Washboard Blues
Encyclopedia
Washboard Blues is a 1926 popular song written by Hoagy Carmichael
, Fred B. Callahan and Irving Mills
. Paul Whiteman
's orchestra recorded it in 1927, featuring piano and lead vocals by Carmichael.
The song is an evocative washerwoman
's lament. Though the verse, chorus, and bridge pattern is present, the effect of the song is of one long, cohesive melodic line with a dramatic shifting of tempo
. The cohesiveness of the long melody
perfectly matches the lyrical
description of the crushing fatigue resulting from the repetitious work of washing clothes under primitive conditions.
Alec Wilder first heard the song on a Paul Whiteman
twelve-inch record on which Carmichael both played and sang with the large orchestra.
Mornin’ comes with cloudy skies and rain
Ma po back is broke with pain
My man’s sleepin’, I’se ascrubbin’, chillin’, weepin’
I’se arubbin’, Pains acreepin’, cloes atubbin’
All day long.
Up to dat washin’ soap
And down to dat wattah onct mo’
Head down low—head low—
Up to dat washin’ soap
And down to dat wattah onct mo’
Po’ hans go—oh Lordy.
So weary of scrubbin’, days dreary—
So weary of tubbin’ dem cloes,
Up to de washin soap—
Down to dat wattah onct mo’.
Wash Board Blues.
Never git me gon from heah—
Srubbin’ dirty cloes all yeah—
Dem cloes, dem muckety cloes
Dem raggedy cloes, dem blimey cloes, that's all I know
Up and down, back and forth, all year long
Oh Lordy, wont you hear my song, hear my song.
-2-
Washin’ in a shanty on de shor
The rivah swingin on by de doh
Heah dat rivah—lowly callin’
I’se ashivah—nights afallin’
Heah dat rivah lowly moanin’—moanin’ low.
I agoin’ to dat rivah
Goin’ down to dat rivah some day
Hurry day—hurry day—hurry day—hurry
I agoin’ to dat rivah—
Goin’ down to dat rivah some day—
Thro mahself—ma po self—self away—
Oh Lordy
Mus’ akeep scrubbin’—mus’ akeep tubbin’—mus’ akeep drubbin’--mus' akeep tubbin
Them ole dirty cloes—
But I’m goin’ to dat rivah—
Goin’ down to dat rivah some day
Hurry day—hurry day—hurry day—hurry.
Hoagy Carmichael
Howard Hoagland "Hoagy" Carmichael was an American composer, pianist, singer, actor, and bandleader. He is best known for writing "Stardust", "Georgia On My Mind", "The Nearness of You", and "Heart and Soul", four of the most-recorded American songs of all time.Alec Wilder, in his study of the...
, Fred B. Callahan and Irving Mills
Irving Mills
Irving Mills was a jazz music publisher, also known by the name of "Joe Primrose."Mills was born to Jewish parents in the Lower East Side of Manhattan in New York City. He founded Mills Music with his brother Jack in 1919...
. Paul Whiteman
Paul Whiteman
Paul Samuel Whiteman was an American bandleader and orchestral director.Leader of the most popular dance bands in the United States during the 1920s, Whiteman's recordings were immensely successful, and press notices often referred to him as the "King of Jazz"...
's orchestra recorded it in 1927, featuring piano and lead vocals by Carmichael.
The song is an evocative washerwoman
Washerwoman
Washerwoman may refer to:* Alternanthera caracasana, a plant* a woman working in washing* The Irish Washerwoman, a traditional and well known Irish jig...
's lament. Though the verse, chorus, and bridge pattern is present, the effect of the song is of one long, cohesive melodic line with a dramatic shifting of tempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
. The cohesiveness of the long melody
Melody
A melody , also tune, voice, or line, is a linear succession of musical tones which is perceived as a single entity...
perfectly matches the lyrical
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
description of the crushing fatigue resulting from the repetitious work of washing clothes under primitive conditions.
Alec Wilder first heard the song on a Paul Whiteman
Paul Whiteman
Paul Samuel Whiteman was an American bandleader and orchestral director.Leader of the most popular dance bands in the United States during the 1920s, Whiteman's recordings were immensely successful, and press notices often referred to him as the "King of Jazz"...
twelve-inch record on which Carmichael both played and sang with the large orchestra.
Credits
A copy of the lyrics from the Indiana University archives of the Hoagy Carmichael collection credits F. B. Callahan with the words to Washboard Blues.Lyrics
The following version is transcribed from the 1927 Carmichael recording with Paul Whiteman's Orchestra and the Rhythm Boyshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pb50NgVS7HoMornin’ comes with cloudy skies and rain
Ma po back is broke with pain
My man’s sleepin’, I’se ascrubbin’, chillin’, weepin’
I’se arubbin’, Pains acreepin’, cloes atubbin’
All day long.
Up to dat washin’ soap
And down to dat wattah onct mo’
Head down low—head low—
Up to dat washin’ soap
And down to dat wattah onct mo’
Po’ hans go—oh Lordy.
So weary of scrubbin’, days dreary—
So weary of tubbin’ dem cloes,
Up to de washin soap—
Down to dat wattah onct mo’.
Wash Board Blues.
Never git me gon from heah—
Srubbin’ dirty cloes all yeah—
Dem cloes, dem muckety cloes
Dem raggedy cloes, dem blimey cloes, that's all I know
Up and down, back and forth, all year long
Oh Lordy, wont you hear my song, hear my song.
-2-
Washin’ in a shanty on de shor
The rivah swingin on by de doh
Heah dat rivah—lowly callin’
I’se ashivah—nights afallin’
Heah dat rivah lowly moanin’—moanin’ low.
I agoin’ to dat rivah
Goin’ down to dat rivah some day
Hurry day—hurry day—hurry day—hurry
I agoin’ to dat rivah—
Goin’ down to dat rivah some day—
Thro mahself—ma po self—self away—
Oh Lordy
Mus’ akeep scrubbin’—mus’ akeep tubbin’—mus’ akeep drubbin’--mus' akeep tubbin
Them ole dirty cloes—
But I’m goin’ to dat rivah—
Goin’ down to dat rivah some day
Hurry day—hurry day—hurry day—hurry.
External links
- "Washboard Blues", Paul WhitemanPaul WhitemanPaul Samuel Whiteman was an American bandleader and orchestral director.Leader of the most popular dance bands in the United States during the 1920s, Whiteman's recordings were immensely successful, and press notices often referred to him as the "King of Jazz"...
(1927)—Internet Archive.