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[wind blowing]

[indistinct remarks]

[feet shuffling]

[indistinct command]

[indistinct remarks]

Gotta get on them trailers down there, boys.

[indistinct chatter]

-Fifteen! -Fifteen.

That's 13.

-Twenty-two. -Twenty-two.

[footsteps]

Yeah.

[distant conversation]

[wind blowing]

[man singing] I'm going crazy 'bout my baby,

[group sings] let your hammer ring.

[man sings] I'm going crazy 'bout my baby,

[group sings] oh, let your hammer ring.

[man sings] Oh, tell me, who is your baby?

[group sings] Hammer ring.

[man sings] Oh, tell me, who is your baby?

[group sings] Hammer ring.

[man sings] Where those sugar land, baby.

[group sings] Let your hammer ring.

[man sings] Where those sugar land, baby.

[group sings] Let your hammer ring.

[man sings] Well, I'm rocking all over.

[group sings] Hammer ring.

[man sings] Well, I'm rocking all over.

[group sings] Hammer ring.

[man sings] From my head down to my shoulders.

[group sings] Let your hammer ring.

[man sings] From my head down to my shoulders.

[group sings] Let your hammer ring.

[group sings] When the saints of God are gathered home,

we will tell the story,

how we've overcome, how we've overcome.

We will understand it better,

understand it better by and by.

Understand it better by and by.

Oh, by and by,

oh, when the morning comes,

all the saints of God are gathered home,

we will tell, tell the story

how we've overcome, how we've overcome.

And we will understand it better,

understand it better,

understand it better by and by.

[whistling]

[wind blowing]

[engine rumbling]

I just said, if I'm working out there in the field for you

and I'm lonesome,

the songs comes to me

and I put them together and I sing 'em,

and I come back to the house and I play 'em.

[door squeaking]

Even if I'm riding in an automobile with you

in the [indistinct],

when your car is going fast and your grass is down,

those songs I can hear.

And if you don't interfere with my mind

I just have to catch all the songs

and I pick 'em.

Come back to the house and pick 'em.

Any kinda blues come to me, then I can pick 'em.

[thudding]

Oh, you're thinking about wife back here.

I know I vouch for my family,

do what I can for 'em,

and as she get mad or kinda get to bugging at me,

well, I take to blues.

See me go out there and I pick up my guitar

and play the blues on my mind.

And songs come to me.

[train clacking]

Mississippi River?

That's--that's here.

On the East Coast.

[wind howling]

[whooshing]

Well, I learned 'em in 1946.

I got [indistinct].

I was down on the river.

We worked in a stream.

And later over in the afternoon from about 3:45

to five,

we'd drop off and start singing river songs

for our rest.

Everybody was about exhausted from work.

And we'd knock off about five o'clock,

something like that.

We'd have a great distance to walk in.

We didn't have trailers or nothing to ride.

So we'd walk at a fast pace.

We'd had our horses at a gallop most of the time.

How long are you here for?

Oh, since 1947.

Sixth of this August, it'll be 25 years.

What for?

A murder.

Just sit down here.

[wind blowing]

We'd have to walk, you know,

six and seven miles from the building,

and we walked awful fast, you know, at times,

and close around suppertime,

we'd be getting ready to make the trip to the building.

All the squads would line up, you know,

and do what we called a rock

that was in order to get our breath, you know,

so we could make the long run to the building.

And that way, you know, most all the inmates,

they would be glad the same

because even if it had no other meaning to him,

he would give him a chance to rest, you know,

be able to make that long run to the building.

A lot of times, we have a lot of cripples,

some would fall out,

and the officer would tell us sing river songs

and harmonize with them

while we slowing to check this pace to walk in.

And I had a feeling for these songs,

you know, myself, because all my life

I've liked the blues,

and it just came natural to me.

So I can't write music or anything like that

because it never was interesting to me,

but I play instruments such as harmonica and guitars

and I have my own style.

And I just sing the blues with a feeling

that just comes natural to me.

I just start off with a verse

and I line the end up, you know,

with ten or twelve verses to the song.

Something like that.

[upbeat music]

How come are you here?

A little incident, something like...

murder.

[upbeat music]

Look here, woman.

Why you treat me so low down mean.

Ohhh.

Why you treat me so mean?

I been your dog, woman,

ever since I been your man.

Yeah, I'm down.

Lord, don't put me down all mean.

Aren't I good to you woman?

Think about poor me sometime.

[metal gate rattling]

[clanking]

[indistinct singing]

I always keeps it in.

Every time I look at him,

I have a solemn fear.

All night long.

All night long.

All night long

whilst I'm dreamin'.

I'm dreamin' of my honey boy.

She knows I love no one but her,

that's the reason she's so unkind.

Every time she goes away,

she's ever on my mind.

All night long.

All night long.

All night long

while she a'sleepin'.

She's sleeping now,

oh, honey boy.

[bright music]

Now, while she a'dreamin',

she dreamin' of her honey boy.

Mama don't like me to kiss these boys,

neither do I try.

Every time I get a chance,

I kiss boys on the sly.

All day long.

All day long.

All day long

while she a'kissin'.

Kissin' on her honey boy.

Yeah, we like that man.

What you pay for that picture, wife?

Seventeen dollars.

Well, we're both paying him 'cause we want to remember him.

