Let Us Now Praise LEADBELLY

[Zomby Woof]

Huddie Ledbetter, folks. There was no badder badass in the history of 20th century music than he.

A fan of CCR? Thank Leadbelly for "Midnight Special" and "Cotton Fields". Dylan invoked his name in his seminal "Song To Woody". Even the late, lamented Kurt Cobain discovered the magic of Leadbelly and shared it on their 'Unplugged' album.

He was rightfully called the "King of the 12-string guitar" too.

They just don't build 'em like Leadbelly anymore, dammit.

"Alabama Bound"

I'm Alabama bound
I'm Alabama bound
And if the train don't stop and turn around
I'm Alabama bound
Oh, don't you leave me here
Oh, don't you leave me here
But if you must go anyhow
Just leave a dime for beer
Oh don't you be like me
Oh don't you be like me
Drink your good sweet cherry wine
And let that whiskey be
Well your hair don't curve
And your eyes ain't blue
Well if you don't want me, Polly Ann
Well I don't want you

Leadbelly and his good friend Woody Guthrie:

[Jack Rabbit]

1. Bring a little water, Sylvie

Bring a little water, Sylvie
Bring a little water, now
Bring a little water, Sylvie
Ev'ry little once in a while
Don't you hear me?
Ev'ry little once in a while.

Don't you see me coming?
Don't you see me, now?
Don't you see me coming?
Ev'ry little once in a while
Don't you hear me?
Ev'ry little once in a while.

[Jack Rabbit]

2. In the Pines

Black girl, black girl, don't lie to me,
Tell me where did you sleep last night?
In the pines, in the pines,
Where the sun don't ever shine,
I will shiver the whole night through.

[RagingInMiami]

3. and you couldn't ask for a cooler blues name

[Zomby Woof]

4. Goodnight Irene

Surely some of you know THAT Leadbelly classic. :o

[Jack Rabbit]

7. You betcha

Once again, the Rabbit reaches for his cheap guitar and sings like a sick horse . . .


Chours:
(G)Irene, good (D7)night
(D7)Irene, good (G)night
(G)Good night, Irene,
(G)Good (C)night, Irene,
(C)I'll (D7)see you in my (G)dreams.

(G)Sometimes I live in the (D7)country,
(D7)Sometimes I live in (G)town,
(G)Sometimes I (C)get a great notion
(C)To (D7)jump in the river and (G)drown.

(Chours)

Last Saturday night I got married,
Me and my wife settled down
Now me and my wife have parted
Gonna take me a stroll uptown.

(Chours)

Quit your ramblin', quit your gamblin',
Quit your stayin' out at night,
Come home to your wife and your family
Sit down by the fireside light.

(Chours)

[carpetbagger]

5. Praise.

Mother, did you bring me silver?
Mother, did you bring me gold?
What did you bring me mother,
Keep me from the gallows pole?

[Rabrrrrrr]

6. Leadbelly!! Clapton isn't worthy to lick his testicle sweat.

There's a real blueman!

[Jack Rabbit]

8. Midnight Special

(G)O, you wake up in the (C)morning,
(C)You hear the ding dong (G)ring,
(G)They march you the (D7)table,
(D7)You see the same damn (G)thing.
(G)No food on the (C)table,
(C)Jus' a knife, fork and a (G)pan
(G)An' if you say anything (D7)'bout it,
(D7)You're in trouble with the (G)man

Chorus:
(D7)Let the midnight (C)special
(C)Shine a light on (G)me
(G)Let the midnight (D7)special
(D7)Shine its ever-lovin' light on (G)me.

If you've ever been to Houston,
You'd better walk right,
You'd better not gamble,
You'd better not fight.
Sheriff Johnson will arrest you,
His Deputy'll take you down
An' if the jury finds you guilty
You're penitentiary bound.

(Chorus)

Yonder comes Miss Judy,
Bet you're wond'ring how I know,
I can tell by her apron
An' by the dress that she wore.
She marches to the warden
With a paper in her hand
She says, "This is from the Gov'nor
An' I want my man!"

(Chorus)

[bobthedrummer]

9. Good Night Irene.

:hi:

[Jack Rabbit]

10. In Them Old Cotton Fields back Home

(G)When I was a little bitty baby
(G)My mama would a-(C)rock me in my <(G)[/i>cradle
(G)In them old cotton fields back (D7)home
(G)When I was a little bitty baby
(G)My mama would a-(C)rock me in my <(G)[/i>cradle
(G)In them (D7)old cotton fields back (G)home.


(G)And when (D7)cotton balls are rotton
(D7)You can't (G)pick very much cotton
(G)In them old cotton fields back (D7)home
(D7)It was (G)down in Louisi(D7)ana,
(G)Jes' 'bout a (C)mile from Texar(G)kana
(G)In them (D7)old cotton fields back (G)home.