Mississippi Fred McDowell "Goin Down to the River"

Blues great Mississippi Fred McDowell sings "Goin to the River", recorded by second generation and pioneering musicologist Alan Lomax. Images of Fred, Mississippi, the river and some bridges that cross it. While commonly lumped together with "Delta Blues singers," McDowell actually may be considered the first of the bluesmen from the North Mississippi region - parallel to, but somewhat east of the Delta region - to achieve widespread recognition for his work (see, Wikipedia).

Lyrics:
I'm goin' down that river
I'm goin-a take that right hand road
I'm goin' down the river
I'm goin-a take that right hand road
Lord, I ain't gon' stop walkin'
'Till I get in sweet mama's arms

Lord, the girl I'm lovin'
She got that great long curly hair
Lord, the girl I'm lovin'
Got the great long curly hair
Lord, her mama an her papa, Lord
Sure don't allow me there

Lord, allow me
Sure don't allow me
Sure don't allow me
Sure don't allow me
Sure don't allow
Allow me there
Lord, Lord
Sho' don't allow
'llow me there

(guitar & comb)

Sun rose this mornin', baby
Lord, I was layin' down on my flo'
Lord, the sun rose this mornin'
I was layin' down on my flo'
Lord, no woman to love me
Baby, even no place to go

Lord, nobody
Love me, baby
Lord, no place
Place to go
Lord
Even no, place to go
Lordy, Lordy, Lord, Lord

(guitar)

Lord, I'm goin' away, baby
Don't you wanna go?
I'm goin' away, baby
Mama, don't you wanna go?
Lord, I'm goin' somewhere
I ain't never been before

Oh, Lord, I
Lord, I'm goin'
Goin' somewhere
I ain't never
Been befo'
Lord, Lord.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Blues
• fred
• mcdowell
• guitar
• alan
• lomax

[checkraisedbywolves]

The correct title for this is:

"Going Down the River"

And it was either Fred's wife or Aunt that played the comb on this one.

[thesquonkstear]

Rounder Records included a: "to" in 1995 from the 1962 recording by Dick Spotswood.

Rounder CD 2138 - 1995,

Lomax's first recording has the title of this song as "I'm Going Down the River".

But there again, I don't give a pumkin's ass.

[metyuewb]

@phishhead11 well she could've used a saw, would sound better! :)

[phishhead11]

@metyuewb that was fred mcdowell's wife playing the wax comb on this recording

[itsjeffe]

I thought this song was "Going Down the River?"

[imh11621]

awesome!

[haroldteunissen1]

absolute african rooted blues

super

[draoicht22]

the next two things I hope to do. throw my laptop out the window as I ve lost last 2 attempts at a small comment and go in search of this album or more music by this toucher of other worlds. like a shaman shifting the thin veil of illusion he is here getting glimpses of the wonderful mysteries that are coming his way. its not exactly what I wanted ro say but there I did it

[frenzexperiment]

2:40 lol

[Rhodentette]

Mississipi Fred McDowell knocks me out. What a super hero.