[man sings] Dollar pay raise oh oh.

[group sings] Dollar a bar.

Dollar a miracle.

Dollar a bar.

Dollar a pay raise oh.

Dollar a bar.

Dress she wanted cost her

dollar a yard.

Hush your mouth and don't you

say a word.

Hush your mouth and don't you

say that word.

Hush your mouth and don't you

say that word.

You shall have it in death

and no more.

Blues is a feeling.

Just like you wake up in the morning

like you sittin' here in the evening,

and you have something running across your mind

and it's worrying you

and places you want to go

and you lack the money,

and you're gonna have some hard times in your life.

That'll give you thoughts about how you recovered.

The blues is nothing but a feeling in your mind.

[dog barking]

[mixed chatter]

Do you understand?

Something you wanna do,

it's worrying you, you can't do it.

You ain't got no money and you want to go someplace

and you ain't got clothes to wear,

something like that.

But you know, the real sho' nuff blues

is when your sweetheart quits ya,

you can't get her back.

[upbeat music]

[man sings] John Henry was just a little bitty boy

sitting on his daddy's knee.

Well, he point his finger at a piece of steel.

Said that steel gonna be the death of me.

Well, that steel gonna be the death of me.

Well, that steel gonna be the death of me.

Well, that steel gonna be the death of me.

[indistinct remarks]

[upbeat music continues]

[man sings] Captain said to John Henry,

"Bring my steel drill around."

All right!

Bring my steel drill out on the job,

walk that steel on down.

Oh, boy, walk that steel on down.

John Henry looked at the Captain.

Said, "A man ain't nothing but a man."

Before I would let your steel drill beat me down,

Die with this hammer my hand, O Lord.

Die with this hammer my hand.

He says I'll die with hammer, O Lord.

I will die with this hammer in my hand.

Shaker, look up at John Henry.

He said, "Cry, John, like you never did before."

That steel drill, John, ever beats us down,

but it won't have a job no more, O Lord.

Won't have a job.

[indistinct singing]

[vocalizing]

Shake it now.

John Henry drove steel on the Southern.

He drove steel on the C&O.

He drove steel for that big pit Tom.

Steel driving killed Johnny Low.

O Lord, steel driving killed Johnny Low.

[upbeat music continues]

Tell John Henry on a mountain.

Oh, that mountain was so high.

Last words I heard that the poor boy said...

Just give me a cool drink

of water before I die.

Give me a cool drink of water before I die.

Just give me a cool drink of water before I die.

Just give me a cool drink of water before I die.

[music ends]

What's my name?

Freddie Feesta.

Where I'm from?

Charlotte, North Carolina.

My mother brought us up here to better our condition,

but since then I served five years

in Comstock Penitentiary for armed robbery,

something I didn't hardly do.

After my release from Comstock, I got married.

I've been trying to find work to support me and my wife.

Since then, I haven't found nothing.

And every time I go out for work,

they tell me the same thing:

"We can't hire you because you got a felony."

I served five years, I did my time.

I paid for what I did, yeah, I stuck up a store.

But I paid for it.

I did five years in Comstock.

Five years!

My father was a slave.

[bluesy piano music]

[vocalizing]

He was born in...

...King William County, Virginia.

He cleaned carpets.

He blacked shoes.

He did all kinds of housework.

[vocalizing]

He had a whistle that I never heard before

and never have heard it since.

Nobody loves me but my mother.

And she could be jivin', too.

You could hear him two and three squares away,

his whistle.

Never heard anybody whistle like him before and after.

[man sings] She could be jivin', too.

[alarm clock ringing]

Now you see why I act funny, baby.

[woman] It's time to get up now.

It's eight o'clock.

When he died, I wasn't home.

I was searchin' the world around.

I don't know just what place I was

when he passed.

Well, I was in Philadelphia,

I was in Jersey,

I was in Boston,

and in New York as I am now today.

Fred?

It's time to get up.

[vocalizing]

Come on, honey, it's eight o'clock!

You told me to wake you at eight o'clock.

[bluesy piano music continues]

When are you gonna have the paint?

I need to paint it now.

Yeah? What it gonna cost?

Yeah, how much would it be?

-How much? -How much would it be?

I don't know, maybe about 125 just for the first two alone.

Yeah?

Well, I have all the paint and everything.

Good morning, how are you?

-Fine. -Good, good, good.

Kinda late this morning.

Yeah, you're a little late!

I had a hard time trying to get that Freddie up.

You know, he's looking for a job this morning.

He's still sleeping?

-Still sleeping. -Oh, my gosh.

I hope when I get up there, he's out of bed.

I hope so.

[door slamming]

[whooshing]

I can't continue paying your costs here all the time.

[horse hooves clopping]

Hattie?

Hattie.

I can't continue like this!

Hattie.

Listen, listen...

[mixed talking and singing]

Now my poor heart,

my absent soul.

Soul I'll sell you for free

Oh, babe.

[indistinct remarks]

It's really getting on--

Hattie, don't do shit for me.

Just don't do nothing for me.

It isn't that hard to do-- not doing anything,

I don't mind doing things for you,

but I really do mind that I still am supporting you,

because you're supposed to support--

Hey, you ain't supporting me.

You're just paying-- okay, so you're paying

a lousy $20, you're supporting me.

