Same Boat Brother


CLICK TO PLAY – Same Boat Brother:

We all are in the same boat. If you shake one end you’re going to rock the other!

Lyrics:

[A] We’re in the same boat, brother
We’re in the [F#m] same boat, [E] brother
And if you shake one end
You’re gonna rock the other
It’s the same boat, [A] brother

[A] Oh, the Lord looked down from his holy place
[E] Said, “Lordy me, what a sea of space
What a spot to launch the human race”
So he built him a boat for a mixed up crew
With eyes of black and brown and [F#m] blue
So that’s how come that you and I
Got just one world with just one [E] sky

[A] So the boat rolled on through storm and grief
[E] Of a many a rock and many a reef
What kept them goin’ was a great belief
So they had to learn to navigate
That human race was special [F#m] freight
If they didn’t want to be in Jonah’s shoes
They’d better be mates on this here [E] cruise

[A] Oh, the boiler blew somewhere in Spain
[E] Oh, the keel was smashed in far Ukraine
And the steam poured out from Oregon to Maine
Oh, it took some time for the crew to learn
What is bad for the bow ain’t good [F#m] for the stern
If a hatch takes fire in China Bay
Pearl Harbor’s decks gonna blaze [E] away, ’cause

Betty and Dupree

“Betty and Dupree” Is a traditional blues that has been recorded by many artists including Peter Paul and Mary. They have all registered their interpretation with BMI as a new work derived from an old one.
Bob Gibson and Bob Camp recorded this at the Gate of Horn and that live album is one of my favorites. I was there during their performance in 1961.

Lyrics:
[E]Betty told Dupree [A]buy me a diamond ring
[E]Betty told Dupree [A]buy me a diamond ring
[B7]Dupree told Betty: [A]Baby, I’ll buy you [E]anything

He said lie down Betty See what tomorrow brings X2
May bring the sun, may bring your diamond ring

Love me, love me baby, love me to the bone X2
I will love you so good, that you can’t stand to leave me alone

Betty told Dupree buy me a diamond ring
Betty told Dupree buy me a diamond ring
Dupree told Betty: I’ll buy you anything

He said lie down Betty, see what tomorrow may bring X2
May bring the sun, may bring your diamond ring

Betty told Dupree buy me a diamond ring
Betty told Dupree buy me a diamond ring
Dupree told Betty: I’ll buy you anything

I Know You Rider

A great old traditional blues originally called “Blue Woman” recorded in a prison, sung by an 18 year old woman who was serving life for murder.

I played this on my Martin D-45.

The Byrds recorded this song in 1966 but it didn’t appear until it was released as a bonus track on the 1996 reissue of our third album “Fifth Dimension.”

Lyrics:
I KNOW YOU RIDER

[E] I know you rider, gonna [D] miss me [A] when I’m [E] gone,
I know you rider, gonna miss me when I’m gone,
[E] Gonna miss your [D] loving daddy from [A] a-rolling in your [E] arms.

I know my baby bound to love me some, (2x)
‘Cause she throws her arms around me
Like a circle ’round the sun.

I’m goin’ down the river, sit in my rocking chair, (2x)
And if the blues don’t find me,
I’m Gonna rock away from there.

Lovin’ you baby, like rollin’ off a log, (2x)
But if I can’t be your lover,
I sure ain’t gonna be your dog.

Yeah the sun gonna shine my back door some day, (2x)
And the wind gonna rise up, baby,
And blow my blues away.

Mama Don’t Allow


This is an old blues from the Memphis area. It’s in a G tuning and mostly one chord.

Lyrics:

Oh please sit by my side
Yes I’m down
Feel my love inside now
Yes I’m down, cause

Mama don’t allow no
Staying out all night long

Oh right now baby sit down
On my knee
I said everybody tell me
They tell me

Mama Don’t allow no
Staying out all night long

Oh kiss me baby one day
On my way
My sweet baby’s gone
Walk away, fine!

