Since the 1960s, Carter has become best known for his bawdy songs such as "Banana in Your Fruit Basket", "Pin in Your Cushion", "Your Biscuits Are Big Enough for Me", "Please Warm My Wiener" and "My Pencil Won't Write No More". However, his output was not restricted to risqué music. In 1928, he recorded the original version of "Corrine, Corrina", which later became a hit for Big Joe Turner and has become a standard in various musical genres.
Carter and his brothers (including pianist Harry Chatmon, who also made recordings), first learned music from their father, ex-slave fiddler Henderson Chatmon, at their home on a plantation between Bolton and Edwards, Mississippi. Their mother, Eliza, also sang and played guitar.
Carter made his recording debut in 1928, backing Alec Johnson. Carter soon was recording as a solo artist and became one of the dominant blues recording acts of the 1930s, recording 110 sides. He also played with and managed the family group, the Mississippi Sheiks, and several other acts in the area. He and the Sheiks often played for whites, playing the pop hits of the day and white-oriented dance material, as well as for blacks, using a bluesier repertoire.
Carter went partly blind during the 1930s. He settled in Glen Allan, Mississippi and despite his vision problems did some farming but also continued to play music and perform, sometimes with his brothers. Carter moved to Memphis, and worked outside the music industry in the 1940s.
Carter suffered strokes and died of a cerebral hemorrhage at Shelby County Hospital, Memphis, on September 21, 1964.
Bo Carter's style of playing the guitar and his songwriting won him fans long after he died. One of the most notable examples was blues-rock guitarist, Rory Gallagher from Ireland, who performed several of his songs, including, "All Around Man."
All Around Man
Bo Carter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can do your cuttin' 'til the butcher man comes
'Cause I'm a all-around man, oh I'm a all-around man,
I'm a all-around man, I can do most anything that comes my hand
Now I ain't no plumber, no plumber's son,
I can do your screwin' till the plumber man comes
'Cause I'm a all-around man, oh I'm a all-around man,
Now I ain't no miller, no miller's son,
I can do your grindin' 'til the miller man comes
'Cause I'm a all-around man, oh I'm a all-around man,
I'm a all-around man, I can do most anything that comes my hand
Now I ain't no milkman, no milkman's son,
I can pull your titties 'til the milkman comes
'Cause I'm a all-around man, oh I'm a all-around man,
I'm a all-around man, I can do most anything that comes my hand
Now I ain't no spring-man1, no spring-man's son,
I can bounce your springs 'til the spring-man comes
'Cause I'm a all-around man, oh I'm a all-around man,
I'm a all-around man, I can do most anything that comes my hand
Now I ain't no auger-man2, no auger-man's son,
I can blow your hole 'til the auger-man comes
'Cause I'm a all-around man, oh I'm a all-around man,
I'm a all-around man, I can do most anything that comes my hand
In Bo Carter's song "All Around Man," the singer proclaims that he is a versatile and multi-talented man who can perform a variety of tasks, such as cutting meat, plumbing, grinding, milking, and even spring-bouncing and hole-blowing. He claims to be able to do all of these jobs until the proper professional arrives, demonstrating his competence and adaptability. The song's lyrics suggest that the singer is a jack-of-all-trades who can handle whatever comes his way, making him a valuable and useful member of society.
Line by Line Meaning
Now I ain't no butcher, no butcher's son,
I want to make it clear that I have no background in butchery or related areas
I can do your cuttin' 'til the butcher man comes
Despite my lack of experience, I can handle cutting tasks until a professional butcher can take over
'Cause I'm an all-around man, oh I'm an all-around man,
This is because I am a versatile and capable person
I'm an all-around man, I can do most anything that comes my hand
When it comes to performing tasks, I am confident that I can handle a wide variety of them
Now I ain't no plumber, no plumber's son,
Just like butchery, I have no formal training in plumbing or related areas
I can do your screwin' till the plumber man comes
However, I am skilled enough to handle basic plumbing tasks until a professional plumber can take over
Now I ain't no miller, no miller's son,
I also lack experience in milling or related areas
I can do your grindin' 'til the miller man comes
Despite my lack of expertise, I am capable of grinding materials until a professional miller can take over
Now I ain't no milkman, no milkman's son,
I am not from a family of milkmen or have any training in dairy work
I can pull your titties 'til the milkman comes
However, I am comfortable and skilled enough to handle milking duties until a professional milkman can take over
Now I ain't no spring-man, no spring-man's son,
I have no background or training in spring-making or related areas
I can bounce your springs 'til the spring-man comes
Despite my lack of experience, I am able to handle spring-related tasks until a professional 'spring-man' arrives
Now I ain't no auger-man, no auger-man's son,
I am not from a family of auger-men or have any training in drilling or related areas
I can blow your hole 'til the auger-man comes
Nevertheless, I am capable of drilling holes until a professional auger-man can take over
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@JimDixon55104
1. Now I ain't no butcher, no butcher's son.
I can do your cuttin' till the butcher-man come.
CHORUS: 'Cause I'm a all-round man.
Oh, I'm a all-round man.
I mean I'm all-round man; I can do 'most an'thing that come to hand.
2. Now I ain't no plumber, no plumber's son.
I can do your screwin' till the plumber-man come.
3. Now I ain't no miller, no miller's son.
I can do your grindin' till the miller-man come.
SPOKEN: Oh, baby, you know I'm all-round man.
4. Now I ain't no milkman, no milkman's son.
I can pull your titties till the milkman come.
5. Now I ain't no spring-man, no spring-man's son.
I can bounce your springs till the spring-man come.
6. Now I ain't no auger-man, no auger-man's son.
I can bore your hole till the auger=man comes.
@nulvasconcelos8268
i´m from mozambique in africa to listen to the legendary blues man bo carter
@sonjadietz5297
Rory Gallagher ..............Bo Carter........: The Blues....! RIP
@Just_a_Reflection
An elder brother, who I am sure has passed on, used to quote the opening lines of this. "I ain't no butcher man, or no butcher man's son..." Rest in Power, Big Bro Claude.
@aisforapple2494
KING OF THE DOUBLE ENTENDRÉ!
@glennweiser7465
More like the single entendre, so goes the joke.
@dougzilla
I can only like this once -- such a pity -- it is awesome.
@joyceh2721
Only heard the rory version. Rory's nephew, Daniel. Said that rory changed the lyrics cos he was a bit too shy about singing the original. A lot of the old blues songs were double entendre in those days. Alberta hunter for instance - wonderful woman, have a listen to her blues lovers. Rory introduced us to a lot of amazing artists. Rory's version at the Hammersmith Odeon on his 29th birthday was epic. Thanks for the upload.
@thechuckcallaway
Love me some Bo Carter. I'm gonna play this song at my gig this weekend
@glennweiser7465
Thanks, man.
@Vegasbaby115
May mr Luther Holbert and the woman that died with him Rest In Peace