Shit.

You know that's not all.

Calm down, sweetheart.

Or you're gonna be sorry.

You could at least try taking a job as a taxi driver!

Hattie, you know damn well I can't drive.

[indistinct singing]

-I thought you did. -Everything's on me, right?

You haven't been doing shit.

Look at this place!

All you do is go to work and go to the motherfucking bar,

that's all you do.

Shit, I gotta wear dirty clothes,

look at these fucking socks!

-Shit. -If you would take--

if you had a job, I'd be going--

Fuck a job.

-Look, that's all-- -What am I supposed to do?

Come back from work and stay in this place?

And you're never home.

[piano music continues]

Baby, look, when I'm out there,

I'm trying to do something.

Oh, babe, oh, babe, oh, babe.

...you don't have a job!

-You can find a job-- -I'm trying!

Fuck it.

To me, it's very simple.

I don't know, you're always out

trying to get something together,

and I don't know what it is you're trying to get together!

Give me my sock.

Shit.

I worked in clubs, night clubs.

Every night, all night long.

Every day, Sunday, all the time.

I didn't know how I rested only a few hours in the day.

And right back on the job.

I worked down Broadway

in one of the biggest night clubs that there was.

Piano girls dancing on the floor.

Well, I came here

because there's better opportunity

and things like that, like jobs.

The first job I had was working at Harlem Hospital.

I stayed there three years.

Then I went in the Garment District,

got a job there as an errand boy.

And after that, I got another job

in a hospital on Second Avenue.

In the present time now, I'm a super.

I've been doing this kind of work now

for about 15 years,

I was doing this kind of works.

I met this woman, this pianist,

when I came to New York,

which is Freddie's mother.

And we were married.

I'm her fourth husband.

The first husband was...

Mm.

Mm, can't think of his name now.

Ain't that something.

[chuckling]

First daughter's by him,

she lives downtown.

Why did you marry him?

I don't know myself.

[laughing]

It was a love affair.

He was a cook and beggar by baker.

His name is Milanell.

Arthur Milanell.

But the first boyfriend that I met

in Reading, Pennsylvania played and he had a gift.

He didn't have to study.

He'd play anything.

And he went West, he was so great.

[soft music]

I will play, but I don't play loud and rapid.

My picks are my fingers,#* and anything I play,

you're gonna get to understand it,

and I'm not boasting or bullying here nobody,

but I can pick guitar, don't you think I can't.

[strums guitar]

[indistinct speaking].

Let's play some pickin' of "When I Lay My Burdens Down."

When I want some some blues,

I'm gonna play "Glory, Glory Hallelujah"

and "I Lay My Burden Down,"

sayin' the guitar gonna help me, man.

Y'all listen.

[strums guitar]

Ladies and gentlemen, listen.

[plays blues music on guitar]

Glory, glory, hallelu

When I laid my burdens down

Glory

Hallelujah

When I

Burdens down, Lord

Burdens down, Lord

When I

My burdens down

Burdens

Burdens down, Lord

When I

I'm gonna ask you some questions.

Guitar, you answer.

Glory what?

[strums guitar]

"Halle" what?

[strums guitar]

When I...

[strums guitar]

Glory

Halle

Goodness.

Burdens down

Glory, glory, hallelujah

When I

All my troubles will be over

When I lay my burdens down

All my troubles will be over

When I lay my burdens down

Glory to

Hallelu

When I lay my burdens

Glory

I start workin' all out on the subways,

playin' piano.

And after I stopped from there,

I finally hit Broadway.

That was the ballgame.

It was a place held 200 or 300 people.

It was crowded.

And they had two or three singers on the floor.

And I would play for the singers to sing and dance.

[distant music and chatter]

Finally, the place got raided.

Baby, baby.

Everybody went to jail.

I went to jail.

[laughs] Stayed in jail,

oh, I guess about two months.

That's the good old days.

And money flew.

Rolled over the floors.

[energetic music]

Dollar bills and five dollar bills.

[indistinct speaking]

There's lots of young ladies on the inside.

Oh, you're gonna give me [speaking trails off].

[indistinct speaking]

Yes, indeedy, this is New Orleans.

[strikes piano keys]

The Crescent City on Bourbon Street.

[strikes piano keys]

Tyler runnin' the boogie, right back to New Orleans.

[jaunty piano music]

[man sings] Well, I'm gonna go and I ain't comin' back no more

Baby, I made it.

Yeah, I'm gonna go and I ain't comin' back no more

Gonna run this boogie right to my baby's door

Oh, we're drinking last night

Drinkin' all the night before

We were drinkin' last night, baby

Drinkin' all the night before

So we're goin' in a hurry

And we ain't comin' out no more

My, my, my, my

Whoa!

Let it ride a while.

[energetic piano music]

Oh yeah

Let it ride on a while.

Shake it but don't break it.

Get it but don't take it.

Mercy.

Oh yeah.

One time now.

My, my.

My, my, my, my.

Let it roll!

Oh yeah!

My, my, my, my.

All right now, fine.

[horn beeps]

My, my.

Yeah.

[musical flourish]

Mercy, mercy, mercy.

Yes, indeedy.

That was one of my own compositions.

I'm Roosevelt Sykes,

professionally known as the Honeydripper.

Right here in New Orleans on Bourbon Street.

