J.T. "Funny Paper" Smith - Seven Sisters Blues (Video, Lyrics, Comments)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases "Seven Sister Blues - Part I and Part 2" by J. T. "Funny Paper" Smith. This is Part III in a three part series of post on three Blues songs that include references to the power of the number seven. Each of these songs are examples of "bragging Blues" and not the "sad Blues" that many think are the only way that Blues can be.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/10/muddy-waters-hoochie-coochie-man-video.html "Muddy Waters - Hoochie Coochie Man (Video, Lyrics, Comments)" for Part I of this series.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/10/willie-dixon-seventh-son-video-lyrics.html "Willie Dixon - Seventh Son (Videos, Lyrics, Comments) for Part II of this series.

The content of this post is presented for folkloric, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

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FEATURED VIDEO: J.T. "Funny Paper" Smith - Seven Sisters Blues Part 1



Uploaded by fuadramses on Aug 2, 2010

J.T. "Funny Paper" Smith was a pioneering force behind the development of the Texas blues guitar style of the pre-war era; in addition to honing a signature sound distinguished by intricate melody lines and simple, repetitive bass riffs, he was also a gifted composer, authoring songs of surprising narrative complexity...

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LYRICS: SEVEN SISTERS BLUES - PARTS 1 and 2
(J. T. "Funny Paper" Smith)

PART 1

They tell me Seven Sisters in New Orleans
that can really fix a man up right
They tell me Seven Sisters in New Orleans
that can really fix a man up right
And I'm headed for New Orleans, Louisiana,
I'm travelin' both day and night.

I hear them say the oldest Sister
look just like she's 21
I hear them say the oldest Sister
look just like she's 21
And said she can look right in your eyes
and tell you just exactly what you want done.

They tell me they've been hung,
been bled, and been crucified
They tell me they've been hung,
been bled, and been crucified
But I just want enough help
to stand on the water and rule the tide.

It's bound to be Seven Sisters,
'cause I've heard it by everybody else
It's bound to be Seven Sisters,
I've heard it by everybody else
Course, I'd love to take their word,
but I'd rather go and see for myself.

When I leave the Seven Sisters,
I'll pile stones all around
When I leave the Seven Sisters,
I'll pile stones all around
And go to my baby and tell her,
"There's another Seven Sister man in town."

Good morning, Seven Sisters,
just thought I'd come down and see
Good morning, Seven Sisters,
I thought I'd come down to see
Will you build me up where I'm torn down,
and make me strong where I'm weak?

PART 2

I went to New Orleans, Louisiana,
just on account of something I heard
I went to New Orleans, Louisiana,
just on account of something I heard
The Seven Sisters told me everything I wanted to know,
and they wouldn't let me speak a word.

Now, it's Sarah, Minnie, Bertha,
Holly, Dolly, Betty and Jane
Sarah, Minnie, Bertha,
Holly, Dolly, Betty and Jane
You can't know them Sisters apart,
because they all looks just the same.

The Seven Sisters sent me away happy,
'round the corner I met another little girl
Seven Sisters sent me 'way happy,
'round the corner I met another little girl
She looked at me and smiled, and said,
"Go, Devil, and destroy the world."

[spoken] I'm gonna destroy it, too.

[spoken] I'm all right now.

Seven times a year
the Seven Sisters will visit me in my sleep
Seven times a year
the Seven Sisters will visit me all in my sleep
And they said I won't have no trouble,
and said I'll live twelve days in a week.

Wanna go down in Louisiana,
and get the hell right out of your bein'
Wanna go down in Louisiana,
and get right out of your bein'
These Seven Sisters can do anything in Louisiana,
but you'll have to go to New Orleans.

