I heard a song the other day, and asked about details, was given them, yet forgot them.
I know the song was called something along the lines of Rosie (a fantasy). It was an old blues-type song. I was told it was sung (at least that version) by a black fellow in prison, with other prisoners being the backup singer. It was basically about working in hard conditions and thinking of a girl named Rosie who may be waiting for the singer.
Can anyone help pinpoint this song, singer, details, etc.?
Thanks Hey, not sure if this is it or not but it is as close as I can find:
ROSIE
Sung by C.B. with a group of ten men with axes.
"Rosie" is the big song of the Mississippi penitentiary system. We recorded it on all our visits there in a number of versions, and the melody and the telltale refrain constantly occur in other songs. 鈥淚 seen little Rosie in my midnight dreams," they sing. Rosie is the faithful unfaithful girl of the prisoner's fantasy, constant in one verse, false in the next, as one tormenting notion after another arrives in the singer's mind. C.B. and his men sing in the old, long-drawn-out style current in the Mississippi pen in the 1930s.
Be my woman, gal I be your man,
Be my woman, gal I be your man,
Be my woman, gal I be your man.
Every day is Sunday鈥檚 dollar in your hand.
In your hand, Lordy, in your hand.
Every day is Sunday鈥檚 dollar in your hand.
Stick to the promise, gal that you made me,
Stick to the promise, gal that you made me,
Stick to the promise, gal that you made me,
Wasn't gonna marry till-a I go free,
I go free, Lordy, I go free,
Wasn't gonna marry till-a I go free,
Chorus:
Wo -Rosie, o Lord, gal
Wo -Rosie, o Lord gal
When she walks, she reels and rocks behind,
When she walks, she reels and rocks behind
Ain't that enough to worry a convict's mind.
Ain't that enough to worry a convicts mind.
Chorus:
Wo -Rosie, o Lord, gal
Wo -Rosie, o Lord gal
When she walks, she reels and rocks behind,
When she walks, she reels and rocks behind
Be my woman, gal I be your man,
Be my woman, gal I be your man,
Be my woman, gal I be your man.
Every day is Sunday鈥檚 dollar in your hand
Chorus:
Wo -Rosie, o Lord, gal
Wo -Rosie, o Lord gal
--------------------------------------...
EARLY IN THE MORNIN'
Sung by "22," Little Red, Tangle Eye, and Hard Hair, accompanied by double cutting axes.
This is "22's" own modern variant on "Rosie," sung in a style which he and his three companions have developed on the job. The four are at work on a live oak, "double cutting," that is, standing in a square round the tree, with two men chopping from opposite corners of this square on beat one, the other pair on the alternate beat. Using a number of devices of splitting words, syncopations, part singing and polyrhythm, "22" and his friends create an elaborate, finely-textured work song style. They elaborate a brief theme for each verse, to last for about a minute.
The poetry in each is an ingenious series of quasi-surrealist images. The fourth verse, with its pun on the word "peckerwood" {signifying both woodpecker and poor white), is an acid piece of social commentary.
Well it's early in the mor- in the mornin鈥?
Baby, when I rise, Lordy, mama.
Well it's early in the mor- in the mornin鈥?
A-baby, when I rise, well-a.
Well-a, when I rise, well-a,
Well-a, its early in the mor- in the mornin',
Baby, when I rise, Lordy, baby.
You have -its I have a misery, Berta,
Wa-, in my right side, well-a,
R-in-a my right side, Lordy, baby,
R-in-a my right side, Lordy, sugar.
Well its I have a misery, Berta,
R-in-a my right side, well-a.
Chorus:
Well-a, it's-a, Lordy, Ro -Lordy -Berta,
Well it's, Lord (you keep a-talkin), babe,
Well its Lord Ro -Lordy -Rosie,
Well its, o Lord gal, well-a.
Well-a, whosonever told it, that he told a -
He told a dirty lie, babe.
Well-a, whosonever told it, that he told a -
He told a dirty lie, well-a.
Well-a whosonever told it, that he told a -
He told a dirty lie, babe.
Well the eagle on the dollar 鈥搎uarter,
He gonna rise and .fly, well-a.
He gonna rise and .fly, sugar.
He gonna rise and .fly, well-a,
Well the eagle on the dollar 鈥搎uarter,
He gonna rise and .fly, well-a.
Chorus:
Well-a, it's-a, Lordy, Ro -Lordy -Berta,
Well it's, Lord (you keep a-talkin), babe,
Well it鈥檚 Lord Ro -Lordy -Rosie,
Well it鈥檚, o Lord gal, well-a.
Well, rocks 'n gravel make-a,
Make a solid road sugar.
Well-a, it takes-a rocks-a, gravel make-a-
To make a solid road, well-a.
It takes-a rocks-a, gravel make-a-
To make a solid road, well-a.
It takes a good-lookin' woman to make-a -
To make a good-lookin' whore, well-a,
It takes a good-lookin' woman, Lord, Baby,
To make a good-lookin' whore, Lord, sugar,
It takes a good-lookin' woman to make-a,
To make a good lookin' whore, well-a.
Chorus:
Well-a, it's-a, Lordy, Ro -Lordy -Berta,
Well it's, Lord (you keep a-talkin), babe,
Well it鈥檚 Lord Ro -Lordy -Rosie,
Well it鈥檚, o Lord gal, well-a.
Boys, the peckerwood a-peckin' on the -
On the schoolhouse door, sugar.
Well the peckerwood a-peckin' on the -
R-on the schoolhouse door, well-a.
Well the peckerwood a-peckin' on the -
On the schoolhouse door, sugar.
Well he pecks so hard Lordy, baby,
Until his pecker got sore, well-a,
Until his pecker got sore, Lord, baby,
Until his pecker got sore, Lord, sugar.
Well he pecks so hard Lord mama,
Until his pecker got sore, well-a.
Chorus:
Well-a, it's-a, Lordy, Ro -Lordy -Berta,
Well it's, Lord (you keep a-talkin), babe,
Well it鈥檚 Lord Ro -Lordy -Rosie,
Well it鈥檚, o Lord gal, well-a.
Well hain't been to Georgia, boys, but,
Well it鈥檚 I been told, sugar.
Well hain't been to Georgia, Georgia.
But, it鈥檚 I been told, well-a.
Well hain't been to Georgia, Georgia.
But, it鈥檚 I been told, Lord, mama.
Georgia women got a sweet jelly roll!
Sweet jelly roll, baby, sweet jelly roll,
Georgia women got a sweet jelly roll.
Chorus:
Well-a, it's-a, Lordy, Ro -Lordy -Berta,
Well it's, Lord (you keep a-talkin), babe,
Well it鈥檚 Lord Ro -Lordy -Rosie,
Well it鈥檚, o Lord gal, well-a.
Hope it helps! Later:) |
