SKIP JAMES - SICK BED BLUES

SICK BED BLUES

SKIP JAMES

SONGWRITER: SKIP JAMES

COUNTRY: germany

ALBUM: hard time killing floor blues

Label: vanguard

Genre: blues

Year: 1998

Nehemiah Curtis "Skip" James (June 9,  1902 – October 3, 1969) was an American Delta blues singer, guitarist, pianist and songwriter.

His guitar playing is noted for its dark, minor-key sound, played in an open D-minor tuning with an intricate fingerpicking technique. James first recorded for Paramount Records in 1931, but these recordings sold poorly, having been released during the Great Depression, and he drifted into obscurity. After a long absence from the public eye, James was "rediscovered" in 1964 by three blues enthusiasts, helping further the blues and folk music revival of the 1950s and early 1960s. During this period, James appeared at folk and blues festivals, gave concerts around the country and recorded several albums for various record labels.

His songs have influenced generations of musicians, having been adapted or covered by Kansas Joe McCoy, Robert Johnson, Alan Wilson, Cream, Deep Purple, Chris Thomas King, Alvin Youngblood Hart, the Derek Trucks Band, Beck, Big Sugar, Eric Clapton, John Martyn, Lucinda Williams and Rory Block. He has been hailed as "one of the seminal figures of the blues."

Layin' sick, honey, on my bed

I'm layin' sick, honey, and on my bed

I'm layin' sick, honey, and on my bed

I used to have some friends but they wish that I were dead

In awful pain and deep in misery

Awful pain and deep in misery

Awful pain and deep in misery

I ain't got nobody to come and see about me

And every dog, baby, got a day

And every dog, baby, got a day

Every dog, baby, got a day

But I said, "Please, don't you treat me this-a way"

The doctor came, lookin' very sad

The doctor came, lookin' very sad

The doctor came, lookin' very sad

He diagnosed my case and said it was awful bad

He walked away, mumblin' very low

He said, "He may get better but he'll never get well no more

I hollered, "Lord, oh Lord, Lord, Lordy, Lord

Oh Lordy, Lord, Lord, Lord

I been so badly misused and treated just like a dog"

I've got a long trip and I'm just too weak to ride

I've got a long trip and I'm just too weak to ride

I got a long trip and I'm just too weak to ride

Now it's a thousand people standin' at my bedside

You take a stone, you can bruise my bone

You take stone and you can bruise my bone

You take a stone and you can bruise my bone

But you sure gonna miss me when I'm dead and gone

I been on the ocean, I been across the sea

Been on the ocean, I been across the sea

Been on the ocean, I been across the sea

I ain't found nobody would feel my sympathy