|
Arabella
Old-time; country blues, not widely known
ARTIST: Jimmie Davis 1931
CATEGORY: Blues and Jazz Songs DATE: 1931
RECORDING INFO: Jimmie Davis; Victor 23517 : Issued January 1931
RELATED TO: Corrine Corrina
SOURCES: Honking Duck;
NOTES: Jimmie Rodgers did blues with sometimes bawdy song lyrics early in his career after he signed with Victor. In July 1928 Jimmie Davis accompanied by James Enloe on piano waxed his first sides for the Doggone label in Chicago, Illinois: “Ramona,” “You’d Rather Forget Than Forgive,” Jimmie Rodger’s “Way Out on the Mountain” and “Think of Me Thinking of You.”
His next attempt at recording was in Dallas for Columbia but the two songs cut on Dec. 4, 1928 were never issued. His recording career really started when he recorded for Victor in Memphis, Tennessee on September 19, 1929 with Prentis Dumas also playing guitar, where he cut blues oriented sides in the style of his idol, Jimmie Rodgers.
Arabella, Arabella is similar to Corrina Corrina and is probably loosely based on that or a similar blues. Davis does an octave yodel on the last word in each verse.
Here are the lyrics to “Arabella:”
ARABELLA; Jimmie Davis 1931
(Slide intro)
Arabella, Arabella how come you do me like you do
Arabella, Arabella how come you do me like you do
You left me grievin', as you were leaving.
Arabella, Arabella how come you do me like you do-oo.
Arabella, Arabella when you coming home,
Arabella, Arabella when you coming home,
Ain't seen no women, now I'm not just foolin'
Ain't seen no women since you've been gone. (Slide solo)
Arabella, Arabella what makes you so mean
Arabella, Arabella what makes you so mean
I'm tired and bothered and I'm wet and worried
I'll get another mama in New Orleans
Arabella, Arabella on the judgement day
Arabella, Arabella on the judgement day
I'm flyin' with the angels, you fly with the sinners
Arabella Arabella what makes you go a way-ee.
|