Mama don’t allow no
Staying out all night long

Frankie And Johnny


This traditional blues based on a true story of a love affair gone wrong.

Lyrics:

[E] Frankie and Johnny were lovers
Oh! Lord, how they did love
[A] Swore to be true to each other
Just as true as the stars up [E] above
He was her [B7] man, but he was doin’ her [E] wrong

Frankie she was a good woman
Just as everyone knows
She gave her man a hundred dollars
Just to buy a new suit of clothes
He was her man but he was doin’ her wrong

Johnny went down to the corner
He asked for a glass of beer
Frankie went down in an hour or so
Said my loving Johnny been here?
He is my man but he’s doing me wrong

I ain’t gonna tell you no stories
I ain’t gonna tell you no lies
I saw your lovin’ Johnny
Making love to Nellie Bligh
He is your man but he’s doing you wrong

Frankie went home in a hurry
She didn’t go there for fun
She hurried home just to get a hold of
A big old forty-four gun
He is her man but he’s doing her wrong

Roll me over darling
Roll me over so slow
Roll me on my right side
Cause my left one hurts me so
He was my man but he was doing me wrong

Tell Ole Gil


We don’t know exactly what kind of trouble Gil ran into but one might suspect from the first verse it had something to do with those “downtown gals” or perhaps their male “protectors.”

Lyrics:
Capo on second fret
[G] Tell old [Em] Gil when [G] he gets [Em] home, this [G] mornin’ [Em] [G] [Em] ,[G] 

Tell ol’ [Em] Gil when [G] he gets [Em] home this [Am] evenin’[D] [Am] [D] ,[G] Tell old [Em] Gil when [G] he gets [Em] home, [G] 
Leave them [Em] downtown [Am] gals [D] alone,
[G] This mornin’, [Bm] this [Am] evenin’,[D] [G] so soon! [Bm] [Am] [D]
Gil he left by the alley gate, this mornin…
Old sal said, “Now, don’t be late.”…
They brought Gil home in a hurry-up wagon, this mornin’,
They brought…poor dead Gil–his toes were a-draggin’…

Oh no, it can’t be so, this mornin…
Oh no, it can’t be so—Gil he left about an hour ago, This morning, this evening, so soon.

Tell old Gil when he gets home, this mornin’,

Tell ol’ Gil when he gets home,
Leave them downtown gals alone,
This mornin’, this evenin’, so soon!

Oh no, it can’t be so, this mornin…
Oh no, it can’t be so—Gil he left about an hour ago, This morning, this evening, so soon.

Oh no, it can’t be so, this mornin…
Oh no, it can’t be so—Gil he left about an hour ago, This morning, this evening, so soon.

Old Plank Road

Uncle Dave Macon “The Dixie Dew Drop,” recorded this song on 5-string banjo, with guitar by Sam McGee in New York City on April 14, 1926. Macon was born in 1870, the son of proprietors of the Macon Hotel, a theatrical boarding house, where he learned many songs from hotel guests. By 1888 he had become a professional entertainer and would record over a hundred songs between 1932 – 1938. This is one of the chain gang songs he performed. It’s a wild interpretation with lots of shouting. The chorus “Won’t get drunk no more” echoes his regret for being busted and having a ball and chain, but doesn’t smack of true remorse.
Lyrics:

Roughly in the key of D playing the melody

Rather be in Richmond with all the hail and rain
Than to be in Georgia boys wearin’ that ball and chain

Won’t get drunk no more
Won’t get drunk no more
Won’t get drunk no more
Way down the Old Plank Road

I went down to Mobile, but I got on the gravel train
Very next thing they heard of me, had on that ball and chain

Won’t get drunk no more
Won’t get drunk no more
Won’t get drunk no more
Way down the Old Plank Road

Doney, oh dear Doney, what makes you treat me so
Caused me to wear that ball and chain, now my ankle’s sore

