Robert Johnson Said (c) John Corlett 2011 Robert Johnson said Yes Robert Johnson said Oh Robert Johnson said Yes Robert Johnson said Blues falling down, blues falling down Blues falling down like hail Well Robert Johnson said Yes Robert Johnson said Blues falling down, blues falling down Blues falling down like hail He's got a hell-hound on his trail Did I let you down? Disappoint you babe? Did I let you down? Disappoint you babe? It's in your eyes , when you look at me But I dont have control Did I let you down? Disappoint you babe? But Im not an angel, cant be your angel I don't have control That's the devil in my soul Well Robert Johnson cried Yes Robert Johnson cried Oh Robert Johnson cried Yes Robert Johnson cried Me and the devil, me and the devil Devil walking by my side Well Robert Johnson cried Yes Robert Johnson cried Me and the devil, me and the devil Devil walking by my side Just can't get satisfied
John Corlett writes: The 'feel' of this one popped into my brain shortly ahead of the lyrics, though I had for some time been wanting to tap into the wonderful poetry of the lyrics of Robert Johnson, often thought of as 'father of the blues'.
Blues Cafe (c) John Corlett 2010 Let me introduce you to my good friend Lee Big hit record back in eighty-three Agent got the money, now he plays for free Down in the Blues Café Come on down and take a drink with me Raise your glass to the company A little shot of whisky, pass the time away Drinking in the Blues Café Madeleine has a heart of gold Men would come, she'd keep 'em from the cold Silver in her hair now, she's growing old Down in the Blues Café Come on down and take a drink with me Sit right down and let your mind run free A little shot of whisky, pass the time away Drinking in the Blues Café This is Tanya, she's a PhD Tell you all about philosophy Fixing drinks for you and me She's working in the Blues Café Come on down and take a drink with me Tonight that's where I'm going to be Another shot of whisky, pass the time away Drinking in the Blues Café The Blues Café’s not hard to find There’s no road map, just a troubled mind I go down to let the pain unwind Down in the Blues Café Come on down and take a drink with me Raise your glass to the company Another shot of whisky, pass the time away Drinking in the Blues Café
John Corlett writes: The starting point here was the idea of the blues as a place, a support centre for the lonely and the disappointed, somewhere between Cesaria Evora's Café Atlantico, Café Aman and a modern-day blues club. Also, I'm always fascinated by the individual atmosphere you can find in bars around the world, the characters and the communities that inhabit them, and the way they interact with music and with alcohol and with the place. There's hopefully a bit of all that in here.
Home to Memphis (c) John Corlett 2009 Wasn't born under a bad sign Didn't ride a train for free Didn't go to the crossroads , do a deal No key to the highway for me But I hear that groove, just have to move The blues won't let me be So take me home to Memphis A place I never came from Take me home to Memphis Where no-one treats you wrong My heart's in the blues, right down to my shoes It's the place that I belong I was just an ordinary kid My dad wasn't rich, nor poor Sang every song I ever heard But always wanted more Then good news - I heard the blues Knocked me to the floor Since that day I've been around Tough times and good times too When I'm down I try to sing The blues will get me through And that's for real, it's the way I feel Always back to the blues
John Corlett writes: I started this out as something of a pastiche, on the subject of playing and singing the blues when you've no real connection with its origins, but as Johnny from kingB pointed out at a rehearsal, there is a serious point. If you feel connected to the music, does it matter who you are or where you come from?
Riding High (c) John Corlett 2008 If you see my baby Tell him not to call If you see my man Just tell him not to call I won’t be home ‘Til night begins to fall No job, but got the car And they’re playing Buddy Guy Come tomorrow, maybe worry Right now I’m gonna drive Sun shining, top down I’m riding high I went out this morning Couldn’t stay at home I went out this morning Just couldn’t stick around at home Such a beautiful day I’m gonna be alone This car is good for nothing But the fuel will last the day My old car’s good for nothing I got fuel to last the day I’m feeling fine in My beat-up cabriolet
John Corlett writes: Bizarrely, the Riding High motif (lyrics and melody) popped into my head while I was listening to another quite unrelated song at a live gig. It was the excellent Sherman Robertson playing at the Famous Monday Blues in Oxford, and I guess it shows the inspirational power of a really good musician. Later I was delighted to find the line 'My beat-up cabriolet' to finish off the lyrics and summarise the bitter-sweet feel (just a shame it's so hard to sing!).
