Elmore James + Lowell Fulson

¤  Elmore James  

[1918-1963]

When the lick “Dust My Blues”, an electrified reinvention of Robert Johnson’s venerable “Dust My Broom”, hit vinyl in 1952, the blues would never be tha same again. Elmore James had taken the deep, dark, acoustic blues of the Delta and turned on the electric power: an amplified, spine-chilling style of bottleneck that set the new standard for electric blues guitar. Generations of bluesmen to follow would be mesmerized by his potent mixture of aggression and sensitivity.

◊→ ‘Dust My Broom‘  ↓

◊   ‘Mean Mistreatin’ Mama’  ↓

You’re a mean mistreatin’ mama, you mistreat me all the time
You’re a mean mistreatin’ mama, you mistreat me all the time
I tried to tell you how much I loved you, But you don’t pay that no mind

You’re a mean mistreatin’ mama, and you don’t mean me no good

You’re a mean mistreatin’ mama, and you don’t mean me no good
I don’t blame you baby – I’d be here the same way if I could 

You remember baby, when I knocked upon your door
You had the nerve to tell me that you didn’t want me no more
Remember baby, when I knocked upon your door
You had the nerve to tell me that you didn’t want me no more
Oh, yeah
Ain’t it lonesome sleeping all by yourself
When the woman you’ve been lovin’ is in love with someone else
Ain’t it lonesome, baby, sleepin’ by yourself
When the woman you’ve been lovin’ is in love with someone else
You’re a mean mistreatin’ mama, you mistreat me all the time
You’re a mean mistreatin’ mama, you mistreat me all the time, oh yeah
I tried to tell you how much I loved you, But you don’t pay that no mind
Ah, let’s go

♦   ‘Person To Person’  ⇓

Don’t sent, don’t write no letter,  stay away from your telephone 
I need you person to person,  sent your little fine self on home 
Don’t sent me no message,  you know I’m all alone 
I need you person to person,  bring your little fine self on home 

Ain’t no use to telephonin’ me  – I can’t love no telephone 
All the time you’re telephonin’ me

you could be coming home, ooh baby 
Don’t call me on the phone, 

I need you person to person, bring your little fine self on home 

Ooh yeah, babe, don’t talk to me on the phone, 

I need you person to person  – Bring your little fine self on home 
Ain’t no use to telephonin’ me, I can’t love no telephone 
All the time you’re telephonin’ me, 
you could be coming home, ooh baby Don’t call me on the phone,

I need you person to person, bring your little fine self on home 
Ain’t no use to sent no letter, I can’t hold no paper tight 
Ain’t no use to sent no message, it can’t talk to me all night 
Ooh baby, don’t call me on the telephone, 
I need you person to person,  bring your little fine self on home

÷            ÷                      ÷            ÷                      ÷            ÷

¤  Lowell Fulson   [1921-1999]

Born on 31 March 1921 on a Choctaw Indian reservation in Tulsa, Oklahoma, his grandfather was a Choctaw. He played gospel and country music before turning to blues.

Lowell joins the US Navy in 1943. On the island of Guam he assembles his first band, and he moves to the West Coast in 1945. He meets Bob Geddins in 1946, who quickly signs him up to record for his Big Town and Down Town label. ‘Trouble Blues’, released in 1947, is the first of Lowell’s recordings to feature him playing electric guitar. He had his first R&B hit, ‘Three O’Clock Blues’, on the Swingtime label in 1948, then in 1949, he enlists the valuable help of pianist and songwriter Lloyd Glenn.

In 1950, Lowell has his first hit with ‘Everyday I Have the Blues’. Later in the same year he has his only Number 1 R&B hit with ‘Blues Shadows’ and in 1951 he tours extensively with a band that includes Ray Charles.

