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Post by deleuran on Apr 11, 2008 17:31:07 GMT
I have been listening to some old Riley Puckett songs, and have fallen so much in love with one of them that I want to learn it. I can't find the lyrics anywhere on the internet, so I have tried to write it down from the recording, but it can be hard to hear sometimes on these old 78's from the 20's. I have got the most of it, which you can see below, and the two lines I don't understand (english is not my native language) is marked. I also put in a link to the song, so any of you out there can hear what he sings in those two lines, and write it in a reply here, I will be forever grateful. www.juneberry78s.com/sounds/j15056-18.mp3Don’t Try It For It Can’t Be Done.Don’t never say, that I am the best There’s nothing, that I can’t do. You’ll find that there’s many things put to a test, Just listen I’ll tell you a few. You can’t hit a ball with the bat of your eye Don’t try it for it can’t be done. You can’t pick a goose and make gooseberry pie Don’t try it for it can’t be done. You might bring [?wonderful hunting their back??] (This is how I hear it, but it doesn't make sense.)You might raise a chicken without laying an egg But you can’t raise a cow from the calf of your leg Don’t try it for it can’t be done. You can’t sail a ship without getting aboard Don’t try it for it can’t be done. You can’t take the rattle all out of a gourd Don’t try it for it can’t be done. You might find a barber who tell you just how you can get a good shave from the blade of a plow. But you cannot get milk from a [gizell??] moocow (this I don't get either)Don’t try it for it can’t be done. |
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Post by Ptarmigan on Apr 11, 2008 19:50:39 GMT
Jesper, I can't catch the first one, but I reckon the 2nd one is:
But you cannot get milk from a gentleman cow
Cheers
Dick
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Post by deleuran on Apr 11, 2008 21:19:26 GMT
Oh thank you, Dick, thank you. That was a great help.  A gentleman cow! It makes perfectly sense. Now I just miss the first one. It's not easy to hear. I might end up just singing what it sound like. But I still hope to get it right. Any body else out there, who will try to give it a shot ?? |
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hunter
Old Time Jews Harp Player
Posts: 42
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Post by hunter on Apr 12, 2008 17:20:58 GMT
"gentleman cow" sounds right, the other is tough, I get something like "you might bring water for..." but that's more a guess than anything else.
You might try posting about it at the Mudcat Cafe.
Hunter
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Post by deleuran on Apr 12, 2008 20:17:24 GMT
Yes, Hunter I think you're right. That's what I hear too, after listening several times.
Thank you. Now I have the whole song exept three words:
You might bring water for hunting their back
But it still don't make sense
I don't know Mudcat Cafe. I'll try to look it up.
For you who have looked at this I'll show the text again. Corrected and with the missing words marked.
Folks never say, that I am the best
There’s nothing, that I can’t do.
You’ll find that there’s many things put to a test,
Just listen I’ll tell you a few.
You can’t hit a ball with the bat of your eye
Don’t try it for it can’t be done.
You can’t pick a goose and make gooseberry pie
Don’t try it for it can’t be done.
You might bring water for hunting their back??
You might raise a chicken without laying an egg
But you can’t raise a cow from the calf of your leg
Don’t try it for it can’t be done.
You can’t sail a ship without getting aboard
Don’t try it for it can’t be done.
You can’t take the rattle all out of a gourd
Don’t try it for it can’t be done.
You might find a barber who tell you just how
you can get a good shave from the blade of a plow.
But you cannot get milk from a gentleman cow
Don’t try it for it can’t be done.
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Post by deleuran on Apr 12, 2008 22:26:02 GMT
Finally the song is complete. Thank you, Hunter, for telling me about Mud Cat. A fantastic place Now a guy there has supplied a suggestion for the missing line: You might find a beggar that never does beg.It is not what Puckett sings, but it fits right in. It makes perfectly sence, the meter is right, and it rhymes on "eggs" in the next line. He sugests that maybe Puckett did forget the line, when recording, and bluffed his way through. We'll never know. But anyway, now I can sleep tonight. ;D PS.: Isn't the internet a fantastic invention ? ;D |
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Post by deleuran on Apr 13, 2008 12:34:45 GMT
I visitet Mudcat Cafe again this morning, and more nice and busy people had suggestions for minor and major changes to the lyrics. It is getting better and better. And I have not only gotten the lyrics right, I have also got the name of the composer, Bradley Kincaid (1895-1989), who is a character well worth looking up. He has composed a lot of country songs, has become a member of Country Musics Hall of Fame 40 years after he stopped performing, nicknamed "Grandpa Jones" who was then a 22 year old member of his band, and he has written a book: "My Favorite Mountain Ballads" in 1928, and the first edition sold more than 100.000 copies. Wonder if it is possible to find these days? Thanks to the nice people at Mudcat If any of you should be interested (I have grown kind of nerdy with this song, sorry ;D) I'll bring the full lyrics with the changes marked: Don’t Try It For It Can’t Be Done.Folks, never say, that I am the best There’s nothing, that I can’t do. You’ll find that there’s many when put to a test, Just listen I’ll tell you a few. You can’t hit a ball with the bat of your eye Don’t try it for it can’t be done. You can’t pick a goose and make gooseberry pie Don’t try it for it can’t be done. You might spring water, folks, punching the bagYou might raise a chicken without laying an egg But you can’t raise a cow from the calf of your leg Don’t try it for it can’t be done. You can’t sail a ship without getting aboard Don’t try it for it can’t be done. You can’t take the rattle all out of a FordDon’t try it for it can’t be done. You might find a barber who tell you just how you can get a good shave from the blade of a plow. But you cannot get milk from a gentleman cow Don’t try it for it can’t be done. |
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Post by deleuran on Apr 13, 2008 20:51:16 GMT
I have made a little recording of the song. You can hear it here. I hope you think it was worth the effort I think it is funny. The contrast between the crazy lyrics and the the "serious" melody, makes it even funnier, I think. www.jesperdeleuran.dk/media/Musik/DONTTRY3.MP3I have modified this. I realized I sang a wrong melodyline in the second line of the three of the verses, so I have recorded the singing all over again. |
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Post by Ptarmigan on Apr 13, 2008 22:24:46 GMT
Hey great stuff Jesper, ........ that didn't take you long!  Do I get the feeling there might be a Solo CD coming next?  Cheers Dick |
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hunter
Old Time Jews Harp Player
Posts: 42
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Post by hunter on Apr 14, 2008 4:55:12 GMT
Nice one Jesper.
Isn't Mudcat great? It's usually the first place I look for lyrics.
Hunter
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Post by deleuran on Apr 14, 2008 8:45:05 GMT
Thank you. The both of you. No solo CD, Dick I just do this to entertain myself, and put it on MySpace and the BHO and FHO where people can download it for free, if anybody should be interested enough to do so. ;D And, Hunter, thank you again for directing my attention towards Mudcat Cafe. It's certainly great. Nice people there. Within about 12 hours or less, they had helped me to put the lyrics together. It's fantastic. An not the last time I'll use it. |
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Post by deleuran on Apr 14, 2008 16:35:24 GMT
I realized I sang a wrong melodyline in the second line of the three of the verses, so I have recorded the singing all over again. You can hear the revised version in reply #7.
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