Countdown to the Blues (c) John Corlett, 2007 I call you up, on the telephone A busy line, or you're not home "Leave a message, give your name" You say you're working, but all the same I think it's a countdown, Countdown to the blues You changed your car, a little more style You changed your hair, let it grow awhile You're wearing clothes I've never seen Now I figured out what it means I believe it's a countdown, Countdown to the blues You're buying things I didn't ask for Giving me gifts like never before Then at night, we're far apart Is it the secret of a guilty heart? Feels like a countdown, Countdown to the blues I saw your friend, the other day I went to speak, he walked away He knows there's something going on He can't tell me, but he knows it's wrong It must be a countdown, Countdown to the blues Am I crazy? losing my mind? Maybe suspicious, but I'm not blind You're acting strange, that I can see I've got the feeling you're leaving me I think it's a countdown, Countdown to the blues I believe it's a countdown, Countdown to the blues I believe it's a countdown, Countdown to the blues
John Corlett writes:
The idea for this song, and the overall shape, came to me while walking back to the car after a gig in Burford by Eugene 'Hideaway' Bridges on a beautiful summer night. I think it was generally inspired by his superbly fluent and melodic songwriting style, rather than being based on anything more specific. I developed the song by asking people about the subtle signs that tell you your partner is cheating (I had a few of my own to start with!). With the band it went round a few different rhythmic versions before settling on the current one, which is somewhere between 'I Heard it Through the Grapevine' and 'The Thrill is Gone'.
Silverman (c) John Lanyon, 2007 Silverman, lucky charm I know you miss your friend Silverman, lucky charm Your time is 1 a.m. Silverman, lucky charm Cross my palm with Blues Silverman, lucky charm I hope it works for you Silverman, lucky charm A silver dollar on your chain Silverman, lucky charm You pay for all that pain Silverman, lucky charm It's a long shift in the mine Silver man, lucky charm I'd say you bear the signs Silverman, lucky charm A wise man shall be loved Silverman, lucky charm You know that is enough Silverman, lucky charm Cross my palm with Blues Silverman, lucky charm I hope it works for you
John Lanyon writes:
I wrote Silverman in the summer of 2007. Usually the words come first but with this song the feel and melody were there right from the start. The melody I play as an intro and outro emerged the very first time we jammed on Silverman (just me, Ian Harmonica and Ian Drums).
Oxford blues promoter Philip Guy-Davis is known as Silver Phil because he wears a lot of silver jewelry. I asked him about it and he says he wears it for luck. I think you can see the song as being about the way we seek good fortune in life - the bright streak of metal that will transform our lives and cancel out our negative experiences.
I like the song to be played and sung with "atti-tood"!
Kicking Out Time (c) John Lanyon and John Corlett, 2002 Scrappin' with my baby She said "I've had enough Here's a ticket, lover, Get back on the bus It's kicking-out time It's kicking-out time Don't care if it's raining It's kicking-out time." Standing at the dock gates Leaving with my mates The boss is standing grinning "I don't like your face" It's kicking-out time It's kicking-out time My ship's going down the river It's kicking-out time. Sittin' at the piano I think I've found some rest The blues, you're my baby The blues, you're my bequest It's kicking-out time It's kicking-out time Play my lazy rhythm I'm kicking out time.
John Lanyon writes:
Kicking Out Time was not kingB's first attempt at original composition but it was the first original song to become part of the regular kingB repertoire and audience favourite.
At the end of one of our rehearsals Cat explained he had been out for a bike-ride and a particular riff and tempo had suggested themselves to him. He promptly demonstrated it on bass and I said "I think I can write some lyrics to fit". The next day, in my lunchbreak I wrote the entire lyrics. At the next rehearsal we ran through it and we so pleased with ourselves we just played it over and over.
Currently we use Kicking Out Time as a feature for our harmonica player, Ian Grierson.
Last updated: 20-Mar-11, 21.30