Moran Lee "Dock" Boggs (February 7, 1898–February 7, 1971) was an influenti… Read Full Bio ↴Moran Lee "Dock" Boggs (February 7, 1898–February 7, 1971) was an influential old-time singer, songwriter and banjo player. His style of play, as well as his singing, is considered a unique combination of old-time Appalachian mountain music and the blues. Boggs is deemed by contemporary old-time musicians and performers as a seminal figure in old-time music, at least in part because of the appearance of two of his recordings from the 1920s, "Sugar Baby" and "Country Blues", on the influential Anthology of American Folk Music collection.
Boggs was born in Norton, Virginia and began working in the coal mines of Appalachia at the age of twelve. At around this time, Boggs became interested in the banjo. As was the case of many musicians and performers of his era, Boggs learned to play the banjo watching and listening to family members and other performers, drawing additional influence from local African American musicians.
Boggs, while playing a traditional-style of play, did not play in the knock-down, sometimes called clawhammer or frailing style, instead employing a three-finger method that involved picking upwards on the strings of the banjo and permitted him to execute crisp single-note runs in a manner similar to that of a fingerstyle guitarist. Nevertheless, Boggs' style should not be confused with the bluegrass style of playing otherwise known as Scruggs style, made famous by Earl Scruggs, which also involves up-picking the banjo strings.
In 1920 Dock Boggs became influenced by blues tunes. He heard music played and sung by African-Americans while working in the coal mines and around the railroads of Appalachia. In 1927 he attended an audition in Bristol, Tennessee with the Brunswick record company. He was offered a contract to record with Brunswick and as a result travelled to New York where he recorded eight sides: "Sugar Baby," "Down Home Blues," "Country Blues," "Sammie Where Have You Been So Long," "Danville Girl," "Pretty Polly," "New Prisoner's Song" and "Hard Luck Blues." After these sessions, Boggs never recorded for Brunswick again.
By 1933, Boggs had given up hope of making a living as a musician. He hocked his banjo and did not play again until the early 1960s when he was re-discovered by Mike Seeger of the New Lost City Ramblers. As a result of his relationship with Seeger, Boggs enjoyed a renaissance of sorts during the Folk Revival, and recorded again.
Boggs was born in Norton, Virginia and began working in the coal mines of Appalachia at the age of twelve. At around this time, Boggs became interested in the banjo. As was the case of many musicians and performers of his era, Boggs learned to play the banjo watching and listening to family members and other performers, drawing additional influence from local African American musicians.
Boggs, while playing a traditional-style of play, did not play in the knock-down, sometimes called clawhammer or frailing style, instead employing a three-finger method that involved picking upwards on the strings of the banjo and permitted him to execute crisp single-note runs in a manner similar to that of a fingerstyle guitarist. Nevertheless, Boggs' style should not be confused with the bluegrass style of playing otherwise known as Scruggs style, made famous by Earl Scruggs, which also involves up-picking the banjo strings.
In 1920 Dock Boggs became influenced by blues tunes. He heard music played and sung by African-Americans while working in the coal mines and around the railroads of Appalachia. In 1927 he attended an audition in Bristol, Tennessee with the Brunswick record company. He was offered a contract to record with Brunswick and as a result travelled to New York where he recorded eight sides: "Sugar Baby," "Down Home Blues," "Country Blues," "Sammie Where Have You Been So Long," "Danville Girl," "Pretty Polly," "New Prisoner's Song" and "Hard Luck Blues." After these sessions, Boggs never recorded for Brunswick again.
By 1933, Boggs had given up hope of making a living as a musician. He hocked his banjo and did not play again until the early 1960s when he was re-discovered by Mike Seeger of the New Lost City Ramblers. As a result of his relationship with Seeger, Boggs enjoyed a renaissance of sorts during the Folk Revival, and recorded again.
