Careless Love- Dock Boggs (VA) 1968 REC
[From: transcription in booklet accompanying 'Dock Boggs Vol 3' Asch Recordings AH 3903. This song has been reissued on the 2-CD set Dock Boggs 'His Folkways Years 1963-1968' Smithsonian/Folkways SF 40108. Liner notes follow,
R. Matteson 2017]
Dock Boggs' version of 'Careless Love' is a composite from different singers, floaters and records. As Dock noted: '... I've heard it sung by people the country around, and an awful lot of different versions of it, and different words ... But I just picked it up from this, that and the other one, the verses I thought sounded best ... There's an awful lot of "Careless Love"; it's very easy to make a verse of "Careless Love". I don't know, some of the verses, I may have made them myself, that I sing'. [From booklet for 'Dock Boggs Vol 3' Asch Recordings AH 3903].
Careless Love - sung by Dock Boggs, recorded on Feb. 10, 1968.
Oh love, oh love, oh careless love
Oh love, oh love, oh careless love, lord, lord
Love, oh love, oh careless love
You see what careless love has done
Oh when my money you could blow
Oh when my money you could blow, lord, lord
When my money you could blow
You was always hanging 'round my door
I wish to the lord that train would run
I wish to the lord that train would run, lord, lord
I wish to the lord that train would run
To carry me back where I came from
Oh now my money's all spent and gone
Oh now my money's all spent and gone, lord, lord
Oh now my money's all spent and gone
You pass my door and sing a song
I wish to the lord that train would run
I wish to the lord that train would run, lord, lord
I wish to the lord that train would run
To carry me back where I came from
Oh mama, mama, yonder he goes
Oh mama, mama, yonder he goes, lord, lord
Mama, oh mama, yonder he goes
With a brand new hat and a suit of clothes
Go place this ring upon his hand
Go place this ring upon his hand, lord, lord
Go place this ring upon his hand
To show to the world he's a married man
Go take this ring and put it on
Go take this ring and put it on, lord, lord
Take this ring and put it on
And think of me, oh when I'm gone
If I had listened to what mama said
If I had listened to what mama said, lord, lord
If I had listened to what mama said
I'd been at home in mama's bed
Oh love, oh love, oh careless love
Oh love, oh love, oh love, oh lord, lord, lord
Love, oh love, oh careless love
You see what careless love has done
You can pass my door, you can pass my gate
You can pass my door, you can pass my gate, lord, lord
You can pass my door, you can pass my gate
But you sure can't pass this thirty-eight
Oh love, oh love, oh careless love
Oh love, oh love, oh love, oh lord, lord, lord
Love, oh love, oh careless love
You see what careless love has done
Oh when I die don't bury me deep
Oh when I die don't bury me deep, lord, lord
Oh when I die don't bury me deep
Place a marble rock at my head and feet
Upon my breast place a lily-white dove
Upon my breast place a lily-white dove, lord, lord
Upon my breast place a lily-white dove
For to show the world I died for love
Oh love, oh love, oh careless love
Oh love, oh love, oh love, oh lord, lord, lord
Love, oh love, oh careless love
You see what careless love has done