Moving from Blind Willie Johnson and his bottleneck guitar style, the finger-picking pioneer from Laurens, South Carolina who does a classic and clever talking version of this traditional number. Like Johnson, Davis (1896-1972) didn't exactly have an easy childhood, also becoming blind (he was originally known as Blind Gary Davis) and despite being the only and last child of eight to survive, it was his actual mother who mistreated him, and so his father sent him live with his grandmother. At the age for 10, he received the news that his father had been killed in Birmingham, Alabama, quite possibly shot by a sheriff. Like Johnson Davis also learned on a cigar box guitar, and became a Baptist minister.
The list of those he has influenced his huge, including Stefan Grossman, David Bromberg, Steve Katz, Roy Book Binder, Larry Johnson, Bob Dylan, the Grateful Dead, and John Sebastian (of the Lovin' Spoonful).
A traditional song, Hesitation Blues began to appear in early 20th-century recordings, including versions by Billy Smythe, Scott Middleton, and Art Gillham, and the same tune but different lyrics about two lovers who can't connect on the phone, by W.C. Hardy. Davis himself has written and improvised all sorts of versions, with variations shown below. They ould be seen as a tragic, self-deprecating wooing song, or simply gentle innuendo, depending on how you read it. The song is available on a 1971 compilation, Volume 1 - New Blues and Gospel.
I woke up this morning just 'bout half past four
Hesitation blues was knocking on my door
Tell me, how long, do I baby, have to wait
Can I let you know? Why must I hesitate?
Ain't no use in me working so hard
I got me two good women
Working in the rich folks' yard
I ain't your good man
Ain't your good man's son
But I can get in the place of your good man
'til your good man comes
Well, I ain't no miller
Ain't no miller's son
But I can grind a little corn
'til the miller comes
I ain't no wine presser
Ain't no wine presser's son
But I can buy you a little groceries
'til the grocery man comes
I ain't no cradle rocker
Ain't no cradle rocker's son
But I can do a little rockin' for you
'til the rocker man comes
Well, I ain't no doctor
Ain't no doctor's son
But I can cure a few cases
'til the doctor comes
Eagle on the dollar say, "In God We Trust"
Woman flashy, wants a man but I declare
She want a dollar first
I ain't no bookkeeper
Ain't no bookkeeper's son
But I can keep a few books
'til the bookkeeper comes
I ain't no milkman
Ain't no milkman's son
But I can keep you supplied
'til your milkman comes
I ain't no chauffeur
Ain't no chauffeur's son
But I can do a little driving
'til your chauffeur comes
Well, I ain't no back-breaker
Ain't no back-breaker's son
But I can stretch out my back
'til your back-breaker comes
I ain't got no woman and I ain't got no kid
Ain't got no daughter to be bothered with
I ain't no rent payer
Ain't no rent payer's son
But I can scrape up a few rents
'til the rent payer comes
Well, I ain't been to heaven but I've been told
St. Peter learnt the angels how to do the Jelly Roll
Me and my buddy and two or three more
We get good women everywhere we go
Well, I hitched up the mule
And the mule wouldn't pull
Took the hunches off the mule
And put the hunches on the bull
Blacker the berry the sweeter the juice
I'd be a fool if I quit the woman I got
Because it ain't no use
I got hesitating stockings
Hesitating shoes
I got a hesitating woman
Singing me the hesitating blues
My good gal quit me
I ain't going to wear no black
I always got something to make her
Come running back
Men in the country hollering, "Whoa, haw, gee!"
Women in the city flying around
Asking the question, "Who wants me?"
Ashes to ashes and dust to dust
Just show me a woman that a man can trust
You know, my mother told me
When I was just six years old
I'm going to be a good women getter
God bless your soul.
-------------------
You know, I woke up this morning, you know, just 'bout half past four
Hesitation blues was knocking on my door
Tell me, how long do I have to wait?
Can I get you now, baby?
Do I have to hesitate?
I was standing on the corner one morning with a dollar in my hand
I was looking for the first woman comin' along that didn't have no man
Tell me, how long do I have to wait?
Can I get you now, baby?
Do I have to hesitate?
Talk to me now
That's for y'all to get taught
People to learn, they get their learning, you understand?
It can force you to get your learning, you see?
When you get out in the pulpit, you know?
You learn how to do it
I got a-hesitatin' shoes and a-hesitatin' stalking
I got me a good hesitatin' woman through my hesitatin' rocking
Tell me how long
Do I have to hesitate?
Can I get you now, baby?
Give the pie back, you know, runnin' round to everybody's house, trying to break up everybody's home
Get your pie back, here when you tell them, you know
I ain't no preacher, neither no preacher's son
But I can preach a few sermons till the preacher comes
Tell me how long do I have to wait
Tell me you wouldn't fall for this kind of devilry
Break up your good home
I ain't no rent-payer, neither no rent-payer's son
But I can pay a few rents until the rent-payer comes
Tell me how long do I have to wait
Can I get you now?
Do I have to hesitate?
Well I ain't never been to heaven but I been told
Says Saint Peter learnt the angels how to do the Jelly Roll
How long, whoo?
Can I get you now?
Well I hitched up my mule and my mule wouldn't pull
Took the harness off the mule and put the harness on the wolf
Tell me how long?Can I get you now?
Here's a crooked woman, you know
I was out on my wagon, you know, trying to sell some coal
My gal was sitting 'round the corner trying her best to sell some jelly roll
Tell me how long?
Can I get you now, baby?
Want to suggest songs for Song of the Day or to say anything about it? Does this song make you think of something else? Then feel free to comment below, on the contact page, or on social media: Song Bar Twitter, Song Bar Facebook. Song Bar YouTube. Please subscribe, follow and share.
New to comment? It is quick and easy. You just need to login to Disqus once. All is explained inAbout/FAQs ...