Spoonful Blues

by Charley Patton recording of 1929-1934 from Charley Patton: Founder Of The Delta Blues (Yazoo L-1020) (spoken: I'm about to go to jail about this spoonful In all a spoon', 'bout that spoon' The women goin' crazy, every day in their life 'bout a... It's all I want, in this creation is a... I go home (spoken: wanna fight!) 'bout a... Doctor's dyin' (way in Hot Springs !) just 'bout a... These women goin' crazy every day in their life 'bout a... (click on image for larger version) Would you kill a man dead? (spoken: yes, I will!) just 'bout a... Oh babe, I'm a fool about my... (spoken: Don't take me long!) to get my... Hey baby, you know I need my... It's mens on Parchman (done lifetime) just 'bout a... Hey baby, (spoken: you know I ain't long) 'bout my... It's all I want (spoken: honey, in this creation) is a... I go to bed, get up and wanna fight 'bout a... (spoken: Look-y here, baby, would you slap me? Yes I will!) just 'bout a... Hey baby, (spoken: you know I'm a fool a-) 'bout my... Would you kill a man? (spoken: Yes I would, you know I'd kill him) just 'bout a... Most every man (spoken: that you see is) fool 'bout his... (spoken: You know baby, I need) that ol'... Hey baby, (spoken: I wanna hit the judge 'bout a) 'bout a... (spoken: Baby, you gonna quit me? Yeah honey!) just 'bout a... It's all I want, baby, this creation is a... (spoken: look-y here, baby, I'm leavin' town!) just 'bout a... Hey baby, (spoken: you know I need) that ol'... (spoken: Don't make me mad, baby!) 'cause I want my... Hey baby, I'm a fool 'bout that... (spoken: Look-y here, honey!) I need that... Most every man leaves without a... Sundays' mean (spoken: I know they are) 'bout a... Hey baby, (spoken: I'm sneakin' around here) and ain't got me no... Oh, that spoon', hey baby, you know I need my... __________ Note: the triple-dot parts are not missing lyrics, Patton left them unspoken, but then again it's not that hard to fill in the triple dots, is it?; Note 1: the state prison in Parchman , Mississippi, whose escapees often wandered into Patton's native Dockery , a Delta plantation town.. Parchman was a complex of 15 labor camps covering a large area in Mississippi, a closed society of black men who were offered as "contract" labor to farms, railroads and industries of many sorts, passed around to do labor for the financial benefit of both the contractor and the state who sold them.

 

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Playing "Help-Me" In the Style of Sonny Boy Williamson II: A step by step, note for note analysis of some of Sonny Boy's Signature Riffs