Careless Love- Leadbelly (LA) 1948
[From: Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, SFW40068 1948; Lead Belly's Last Sessions. Although recorded in 1948, Leadbelly indicates that he learned it as a boy. He was born in 1888 near Mooringsport, Louisiana and moved across the border to Texas in 1903 but still played in Shreveport. Huddie could have learned Careless Love in Louisiana or Texas. The accuracy of his comments about the song (on the recording) seem to be wanting (since he started talking about playing the song with Blind Lemon in Dallas in 1904) so I've kept the recording date of 1948. Leadbelly probably played with Blind Lemon about 1912 in Texas and he has given that date as well. If he learned the song as a boy it was before he met Blind Lemon. The date of c.1904 may be accurate.
R. Matteson 2017]
CARELESS LOVE- Sung by Leadbelly in 1948, learned in Louisiana in the early 1900s.
[Instr.]
This is what a girl sings to her boyfriend:
Can't you see what that careless love has done,
Can't you see what that careless love has done,
Can't you see what that careless love has done,
You made me love you, now your girl friend done come.
When I was wearin', my apron so low,
When I was wearin', my apron so low,
When I was wearin', my, apron so low,
I couldn't keep you, away from my door.
Now when my apron up under my chin,
Now when my apron up under my chin,
When my apron, oh Lord up, under my chin,
You would pass my door and but you won't come in.
Can't you see what that old careless love will do,
Can't you see what that old careless love will do,
Can't you see what that old careless love will do,
It can mistreat you, your mama and papa too.
I love my mama and my papa too,
You know I love my mama and my papa too,
I love my mama and I love my papa too,
But I left them both to go along with you.
[inst.]
Goodbye, goodbye, baby goodbye,
Goodbye, goodbye, baby goodbye, (spoken: she don't want to see him no more)
Goodbye, goodbye, if I never see you no more,
You know you drove me away from your door.