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Down on Me
Traditional Spiritual and Gospel;
ARTIST: Sung by Janis Joplin album: Big Brother and the Holding Company
SHEET MUSIC:
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RMg0anuc04
CATEGORY: Traditional and Public Domain Gospel
DATE: early 1900s; 1930 recording Eddie Head and His Family
RECORDING INFO: Down on Me
Work, John W. / American Negro Songs and Spirituals, Dover, Bk (1998/1940), p115b
Odetta. My Eyes Have Seen, Vanguard VRS-9059, LP (1960), trk# B.02
Pinckney, Mary. Carawan, Guy & Candie / Sing for Freedom, Sing Out, sof (1990), p235 [1965]
Pinckney, Mary. Carawan, Guy & Candie (eds.) / Ain't You Got A Right to the Tree of Life, Univ. of Georgia, Sof (1989/1966), p137 [1963-65]
Von Schmidt, Eric. Folk Blues of Eric Von Schmidt, Prestige 7717, LP (1963), trk# B.06
OTHER NAMES: French Blues
RELATED TO: Keep Your Hand on the Plow, Hold On; French Blues
SOURCES: Folk Index; Mudcat; Songsters and Saints: Vocal traditions on Race Records, Volume 2 By Paul Oliver
NOTES: "Down on Me" is a traditional spiritual. This version is from Janis Joplin album: Big Brother and the Holding Company. Perhaps the best known version was recorded by Janis Joplin. There is a 1930 recording of 'Down on Me', (vocal, guitar and tambourine) by obscure gospel group, Eddie Head and His Family, on the wonderful compilation CD: 'American Primitive Vol 1: Raw Pre-war Gospel' Revenant 206, the late John Fahey's label.
Another field recording (sung by Mary Pickney and Janie Hunter) is on Been in the Storm So Long: A Collection of Spirituals, Folk Tales and Children's Games from Johns Island, SC (Smithsonian Folkways 40031); the transcription of words & music is in Sing for Freedom (p. 235). Other sound recordings are by the Golden Harps (on V.A., Soul of Chicago)and Edna G. Cooke. Variants are also in Work, American Negro Songs (p. 115); Solomon, Honey in the Rock (Mercer University Press, p. 112); and Peters, Lyrics of the Afro-American Spiritual (p. 10).
Down on Me is also sung by Dock Reed at Livingston, Alabama, 1940 on Various Artists, Negro Religious Songs and Services (Rounder CD 1514). The "down on me" stanza was also used in "French Blues," performed by Frank Evans, recorded by John A. Lomax at Parchman Penitentiary, 1936 (on Various Artists, Deep River of Song: Mississippi Saints & Sinners, Rounder CD 11661-1824-2).
DOWN ON ME (arranged by Janis Joplin album: Big Brother and the Holding Company transcribed by: Kevin Perkins)
Down on me.
Down on me.
Looks like everybody,
In this whole round world,
Is down on me.
Nothin' in this world is so hard to find,
When you've got your,
And I've got mine.
That's why it looks like everybody,
In this whole round world,
Is down on me.
I say, they're down on me.
Down on me.
Looks like everybody,
In this whole round world,
Is down on me.
If you see a hand that's held out toward you,
Give 'em some love,
Someday it maybe you.
That's why it looks like everybody,
In this whole round world,
Is down on me.
Yeah!
Oh Lord, they're down on me.
Down on me.
Oh, it looks like everybody,
In this whole round world,
Is down on me.
I'm leavin' here forever.
Have faith in man.
Help each other, honey,
If you can.
Cause it looks like everybody,
In this whole round world,
Is down on me.
I say, they're down on me.
Oh, down on me.
OH, looks like everybody,
In this whole round world,
Down on me!
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