Cabbage Head Blues- Kimbrough (MO) 1926 REC
[I've quickly transcribed this- there are a few errors/mishearings. This is the first 12 bar blues/jazz recording of Our Goodman predating Cat Man Blues, which only quotes a verse. The "Now I've travelled" stanza has an extended form. Lottie was renamed Lena Kimbrough for this session on the new African-American label, Meritt. She sang the female part with her brother Sylvester singing the man's part-- with both making frequent ad libs. They were backed by Paul Banks Kansas Trio with Clifford Banks (Paul's brother) on clarinet and Simon Hoe on a single-string violin of his own construction.]
From Wiki: Lottie Kimbrough (1900– unknown) was an American country blues singer, who was also billed as Lottie Kimborough, Lottie Beaman, and Lena Kimbrough (amongst several others). Kimbrough was a large woman, and was nicknamed "the Kansas City Butterball". Her recording career lasted from 1924 to 1929, however Allmusic journalist Burgin Mathews stated "Kimbrough's vocal power, and the unique arrangements of several of her best pieces, rank her as one of the sizable talents of the 1920s blues tradition.
Biography
Kimbrough was born in West Bottoms, Kansas City, Missouri, and retained close links to her local community. She was managed by Winston Holmes, himself a local musician and music promoter. Her music career began in the early part of the 1920s, when she performed in Kansas City's nightclubs and speakeasys. In 1924 she undertook her first recording session at Paramount Records, where she was recorded alongside Ma Rainey. Her earliest recordings used the twins Milas (banjo) and Miles Pruitt (guitar), whilst she was later backed by Jimmy Blythe (piano). In 1925 she shared recording studio space with Papa Charlie Jackson. The same year she cut some tracks for the Holmes owned Merrit Records.
As time progressed, Kimbrough recorded and performed using a number of pseudonyms. Whilst she used her married name, Lottie Beaman, on almost half of her tracks, Holmes suggested for her 1926 recording sessions that she was renamed Lena Kimbrough. More pertinently her manager substituted a photograph of Kimbrough's more photogenic sister, Estella, for Lottie's publicity purposes. She also appeared billed as either Clara Cary or Mae Moran. She further recorded in Richmond, Indiana, and alternate namings were used for issues by Gennett, Champion (billed as Lottie Emerson), Supertone (as Lottie Brown) and Superior Records (as Martha Johnson). Her Gennett sessions included the tracks "Rolling Log Blues" and "Goin' Away Blues", which music journalist Tony Russell described as having "haunting beauty".
Kimbrough's brother Sylvester appeared with her in vaudeville, and in 1926 he supplied recording accompaniment with Paul Banks' Kansas City Trio. Nevertheless, it was Kimbrough's musical collaboration with Holmes which provided her better known recordings. Holmes supplied a series of yodels, and vocalised bird calls and train whistles on both "Lost Lover Blues" and "Wayward Girl Blues" (1928). Miles Pruitt was part of this recording and was a regular partner throughout Kimbrough's recording and concert career. He was featured again when Kimbrough recorded her final session in November 1929.
Her self-penned song "Rolling Log Blues" has subsequently been recorded by Jo Ann Kelly, Woody Mann, Son House, The Blues Band, Rory Block, Eric Bibb, and Maria Muldaur. Little is known of her life beyond her recording career.
Cabbage Head Blues- Lottie Kimbrough [Lottie Beaman] Kansas City, MO. Recorded ca. mid-1926, Meritt 2201.
I want ask you all a question, sweet mama don't you lie to me
I want ask you all a question, sweet mama don't you lie to me
Whose head is on the pillow where mine ought to be?
Lawd Lawd daddy you blind and surely can not see,
Lawd Lawd daddy you blind and can not see,
That was nothing but a cabbage head your mama sent to me.
Now I've travelled this country for twenty-five years,
I been travelling for about forty years more,
I've travelled this country for twenty long years or more
I've never see a head of cabbage with [a] moustache on before
Now listen kind daddy don't you come undone
Now listen kind daddy don't you go undone
You got a nice kind mama to go and get your washing done.
I want ask you one more a question, sweet mama don't you lie to me [ ? ]
Lawd, Lawd, Lawd, sweet mama don't you lie to me
[ ? ] where mine ought to be.
Lawd wait a minute daddy I will explain you see
Lawd wait a minute daddy I will explain you see
Lawd it's nothing but sweet potatoes your mama sent to me
Now I've travelled this country for twenty-five miles,
I've gone [?] out there for a million miles or more
I've travelled this country for twenty-five miles or more
I've never see a sweet potato with clothes on before.