All right.

[hooves clopping]

[old-fashioned music]

Well, for years and years ago,

it was different then than now.

Well, they had, uh,

usually called Bourbon Street and Basin Street,

they would call 'em the Red Light District.

[boat horn blares]

[indistinct lyrics]

I perform on Apple Street

Where good love gives you eyes Apple Street

Then there come a change later years, through the years,

started having shows and different things in there.

Legalized the liquor, so forth and so on.

And, uh, now they have everything going on,

Overseas and around the world.

We have everything here.

It's a little different though now.

Such as we have--now we call 'em,

instead of the Red Light District,

we call 'em strippers.

Yes, indeedy.

Girls dancing, you know.

After a man work all day,

he wanna come see a little fun,

he come to Bourbon Street,

which is the limelight,

I think it's another world.

[plodding music]

[cheering]

[indistinct speaking]

Will you come back to [indistinct]?

[indistinct speaking]

We have lovely young ladies on the inside.

[jaunty piano music]

Mama.

Mama.

What you want?

I wanna know if you'll do a favor for me.

What you want?

I ain't got no money.

I need two dollars.

I don't have it.

Where am I gonna get it?

You got two dollars.

You can give it to me.

Hattie'll give it back to you.

Get it from Hattie when she comes in.

[Freddy sighs]

I ought to say I'm broke.

Mama, you got it.

I ain't.

Get out of here.

Look inside of the thing.

Don't you have some money in your pocketbook inside?

No, there's the pocketbook there.

This ain't your money purse.

That's my money purse.

I ain't got no other purse.

That's it.

You're not right, that's all.

You're just not right.

I'm sorry.

Mama, you got it.

I don't know, I must have got rich overnight.

You make me sick.

Beggin', beggin', beggin'.

Get yourself a place.

I'm sick of you and your woman.

[clock ticking]

[blues music]

Make it funky, make it funky.

I don't go running around the country no more.

Giving people pleasure here and there

and having a ball.

Hmm, traveling.

What's your name, what's your name?

-Hattie. -Hattie, that's right.

Every time you come in here, you ask the same thing.

Well...

You're kind of nice.

Just do this finger.

Just want you to do that one finger

while I'm here, hear?

What's so special about that finger?

'Cause that's your finger.

[blues music]

On a ship that's made of paper

Ooh

How long, how long I sailed the seven seas

Come on, mama, oh, honey

[percussive mouth sounds]

Oh, Lord, I went for her

[indistinct singing]

Darling, nothing in this world, baby

Oh, Lord, little girl, I wouldn't do, do for you

Oh, Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord

[playing harmonica]

I may be giving a little party next Tuesday or so,

and maybe you'd like to come back.

Where is the party?

Uh, I live in the co-ops.

Ah, next Tuesday?

Yeah, do you think you can make it?

I don't know, you know.

[blues music]

But you know I know that they know that she know

That he know that somebody's tryin' to do

I'm workin' tonight down in the club.

Do you think you can get by?

If you get by, I'll buy you a bottle of wine.

That's the same club that you used to work at?

Yeah.

I think I will make it tonight.

Have you gained a little weight?

No.

Same.

Same size.

Your thighs are a little bigger, you know.

Hm, you sure do notice everything, don't you?

-Of course. -I think I'm the same size.

I'm together, I'm together.

And there ain't no conceit in my family.

I got it all.

Uh-huh, you just go around saying that you're together.

How you doin' on this one?

Yeah, I'm trying to get this finger down here.

Would you turn around and play me a little blues?

Sweet and soft and funky.

Get it!

[blues music]

Bring it to me.

Bring it to me.

Bring it to me.

Ow!

I bust through.

Baby

[percussive mouth sounds]

Ow!

Yeah!

Do it.

Do it one more time.

Do it just one more time.

Just one more time, one more time.

Hit it!

[blues music]

[singer shouts]

Mmmm

[indistinct chatter]

[balls clatter]

I don't think it's gonna fly.

[balls clatter]

[balls clattering]

[blues music]

[balls clatter]

Ahh.

[indistinct chatter]

[balls clatter]

[indistinct speaking]

[indistinct lyrics]

I better bank this one.

[balls clatter]

Ow!

[indistinct lyrics]

Still want that thing, Jay Jay?

Yeah.

When?

Uh.

Why don't I come, uh,

come by your house tomorrow night?

Don't come to my house at all, man.

If you want some stuff, you meet me here.

It's not too cool.

-Yeah. -People is on my back.

[indistinct whispering]

[man sings] I know you wastin' time

Has you sent all the way to Missouri.

[man sings] All right

Ow!

Tries to tell me what's inside of you

Listen, I wanna say one more thing.

Got to get you, baby, then

Then I'm through

If you don't watch out, woman

I'm gonna stick to you

To you

Woman, I'll stick to you

Ow!

Try to tell me what's inside of you

All right.

Yeah.

Can I--can I get a--

can I get it?

[blues guitar solo]

[musical flourish]

[applause, cheering]

[blues piano music]

[indistinct chatter]

How you doing, baby?

All right?

I think that we're kind of destined.

Hey, Big Booker.

Hi, Freddy, how you feeling?

Okay.

How it goes today?

All right, man.

You got anything to eat, man?

Yeah, look on the stove there.

Chicken.