Lyrics from http://www.luckymojo.com/number7.html comments by catherine yronwode, the editor of that website. Catherine Yronwode indicated that "The transciption is by Chris Smith (email deleted)"

The lyrics were prefaced by these comments:
"Here are complete lyrics for "Seven Sisters Blues, Parts I and 2" recorded October 3rd, 1931 in Chicago and released on two sides of a 78 rpm record. Notice that the number 21 (3 times 7) also appears in this song.".
-snip-
Additional comments by catherine yronwode are reposted below under "The Meaning Of The Number Seven".

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INFORMATION ABOUT J. T. "FUNNY PAPER" SMITH
From http://www.answers.com/topic/john-t-smith
"J.T. "Funny Paper" Smith was a pioneering force behind the development of the Texas blues guitar style of the pre-war era; in addition to honing a signature sound distinguished by intricate melody lines and simple, repetitive bass riffs, he was also a gifted composer, authoring songs of surprising narrative complexity. A contemporary of such legends as Blind Lemon Jefferson and Dennis "Little Hat" Jones, next to nothing concrete is known of John T. Smith's life. Assumed to have been born in East Texas during the latter half of the 1880s, he was a minstrel who wandered about the panhandle region, performing at fairs, fish fries, dances, and other community events (often in the company of figures including Tom Shaw, Texas Alexander, and Bernice Edwards).

Smith settled down long enough to record some 22 songs between 1930 and 1931, among them his trademark number "Howling Wolf Blues, Pts. One and Two"; indeed, he claimed the alternate nickname "Howling Wolf" some two decades before it was appropriated by his more famous successor, Chester Burnett. (The true story behind Smith's more common nickname remains a matter of some debate -- some blues archivists claim he was instead dubbed "Funny Papa," with the "Funny Paper" alias resulting only from record company error.) His career came to an abrupt end during the mid-'30s, when he was arrested for murdering a man over a gambling dispute. Smith was found guilty and imprisoned, and is believed to have died in his cell circa 1940."

[Posted by Jason Ankeny, Rovi] Format changed for greater clarity.

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COMMENTS ABOUT THE MEANING OF THE NUMBER SEVEN
From http://www.luckymojo.com/number7.html
"The Seven Sisters is a term used to indicate the constellation of the Pleiades -- but The Seven Sisters of New Orleans were a family of hoodoo women who lived and practiced in the Crescent City in the 1920s - 30s. Mentioned by several of Harry Middleton Hyatt's informants, they were said to have a house "by the water" and were popular enough to became the subject of a blues song by the Texas musician J. T. "Funny Paper" Smith...

As Funny Paper Smith's song indicates, the Seven Sisters demonstrated a "gift" or mark of power commonly found among hoodoo root workers: they could tell a client what was wrong before he or she spoke. This gift was also attributed to the Arkanasas conjure and spiritualist Aunt Caroline Dye. Advertisements for such seers may make reference to their telepathic power with stock phrases such as "She tells all before you utter a word" or "Don't tell her -- let her tell you!"

The famous Seven Sisters of New Orleans gave rise to numerous imitators, among them Ida Carter, a hoodoo women in Hogansville, Alabama, who called herself "Seven Sisters," despite being a single individual. In recent years the Seven Sisters of New Orleans name has became a brand of hoodoo products distributed by International Imports."
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Other quotes about the meaning of the number seven can be found on the other pancocojams post in this series.

Also, for the record, the "Seven Sisters" referred to in this Blues song has nothing to do with the children's recreational song "Seven Little Sisters" which is included in this pancocojams post: http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/05/ladies-and-gentlemen-children-too.html "Ladies And Gentlemen, Children Too" Playground Rhyme

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RELATED LINKS
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoodoo_(folk_magic)
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http://santeriachurch.org/the-seven-african-powers/
-snip-
Other quotes about the meaning of the number seven can be found on the other pancocojams post in this series.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND THANKS
Thanks to J. T. "Funny Paper" Smith for composing & performing "Seventh Song". Thanks also to those whose transcriptions and comments I quoted in this post, and thanks to the uploader of this post's featured video.

Thank you for visiting pancocojams.

Viewer comments are welcome.