Thursday, December 25, 2008

Son House - Death Letter

3 comments:

  1. I posted this yesterday before I heard about the death of my friend. Wondered if it wasn't a little dark for the occasion - now it kind of makes sense.

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  2. You can't play the blues unless you've felt the blues..... perfectly appropriate.

    Thank you for posting the video of Son House. It reminded me of my days of blues hopping in Clarksdale. And, yes, just like Robert Johnson, I sold my soul to the devil, too!

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  3. "I got a letter this mornin, how do you reckon it read?
    It said, "Hurry, hurry, yeah, your love is dead"
    I got a letter this mornin, I say how do you reckon it read?
    You know, it said, "Hurry, hurry, how come the gal you love is dead?"
    So, I grabbed up my suitcase, and took off down the road
    When I got there she was layin on a coolin' board
    I grabbed up my suitcase, and I said and I took off down the road
    I said, but when I got there she was already layin on a coolin' board
    Well, I walked up right close, looked down in her face
    Said, the good ol' gal got to lay here 'til the Judgment Day
    I walked up right close, and I said I looked down in her face
    I said the good ol' gal, she got to lay here 'til the Judgment Day
    Looked like there was 10,000 people standin' round the buryin' ground
    I didn't know I loved her 'til they laid her down
    Looked like 10,000 were standin' round the buryin' ground
    You know I didn't know I loved her 'til they damn laid her down
    Lord, have mercy on my wicked soul
    I wouldn't mistreat you baby, for my weight in gold
    I said, Lord, have mercy on my wicked soul
    You know I wouldn't mistreat nobody, baby, not for my weight in gold
    Well, I folded up my arms and I slowly walked away
    I said, "Farewell honey, I'll see you on Judgment Day"
    Ah, yeah, oh, yes, I slowly walked away
    I said, "Farewell, farewell, I'll see you on the Judgment Day"
    You know I went in my room, I bowed down to pray
    The blues came along and drove my spirit away
    I went in my room, I said I bowed down to pray
    I said the blues came along and drove my spirit away
    You know I didn't feel so bad, 'til the good ol' sun went down
    I didn't have a soul to throw my arms around
    I didn't feel so bad, 'til the good ol' sun went down
    You know, I didn't have nobody to throw my arms around
    I loved you baby, like I love myself
    You don't have me, you won't have nobody else
    I loved you baby, better than I did myself
    I said now if you don't have me, I didn't want you to have nobody else
    You know, it's hard to love someone that don't love you
    Ain't no satisfaction, don't care what in the world you do
    Yeah, it's hard to love someone that don't love you
    You know it don't look like satisfaction, don't care what in the world you do
    Got up this mornin', just about the break of day
    A-huggin' the pillow where she used to lay
    Got up this mornin', just about the break of day
    A-huggin' the pillow where my good gal used to lay
    Got up this mornin', feelin' round for my shoes
    You know, I must-a had them old walkin' blues
    Got up this mornin', feelin' round for my shoes
    Yeah, you know bout that, I must-a had them old walkin' blues
    You know, I cried last night and all the night before
    Gotta change my way a livin', so I don't have to cry no more
    You know, I cried last night and all the night before
    Gotta change my way a livin', you see, so I don't have to cry no more
    Ah, hush, thought I heard her call my name
    If it wasn't so loud and so nice and plain
    Ah, yeah
    Mmmmmm
    Well, listen, whatever you do
    This is one thing, honey, I tried to get along with you
    Yes, no tellin' what you do
    I done everything I could, just to try and get along with you
    Well, the minutes seemed like hours, hours they seemed like days
    It seemed like my good, old gal outta done stopped her low-down ways
    Minutes seemed like hours, hours they seemed like days
    Seems like my good, old gal outta done stopped her low-down ways
    You know, love's a hard ol' fall, make you do things you don't wanna do
    Love sometimes leaves you feeling sad and blue
    You know, love's a hard ol' fall, make you do things you don't wanna do
    Love sometimes make you feel sad and blue"

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