You got any more coffee?

Got the end of it.

See if you can find it.

Oh, there's no more in there.

-No more? -You took the last.

Find anything yet?

Nope.

So you was down to the office today, right?

I gotta go tomorrow, Booker, at 12: 00.

12:00.

Want me to wake you up?

No, it's all right, Hattie'll wake me up.

-Hattie'll wake ya up? -Mm-hm.

I haven't seen her today.

She ain't home from work yet?

Nope.

I don't know what happened to her.

She must be down to the bar, that's where she at.

That's where she always go after work.

After work.

But she get them tips every day, you know.

-Yeah. -So she gotta go to the bar.

[Freddy chuckles]

God damn.

Big time, yeah.

Bob got a secondhand car this evening.

That's cool.

You're supposed to be working, where you get the bread from?

Don't worry about where I get my money from, man.

I didn't say you, I said Bob.

You is a nosey old man.

[laughs]

That's all.

Bob, man, you know.

Don't worry about it, man, I got it.

Don't worry about it.

Well, try to do somethin'.

You know?

A little rough on me.

How you mean on you?

Yeah, you know.

I'm not on you.

You're not on me?

No, man.

Where the rent comin' at?

Ain't no rent comin' from nowhere.

Hattie been givin' Mama money for the rent.

-Oh yeah? -Not on you, man.

I don't know where you comin' from.

Yeah, well, see, you know,

she didn't say nothin', that's why I asked.

This is my mother's house, man.

I dig it.

I don't see where you comin' from, you know?

Mm.

I can dig, you know.

[tense piano music]

Round about, everything, you know.

[blues piano music]

You don't want that?

You have some deal or something going there?

Well, I want my money or a package.

Dope?

Oh, wow.

-Oh, man. -Wait a minute.

I thought she knew.

-I thought-- -She knew what?

-Uh. -Knew what?

I like you, man, you know, like--

What you talkin' 'bout, talkin' 'bout dope, man?

-No! -Okay, I know what you're doin'.

I know what you're doin'.

I know everything on this street, man.

Man, you don't know nothin' about me.

I know everything on this street, man,

that goes down.

And I'm telling you,

you better stop it or somebody's gonna kill you.

Stop what, nigga?

[blues piano music]

Get yourself together, man.

You know, like take your old lady to the museums

and a play sometimes or a theater, man.

He don't know what the fuck he's talkin' about.

And I don't know either.

People come down to hear me play,

-and now I've got [inaudibe]. -I've seen him at--

I've shot pool with this man a couple of times

and that's all I know about him.

Now, you--you know him more than I do.

You've been going in the wells with your friends and shit.

I don't know what's goin' down with him.

[blues piano music]

What this motherfucker doing with my matches, baby?

Huh?

Where did he get these matches from?

Huh?

Where did he get them matches from?

What the fuck is going on with you,

you motherfucker?

Freddy.

What the fuck is going on between y'all?

He's finished.

He's done.

They've wiped him out.

Freddy, stop it.

They've killed him.

Motherfucker.

Freddy, stop it.

Freddy, stop it!

Freddy, stop it.

What's the matter with you?

-Nothing! -Don't worry, man.

What you been doing, huh?

Motherfucker come in to my house talking that shit, man.

[blues piano music]

I was born in Jones Island,

that's one of the small islands off South Carolina.

A cousin of mine, uh,

was in New York.

I came up to New York City.

Well, the only person I knew is my cousin Frida,

and she worked in the Baby Grand at night,

so I would go to the Baby Grand and, you know,

hang out with Frida and meet Frida's friends, et cetera.

And that's how I met Freddy.

I liked Freddy because, uh,

he seemed very interested, like, you know,

he wasn't just after me for just sex only.

And, uh,

people used to tease me a lot, too, because, you know,

I had just come up from the South

and everything was new to me and I spoke differently too.

Plus the fact, you know,

knowing that I was a preacher's daughter,

and, you know, they called me "Uppity Nigga"

and things like that.

But it didn't seem to bother Freddy.

I liked Freddy because, like, he was very soft-spoken,

kind of gentlemanly like.

And then afterwards,

Freddy said that, you know, we should live at his parents.

Well, at the beginning,

he said we would only stay there for a short while,

about two to three weeks,

and we--we were there for 14 months now.

At first, I didn't mind, you know,

because I realized it was just for a short time.

But then afterwards, things seemed to get worse and worse.

Freddy never seemed to have a job.

He was always just, you know, just hanging around.

Comin' all so strange bein' a slave in your name

Then, no money and then he was always asking me for money.

And, well, naturally,

I didn't want this sort of thing,

because I was expecting a completely different thing,

because before we got married,

he would talk about children,

and he was talking about probably going to school

and things like that.

And none of this happened.

[man sings] I don't like the lies

You look like you late--work late today.

Tell the guys

You know, I was coming alone

and I thought [inaudible] listen to some music.

-Really? -[man sings] I can't stand their eyes

lookin' here for a good time

-You're looking good, baby. -You better stop.

[blues piano music]

-Real good. -Yeah, you better stop

'Cause if you can't heed

Fed up with what?

[Hattie] Me giving you money all the time.

Money to take your clothes out to the cleaners,

money for food, money for everything.

[Freddy] Yeah, because you don't have enough money

to buy you another wig, huh?

