Nehemiah Curtis "Skip" James (June 9, 1902 – October 3, 1969) was an Americ… Read Full Bio ↴Nehemiah Curtis "Skip" James (June 9, 1902 – October 3, 1969) was an American Delta blues singer, guitarist, pianist and songwriter.

His guitar playing is noted for its dark, minor-key sound, played in an open D-minor tuning with an intricate finger picking technique. James first recorded for Paramount Records in 1931, but these recordings sold poorly, having been released during the Great Depression, and he drifted into obscurity.

After a long absence from the public eye, James was "rediscovered" in 1964 by blues enthusiasts, helping further the blues and folk music revival of the 1950s and early 1960s. During this period, James appeared at folk and blues festivals, gave concerts around the country and recorded several albums for various record labels. His songs have influenced generations of musicians and have been adapted by numerous artists. He has been hailed as "one of the seminal figures of the blues.

James was described as aloof and moody. The musicologist Dick Spottswood commented, "Skip James, you never knew. Skip could be sunshine, or thunder and lightning depending on his whim of the moment".

James is sometimes associated with the Bentonia School, which is either a subgenre of blues music or a style of playing it. Calt, in his 1994 biography of James, I'd Rather Be the Devil: Skip James and the Blues, maintained that no style of blues originated in Bentonia and that the "Bentonia School" is simply a notion of later blues writers who overestimated the provinciality of Mississippi during the early 20th century, when railways linked small towns, and who failed to see that in the case of Jack Owens, "the 'tradition' he bore primarily consisted of musical scraps from James' table". Owens and other musicians who may have been contemporaries of James were not recorded until the revival of interest in blues music in the 1960s. Whether the work of these musicians constituted a "school" and whether James originated it or was a member of it remain open questions.

Drunken Spree
Skip James Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Don't you rap no more"

I love Miss Willie, yes, I do
I love her till the sea go dry
And if I thought she didn't love me
I'd take morphine and die

She's up in her little stockin' feet, tippin' 'cross the floor
Just like she had done before
Yes, and I pawned my clothes, pawned my shoe
I'll never get drunk no more

I begged Miss Willie, down on my knee
To forgive me, if she please
"Well, you done caused me to weep
And you caused me to moan
Done caused me to lose my happy home"

I hollered, "Oh me, oh my
I'll never let another drink go by"
If I thought she didn't love me
I'd take morphine and die

I pawned my watch, pawned my chain
Pawned my diamond ring

And if that don't settle all my drunken spree
Lord, I'll never get drunk again

Overall Meaning

The first verse of Skip James's song "Drunken Spree" is a confession of a man who has reached the end of his rope. He has pawned all of his material possessions, including his watch, chain and diamond ring, and hopes that this will be enough to pay for his alcohol-fueled bender. He promises himself that if this still does not fulfill his desire to drink, he will give up alcohol for good. This verse speaks of desperation and the struggle to overcome addiction.

The second verse introduces Miss Willie as a woman who has an impact on the singer's life. She knocks on his door late at night, but he does not want her to do so anymore. He loves her deeply, but if he realizes that the feelings are not reciprocated, he would rather die than continue living. The following lines speak of Miss Willie's simple movements which remind the singer of better times, but they are short-lived. The verse ends with the singer's admission that he has pawned all of his clothes and shoes in a desperate attempt to obtain alcohol.

The final verse is a plea for Miss Willie's forgiveness. The singer begs her to take him back and promises to never drink again, even if he dies trying. He acknowledges that his drinking has caused her pain and made her lose her home. The verse ends with the singer's vow to never let another drink go by if Miss Willie truly loves him.

Overall, Skip James's "Drunken Spree" is a heartfelt and emotional song that portrays addiction as a dangerous and destructive force. It also highlights the power of love and the willingness to change for the sake of a loved one.

Line by Line Meaning

I pawned my watch, pawned my chain
I sold my valuable possessions for money

Pawned my diamond ring
I was so desperate for cash that I even sold my diamond ring

If that don't settle my drunken spree
If the amount of money I got from selling my things isn't enough to end my drunkenness

I'll never get drunk again
I won't drink again if this doesn't work

It was late last night when Miss Willie come home
Miss Willie came home late last night

She'd made one rap on my door
She knocked on my door once

I said, "Is that you, Miss Willie? I'd like to know Don't you rap no more"
I asked if it was her and told her not to knock anymore

I love Miss Willie, yes, I do I love her till the sea go dry
I love Miss Willie very much

And if I thought she didn't love me I'd take morphine and die
If I ever think that Miss Willie doesn't love me, I'd rather die

She's up in her little stockin' feet, tippin' 'cross the floor Just like she had done before
She's walking across the floor quietly and gracefully

Yes, and I pawned my clothes, pawned my shoe I'll never get drunk no more
I sold all of my clothes and shoes and promised to never drink again

I begged Miss Willie, down on my knee To forgive me, if she please
I apologized to Miss Willie and begged for her forgiveness on my knees

"Well, you done caused me to weep And you caused me to moan Done caused me to lose my happy home"
Miss Willie expresses her anger and sadness for what I have done

I hollered, "Oh me, oh my I'll never let another drink go by"
I shouted that I'll never drink again

If I thought she didn't love me I'd take morphine and die
This line is repeated to emphasize the seriousness of my love for Miss Willie

I pawned my watch, pawned my chain Pawned my diamond ring And if that don't settle all my drunken spree Lord, I'll never get drunk again
This chorus is repeated to emphasize my desperation to end my drunkenness

Lyrics © WYNWOOD MUSIC CO. INC., Peermusic Publishing
Written by: SKIP JAMES

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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I pawned my watch, pawned my chain
Pawned my diamond ring
If that don't settle my drunken spree
I'll never get drunk again
It was late last night when Miss Willie come home
She'd made one rap on my door
I said, "Is that you, Miss Willie? I'd like to know
Don't you rap no more"
I love Miss Willie, yes, I do
I love her till the sea go dry
And if I thought she didn't love me
I'd take morphine and die
She's up in her little stockin' feet, tippin' 'cross the floor
Just like she had done before
Yes, and I pawned my clothes, pawned my shoe
I'll never get drunk no more
I begged Miss Willie, down on my knee
To forgive me, if she please
"Well, you done caused me to weep
And you caused me to moan
Done caused me to lose my happy home"
I hollered, "Oh me, oh my
I'll never let another drink go by"
If I thought she didn't love me
I'd take morphine and die
I pawned my watch, pawned my chain
Pawned my diamond ring
And if that don't settle all my drunken spree
Lord, I'll never get drunk again