is what
>W.C. Handy wrote and the other as sung by Bessie Smith?

I don't know; the page gave a full set of lyrics, most the same as you
have, but I don't think the source was identified.

>From: "Don Kirkman" <donkirk at covad.net>
>Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Re: Yellow Dog Blues

>> On Sun, 5 Oct 2003 08:36:46 -0700, Stan Brager wrote:

>> >Here are the troubling passages:

>> Some slightly different lyrics from http://tinyurl.com/pt5f

>> I seen him and he was on the bog
>> >"he was on the hog"
>> hog - a locomotive

>> >"the smoke was broke"

>> >"not a Jitney on him"
>> jitney - a nickel

>> Easy rider, got to stay away
>> So he had to vamp it but the hike ain't far.
>> >"he had to vamp it but the hike ain't far"
>> vamp - improvise; walk into town instead of detraining?

>> >"is like Old Beck an Buck shot land"
>> Buckshot - shotgun shells loaded for deer
>> Apparently there was a well-known Beck family line of gunsmiths in the
>> 18th/19th centuries; perhaps "old Beck" was a Beck shotgun?

>> Every kitchen there is like a cabaret;
>> >"Every kitchen there is a cabaret

>> Boll weevil works while the people play
>> >down there the Boll Weevil works"
-- 
Don
donkirk at covad.net