Won’t get drunk no more
Won’t get drunk no more
Won’t get drunk no more
Way down the Old Plank Road

Knoxville is a pretty place, Memphis is a beauty
Wanta see them pretty girls, hop to Chattanoogie

Won’t get drunk no more
Won’t get drunk no more
Won’t get drunk no more
Way down the Old Plank Road

I’m going to build me a scaffold on some mountain high
So I can see my Doney girl as she goes riding by

Won’t get drunk no more
Won’t get drunk no more
Won’t get drunk no more
Way down the Old Plank Road

My wife died on Friday night, Saturday she was buried
Sunday was my courtin’ day, Monday I got married

Won’t get drunk no more
Won’t get drunk no more
Won’t get drunk no more
Way down the Old Plank Road

Eighteen pounds of meat a week, whiskey here to sell
How can a young man stay at home, pretty girls look so well

Won’t get drunk no more
Won’t get drunk no more
Won’t get drunk no more
Way down the Old Plank Road

Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out

Written in the 1920s before the Great Depression by Jim Cox and made popular by Bessie Smith’s hit record, this song was prophetic of events to transpire in the United States and the world.

Now almost 100 years later – here we are again! I played this in the key of B on my Martin D-12-42RM, 5-string banjo and mandolin. The chord notation is in C.

Lyrics:

(by Jimmie Cox)

[C] Once I lived the [E7] life of a [A7] millionaire,
[d min.] Spending all my [A7] money, I didn’t [d min.] care.
[F] Takeing my [B7] friends [C] for a mighty fine [A7] time,
[D7] Buying bootleg liquor, [G7] champagne and wine.

Then I began to fall so low,
Lost all my good friends, had no place to go.
If I ever get my hands on a dollar again,
I’m gonna hold on to it till that eagle grins.

‘Cause no, no, nobody knows you
When you’re down and out.
In your pocket, not one penny,
And all your good friends, you haven’t any.

If you ever get back on your own two feet again,
Everybody’s going to want to be your old long-lost friend.
It’s mighty strange, without a doubt,
Nobody knows you when you’re down and out.

If you ever get back on your own two feet again,
Everybody’s going to want to be your old long-lost friend.
It’s mighty strange, without a doubt,
Nobody knows you when you’re down and out.

500 Miles

Hedy West (April 6, 1938 – July 3, 2005) was an American folksinger and songwriter. Her song “500 miles,” has been covered by Bobby Bare (a Billboard Top 10 hit in 1963), The Highwaymen, The Kingston Trio, Peter, Paul and Mary, Peter & Gordon, The Brothers Four and many others. A great number of Hedy’s songs, including the raw materials for “500 Miles” came from her paternal grandmother Lily West who passed on the songs she had learned as a child.

This has a sweet melody and a sad story of poverty and desolation.

Lyrics:

[A] If you miss this train I’m on [F#m] then you’ll know [Bm] that I have [D] gone
You can [Bm] hear the whistle [E] blow a hundred miles
[A] A hundred miles [F#m] A hundred miles [Bm] A hundred miles [D] A hundred miles
You can [Bm] hear the whistle [E] blow a hundred [A] miles

Lord I’m one Lord I’m two Lord I’m three Lord I’m four
Lord I’m five hundred miles from my home
Five hundred miles five hundred miles five hundred miles five hundred miles
Lord I’m five hundred miles from my home

Not a shirt on my back not a penny to my name
Lord I can’t go on home this a-way
This a-way this a-way this a-way this a-way
Lord I can’t go on home this a-way

[A] If you miss this train I’m on [F#m] then you’ll know [Bm] that I have [D] gone
You can [Bm] hear the whistle [E] blow a hundred miles
[A] A hundred miles [F#m] A hundred miles [Bm] A hundred miles [D] A hundred miles
You can [Bm] hear the whistle [E] blow a hundred [A] miles