'Cause you can't buy no more wigs, huh?

This is my goddamn money.

Bitch, look.

Any time I need something, you're gonna give it to me,

you understand?

[whimpering]

Fuck you.

Look, before you leave here,

just leave the $10 on the table, that's all.

I'm getting out.

-Just leave the thing-- -I'm getting out.

Never mind money.

I am getting out of this house.

I've had enough.

You go ahead.

Get the fuck out.

Hattie.

Hattie, baby, I'm sorry.

Look.

We go through this all the time, man.

I can't go through this all the time.

Aw, baby, look at me.

Listen, listen, listen to me.

Listen to me.

Listen, you know how things, baby,

I'm under all this shit and you gonna do--

Look, hey, I don't want to do this to you.

I don't want to do this to you.

I don't want to do this to you, Hattie.

Hattie.

Hattie, baby, listen to me.

I love you, baby.

I can't take this anymore.

[weeping]

Baby, hold--hold-- hold on, Hattie.

Hattie, please.

I'm gonna go to work.

Leave me alone.

Baby, I'm sick.

Look, look.

Look.

Hattie, Hattie, will you just listen to me, please?

Just leave me-- I've gotta go to work.

-Leave me. -I know you gotta--

Baby, I know you gotta go to work.

-Now just listen to me. -But just leave me alone!

You know I never put my hands on you before.

Freddy, leave me alone.

Just let me--just let me go.

Don't say you gon'-- don't say you gon' leave me.

-Don't, baby. -I have to go to work.

Don't say you gon' leave me.

Don't ever say that to me.

Let me go.

Let me go, please.

Just hold on.

Hold on.

Look, you don't have to--

Look.

You...

No.

Just let me go.

[door slams]

[mellow blues music]

[crowd chattering]

[mellow blues music continues]

[door closing]

Well, where are you going?

-I'm leaving, Ma. -You mustn't leave him.

He loves you so much, and you must not leave him.

Ma, I'm leaving, I've got to leave him.

I can't take fighting with Freddy anymore.

-I've got to leave. -Listen, I will try to do

everything to help you that I can--

Well, I've been crying all the time.

I've got to leave him.

-Oh, don't go. -I'm sorry.

Hattie!

[footsteps fading]

You got me down now

[gentle blues music]

And I hope you're satisfied

[crowd chattering]

Oh, it's so hard trying to keep my head up now

Oh, with people pulling me down on every side

On every side

Uncle Sam say I owe a lot of money

Way back from 1956

Now how can I owe him anything

When that whole year I was sick?

You've got me down now

And I hope you're satisfied

I said it's so hard trying to get ahead nowadays

Oh, with somebody pulling you down on every side

On every side

[electric guitar music]

[door closes, music stops]

You're home.

Want a little music?

Sure, why not?

I'll get your coat.

[upbeat music playing]

I can hardly wait to get out of the city.

[scraping]

[indistinct lyrics]

Hey, my bed has--has a...

a strip there,

so you have to get used to it

and stay off the strip because you'll hurt your back.

Oh, you'll get used to it.

[indistinct lyrics]

I can't, uh...

Did I tell you you could go to New Orleans with me?

Sure you did.

[indistinct lyrics]

You don't want to change your mind now.

Well, it's not the fact, I think you missed...

[man sings] ...gonna do what I want you to

I'm gonna break out

All over you, baby

All over you, baby

[mellow music]

You've been the same since the day you came

Trying to grab some fame by playing games

Trying to grab some fame by playing games

You'd better stop, baby

You'd better stop, baby

Hey!

...till another day

If you only listened to what I say

If you only listened to what I say

You'd better stop, baby

-Mamma! -What?

Mamma, have you seen Hattie?

No, I ain't seen her.

Mamma, all her clothes--

Did you move her clothes out?

Where'd Hattie say she was going?

I don't know where she said she was going.

-Why did you let her go? -[unintelligible]

So why'd you just let her go like that?

You let her take her things and just leave me, huh?

I couldn't do nothing. What could I do?

You and her been on my back every day since I came here.

-Oh yeah? -Yeah.

Yeah, well, you need to do right.

You don't act right.

[laughter]

[chatter]

Um...

[mellow blues music]

We can...

Ladies and gentlemen,

this is my last recording I did in LA.

The Jelly Roll Blues.

Wow.

I woke up this morning

I woke up wantin' my sweet jelly roll

Take it easy, [indistinct].

I woke up this morning

And I was lookin' for my sweet jelly roll

Well, women is strollin' all over town

Lookin' for a job, knockin' on my door

I said baby, if you can't cook sweet jelly roll

Please, ma'am, stop knockin' on my door

Yeah!

Lord, have mercy [unintelligible].

Jelly roll [indistinct lyrics]

I got to have my jelly roll three times a day

Lord, help me

Well, my mother told me one Sunday morning

She said, son, you gotta get off the three jelly roll

I said, Mamma, how can I get off the three jelly roll?

Jelly roll [indistinct lyrics]

[music stops]

I'm--I'm--I'ma get to her place,

I'ma get her where she wants, but she just can't wait.

If she just had, just trust,

and she's supposed to love me, she's supposed to stick by me,

but that's all she--all she does is go to that damn bar

and wait for that cat, I know what's going on.

[Mother] Oh no.

