Mississippi Fred McDowell: What's The Matter Now

What's The Matter Now 4:56 Trk 10
Mississippi Fred McDowell
Recorded Sept. 25, 1959, Como Mississippi
(previously unreleased)
Fred McDowell - guitar & vocal
w/unk 'broom sweeping' background
Album: Portraits The First Recordings
Rounder CD 1718


Note: 2 women on track with spoken comments
having fun throughout song. (poss. 3rd ,young man)
#1 prob. standing in back, #2 prob. broomsweeper.


Unk 1: 'Thought I would stand in the back
I gotta hear those.'

Fred begins:
Well, what's the matter now?
Unk 1 'She left'
'Yeah-yeah-yeah'
'Ooh, what she's doin'
Lord, I wonder
Baby, what's the matter now?

Unk 1 'Lord! Hoo!
Unk 2 <laughter>
Unk 1 'She left you'

Where were you when that
Little rooster crowed 'fore day?
Unk 1 'You go'd a-plenty out'
'You know where I was!'
Unk 2 'Don't tell!'

It was soon one mornin'
Baby, ev'rything was quiet
(Yeah!) (Hoo!)
Unk 'Good sound, Fred'
It was soon one mornin'
When ev'rything was quiet

(guitar)

Unk 1 'On my merry way, like he goin'
Unk 2 'You better tell him to stop then!
Unk 2 'I can't stop him!'
Unk 1 'You better!'

Lord, bring me my pistol
Lord, my shotgun, too
poss Unk 3 'Book him, now'
Unk 2 <laughter>


Bring me my pistol
Bring me my shotgun, too
Unk 1 'Bet he kill little birdies'
Unk 1 'Little lambs, too'
If I meet my baby's nigger
Ain't no tellin' what he might do
Unk 1 'He, right'
Unk 1 'Um-hm'

(guitar)

Unk 3 'You ain't know'd his name'

Well, it's bye-bye, baby
I ain't got no mo' t'say
Well, it's bye-bye, baby
I ain't got no-ooh mo' t'say

(guitar)

Unk 1 'Sayin' them, THINGS!'
Unk 2 'Go ahead 'n pull!'
Unk 2 'I can't keep doin' this broom!
Be happy if He Shot Me!'

<Laughter>
'He try then, he see'

<song continues>

I'd rather see my mama
You come in sloppy drunk
(Yes, yes)

Ruther see my mama
Come in-in-in sloppy drunk
Then to see my baby, Lord
Packin' up her trunk

Unk 'Who says?'

Well, it's bye-bye, baby
Lord, if you call that gone

Well, it's bye-bye
If you call that gone.

(Alright!)

(Yeah!)
ha-ha-ha

~