Ari Eisinger's Acoustic Blues Message Board: Re: Geechie Wiley (Greatest female blues singer) (2 messages!)

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Re: Geechie Wiley (Greatest female blues singer) (2 messages!)

Posted by tom maxwell on August 22, 2007, 8:26 am, in reply to "Re: Geechie Wiley (Greatest female blues singer) (2 messages!)"
76.182.92.188

yay! a reply! one correction: obviously, i meant to say that it's hard to *overestimate* the song's sway. too little coffee, i'm afraid.
first heard it in atlanta, at a party after a gig. (i was in squirrel nut zippers.) we piled in some car and were carried to an apartment rented by one pete poteet. at some point, he called for quiet, announced that he was going to play the best blues song ever written (he was especially exercised that i had never heard it), and put an actual 78 record of "last kind words blues" on a turntable.
my memory was that it was a very clean record; much more listenable than the version on "mississippi girls." i was floored. as the years went by, i never forgot it, but time and tide made it hard to remember the specifics. finally found "mississippi girls" in a music store in chicago, years later. upon reflection, it relegates son house's "death letter" to my second favorite blues song.
it's perfect. that's all there is to it. the lyric is equal parts tender and emotionally remote; cognizant of social penury and immobility, and determined to transcend it. the minor key is almost unique, save for our friend skip james' recordings for paramount in the same year.
i'm delighted to participate in a discussion of it.

--Previous Message--
: > if i don't bring you flour, i'll bring
: you
: > malted meal"
:
: My friend Frank thinks it's "bolted
: meal". I'll defer to him for the
: explanation.
:
: also, and this one's tricky:
: > "my momma told me just before she
: died
: > lord, that pit there daughter, i dug it
: deep
: >and wide"
:
: I don't have the recording with me right
: now, but I remember this as being roughly
:
: "said [...] daughter, don't you be so
: wild."
:
:
: --Previous Message--
: thanks for this. it's hard to underestimate
: the sway this song has on me.
:
: i have a couple lyric suggestions; take them
: for what they're worth.
:
: "when you see me comin' look 'cross the
: rich man field
:
: if i don't bring you flour, i'll bring you
: malted meal"
:
: also, and this one's tricky:
: "my momma told me just before she died
:
: lord, that pit there daughter, i dug it deep
: and wide"
:
: hope i've at least provided food for
: thought, if not he buzzards.
:
: tom maxwell
:
:
:
:

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--Previous Message-- : yay! a reply! one correction: obviously, i : meant to say that it's hard to : *overestimate* the song's sway. too little : coffee, i'm afraid. : : first heard it in atlanta, at a party after : a gig. (i was in squirrel nut zippers.) we : piled in some car and were carried to an : apartment rented by one pete poteet. at some : point, he called for quiet, announced that : he was going to play the best blues song : ever written (he was especially exercised : that i had never heard it), and put an : actual 78 record of "last kind words : blues" on a turntable. : : my memory was that it was a very clean : record; much more listenable than the : version on "mississippi girls." i : was floored. as the years went by, i never : forgot it, but time and tide made it hard to : remember the specifics. finally found : "mississippi girls" in a music : store in chicago, years later. upon : reflection, it relegates son house's : "death letter" to my second : favorite blues song. : : it's perfect. that's all there is to it. the : lyric is equal parts tender and emotionally : remote; cognizant of social penury and : immobility, and determined to transcend it. : the minor key is almost unique, save for our : friend skip james' recordings for paramount : in the same year. : : i'm delighted to participate in a discussion : of it. : : : --Previous Message-- : > if i don't bring you flour, i'll bring : you : > malted meal" : : My friend Frank thinks it's "bolted : meal". I'll defer to him for the : explanation. : : also, and this one's tricky: : > "my momma told me just before she : died : > lord, that pit there daughter, i dug it : deep : >and wide" : : I don't have the recording with me right : now, but I remember this as being roughly : : "said [...] daughter, don't you be so : wild." : : : --Previous Message-- : thanks for this. it's hard to underestimate : the sway this song has on me. : : i have a couple lyric suggestions; take them : for what they're worth. : : "when you see me comin' look 'cross the : rich man field : : if i don't bring you flour, i'll bring you : malted meal" : : also, and this one's tricky: : "my momma told me just before she died : : lord, that pit there daughter, i dug it deep : and wide" : : hope i've at least provided food for : thought, if not he buzzards. : : tom maxwell : : : : : :

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