In 1954 Lowell joins Chess label. He records ‘Tollin’ Bells’ and ‘Took a Long Time’ in 1957, with Eddie Chamblee on saxophone and Willie Dixon on bass. Lowell leaves Chess in 1964 to join the Bihari Brother’s Kent label and in 1966 ‘Tramp’ is a Pop and R&B hit reaching Number 5.

He records In a Heavy Bag in 1970, one of his best ‘psychedelic blues’ albums. Lovemaker released in 1978, finds Lowell back in form after some quiet years. In 1988 his album It’s a Good Day is a success.

He continued touring and recording well into the 1990’s, with albums for the European Record label and, most recently the Rounder and Bullseye Blues labels. Hold On is released in 1992, features his old friend pianist Jimmy McCracklin. He won five W.C. Handy blues awards in 1993 and his 1995 album, Them Update Blues (Bullseye Blues), was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues album.

Lowell Fulson, a major figure in West Coast blues, died 6 March 1999 in Long Beach, California from complications from kidney disease, diabetes and congestive heart failure.

•   ‘You’re Gonna Miss Me’  ↑

Well, well baby, You’re gonna miss me when I’m gone

You know baby, you’re gonna miss me when I’m gone

I’ll never trust your love again

You know baby, I’ll never trust your love again

[. . .] we´ll always be friends

Oh baby, Gonna miss me when I’m gone

Oh baby, You’re gonna miss me when I’m gone

[. . .] doing right

Everything I do is wrong.

•  ‘Wild About You’  ↑

Babe, I’m wild about you child and I’m crazy as I can be

Wild about you baby – look like you’re gonna become crazy about me child

I’m wild about you, little girl, crazy as I can be

Girl you seem right to me baby – you’re a bit fool about me about me

That is a low down dirty baby – low and dirty shame

that you treat me gal you know Lord I’m not to blame

‘cause I’m crazy about you, child – crazy …

You seem right to me baby – you are a bit fool about me.

 

I give you all my money baby – Give you my seven gold

Find one go away my mind – ride in my so  [ . . . ?]

I’m wild about you, little girl – crazy I be

Girl you seem right to me baby – you’re a bit fool about me

Well, I know little girl we won’t be together again

So long – so long baby – I guess this is the end

but Lord know I’m wild about little girl – just as crazy as I can be

Girl you seem right to me baby – you’re a bit fool about me

•  ‘Reconsider Baby’   ⇑

So long, oh how I hate to see you go . . .
And the way that I will miss you, I guess you will never know

We’ve been together so long, to have to separate this way . . .
I’m gonna let you go ahead on baby – Pray that you’ll come back home some day

You said you once had loved me, but now I guess you have changed your mind …
Why don’t you reconsider baby – Give yourself just a little more time

Tramp  ↑   You can call me that
I don’t wear continental clothes, stetson hats

But I’m a lover – Mama was, papa too
I’m an only child – Loving is all I know how to do

Huh – Call me country right from the woods
I’ll answer when you call me
That is baby if it makes you feel good
But I’m just a lover – Mama was, papa too
But I’m an only child – Loving’s all I know to do

Now whatever you call me, I’ll ever go with that
‘Cause I keep a fat bankroll in my pocket baby
You know I own three Cadillacs
‘Cause I’m just a lover – Mama was, papa too
I’m an only child – Loving’s all I know to do

∞  with B B King  ↓ ‘Little by Little’

Baby, out all night until the break of day
Snap me up in everything I say
Little by little – Only you know that I can see
Bit by bit – Your love is slipping away from me

What you’re doing, baby, you know it ain’t right
I wonder what you’re doing that takes all night
Little by little – Only you know that I can see
Bit by bit – Your love is slipping away from me

Get so disgusted when I try to kiss you
I just don’t feel like I used to do
Little by little – Only you know that I can see
Bit by bit – Your love is slipping away from me

Tried to trail you last night, baby, in my car
But I’m scared I might see what I’m looking for
Little by little – Only you know that I can see
Bit by bit – Your love is slipping away from me