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Post by Pickers Ditch on Apr 29, 2019 10:29:23 GMT
I've been listening to this with the intention of adapting it for an open mic night.
I love the song but can any of you aficionados out there explain the meaning of the phrase:
"She caught the rumblin', I caught the falling down" please?
Keyhole in your door? - I understand that, but not rumblin' and fallin' down in this context.
Is it as rude as I think it is?
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Post by slide496 on Apr 29, 2019 12:11:08 GMT
Hi PD,
Not an expert but have listened to a bit of him. Could mean just grumbling, complaining sounds on the rumbling.
Best,
Harriet
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Post by Michael Messer on Apr 29, 2019 12:52:57 GMT
PD, there are so many local coloquialisms and ancient slang terms that we don't understand. Just look at cockney rhyming slang as an example. It is forever evolving, often using current celebrity names and pop culture, and is only understandable by few people. Furry's use of the phrase "She caught the rumblin', I caught the falling down" may be a slang term for something sexual, but more likely it is not that in this context. The rumblin' might be a train, it might as Harriet has said, it might be a mood. Who knows, it could be a term for an orgasm, but as most sexual blues are very much based on the singer boasting about their sexual prowess, the fallin' down appears to be quite the opposite. My money is on the train theory. The fallin' down might just mean that he got drunk. So..."she left town and I got drunk" ....might be something close. The originator of this song is Rev. Robert Wilkins, I don't see the Rev writing about his sexual prowess. It just doesn't quite go with the lifestyle.
Shine On
Michael.
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Post by slide496 on Apr 29, 2019 13:24:10 GMT
PD, there are so many local coloquialisms and ancient slang terms that we don't understand. Just look at cockney rhyming slang as an example. It is forever evolving, often using current celebrity names and pop culture, and is only understandable by few people. Furry's use of the phrase "She caught the rumblin', I caught the falling down" may be a slang term for something sexual, but more likely it is not that in this context. The rumblin' might be a train, it might as Harriet has said, it might be a mood. Who knows, it could be a term for an orgasm, but as most sexual blues are very much based on the singer boasting about their sexual prowess, the fallin' down appears to be quite the opposite. My money is on the train theory. The fallin' down might just mean that he got drunk. So..."she left town and I got drunk" ....might be something close. The originator of this song is Rev. Robert Wilkins, I don't see the Rev writing about his sexual prowess. It just doesn't quite go with the lifestyle. Shine On Michael. There's a thought now that you mention train! - I wonder if its his way of saying "rambling" , or thinking the word meant that. I think there are supportative lyrics to that. It's not consistent from what I've heard of him to consciously focus on boasting that much. Hitch up my buggy, please saddle up my black mare Hitch up my buggy, saddle up my black mare I'm going to find my woman on the road somewhere She caught the rumbling, I caught the falling down She caught the rumbling, I caught the falling down If I never see her, I never turn around |
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Post by Michael Messer on Apr 29, 2019 15:45:09 GMT
Harriet, I know what you mean because illiterate people do get words wrong, but in this case I think the RUMBLIN' is a train and the FALLIN' DOWN is getting drunk.
Shine On
Michael.
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Post by slide496 on Apr 29, 2019 16:00:00 GMT
Harriet, I know what you mean because illiterate people do get words wrong, but in this case I think the RUMBLIN' is a train and the FALLIN' DOWN is getting drunk. Shine On Michael. I didn't see that the first post! - goes alomg with the idea of them each "catching" doesn't it. Best H |
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Post by purpleorange on Apr 29, 2019 20:00:04 GMT
Harriet, I know what you mean because illiterate people do get words wrong, but in this case I think the RUMBLIN' is a train and the FALLIN' DOWN is getting drunk. Shine On Michael. Michael is right, in this case 'fallin' down' means getting drunk. I asked Steve James about this while ago, Steve should know as he spent a bit of time with Furry. I initially though 'fallin' down' was an another 'no lead in my pencil, and at one stage I thought rumblin' was some slang for some sort of STD. EDIT - I have just realised that Pablo Nutini's pencil if full of lead. |
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Post by Pickers Ditch on Apr 29, 2019 20:04:39 GMT
Harriet, I know what you mean because illiterate people do get words wrong, but in this case I think the RUMBLIN' is a train and the FALLIN' DOWN is getting drunk. Shine On Michael. Michael is right, in this case 'fallin' down' means getting drunk. I asked Steve James about this while ago, Steve should know as he spent a bit of time with Furry. I initially though 'fallin' down' was an another 'no lead in my pencil, and at one stage I thought rumblin' was som stand for some sort of STD. Thank you! My original interpretation was the same as your'n.  |
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Post by slide496 on Apr 29, 2019 21:24:05 GMT
IMHO the combination of the 2 different aspects make the line a story in a very few chosen words.
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Post by jono1uk on Apr 29, 2019 21:24:24 GMT
Charlie Patton's Pony Blues had similiar lyrics to the ones Harriet posted from Furry's Song
so who's song came 1st?
Jon
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Post by slide496 on Apr 29, 2019 21:44:44 GMT
It's ( posted lyrics) attributed to Patton as the writer in Wikipedia, and I think the first recording of it.
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Post by purpleorange on Apr 29, 2019 22:16:25 GMT
The originator of this song is Rev. Robert Wilkins, I don't see the Rev writing about his sexual prowess. It just doesn't quite go with the lifestyle. Michael. I had a listen to RW's version, he has some interesting verses. If you don't believe, girl, I'll treat you right
If you don't believe, girl, I'll treat you right
Come and walk with me down to my lovin' shack tonight
I'll certainly treat you just like you was white
I'll certainly treat you just like you was white
That don't satisfy you, girl, I'll take your life |
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Post by Andymccann on Apr 29, 2019 22:23:42 GMT
This all reminds me of the first time I heard ‘biscuit rudder’(?!) years later I heard Alvin Youngblood sing biscuit roller and it all made kinda sense... Great discussion
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Post by washboardchris on Apr 30, 2019 7:27:49 GMT
There was a line from Henry Thomas (Ragtime Texas )"I whipped my woman with a single tree.I had thought it was a branch but no its a draught animal.Sounds painful either way
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Post by Michael Messer on Apr 30, 2019 8:02:36 GMT
A single tree is the piece of wood that holds the horse to a cart.
Shine On
Michael
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