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Blues Lyrics - Robert Johnson
32-20 Blues
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tab version 1
tab version 2
GuitarPro
by
Robert Johnson
recording of 2nd of 5 sessions, November
26 1936, San Antonio, Texas
from
The Complete Recordings (CBS 467246 2 & Columbia/Legacy C2K-46222 & Columbia 4622 & Sony 64916)
'F I send for my baby, and she don't come
'F I send for my baby, man, and she don't come
All the doctors in
Hot Springs
sure can't help her none
And if she gets unruly, thinks she don't wan' do
And if she gets unruly and thinks she don't wan' do
Take my 32-20, now, and cut her half in two
She got a .38 special but I believe it's most too light
She got a .38 special but I believe it's most too light
I got a 32-20, got to make the caps
alright
If I send for my baby, man, and she don't come
If I send for my baby, man, and she don't come
All the doctors in Hot Springs sure can't help her none
I'm gonna shoot my pistol, gonna shoot my gatling gun
I'm gonna shoot my pistol, gotta shoot my gatling gun
You made me love you, now your man have come
Ahoh, baby, where you stayed last night
Ahah, baby, where you stayed last night
You got your hair all tangled and you ain't talking right
Her .38 special, boys, it do very well
Her .38 special, boys, it do very well
I got a 32-20 now, and it's a burning
If I send for my baby, man, and she don't come
If I send for my baby, man, and she don't come
All the doctors in Wisconsin
sure can't help her none
Hey, hey, baby, where you stayed last night
Hey, hey, baby, where you stayed last night
You didn't come home until the sun was shining bright
Ahoh boy, I just can't take my rest
Ahoh boy, I just can't take my rest
With this 32-20 laying up and down my breast
__________
General side-note:
An anonymous visitor wrote: "An interesting side-note to all of this is that while your site includes pictures of Johnson playing a wood-bodied acoustic guitar, his recordings seem to have been done with a brass bodied National resophonic guitar. Most people who carried handguns in those days preferred short-barreled .32S&W caliber revolvers (not to be confused with a 32-20) The body of a style “O” National was said to have been adequate to stop a bullet from one, thus increasing the instruments popularity among night-club performers." Thanks to the person submitting this suggestion.;
Note 1: Hot Springs, factually a place in Arkansas although an anonymous visitor wrote: "My guess about the term “Hot Springs”, given Johnson’s Faustian leanings, is that Hot Springs was a reference to Hell." Thanks to the person submitting this suggestion.;
Note 2: alternatively "camps" or "cats" instead of "caps". Though I'm convinced the correct word is caps (percussion caps, a paper or metal container holding an explosive charge, as for a pistol), I haven't been able to verify the absolute exact meaning of the phrase "got the make the caps". I think it means to make the right size persuccion caps for the caliber of the gun used.
An anonymous visitor wrote: "Make the caps” would be the correct term. In Johnson’s time, guns used modern ammunition, which did not require a separate percussion cap. The primer for a modern cartridge is integrated into the shell casing at the time the shell is assembled, whether at the factory, or at an individual’s re-loading bench. However, the primers used in modern ammunition are still often referred to as “caps”.
With modern ammunition (since the 1870’s), cartridge brass can be re-used many times, lead bullets can be cast from tire weights, and powder is so inexpensive the cost is not worth mentioning. However, primers, or caps, require a trip to the store. So to “bust a cap on” or “make a cap on” or simply “cap” someone meant that the shooter was mad enough at the intended victim to actually expend some capital. These terms have come back into popularity among urban gangs in recent years." Thanks to the person submitting this suggestion.
I you have any other suggestions, please
mail me
Note 3: alternatively but not very likely "girl and gone" instead of "gatling gun".
A gatling gun is a machinegun or cannon with multiple, usually between 3 and 7, revolving barrels each fired once per revolution. By using multiple barrels the rate of fire could be raised (up to 4,300 and more rounds per minute) and/or the barrels would not be worn out as fast as with a single barreled weapon. Invented by the American Richard Gatling in 1867.
An anonymous visitor wrote: "Gatling” or “Gat” was a common slang term for a revolver in the 1920’s." Thanks to the person submitting this suggestion.;
Note 4: "32-20 Blues" is Robert Johnson's version of the Skip James song
22-20 blues
, recorded in
1931, in Crafton, Wisconsin. Robert changed the reference to Wisconsin throughout the song to Hot Springs, Arkansas, except in the third from last verse when he forgets to do so and uses Skip's original text instead.
(Don't forget to come back now...)
var bf_siteid = "32855811"
(Don't forget to come back now...)
var bf_siteid = "32855811"
(Don't forget to come back now...)
var bf_siteid = "32855811"
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