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."
Don't Mash My Digger So Deep
Bo Carter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Baby and if you don't love my peaches, baby please don't touch my tree
And if you don't want me to have your potatoes, don't mash my digger down so deep
Say's when I use my digger, I use it in different ways,
I dig potatoes for these women, both night and day
Baby if you don't like my peaches, baby please don't-cha touch my tree
And if you don't want me to have your potatoes, don't mash my digger down so deep
Says when I get to use my digger, I use it like I should,
The women all cryin' your old digger, ya know, it digs and feels so good
Baby if you don't like my peaches, baby please don't-cha touch my tree
Baby and if you don't love my peaches, baby please don't touch my tree
And if you don't want me to have your potatoes, don't mash my digger down so deep
Says when I get to use my digger, I use to the side and up and down,
I can dig your potatoes better than any man in this town
Baby if you don't like my peaches, baby please don't-cha touch my tree
Baby and if you don't love my peaches, baby please don't touch my tree
And if you don't want me to have your potatoes, don't mash my digger down so deep
Sometimes it takes three inches to dig for 'tatoes, sometimes it takes four,
When I find 'em deep, you know, I mash it down some more
Baby if you don't like my peaches, baby please don't-cha touch my tree
Baby and if you don't love my peaches, baby please don't touch my tree
And if you don't want me to have your potatoes, don't mash my digger down so deep
The song "Don't Mash My Digger So Deep" by Bo Carter is a classic example of blues innuendo. In this song, the digger is a metaphor for a man's genitals and the potatoes are compared to a woman's sexual organs. The song is about a man who is protective of his love and care towards his woman, referred to as his peaches, and expects the same affection from her in return. He warns her not to touch his tree, which is a euphemism for his body, if she doesn't appreciate him fully. The chorus is a repeated reminder to not mash his digger so deep, which means that she should not abuse him, hurt him or take away his pride.
The song has a sexual connotation and hints at the importance of consensual affection and respect between partners. The metaphorical meaning of the lyrics is creative and the use of slang and euphemism may have allowed Bo Carter to avoid censorship and still convey his message to his audience. The song showcases his skill as a blues musician, his tongue-in-cheek humor, and his ability to tackle taboo subjects that were not openly discussed in the 1930s.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby if you don't like my peaches, baby please don't-cha touch my tree
Please don't interfere with my possessions if you don't value them
Baby and if you don't love my peaches, baby please don't touch my tree
Please don't take or damage anything that I care about
And if you don't want me to have your potatoes, don't mash my digger down so deep
Please don't destroy my property to prevent me from accessing something you possess
Says when I use my digger, I use it in different ways, I dig potatoes for these women, both night and day
I use my tool for various purposes, including helping women dig potatoes continuously
Says when I get to use my digger, I use it like I should, The women all cryin' your old digger, ya know, it digs and feels so good
I use my tool expertly and efficiently, and women appreciate its capabilities
Says when I get to use my digger, I use to the side and up and down, I can dig your potatoes better than any man in this town
I manipulate my tool to dig potatoes in different angles and directions, proving myself superior to other men in the area
Sometimes it takes three inches to dig for 'tatoes, sometimes it takes four, When I find 'em deep, you know, I mash it down some more
Potatoes can be found at different depths, and I push my tool deeper to get to them if necessary
Lyrics © SPIKEDRIVER LLC
Written by: ARMETIA CHATMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Snoop Stock
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startervisions
deep sound
Matrix Master
Awesome^^
Zak Bond
Bo Carter was a prophet...I would hate to see what happens to the lady that mashes his digger down to deep........The resurrection is near.....You all have one day.......