Sunday, May 31, 2009

*Roosevelt Sykes Is In The House- The "Honey Dripper" Plays His Boogie-Woogie Piano

Click On Title To Link To YouTube's Clip Of Roosevelt Sykes doing "Gulfport Boogie"

DVD REVIEW

Roosevelt Sykes and Big Bill Broonzy, Roosevelt Sykes and Big Bill Broonzy, Yazoo Productions, 200

The last time that the name Roosevelt Sykes was mentioned in this space was to highlight his boogie-woogie piano performances in a country blues compilation entitled “Rural Blues’, Volume 3. There I mentioned the following- “However, the ‘king of the hill’ on this one is Roosevelt Sykes’s piano work and vocals on “Hush Oh Hush” and “I’m Tired”. Roosevelt Sykes is one of those guys you keep hearing about if you listen to enough blues. Now I know why. Needless to say you will be seeing a separate individual review of his work in this space later.” And here it is.

In this documentary film you get to see Roosevelt in person with old soft hat on his head (I think that’s what they call that kind of hat. Being a child of the hatless Kennedy era I am not up on the sartorial distinctions on this question.), cigar in his mouth, keeping time with his foot and stretching his fingers all across the keyboard just like the way that you would think that the old time boogie-woogie guys would do it if you had to describe what they were up to in words. The smoked-filled 1950’s jazz club atmosphere of the film gives just the right feel to Sykes’ work. Outstanding here is his version of “The Nighttime Is The Right Time”.

I should note that the reason I got this film was to get a look at Roosevelt. As an added treat there is footage of Big Bill Broonzy doing a separate nightclub act in the same kind of atmosphere as that of the Sykes segment. And maybe just a little bit more provocative with a white hipster ‘dame’ in the picture. Dangerous stuff. Moreover, there are added segments of Big Bill wailing his acoustic guitar in practice that, I believe, came from one of Stefan Grossman’s “Legends of The Country Blues” volumes. Nice.

“Night Time Is The Right Time”

You know the night time, darling
(night and day)
Is the right time
(night and day)
To be
(night and day)
With the one you love, now
(night and day)
Say now oh baby
(night and day)
When I come home baby, now
(night and day)
I wanna be with the one I love, now
(night and day)
You know what I'm thinking of
(night and day)
I know the night time
(night and day, oh)
Whoa, is the right time
(night and day, oh)
To be with the one you love, now
(night and day)
I said to be with the one you love
(night and day)
You know my mother, now
(night and day)
Had to die, now
(night and day)
Umm, and my father
(night and day)
Well he broke down and cry
(night and day)
Whoah! whoa baby
(night and day)
When I come home baby now
(night and day)
I want you to hold my hand
(night and day)
Yeah, tight as you can
(night and day)
I know the night time
(night and day, oh)
Whoah is the right time
(night and day, oh)
To be with the one you love
(night and day)
You know what I'm thinking of
(night and day)
Whoah! sing your song, Margie
Baby
(night and day)
Baby
(night and day)
Baby
(night and day)
Oh, Baby
(night and day)
Do I love you?
(night and day)
No one above you
(night and day)
Hold me tight
(night and day)
And make everything all right
(night and day)
Because the night time
(night and day)
Oh, is the right time
(night and day)
To be with the one you love now
(night and day)
Oh yeah
(night and day)
Tease me
(night and day)
Squeeze me
(night and day)
Leave me
(night and day)
Ah, don't leave me
(night and day)
Lawdy baby
(night and day)
Take my hand, now
(night and day)
I don't need
(night and day)
No other man
(night and day)
Because the night time
(night and day)
Ow, is the right time
(night and day)
To be with the one you love
(night and day)
Oh yeah
(night and day)
I said baby
(night and day)
Baby
(night and day)
Baby
(night and day)
Baby
(night and day)
Whoah! baby now
(night and day)
Oh come on baby
(night and day)
You know I want you by my side
(night and day)
I want you to keep
(night and day)
Oh keep me satisfied
(night and day)
I know the night time
(night and day)
Everyday is the right time
(night and day)
Yeah to be with the one you love now
(night and day)
Well you know it's all right

Roosevelt Sykes
Ice Cream Freezer lyrics


My baby owns a ice cream freezer
She let's me put my milk in her can
Mercy!
My baby owns a ice cream freezer
She let's me put my milk in her can
Her freezer ain't to be churned
By no other man

Some people crave vanilla or strawberry
But-a black walnut is all I love
Mercy!
Some people crave vanilla or strawberry
But-a black walnut is all I love
When I put my spoon in her freezer
Man, it fits just like a rubber glove
Mercy!

Now, she turns her freezer
So slow an easy
She said, 'Daddy can you hold back
And stick around? ' (I'll try, ha-ha)
As she turn her freezer
So slow an easy
She say, 'Now, daddy can you jus hold back
And stick around? '
I'll say, I b'lieve you spoke jus a little too late
Pretty mama
I gotta let that flavor come runnin' down

'Mercy, mercy, man, yeah'
Ho, yeah!

'Let it roll on a while in the night'

'Ho, til the break of day'

'Ho, til the break of day'
'My, my, my, my'

'Ho while'

She said, 'Now, you done used my freezer
You said, 'Daddy, you look like
You gettin' ready to leave' (quite natural)
My, my
She said, 'Now, you done uses my freezer
'Look like you gettin' ready to leave'
She said, 'But you're still welcome to my can
When you have more cream to freeze'

More cream to freeze.

Roosevelt Sykes
She's Got It lyrics


Worked the gulf port from Memphis, Tennessee
Help me find Mrs. Mercy Dee
I just found a girl, she's got
Just found a girl and she's got
She's got the kind of lovin' I've been lookin' for

Well, she looks so fine
All dressed up in plaid
She start in to makin' love
She goes ravin' mad

I just found a girl an she's got
Just found a girl, she's got
Just found a girl got
The lovin' I've been lookin' for
My, my, my

Whoa (alittle right here)

Let it ride a while (roll another one right here)

Oh yeah
My, my (another one left)

She's no virgin but she's outta sight
She say I can suit her appetite
I just found a girl, she's got a
I just found a girl, and she's got
She's got the kind of lovin' I've been lookin' for
My, my (add a little)

'Let it rock now' (another, another all the way)

'Oh yeah' (another there)

Hurry up, baby
I'm gon' be in here quiet as a mouse
Come on baby, in this house
Cause I just found a girl and
She's got a, I just found that girl
And she's got, she's got
The kind of lovin' I've been lookin' for
My, my, my, my

'Ride now' (right here)
'Roll' (roll it)
'Let it ride a while'
My, my (right here)
'Gonna shake a little while now' (right here a little)
'Ho, yeah' (alright boys, right there)
'Oh, yeah'
My, my (outta here)

Well, I just found a girl and she's got
Just found a girl and she's got
Just found a girl and she's got
Just found a girl and she's got it
Just found a girl and she's got it
Just found a girl
She's got the love I've been lookin' for
Oh, my.

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