Furry's style of blues was in many ways typical of the songsters who operated in and around Memphis in the 1920s, for whom the value of a song was the story it told, and who tended to back their words with hypnotic repetitive riffs and subtle slide guitars. Furry Lewis's soft voice and quick slide work were particularly effective in this style. He recorded many successful records in the late '20s including "Kassie Jones",Billy Lyons, Stack-O-Lee and Judge Harsh Blues (later called Good morning judge).
This success was limited to the race records of the time, cheap sides by black musicians for black customers. Furry received neither fame nor fortune for his efforts. In 1962, however, he was recorded by the folklorist Adrian Mitchell and his fortunes began to pick up. Before he died in 1981 Furry opened twice for the Rolling Stones, played on Johnny Carson's Tonight show and had a part in a Burt Reynolds movie, some justice for this great player of the blues and his inimitable slide guitar style.
Joni Mitchell's song, "Furry Sings the Blues" (on her Hejira album), is about Lewis. According to Wikipedia, Lewis despised the Mitchell song and demanded she pay him royalties.
Good Morning Judge
Furry Lewis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Good morning judge, what may be my fine?
Good morning judge, what may be my fine?
Fifty dollars eleven twenty-nine
They arrest me for murder and I ain't never harmed a man
Arrest me for murder and I ain't never harmed a man
Arrest me for forgery and I can't even sign my name
Arrest me for murder and I ain't hurt a man
Arrest me for murder and I ain't harmed a man
Arrest Furry for forgery and he can't even sign his name
Some got six months, some got a solid year
Some got six months, some got a solid year
But me and my partner we got lifetime here
If I just had-a known I was goin' to get so long
If I just had-a known I was goin' to get so long
Boy if I just had-a known I was goin' to get so long
Some Western country would have been my home
Western country would have been my home
Western country would have been my home
I know my baby she don't know I'm here
I know my baby she don't know I'm here
Boy my baby she don't know I'm here
If she do she sure don't feel my care
The song "Good Morning Judge" by Furry Lewis is a blues song with an emphasis on the injustice experienced by the singer, who is unjustly convicted and given a long sentence. The opening lines of the song express the character's resignation towards the justice system, and the fact that it ultimately determines his fate. He repeats the same question thrice, "Good morning judge, what may be my fine?" in a tone tinged with sadness and dismay, suggesting his helplessness.
The upcoming lines emphasize on his being wrongly accused of murder, and his inability to commit forgery. Furry Lewis repeatedly asserts his innocence by stating "Arrest me for murder and I ain't never harmed a man". He also explains his inability to commit forgery by stating "Arrest me for forgery and I can't even sign my name." This creates a feeling of poignancy and injustice within the listener, evoking the feeling that the justice system is not always well-equipped to serve justice to the innocent.
The lyrics further express the character's understanding of the gains and losses of his sentence. He is aware of his lifelong sentence, as he compares it to those who only received six months or a solid year. At the same time, he understands the gravity of his situation, as he muses over the idea that if he knew that he would be serving such a long sentence, he would've chosen to live in some Western country. All of this shows the hardships that come with serving such a sentence and how the character is trying to cope with the harsh reality that he is facing, despite his lack of understanding of why he is being put through this hardship.
Overall, the song creates an intense feeling of injustice and despair, as the listener understands the character's situation and the damaging impacts of the justice system.
Line by Line Meaning
Good morning judge, what may be my fine?
Asking the judge how much he needs to pay as a fine
Fifty dollars eleven twenty-nine
The fine is set at fifty dollars and eleven twenty-nine cents
Arrest me for murder and I ain't never harmed a man
Being charged with murder, though never really harming anyone
Arrest me for forgery and I can't even sign my name
Not able to sign his own name, yet being accused of forgery
Some got six months, some got a solid year
Different people getting different sentences of either six months or a year
But me and my partner we got lifetime here
The singer and his partner have been given a life sentence
If I just had-a known I was goin' to get so long
Regretting not knowing that he would get such a long sentence
Some Western country would have been my home
If he knew about his sentence, he would have fled to a Western country
I know my baby she don't know I'm here
Realizing that his partner doesn't know he's in jail
If she do she sure don't feel my care
Even if she knew about his imprisonment, she doesn't seem to care much
Contributed by Tristan R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@thebrazilianatlantis165
This here is "Good Morning Judge." I got arrested once, all on a humbum. Said, "Good morning judge, what may be my fine?" Now here what I sung to the judge.
Good morning judge, what may be my fine? (3x)
Fifty dollars and eleven twenty-nine
They arrest me for murder, I ain't never harmed a man (2x)
They arrest me for forgery and I can't even sign my name
Don't ever let a woman treat you like mine treat me (3x)
Treat you like someone she ain't never seen
I went to the gypsy for to get my hambone done (3x)
Gypsy said, "Furry, I declare you sure need one"
What in the world is the matter, we can't get along (2x)
Tell the world I ain't going to be here long
We can't get along
Something wrong, we can't get along
Tell me what evil have I done
Tell me baby, what evil have I done? (2x)
Blood in my body done got too low to run
Look like Lord have mercy do not help me none (2x)
I done tried it, tell me what evil have I done
Guitar, sing that for me one
Lord have mercy don't help me none
@mystrbreeze
"This h'yere's Good Morning Judge. I got arrested once, all on a humbum. I said Good morning Judge what may be my fine. Now here what I song to the Judge."
Good morning judge, what may be my fine?
Good morning judge, what may be my fine?
Good morning judge, what may be my fine?
Fifty dollars and eleven twenty-nine
They arrest me for murder I ain't even harmed a man
They arrest me for murder and I ain't never harmed a man
Arrest me for forgery and I can't even sign my name
Don't ever let a woman treat you like mine treat me
Don't never let your woman treat you like mine did me
Don't let your woman treat you like mine treat me
Treat you like someone she ain't never seen
I went in to the kitchen for to get my hambone done
I went to the kitchen to get my hambone done
Went to the kitchen to get my hambone done
Deputy said Furry I'm glad you showed me one.
When the world is a night out we can't get along
It was a night that we can't get along
There it was I ain't gon' sleep alone
we can't get along
something wrong we can't get along
tell me what even have I done
Tell me Baby what even have I done
Tell me Baby what even have I done
Blood in my body I done got to load and run
Look like Lord have mercy do not help me none
Look like Lord have mercy don't help Furry none.
I done tried. Tell me what even have I done?
Guitar, sing that for me once
Lord have mercy don't help me ...
@bigrig569
Found mr lewis a few weeks ago. And I can't have a drink without him. He's blues to a T. Cheers
@tundrabronco9566
I don’t have any idea of how
@furyiiiplate
I counted 3 separate guitar parts going on there. What kind of voodoo is this? So many of us owe him and those like him much more than we could ever give. "Furry" Lord have Mercy.
@georgeleemitchell111
There are only five strings on the guitar he is playing because we couldn't find another string in Memphis at that time on night. Recorded by me, George Mitchell.
@jimparsons639
@@georgeleemitchell111 what string was missing?
@seenonyt2210
@@georgeleemitchell111 thanks for this.
And would you happen to know the tuning he is using here?
Thank you sir.
@notremors
Arrest me for murder and I ain't never harmed a man
Arrest me for forgery and I can't even sign my name
This did my soul good. So glad to find, and grateful for the posting.
@elwoodharrison3510
thanks for the memories n the fun times .
@HermitOfBlackLake
No one will ever play quite like this ever again...
@coravisser727
this is real bluesssssss awesome is this music,thank you so much for uploading.