Sweet Potato Blues by King David's Jug Band?

**taterbugman** · Jun-19-2011, 3:05pm

Theres an old recording from the 20s or 30s (?) by King David's Jug Band called Sweet Potato Blues, but I can't find the lyrics anywhere. If anyone knows this song and would post or email me the lyrics, it would be much appreciated.

I'll attach an mp3 as well, and maybe someone out there can figure it out for me. Thanks.

**Amandalyn** · Jun-19-2011, 8:55pm

Originally Posted by taterbugman

Theres an old recording from the 20s or 30s (?) by King David's Jug Band called Sweet Potato Blues, but I can't find the lyrics anywhere. If anyone knows this song and would post or email me the lyrics, it would be much appreciated.

I'll attach an mp3 as well, and maybe someone out there can figure it out for me. Thanks.

There's a version on you tube by Pokey Lafarge, but I can't understand him either. Maybe could put it in a slow down program to figure it out....something about taters on the vine, da da daa da
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSq2s...e_gdata_player

**taterbugman** · Jun-20-2011, 9:58am

Whew, that was pretty cool. Thanks for sharing!

**Steve Davis** · Jun-20-2011, 10:54am

Apparently by Lonnie Johnson in 1927: http://lonnie-johnson-sweet-potato-b...t.net/_/145853

**taterbugman** · Jun-20-2011, 11:31am

Lonnie Johnson wrote a completely different song by the same name..

**allenhopkins** · Jun-24-2011, 2:59pm

Trying to decipher LaFarge's lyrics:

No more taters, frost done killed the vine (2X)
No more good times, with that gal of mine.

I never loved her, and I hope I never will (2X)
For that desperate proposition, will get a good man killed.

There's another verse or two, which I find unintelligible. Free download of LaFarge's version here. Possibly your hearing's more acute than mine.

**MandoSquirrel** · Jun-24-2011, 5:44pm

adding to allenhopkins:
(first verse, each line starts "Ain't" *& I hear "potaters" and "girl" rather than "gal"; I don't hear "her" in the second verse)

I swear little puppy can be shaggy hound(?)
I swear little puppy can be shaggy hound(?)
Take it up with you(?) to run my brownskin down

My brownie caught a passenger left me a mule to ride
My brownie caught a passenger & left me a mule to ride
When the train pulled out the mule fell down and died

There's one thing certain, I sure can't understand
There's one thing certain, I sure can't understand
????
I can't get the last line yet, maybe later.
It's not an easy one to hear, & I'm sure it helps if you listen to a lot of recordings of this style and era. King David's were one of a bunch of great bands with their own sounds in the 1920's-30's.

**MandoSquirrel** · Jun-24-2011, 5:49pm

Doesn't Pokey play it a tad too fast? Maybe it's just taste; I think a tiny bit slower might appeal more.

**Mandomonica** · Mar-22-2015, 9:16pm

I have been trying to figure this one out for a while too. Though I am sure it is not right, possibly someone else can fix what I did not hear right? Love the tune. Tuba Skinny does a great version too. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4YtnTQ8GGY

There’s no more taters the frost done killed the vine
There’s no more taters the frost done killed the vine
There ain’t no more good times with that gal of mine

I ain’t never loved lord and I hoped I never will
I ain’t never loved lord and I hoped I never will
for that desperate proposition will sure get a good man killed

I got twelve little puppies, ten big shaggy hounds
I got twelve little puppies, ten big shaggy hounds
It’ll take a year or twenty two to run my brownskin down

My brownie caught a fast train, left me a mule to ride
My brownie caught a fast train, left me a mule to ride
When the train took off, the mule he lay down and die

There’s one thing certain, I sure can’t understand
There’s one thing certain, I sure can’t understand
She cooks biscuits for her kid man, corn bread for her man

**Mandomonica** · Mar-22-2015, 9:25pm

Hi, see my post in this thread regarding lyrics for this tune. King David's used some of the same lines in Rising Sun Blues which may clear up the shaggy hounds thing. The final line I am pretty confident is "She cooks biscuits for her kid man, cornbread for her man". "Kid man" according to the Blues Dialect Dictionary is the secret "other man", so it kind of makes sense. Cookin biscuits for her kid man, I believe refers to givin him some lovin. Not sure what the double meaning to cornbread is...