Jimmy Reed + Slim Harpo + Lazy Lester

One night I was layin’ down – I heard mama ‘n papa talkin’
I heard papa tell mama, «let that boy boogie-woogie,
it’s in him, and it’s got to come on out»
They made me feel so good,
I went on boogie’n just the same, oh Lord . . .

∞   Slim Harpo  ↓  ‘My Home Is A Prison’

My home is a prison, I’m living in a world of tears
My home is a prison, I’m living in a world of tears
I’ve been in misery, since the judge give me 99 years

I had a real pretty woman, said she didn’t love no one but me
I had a real pretty woman, said she didn’t love no one but me
But I caught my baby cheatin’, my home ain’t where it used to be

I got bread and milk for breakfast, milk and bread at supper time
I got bread and milk for breakfast, milk and bread at supper time
And the food I got for dinner, is a low down dirty crime

Yes I shot my baby, I did it because she treat me wrong
I shot my baby, did it because she treat me wrong
Now the only thing I have, this lonesome jail that I call home

÷            ÷                      ÷            ÷                      ÷            ÷

¤  Lazy Lester    [1933-2018]

Leslie Johnson was born June 20, 1933 in the small town of Torras, Louisiana. In his late teens, he joined his first ever band, a group called the Rhythm Rockers and played primarily high school dances. It was in the mid-1950s, on a bus, that fate turned Lazy Lester’s way, and the roots to what would become classic music began to grow. As Lazy Lester tells it, he was living in Rayne, Louisiana at the time and was on the bus riding home. Lightnin’ Slim, who was already an established recording artist, was also on the bus and was headed to Crowley to cut a record at Jay Miller’s Studio. Since Crowley was just seven miles further than Rayne and because Lazy Lester had a serious itch to be around big-time music making, Lester decided to stay on the bus and accompany Lightnin’ Slim to the studio. When they got there, the scheduled harp player, Wild Bill Phillips, didn’t show for the session. Lazy Lester told Lightnin’ Slim that he had actually played with Lightnin’ Slim’s band and thought he could handle the harp parts for the session. Remarkably, Lightnin’ Slim and Miller gave Lazy Lester that chance, and he did not disappoint. A classic pairing was born, and Lazy Lester became a mainstay on Lightnin’ Slim’s Excello recordings and his gigs. He’d follow Lightnin’ Slim’s guitar licks with short, stabbing solos after Lightnin’ Slim’s trademark prodding of, «Blow your harmonica, son».

Producer Jay Miller was impressed by Lazy Lester’s work with Lightnin’ Slim, and in 1957 Lazy Lester debuted as a lead artist on Excello, recording I’m Gonna Leave You Baby backed with the instrumental Lester’s Stomp with accompaniment from Guitar Gable’s band. Before the record’s release, Miller had decided that Lazy Lester had more of a ring to it than Lester Johnson. Miller is said to have come up the nickname based on Lazy Lester’s slow, lazy style of talking. And as Lazy Lester’s said, «I was never in a hurry to do nothing». In any case, the name’s stuck for almost 50 years now. Lazy Lester’s first legitimate hits came in 1958 with the release of I’m A Lover Not A Fighter backed with Sugar Coated Love. For almost a decade, Lazy Lester remained as a regular Excello artist, made 15 records for the company and played on sessions for Lightnin’ Slim, Slim Harpo, Katie Webster, Lonesome Sundown, Whispering Smith, Silas Hogan, Henry Gray, Tabby Thomas, Nathan Abshire, Johnny Jano and many, many others.

In 1987, Lazy Lester recorded Rides Again for the Blue Horizon label in England. The record won a W.C. Handy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album. In 1988, Alligator Records released Harp & Soul, further alerting the world that Lazy Lester was done resting. Since, he’s recorded two records for Antone’s and one direct-to-disc for APO Records. In 1998, he was inducted into the Louisiana Blues Hall of Fame. In 2004, he played at Radio City Music Hall in New York as part of Martin Scorsese’s Year of the Blues super concert that resulted in his Lightning In A Bottle documentary.

Well I met a pretty girl, as pretty as can be
I thought she was my baby till she introduced to me
A great big fella, about six feet four
I shivered and I shook, couldn’t do any more

‘Cause I’m a lover not a fighter – Yes, I’m a lover not a fighter
I’m a lover not a fighter – And I’m really built for speed  –  Built for speed

 

Well, there’s people say I’m lazy – But there’s a lot that they don’t know
When I’m in the mood – I can go, cat, go’

Cause I’m a lover not a fighter – Yes, I’m a lover not a fighter
I’m a lover not a fighter – And I’m really built for speed
Built for speed – Built for speed

 

You think a jet is fast – You ought to see me run
I can travel faster than a bullet from a gun

‘Cause I’m a lover not a fighter – Yes, I’m a lover not a fighter
I’m a lover not a fighter – And I’m really built for speed
Built for speed – Built for speed

 

I can roar like a lion, can even sting like a bee
But sometimes I think, baby, I’ve got rabbit blood in me

‘Cause I’m a lover not a fighter – Yes, I’m a lover not a fighter
I’m a lover not a fighter – And I’m really built for speed
Built for speed . . . 

◊  ‘Raining In My Heart’  ↓

Rainin’ in my heart  since we been apart
I know I was wrong  baby please come home

You got me cryin’  ‘bout to lose my mind
Don’t let me cry in vain  Try my love just once again

Spoken:
Honey, I need your love  Darlin’, you know why
If you would come back home
There’ll be no need for me to cry

Sings:
Rainin’ in my heart  Since we been apart
I know I was wrong  Baby please come home

◊  ‘Gonna Stick To You’  ↓

I’m gonna stick to you baby … I’m gonna stick to you baby … ‘cause nodody else will do…

                         ◊  ‘France – 2006  ⇓