traditional • t.j.arnall
This song is ONE branch growing out from the mother tree "Little Sadie", a murder ballad of unknown origin about an unfaithful woman shot dead by the betrayed lover. Another famous branch is “Take a Whiff on Me", mainly linked to Leadbelly. T.J. Arnall [Troy Junius Arnall; biography and lifeline not availible] gave it a shot of cocaine and a jug of whiskey to differ it from tamer versions, and recorded it western swing with W.A. Nichol’s Western Aces, also known as "Slumber Nichol’s Western Aces", himself on vocals as "Red" Arnall. Most probably this is the first recording of this "branch", B-side S&G label early 1947. In May same year Roy Hogsed and the Rainbow Riders recorded it A-side for Capitol, and it slowly entered the country charts the next year. In July Billy Hughes covered it, and then the song went to rest; so did Arnall, too: he's not credited anywhere for anything except this one - and a role as "guitar player" in the 1948 western film "Blazing Across the Pecos".
In 1960 the song was awakened. Johnny Cash called it "Transfusion Blues" on his album "Now, There Was a Song!"; more or less copying a Merle Travis' version from the late fifties, elevating it to cash beat style, and leaving the word "cocaine" because Columbia at that time banned drugs in titles and lyrics. Then, in '68, the live version went literally into Folsom Prison, substituting "San Quentin Pen" with "Folsom Pen" and turning "woman" into "bad bitch". Backed by a Tennessee Three on fire, Johnny made his best vocal performance ever.
The song may be used for both promoting and condemning drugs and booze; it's Your choise. I use the most salty and harsh words, and play it 4/4 bluesy instead of 2/4 swing, with a few twisted harmonies - the chords in brackets are only my suggestions. And to be polite and true to the history, I've put a tail on the lyrics: a more neutral version adapted by Woody Guthrie and Cisco Houston, first collected by folk enthusiast Alan Lomax.
early one mornin' while makin' the rounds
I took a shot of cocaine and I shot my woman down
went right home and I went to bed
I stuck that lovin' 44 beneath my head
got up next mornin' and I grabbed that gun
took a shot of cocaine and away I run
made a good run but I ran too slow
they overtook me down in Juarez, Mexico
late in the hot joints takin' the pills
in walked the sheriff from Jericho Hill
he said «Willy Lee : your name is not Jack Brown
you're the dirty heck that shot your woman down"
said «Yes oh yes my name is Willy Lee
if you've got the warrant just a-read it to me
shot her down because she made me slow
I thought I was her daddy but she had five more»
when I was arrested I was dressed in black
they put me on a train and they took me back
had no friends for to go my bail
they slapped my dried up carcass in that county jail
got up next mornin' 'bout a half past nine
I spied the sheriff coming down the line
«ah» he coughed as he cleared his throat
he said «come on you dirty heck into that district court»
into the courtroom my trial began
where I was handled by twelve honest men
just before the jury started out
I saw the little judge commence to look about
in about five minutes in walked the man
holding the verdict in his right hand
the verdict read in the first degree
I hollered, «Lawdy Lawdy have a mercy on me»
the judge he smiled as he picked up his pen
99 years in the Folsom pen
99 years underneath that ground
I can't forget the day I shot that bad bitch down
come on you've gotta listen unto me
lay off that whiskey and let that cocaine be
TRADITIONAL collected by Alan Lomax:
it was late last night I made my rounds
I met my woman and I blowed her down
I went on home and I went to bed
I laid my pistol up under my head
early next morning by the rising sun
I woke up and I started to run
I made a run but I ran too slow
a man overtook me down in Jericho
I was standing on the corner reading my daddy's will
along come a man they called him Bad Texas Bill
he said «Captain : is your name Lee Brown?
I believe that you're the rascal blowed your woman down»
I said «Yessir Captain : my name is Lee
and if you've got any blues boy just sing 'em to me»
«well I guess Lee that you know the best
you'd better come go with me : the judge'll tell you the rest."
when I was arrested I was dressed in black
they put me on a train and they brung me back
jury found me guilty in the first degree
and they laid me down in the penitentiary
yes the judge found me guilty and so the jury
cried «Lord in heaven have some mercy on me!»
I'll be here for the rest of my life
all I done was kill my wife
For the following CHORD section, fullscreen/horizontal mobile is recommended.
Chords in brackets may be omitted.
A early one mornin' while makin' the rounds A [A#dim] [Esus4] E7 I took a shot of cocaine and I shot my woman down E [E/F#] [E/G] E7 went right home and I went to bed A --x-- I stuck that lovin' fortyfour beneath my head A A7 D [Adim7] come on you've gotta listen unto me D6 D A lay off that whiskey and let that cocaine be
