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Join American Public Media's A Prairie Home Companion group and reply to this discussion sharing your own personal lyrics to Tishomingo Blues and you'll be entered in a drawing. (see official rules for eligibility and restrictions)
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Just rewrite the lyrics as GK does for each show:
Original First verse:
Oh, Mississippi,
Oh, Mississippi,
My heart cries out for
You in sadness,
I want to be where
The wintry winds don't blow,
Down where the southern
Moon swings low,
That's where I want to go.
Original Chorus
I'm goin' to Tishomingo,
Because I'm sad today,
I wish to linger,
Way down old Dixie way.
Oh, my weary heart cries out in pain,
Oh, how I wish that I was back again,
With a race,
In a place,
Where they make you welcome all the time.
Way down in Mississippi,
Among the cypress trees,
They get you dippy,
With their strange melodies,
To resist temptation,
I just can't refuse,
In Tishomingo
I wish to linger,
Where they play the weary blues.
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Comments: 16
Outside my Florida door.
A 'cane's a comin
I didn't get to the store.
That sweet, warm ole sunshine
Has gone behind the clouds.
I think I'm movin
Away from here
Honey I can't take it anymore.
Way up in Minnesota
Out on the wide prairie
The cold wind blowin
I'm thinking that's for me.
My feet up by the fire
Warm drink in my hand
A plate of hotdish
A side of lutefisk
Yes would be a life of glee!
Goin with skippy
Goin with Zippy
To play some bingo
My dobbers there
The callers not old
Oh its hard to see
The lights are too low
Im goin to play bingo
Because Im sad today
I wish to linger
Hand out with the girls and play
Oh I cant stand it Marcy likes to feign
If she fakes another bingo I think I'll go insane
Mark that space
You cant erase
Want to get that double line
Way out in the bingo parlor
Among the other oldies
They get you dippy
With the groans that sound like Melodies
To resist temptation
I just cant refuse
I'll spend all my pension
At the parlor
Where they play the B-12 blues
Oh Remon, let me tell you I cannot sing well. Not even in my head. But I think yours could sound just dandy, so you don't worry about that!
Here's a first pass at Tishomingo Blues rewrite. I know Garrison sings a song about the shows location each week, but I am afraid I don't remember the tune. So, I just tried to match the meter and rhyme scheme from the original. I hope it works.
Thanks,
Richard
Superior Blues
Great Lake Superior
Bright Lake Superior
Where eyes cannot see
The further shore,
Whose ancient boulders
Shouldered the Earth's first land
Felt the first ocean
break on this sand
where on today we stand.
Deep in her clear cold water
brave wave struck salties laid.
No one gets over her
without some dues to pay.
Gales don't wait until September goes
and many a storm crossed seaman knows
harbors are few
and if they knew
They'd have stayed home and lived their time.
So turn your face away from water
and keep your share of laughter.
Embrace your daughters
and all grandchildren after.
A land lover nation
suffers not to lose
her sons to cargo
bound for Chicago
or other towns the master's choose.
Wow.
I have little else to do except write stuff these days....aside from keeping the cabin warm and myself fed. I'd like to put it to good use but don't know where to begin. You may have noticed I am something of a recluse, but I can get out in public when I feel like doing so.
I am very glad to have an opportunity to post things here. Thanks for your encouragement.
Here is my first and only try (this may be a blessing.)
I love the tune, but for some reason the only thing I can think of at this very moment is the exquisitely brief adventure my friends and I had moving my 1893 Kimball upright piano out of my first bachelor pad--second floor apartment in Santa Monica, circa 1986...
The original lyrics (to establish the meter):
"I hear that old piano
from down the Avenue
I smell the pine trees,
I look around for you
Oh, my sweet,
sweet, sweet old someone
coming through the door
It's Saturday and
the band is playing
Honey, could we ask for more?"
And the new and improved Greeleyfied lyrics--herewith donated to the public domain:
"I hear that old piano
come crashing down the stairs
Butterfinger's Moving
Lifts my worldly cares
Oh, how I hated
that old piano
--couldn't play the thing--
it weighed a ton and
it's finally gone
but now I need a new front door..."
Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah... :)
R
Did I tell you I like puns? :) Merry Christmas, Sir.
R
Of Thunderbird today
I'll suck it down
While the Dixie Chicks play
Oh, now I can't remember my name
Oh, my head is spinning around in pain
I've gotta stop
Before I drop
This cheap wine will surely drive a man insane
It's so full of lint
I try to suck it in
But this ain't no lean event
Oh, how I wish my gut was smaller
Or perhaps I was several feet taller
I need to diet
Not grill or fry it
Gorging on these holiday meals is gonna be my demise
Greeley & Richard, glad to see you two have met!
I sure do miss the good ol' days at the Chatterbox; especially your daily specials served at the diner. I really should stop by here more often.
Happy Holidays,
Mike