Sorrowful Blues

by J.C. Johnson Bessie Smith recording of 19 from The Complete Recordings, Vol. 1 (Columbia/Legacy C2K-47091) If you catch me stealin', I don't mean no harm If you catch me stealin', I don't mean no harm It's a mark in my family and it must be carryin' on I got nineteen men and won't want more I got nineteen men and won't want more If I had one more I'd let that nineteen go It's hard to love another woman's man It's hard to love another woman's man You catch him when you want him, you got to catch him when you can Have you ever seen a peaches grow on sweet potato vine? Have you ever seen a peaches grow on sweet potato vine ? Just step in my backyard and take a peep at mine I'm gonna tell you, daddy, like Solomon told the Jew I'm gonna tell you, daddy, like Solomon told the Jew If you don't like-ee me, I sure don't like-ee you __________ Note 1: Solomon, Dorus Sturm suggests "China man" instead of Solomon.

 

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I cleaned up my tab for Sonny Boy's Help Me and made it into a short book. There's a Kindle version for 99 cents, and if you buy the paperback you get the Kindle free.

Playing "Help-Me" In the Style of Sonny Boy Williamson II: A step by step, note for note analysis of some of Sonny Boy's Signature Riffs