The Mississippi Sheiks consisted mainly of the Chatmon family, who came from Bolton, Mississippi and were well known throughout the Mississippi Delta. The father of the family had been a "musicianer" (someone with good technical ability on his or her instrument adept at sight-reading written music) during slavery times, and his children carried on the musical spirit. Their most famous (although by no means permanent) member was Armenter Chatmon - better known as Bo Carter - who managed a successful solo career as well as playing with the Sheiks, which may have contributed to their success.
When the band first recorded in 1930, the line-up consisted of Carter with Lonnie and Sam Chatmon, and Walter Vinson. Charlie McCoy (not to be confused with Charlie McCoy, a later American musician) played later, when Bo Carter and Sam Chatmon ceased playing full time. It was Lonnie Chatmon and Vinson who formed the real center of the group.
Bo Carter's solo work is notable for being sexually suggestive in songs and this is carried on to an extent with the group. They primarily earned their income like Robert Johnson and Skip James. They toured throughout the Southern United States, but also reached as far north as Chicago and New York.
Their first and biggest success was "Sitting on Top of the World" (1930), later to be recorded by Bob Wills (numerous times), Howlin' Wolf, Nat King Cole, Bill Monroe, Harry Belafonte, Frank Sinatra, Bob Dylan, Cream, Grateful Dead, Jeff Healey, John Lee Hooker, Bill Frisell and Jack White, and re-done by Robert Johnson, as "Come On in My Kitchen". The song was also the theme to the film A Face in the Crowd (1957) produced by Elia Kazan and starring Andy Griffith. Throughout their five active years, the Mississippi Sheiks recorded over seventy songs for the Okeh, Paramount and Bluebird labels.
Their last recording session as the Mississippi Sheiks was in 1936. Bo made a few more sessions on his own, but by 1938 he too was dropped. When the band dissolved, the Chatmon brothers gave up music and returned to farming.
The Sheiks and related groups under other names, such as Mississippi Mud Steppers and Blacksnakes, recorded about a hundred sides in the first half of the 1930s, among them original compositions (probably by Vinson) like "The World is Going Wrong" and "I've Got Blood in My Eyes For You" (1931) - both recorded by Bob Dylan - or the topical "Sales Tax" (1934).
Sam Chatmon made more recordings in the 1960s and Walter Vinson contributed three selections (using the Mississippi Sheiks band name) to Riverside's 1961 series, Chicago: The Living Legends.
In 2004, they were inducted in the Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame. Their 1930 blues single "Sitting on Top of the World" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008.
In 1978 Rory Gallagher recorded a tribute song "The Mississippi Sheiks" for his Photo Finish album.
In 2009, Black Hen Music released Things About Comin' My Way, a tribute album to the Mississippi Sheiks. The album's seventeen artists include Bruce Cockburn, Bill Frisell, The Carolina Chocolate Drops, Geoff Muldaur, Kelly Joe Phelps and John Hammond.
In 2013 Jack White's Third Man Records teamed up with Document Records to reissue The Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order of Charley Patton, Blind Willie McTell and The Mississippi Sheiks.
Your Good Man Caught The Train And Gone
Mississippi Sheiks Lyrics
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If you don't want me, won't you please tell me so?
I can get a woman anywhere I go
Just as sure as you hear me singing this lonesome song, sweet mama
Just as sure as you hear me singing this lonesome song
Where it ain't no loving, it ain't no getting along
You can treat me mean, mean as you can be
But there is coming a day you will be longing for me
You will long for me but I will be far away, sweet mama
You will long for me but I will be far away
Then you will miss my loving each night and day
I laid down last night, tried to take my rest, sweet mama
I laid down last night, I tried to take my rest
My mind begin to ramble like wild geese in the west
When you get up in the morning,
Begin to sing this lonesome song, sweet mama
When you get up in the morning, sing this lonesome song
I had a good man, he caught the train and gone
The Mississippi Sheiks' song "Your Good Man Caught The Train And Gone" is a classic blues tune with lyrics that speak to the pain of unrequited love and abandonment. The song's protagonist addresses a woman who has presumably rejected him, pleading with her to be honest if she no longer wants him. He asserts that he can find love elsewhere, but the loss still pains him deeply. As he sings, "Where it ain't no loving, it ain't no getting along," it's clear that he is struggling to come to terms with the loss of his relationship.
The song takes on a tone of bitterness as the singer accuses the woman of being cruel to him, insisting that someday she will regret her actions. Throughout the song, the singer laments the loss of his "good man" who has left him and will not be returning. The final verse describes a restless night, where he cannot find peace nor forget his heartbreak.
Line by Line Meaning
If you don't want me, won't you please tell me so, sweet mama?
I need to know if you don't love me anymore; be honest with me.
I can get a woman anywhere I go
I don't need you to be happy; I can find someone else.
Just as sure as you hear me singing this lonesome song, sweet mama
I am feeling lonely and sad, and I hope you can hear it in my voice.
Where it ain't no loving, it ain't no getting along
There's no love or happiness where I am right now, and I'm struggling to get by.
You can treat me mean, mean as you can be, sweet mama
You can be as cruel as you want, but I know you'll regret it eventually.
But there is coming a day you will be longing for me
I may be gone, but someday you'll realize how much you loved me.
You will long for me but I will be far away, sweet mama
By the time you realize your mistake, I'll be out of your reach.
Then you will miss my loving each night and day
You'll realize how much you needed me, and how much I loved you.
I laid down last night, tried to take my rest, sweet mama
I tried to sleep, but my mind wouldn't let me rest.
My mind begin to ramble like wild geese in the west
My thoughts wandered aimlessly, like a flock of geese flying off into the distance.
When you get up in the morning, begin to sing this lonesome song, sweet mama
When you wake up, you'll feel as lonely as I do, and maybe you'll understand me better.
I had a good man, he caught the train and gone
I had a great partner, but he left me and moved on with his life.
Writer(s): bo carter
Contributed by Charlie R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.