That's who she's probably with-- that's who she's with now.

That's what she's been wantin' to do all the time

is go with him.

It's not just not getting a job.

It's more than that, Mamma.

It's more than that. It's more than that.

No, I don't think she's doin' that.

Yes, it is. Did you see the cat when he came in the other day?

Right in front--my house, right in front of my face.

She's gonna bring him up there and have him

right in front of my face, laughing all in my face.

It's because right now I'm down.

I'm down right now, I ain't got nothin', right?

-But you're gonna-- -I'm nothin' now, right?

-You're gonna get up. -Yeah.

[light blues music]

Better stop, baby

[upbeat music]

I also believe

that if we can spread the word "love"

just a little bit more here at home,

it would be welcome too.

But we need everybody.

We need everybody to spread that word "love" around.

Fact, ladies and gentlemen,

togetherness is where it's at.

I think I'll repeat that.

I said togetherness is where it's at.

So I want to see this evening

how closely you are together

by the beat of your hands

right here with me if you will, please.

[rhythmic clapping]

That's where it's at.

[upbeat music]

That's where it's at.

We gotta sing it again!

And if you feel like joining with us,

a little song will make you feel so much better sometimes.

At least it does me.

If you're with me out here, repeat after me.

All I want

Just a little bit of love

All I want

Just a little bit of love

All I want

Just a little bit of love

Come on!

All I want

Just a little bit of love

All I want

Just a little bit of love

All I want

Just a little bit of love

Thank you!

[electric guitar music]

I was born in a little place called Itta Bena,

near Itta Bena, Mississippi,

and I used to sing spirituals,

but I noticed that, um,

when people would ask me to sing spiritual songs,

they usually would thank me

and were very kind to me,

but usually if a guy asks me to sing blues,

he usually had a... very fine tip waitin' for me,

and I guess even though I was a church member and...

very active in church,

and the spiritual world, that is,

I was a little bit hypocritical

because I, um, would take a drink every so often,

and the people used to say, you know, um,

"Take a little drink for stomach's sake,"

but it wasn't really for stomach's sake.

For me it was for B.B. King's sake.

And, um,

I found that on some Saturday evenings,

after working on the plantation all...

all week, I would make more money

just singing on the street corners

than I had all week working on the plantation.

Well, don't rush, darling,

because you can't go with me.

No, I'll be ready.

I have to just put this on--

No, I'll, uh, miss my plane and things.

You wouldn't miss your plane

because I'm gonna be ready right now.

Well, I'm sorry, I can't take you.

What do you mean by you can't take me?

-You said "we" last night. -Because just what I said.

Just what I said, you can't-- you can't go because, uh,

uh, I just can't carry the weight.

What do you mean by you can't carry the weight?

It's just too much on me, you know,

like I've got to be able to move whenever I--I--

whenever I, uh, have to move,

and I just can't have you tagging along.

Jay Jay, you know how much I need to go.

It's not the question of need.

You can keep my pad.

I gotta go, see ya.

Jay Jay, you can't just go like that.

[car honking]

[door closes]

Shit.

Oh baby, oh baby, oh baby

[jaunty piano music]

[clacking]

[steps creaking]

[footsteps approaching slowly]

Freddy?

Freddy?

Freddy? Freddy?

Freddy?

He's not here.

You know where he went, Ma?

He went lookin' for you.

You know where?

No, I don't.

Hmm.

[siren wailing]

[man sings] ...is funny that way

No need to rumble and no need to grumble

Life can be king for one day

Just remember that sunshine always follows rain

Wrap your troubles in dreams

And dream your troubles away now

Castles may crumble here after all

Life is funny that way

No need to rumble and no need to grumble

Life can be king for one day

Just remember that sunshine always follows the rain

You're gonna wrap your troubles in dreams

And dream all of your troubles away

Hey, hey, hey

And dream all your troubles away

[solemn piano notes]

[singing]

[indistinct chatter]

[piano notes and singing continue]

Well, uh, I was born in Birmingham, Alabama,

and, uh, I came to New York when I was about 16 years old

to go to school,

to finish--to get an advanced education

more than I would be able to get in the South.

My father was, uh, a spiritual teacher,

music teacher,

and he taught a cappella for 50 years.

So I had a musical background,

but later on in life, I, uh...

went to experiment in drugs.

That was my, uh, downfall, you know.

And, uh, I've been arrested several...

numerous times, repetitiously,

all relatin' to drugs.

And this is, uh, now that I'm 44 and I've, uh,

I'm finishing up serving a year,

I've decided to, uh, to leave it alone.

And, uh...

I'm gonna try to, uh,

go back in the music business.

I once had a nine-piece band of my own,

also a seven-piece.

[distant piano music]

[indistinct announcements]

Freddy?

He sold dope,

he ran around with all different women,

got locked up all the time.

In fact, he got beat up one time very bad

by the cops.

He lived a very dirty life.

[mellow blues music]

He came in, he stayed for quite a while,

but, uh, he didn't pay no money or nothing like that.

He stayed here for a while, and finally, she had to leave

and go away from him 'cause he acted so bad.

Using the stuff.

Just did everything bad.

