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I Don’t Love Nobody (original lyrics edited)
Old-Time Breakdown and Ragtime Song- USA; Texas, Arkansas, Georgia. Words & music by Lew Sully.
ARTIST: By Lew Sully from The John Hay Library Sheet Music Collection; Originally published: New York : Howley, Haviland & Co., c1896.
CATEGORY: Fiddle and Instrumental Tunes DATE: 1896
OTHER NAMES: "I Don't Want to Get Married;" “Duplin County Blues;” “I Ain't Got Nobody”
RELATED TO: Sam McGee Stomp ; Santa Claus
RECORDING INFO: Conqueror 8239 (78 RPM), Doc Roberts (Ky. Recorded in 1932 and learned directly from the earlier Skillet Lickers recording). County 412, "Fiddling Doc Roberts" (1983). Davis Unlimited 33015, Doc Roberts- "Classic Fiddle Tunes." Rounder 0088, Allen Shelton- "Shelton Special." Rounder SS-0145, Snuffy Jenkins. Rounder Records, Gid Tanner and his Skillet Lickers - "The Kickapoo Medecine Show" (appears as 5th tune of the Kickapoo Medecine Show skit). Starday SLP 235, Curly Fox (1963). In the repertoire of W.Va. brother band the Tweedy Brothers (Harry, George, and Charles), c. 1930, who played twin fiddles and piano; in the repertoire of guitar player Elizabeth Cotten (1895-198?), Chapel Hill, N.C. Brown, Herschel; & his Washboard Band. Southern Dance Music, Vol. 1, Old-Timey LP 100, LP (196?), cut# 16 (Nobody Loves Me); Bulla Family. Family Fiddlin', Family Vision Ministries, Cas (1989), cut#B.01; Cohen, Andy. Shuffle Rag, June Appal JA 0027, LP (1979), cut#B.03; Cotten, Elizabeth. Folksongs and Instrumentals with Guitar, Folkways FG 3526, LP (1958), cut# 4; Dickel Brothers. Dickel Brothers Volume Two, Empty Records MTR 383, LP (2000), cut#B.04; Even Dozen Jug Band. Jug Band Music and Rags of the South, Archive of Folksong FS-339, LP (1978), cut# 5; Flippen, Benton. Old Times, New Times, Rounder 0326, Cas, cut# 22; Galbraith, Art. Dixie Blossoms, Rounder 0133, LP (1980), cut# 9; Jenkins, Snuffy; and Pappy Sherrill. Traditional Music on Rounder, Rounder SS0145, LP (1981), cut# 11; Milnes, Gerry. Old Time Fiddling of Braxton County. Vol 2, Augusta Heritage AHR 013, Cas (1992), cut# 7; O'Connor, Mark. National Junior Fiddle Champion, Rounder 0046, LP (1975), cut# 10; Old Hat Band. Concert, Voyager VRLP 307-S, LP (197?), cut# 3; Plank Road String Band. Plank Road String Band, Carryon, LP (1976), cut#A.05; Pollard, Randy. I'm Just a Country Boy, JRS LSP 2240, LP (1982), cut#A.05; Poplin Family. Poplin Family of Sumter, South Carolina, Folkways FA 2306, LP (1963), cut#A.07 (I Don't Want to Get Married); Reno, Don; Bill Harrell and the Tenn. Cutups. Don Reno and Bill Harrell with the Tennesse Cutups, Rural Rhythm RR 171, LP (196?), cut# 10; Richardson, Larry; & Red Barker & the Blue Ridge B. Blue Ridge Bluegrass, County 702, LP, cut# 4; Roberts, Fiddlin' Doc. Old Time Tunes, County 412, LP, cut# 4; Roberts, Fiddlin' Doc. Classic Fiddle Tunes, Davis Unlimited DU 33015, LP (197?), cut# 10; Shupe, Jim; Family. National Oldtime Fiddlers' Contest & Folk Music Festival. 1972, Century, LP (1972), cut#A.04; Smoke, Herbert. Mountain Fiddler, Skyline DD 105, LP (1973), cut# 7; Solomon, Vernon. Texas Breakdown, Davis Unlimited DU 33038, LP (1976), cut# 12; Spark Gap Wonder Boys. Cluck Old Hen, Rounder 0002, LP (1970), cut#B.09; Stripling Brothers. Lost Child, County 401C, Cas (1971), cut#B.05 (Big Eyed Rabbit); Sutphin, J. C. "Cleve". American Banjo, Folkways FA 2314, LP (1966), cut# 21; Tanner, Gid and Gordon. Skillet Licker Music, 1955-1991. The Tanner Legacy, Global Village C 310, Cas (1992), cut#A.04 (Don't Love Nobody); Wear, DeWayne; and the Great Wear Family. Hoe Down! Vol. 4, Rural Rhythm RR 121, LP (197?), cut# 14 (I Ain't Love Nobody); Wills, Bob. Fiddle, Country Music Foundation CMF-010-L, LP (1987), cut# 16.
SOURCES: Randolph 782, "I Love a Nobody" (1 text, 1 tune) Doc Roberts (KY) and Tommy Jackson [Phillips]. Brody (Fiddler's Fakebook), 1983; pg. 139. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), Vol. 2, 1995; pg. 67; Martin, Pete. Devil's Box, Devil's Box DB, Ser (196?), 31/1, p40.
NOTES: C Major ('A' part). & A Minor ('B' part). Standard. AAB (Phillips): AABB (Brody). This popular ragtime and tin-pan alley song by Lew Sully been covered by many old-time fiddlers; The sheet music cover features a photo of Sully in black-face.
Paul Stamler points out that this was a "popular string ragtime song in the 1920’s.” Charles Wolfe (1983) remarks that it was issued by no less than six labels in the early 1930's. The tune was recorded for the Library of Congress by musicologist/folklorist Vance Randolph from Ozark Mountain fiddlers in the early 1940's. Here are the original lyrics:
Met Miss Martha Johnson at a colored ball,
Tried her best to shake me, wouldn’t work at all.
Told her that I loved her, marry quick as (a) wink,
She said look here *mister, I’m gwine to talk distinct!
Chorus: I don't love nobody, nobody loves me,
You’re after my money, you don't care for me.
I’m gonna live single, always a be free,
I don't love nobody, nobody loves me.
Born in Kentucky, lived there all of my life
I've been very lucky, never had a wife
Mighty near it Sunday, I asked a girl to wed
Met the lady Monday, and this is what she said, Umph!
Chorus:
Went out Tuesday evening, ‘long with Carter Bryce,
Broke that Kansas *gambler shootin’ poker dice;
Made love to his lady, kissed her right away,
Pulled a razor on me, then I heard her say,”
Chorus:
Went out promenading down on Thompson St.
Met a *high toned lady, smiled on her so sweet,
Said, “Ah there my honey, I thought I had her dead,
When I tried to kiss her, this is what she said, umph!
Chorus:
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