After Lucille Bogan screaming with laughter at the dirtiest of lyrics, let's move on to only slightly more subtle material from the voice of the Piedmont blues singer from Wadsboro, North Carolina, who who also had a clever line in ragtime. Fulton Allen (1904 or 1907-1941) like many of our other blues singers from the first part of the 20th century, also lost his sight during his lifetime, most likely due to untreated neonatal conjunctivitis. He worked as a rural labourer too, but grew popular among African-Americans in the same line of work. The first song, a ragtime blues number, trips along at a much faster pace than many in this genre, while the second, also tripping along merrily with reported question and answer, is full of sexual reference hidden in the form of food, but sung by a blind man, adds an extra element of comic irony. Sadly Fuller died before he reached 40, most likely due to complications arising from syphilis. Let's hope he his appetite was at least satisfied.
Says I'm going uptown hat in my hand
Looking for the woman ain't got no man.
Just as well be looking for a needle in the sand
Looking for a woman ain't got no man.
Oh, rag.
Rag.
Rag.
Said do that rag.
Oh, rag.
Oh, rag.
Rag.
Said do that rag.
Says I wouldn't have thought my gal would treatin' me so.
Love another man stay at my back door.
Mind, mama, what you sow.
You got to reap just what you sow.
Oh, rag.
Rag, now.
Rag, baby.
Rag, mama.
Said do that rag.
Oh, rag.
Do it a long time.
Rag.
Said do that rag
Now if you'll get you one woman better get you two,
One for your buddy other one for you.
Got me a wife and a sweetheart too.
Wife don't love me my sweetheart do.
Oh, rag.
Rag, baby.
Rag.
Rag, mama,
Said do that rag.
"What's that smell like fish, mama?"
"Food, if you really want to know."
"What's that smell like fish, baby?"
"Food, if you really wants to know."
"Smell like puddin' and it ain't no pie.
Same thing that you know you have to buy.
"What's that smell like fish?"
"Food, if you really wants to know, I mean,
Food, if you really wants to know." (Yeah.)
What's that smell like fish, mama?
Food, if you really wants to know.
What's that smells like fish, baby?
Food, if you really wants to know.
Smell like sardines and it ain't in no can.
Same doggone thing you chucked at the other man.
What that smell like fish, mama?
Food, if you really wants to know, I mean,
Food, if you really want to know.
What's that smell like fish, baby?
Food, if you really wants to know. (Yeah.)
What's that smells like fish, mama?
Food, if you really wants to know.
Smell like puddin' and it ain't no pie.
Really good to me and it ain't no lie.
What that smell like fish, mama?
Food, if you really wants to know, still tellin' you,
Food, if you really wants to know. (Yeah.)
(Play it a long time. Play it till it gets good to me.)
What's that smell like fish, mama?
Food, if you really wants to know.
What's that smell like fish, baby?
Food, if you really wants to know.
Make you weep and it'll make you moan.
Same doggone thing made me leave my home.
What that smell like fish, baby?
Food, if you really wants to know, I mean,
Food, if you really wants to know.
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