[mellow blues music]

[man sings] Well, it's a low down dirty

It's a low down dirty shame

Said it's a low, low, low, low down dirty

It's a low down dirty shame

I'm crazy about a married woman

But I'm afraid to call her name

Well, I sent for you yesterday

And here you come today

Well, I sent for you yesterday, sweetheart

And, oh, here you come today

If you can't do no better, baby

Well, you might as well just stay away

So, uh, this is, uh...

[unintelligible]

I wonder what made Grandpa

Oh, love old Grandma so

I guess Grandma can't do the things she did

Fifty long years ago

Tell me what made Grandpa

Oh, love old Grandma so

Right, there's nothing in here.

I guess Grandpa can't do

All the things he did 50 long years ago

[mellow blues music]

Well, I guess I'll get on down the line, sweetheart

'Cause it's so [indistinct lyrics]

I think I'll go back home, sweetheart

Going way, way on down the line

[Freddy] But I served my five years,

and when I was servin' it,

I made up my mind, when I got out, to get myself together.

When I got out of Comstock, I got married.

[upbeat music]

I worked in the prison hospital,

and that's the only trade I know is hospital work.

I worked as a nurse's aide.

I've been trying to get a job as a nurse's aide,

and every time I go to different agencies,

it's the same thing, they told me the same thing.

"We can't hire you because you've got a felony."

I want to get--I've been trying to get myself together.

I want to live like anybody else!

A grown man, and I gotta live with my mother.

I'm married, and I gotta live with my mother.

Every day, I hear the same thing from them,

but them people don't know that, they don't give a damn

when I go down there and look for--look for a job.

They just smile all in my face.

The thing is, they want to keep me down,

they want to keep me down like an animal.

I'm not an animal!

I'm just like anybody else.

I want to live decent.

You think they care about that?

They don't give a damn about me.

But if I gotta go out there and take what I want,

I'm gonna take it.

If I got to steal and get it, I'm gonna get it.

I don't care, if I got to go back to jail, I don't care.

[upbeat blues music]

[man sings] I walked my bedroom door

Hung down my head and cried

I didn't exactly have the blues

I just want satisfied

I need my woman

I learned

If I don't hurry up and find her

You know I think I'm going out of my mind

I need my baby

I said I need my baby

Can you hear me, I need my baby

I said I need my baby

If I don't hurry up and find her

You know I think I'm going out of my mind

[upbeat blues music]

[door creaking]

Wait a minute.

Come on, Freddy. Freddy, come on.

Don't you want to go back and see Jay Jay?

Come on, let's go home!

[exuberant yell]

Every time that I sing, you'll find some protest in it.

It's not full of protest, but one chorus in there

will be the punchline.

Why was I treated this way?

Why did I have to undergo such hardships

when everybody else was living on Easy Street?

[gentle guitar music]

And that's what the blues--

Well, most of the blues, basically you'll find

whiskey, women, and money involved.

But me, as an individual,

I use those three clichés

because they're the most important things

in life: whiskey, women, and money.

If you never dealt with them, you never lived.

But I use them as crutches sometimes

because it takes me on a lead of what I'm wanting to say.

Everybody thinks I'm talking about a woman

when I'm singing about a woman,

but it's not a woman all the time.

When I'm talking about money, it's not money all the time.

[harmonica music]

[man sings] My baby done changed

Done changed the lock on the door

-Freddy, come on! -Let's go see Jay Jay.

[mellow blues music]

My baby done changed

Well, she done changed the lock on the door

Well, she said that key you got, Sonny

Woo, won't fit in the lock no more

I went home last night

About half past ten

I tried to get the key in the lock

And I couldn't get it in

'Cause the woman done changed

Well, she done changed the lock on the door

Well, she said that key you got, Sonny

[Freddy] Now wait a minute, I want to go see Jay Jay.

Freddy, come on, let's go home.

[mellow blues music]

Well, you know, I was all out there by myself

and couldn't even get in my house, you know.

I want to let y'all know I can see a little bit.

But that night, I couldn't see at all.

It was so dark out there, you know?

I had a friend livin' next door,

so he heard me over there and he come over there, you know.

And this is what he said.

He said, "Hey, Sonny, what you doin' out here, man?"

I said, "Man, I can't get in my house."

He said, "What you mean you can't get in your own house?"

I said, "My old lady changed the lock on the door, fool."

He said, "Too bad for you, buddy."

I said, "Man, go ahead and tell me something,

make me feel good."

He said, "Anything I tell you, man,

you're gonna feel good on it."

I said, "Go ahead and tell me one of the bad ones then.

I can't feel no bad feeling, man."

And this is what the fool said.

[harmonica music]

He said, "Go around, man, and peep in that window

and see who else she got in there."

I went on around there and I did that too.

I walked 'round to my window

To see what I could see

She's hugging and kissing another man

And I know it wasn't me

'Cause she done changed

Well, she done changed that lock on the door

Blues is true.

That's the blues to me, blues is true.

[man sings] Well, she said that key you got, Terry

Woo, won't fit in the lock no more

[mellow blues music]

You don't be sad every time people sang the blues, you know.

[man sings] I called my baby up

I said, honey, what you want me to bring?

You know she whispered [indistinct lyrics]

Don't bring a doggone thing

'Cause I done changed

Well, I done changed the lock on the door

Well, she said that key you got, Terry

Woo, won't fit in the lock no more

Woo, ahh, woo

I done never get in that house.