Message Board Archive: Thread Number 95

In Stefan Grossman's Fingerstyle Blues Guitar tape he teaches a song
called Death Comes Creeping. He sings a line or two, What ya gonna do?
What ya gonna do? When death comes creeping through?

The song is easy to play and I have it down but need the lyrics and
haven't been able to find them anywhere. Can anybody help?

Thanks

Randy

Date: Sun, 12 Jul 1998 22:59:10 -0400 (EDT)
From: ari@secondmind.com (Ari Eisinger)
Subject: Question: Re: Death Comes Creeping Lyrics
Message Number: 95.1

Does the tape or accompanying documentation say who wrote or performed
the song originally?

Date: Mon, 13 Jul 1998 12:46:02 -0400 (EDT)
From: zeppa@earthlink.net (Frank Basile)
Subject: Feedback: Re: Sounds to me like...
Message Number: 95.2.1

There's also the version of "Run, Sinner, Run" by Mance Lipscomb on the
"Legends of Traditional Fingerstyle Guitar" video. It contains the
verse:
What you gonna do
When Death come creeping in your room?
What you gonna do
When Death come creeping in your room?
What you gonna do
When Death come creeping in your room?
O my Lord, O my Lord what shall I do?
Mance plays the guitar part in open D. The "O my Lord" part functions as
a refrain, following each verse. Does Grossman's tune include such a
refrain?
Frank

Date: Mon, 13 Jul 1998 13:23:30 -0400 (EDT)
From: bluesman@earthling.net (Randall S. Bott)
Subject: Ok: That's it!
Message Number: 95.2.1.1

That's it!!!! I watched Grossman's tape again and he said that Charlie
Patton recorded it in the 1920's and that Mance Lipscomb had too. He
said it was also recorded as Oh Death

I love this group!!!!

Randy

Date: Mon, 13 Jul 1998 14:41:33 -0400 (EDT)
From: zeppa@earthlink.net (Frank Basile)
Subject: More: Re: That's it!
Message Number: 95.2.1.1.1

Well, both are great songs but "O Death" and "Run, Sinner, Run", while
they may be similar in some ways, are very different songs. Patton does
it as a duet with his wife, Bertha Lee. He plays the accompaniment in
open G tuning with a slide, probably on his lap. In fact, the slide acts
as sort of a third voice. The performance is one of Patton's greatest -
it's eerie, powerful, moving and rocking all rolled into one.
"Run, Sinner, Run" is played out of open D - no slide. The melody and
verse structure bears a scant resemblance to "O Death" but not so much
that I'd ever considered them the same song. Mance employs a device
similar to Patton's - using the treble strings to play a vocal part.
If you've never heard Patton's "O Death", you're overdue for a really
great experience!
You're best bet is to get "Charley Patton - Founder of The Delta Blues"
on Yazoo. The sound is great and Patton really is as good as it gets.
Frank

Date: Mon, 13 Jul 1998 21:36:28 -0400 (EDT)
From: ari@secondmind.com (Ari Eisinger)
Subject: Question: Re: Patton's "Oh Death" lyrics (was Sounds To Me Like...)
Message Number: 95.2.1.2

Charlie Patton and Bertha Lee's "Oh Death" is one of my favorites, too.

Does anyone know what the line "Don't you move my pillow till you turn
my [bed/head] around" means and/or where it comes from?