Old Joe's Barroom
Dock Boggs Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by Dock Boggs:
Bright Sunny South In the bright sunny south in peace and content, The…
Cole Younger I am a noted bandit, Cole Younger is my name,…
Country Blues Come all you good time people, While I have money to…
Country_Blues Come all you good time people, While I have money to…
Cuba Take me over to Cuba, I'll cross the waters o'er;…
Danville Girl Oh, I went down to Danville, Got struck on a…
Down Home Blues I'm going to the station Going to catch the fastest train…
Drunkard's Lone Child I'm alone, all alone, my friends all have fled.My father,…
False Hearted Lover's Blues False hearts have been my downfall, Pretty women have been…
Little Black Train God sent to Hezekiah A message from on high "You better set…
Oh Death What is this that I can't see, with icy hands taking…
Pretty Polly I used to be a rambler, I stayed around this…
Roses While I'm Living What care I for the purest white rose Placed in my…
Rowan County Crew Come all you fathers and mothers And brothers, sisters, too …
Sugar Baby Oh I've got no sugar baby now All I can do…
The Country Blues Come all you good time people, While I have money to…
The Death of Jerry Damron In the head of Marrowbone Holler, Where the crystal waters…
Wild Bill Jones I was out a-walking around one night And I met with…
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Adolf Ryan
I was down at old Joe's barroom
A corner by the square.
The drinks were served as usual,
Well, a goodly crowd was there.
On the left stood Joe McKenzie,
His eyes all bloodshot red.
He gazed at the crowd about him,
Boys, this is what he said:
As I passed St. James' Infirmary,
I seen my good gal there.
She was all stretched out on a cold, white table,
So cold, so sweet, so fair.
I may be killed on the ocean
May be struck by a stray cannonball.
You can write in life's history
That a woman was the cause of it all.
If I die, little woman, won't you bury me?
On my tombstone write the letters in black,
Sayin', "There lays my hard-workin' daddy,
Great God, won't you please bring him back?"
I work in these old coal mines
Sundays and all night long,
Tryin' to provide for my wife and baby,
But now she's took it and gone.
Let her go, let her go, God bless her,
She's mine wherever she may be,
She may travel this whole world over,
She'll never find a pal like me.
Want eight easy dice-rollin' hustlers,
Four black-headed women to sing a song.
Fill my casket with moonshine whisky
So I can drink while the hearse rolls on.
Oh, now you've heard my story,
I'll take another shot of booze.
If anybody happens to ask you,
You can tell 'em I've got the poker-playin' blues.
Michael Harvey
Great version of this old classic song !...
Adolf Ryan
What a tune! Lyrics so good
Aloise Kieffer
Yes! Thank you! I've been looking for this forever. I haven't heard this version in ages.
Adolf Ryan
I was down at old Joe's barroom
A corner by the square.
The drinks were served as usual,
Well, a goodly crowd was there.
On the left stood Joe McKenzie,
His eyes all bloodshot red.
He gazed at the crowd about him,
Boys, this is what he said:
As I passed St. James' Infirmary,
I seen my good gal there.
She was all stretched out on a cold, white table,
So cold, so sweet, so fair.
I may be killed on the ocean
May be struck by a stray cannonball.
You can write in life's history
That a woman was the cause of it all.
If I die, little woman, won't you bury me?
On my tombstone write the letters in black,
Sayin', "There lays my hard-workin' daddy,
Great God, won't you please bring him back?"
I work in these old coal mines
Sundays and all night long,
Tryin' to provide for my wife and baby,
But now she's took it and gone.
Let her go, let her go, God bless her,
She's mine wherever she may be,
She may travel this whole world over,
She'll never find a pal like me.
Want eight easy dice-rollin' hustlers,
Four black-headed women to sing a song.
Fill my casket with moonshine whisky
So I can drink while the hearse rolls on.
Oh, now you've heard my story,
I'll take another shot of booze.
If anybody happens to ask you,
You can tell 'em I've got the poker-playin' blues.
reed jones
hey anyone know the cords for guitar?
Opinunate ted
And Cab Caliway picked it up, and it became St. James Infirmery.
Odin029
I have no idea when Dock might have learned this tune, but it wasn't one of his original recordings in the 20s. Louis Armstrong recorded it 1928 and Cab Calloway a few years later
mikewick77
YA!
SirCoughsalot
G, C, and D.
Landon Hall
maybe also a D7?