Posted by Jon W. Book: CD liner notes: OK, now for my analyses of her music. First, unless it's already been mentioned, I will give the chords to each song, then the lyrics, then a bit about what the lyrics might mean. Lyrics in parentheses could be mistaken. I've tried to do as good a job as I can. Enjoy. (Guitar Intro) The last kind word I heard my daddy say If I die, if I die in the German War If I get killed, if I get killed, please dont bury my (soul) (sword) When you see me comin, look cross the (rich mans) (Richland) field (Guitar Solo) I went to the depot, I looked up at the sign My momma told me, just before she died The Mississippi River, you know its deep and wide What you do to me baby, it never gets out of me Obviously, this song is about a guy that went off to war in WWI. It's interesting that he'd want his body sent to his mother-in-law and eaten by buzzards. If anybody knows more than I do about WWI, maybe you could help fill in the blanks, or give corrections? Skinny Leg Blues (Guitar Intro) And Im a little bitty Mamma, baby and I aint built for speed Ive got little bitty legs, (he puts his old bull (nobble) twine) And when you see me comin, pull down your window blind Im gonna cut your throat baby, gon look down in your face
on August 2, 2002, 4:20 am
OK, I've decided to help out anyone who needs info on this artist. I've only been able to locate two sources for info on Geechie, alternatively spelled 'Geeshie'. The two sources (well, three if you count the document disc) are Yazoo's cd 'Mississippi Masters' in which there is some info on some songs and some biography, and 'Chasin' That Devil Music' by Gayle Dean Wardlow, in which Ishmon Bracey is quoted as having met her. I will first give the info from the book, then the cd liner notes, and then I will present my own song analyses, including lyrics and chords. I will minimize material that would be redundant:
Bracey: 'She lived 'round there on John Hart Street for a while. Charlie McCoy got her for his old lady. She could play on the guitar as good as on that record [Eagles On A Half, Pm 13074]. She said she was from Natchez; close by Natchez was her home. She didn't stay here long, couple of months and she done left.'
Bracey said he was not confusing Wiley with Rosie Mae Moore. He said McCoy lived with both of them at different times. He said Wiley played guitar and accompanied herself when she sang. [Her 'Last Kind Words Blues' was prominently used by Terry Zwigoff in his documentary film on Robert Crumb.]
The four tunes (actually six) that Wiley recorded solo and with Elvie Thomas for Paramount in 1930 and 1931 establish her as one of the greatest female blues artists. According to Ishman Bracey, she hailed from the vicinity of Natchez. In the 1920s she spent three months in Jackson as a resident of John Hart Street; while there, she played in a medicine show. 'She could play a guitar, but she had a guitar player with her,' Bracey said. 'She'd play a guitar, and a ukulele too.' While in Jackson, she took up with Charlie McCoy.
A woman matching the description of Elvie Thomas was remembered as living near Palmer's Crossing, a small community outside of Hattiesburg. No other information is available.
Other than a report of Robert Wilkins (and Bracey's recollections) seeing her in eastern Mississippi around 1930, her name elicited no further response among her contemporaries.
She represents when black secular music was coalescing into blues. Her repertoire includes raggy pieces like Over To My House and Pick Poor Robin Clean. Last Kind Words probably predates WWI, but is handled with a blues sensibility. Her guitar technique is unusual: her use of an A minor chord is rare.
Wiley apparently came up to record with Elvie Thomas. Motherless Child Blues is in E. It shows traces of a northern Mississippi influence, but the B7th section is without parallel in rural blues. A very similar arrangement is used on Skinny Leg Blues. Wiley's masterpiece, Last Kind Words Blues is played in the key of E. The lyrics date it to WWI, but it's bar structure is probably older. The opening A minor chord that leads directly into the same A riff employed by Texas artists is unique, and the thumb rolls in the B7th part echo Patton Green River Blues.
Last Kind Words Blues
by Geechie Wiley
Lord the last kind word I heard my daddy say
I want you to send my body, send it to my mother-in-law
I (pfer) just leave me out, let the buzzards eat me whole
If I dont bring you flour, Ill bring you (?)
Cry some train dont come, therell be some walkin done
Lord, (since the dawn, I thought youd be so wise) (I brought you a piece of ?)
I can stand right here, see my (babe) (face) from the other side
I mean Ill see you, after I cross the deep blue sea
by Geechie Wiley
Cryin Im a little bitty Mamma, baby and I aint built for speed
Ah, and I aint built for speed
Ive got everything that a little bitty Mamma need
Ive got little bitty legs, (he puts his old bull (nobble) twine)
Ah, (he puts his old bull (nobble) twine)
Ive got somethin that (aneeds jelly, works like a bull wont cry)
And when you see me comin, pull down your window blind
You see me comin, pull down your window blinds
So your next door neighbor, sure can hear you whine
Im gonna cut your throat babe, gon look down in your face
Ah, Ill look down in your face
Im gonna let some lonesome graveyard, be your restin place
This song is pretty brutal. Geechie seems to be saying that I'm a cute little girl with whom you can copulate, and then I'm going to kill you. I say that because I think the second verse is very sexual in nature; however, it's possible that I'm missing some metaphors there that could be more threatening than I could hear. Help me out on this one, would ya?