Chris Chew
Luther Dickinson: I rediscovered distortion on 51 Phantom.
51 Phantom
(Dickinson/Chew)
51 phantom, a boolegged man
Known from the hills to the bottomland
Late in the evening, ‘bout this time of night
51 phantom gets to feelin’ right.
Memphis to New Orleans the 51 I ride
White lightnin’ flash across the Mississippi sky
It’s the code of the hills like they’ve never been told
Don’t look for me out where the monkey grass grows
On down the levy, ‘round the bend
51 phantom striking again
Just for the rooster crow for day
Had me a howl down the moonshine highway
woooo—oooo-oooooo-wwwooooo-ooooo.
51 phantom, the seventh son
Memphis to New Orleans on the 51
Til I rest my head on the coolin board
51 phantom on up and down the road
woooooooooooooo-ooooooo
(Alternate live lyrics:
From Memphis to New Orleans on the 51
I'm as old as the hills, the hills we run
51 phantom creepin through your town
Might find your woman squeak round
Got your gallop, your monkey grass
Ain't the first time, won't be the last
Mis'sippi moonshine all up in my head
Shotgun and boobytrap livin in my bed
Well, you won't hear me coming in the light of day
But you might hear me howl down the lonesome highway)
Snakes in My Bushes
(Dickinson/Chew)
Snakes in my bushes, hanging down from the trees
Snakes in my bushes, hanging down from the trees
Last snake charmer put them snakes on me.
Snakes in my bushes, spiders climbing up the vine
Snakes in my bushes, spiders climbing up the vine
Snakes run me crazy, murder on my mind.
Steady killing snakes, I’m on a snake killing spree
Steak in the snakes, I’m on a snake killing spree
Find a snake doctor, get them snakes off me!
Dead snake keep livin’ til the evening sun go down
Dead snake keep livin’ til the evening sun go down
Won’t turn them loose, still they’re twitchin’ ‘round.
Snakes in my pillow, snakes underneath my bed
Snakes in my pillow, snakes underneath my bed
Goin’ snake crazy, snakes all in my head.
Sugartown
(Dickinson/Chew)
Here I am in Sugartown
Up on Sugarhill
Gonna shake the sugar down
Cause my sugar-mama will
Shake it baby, shake it baby, shake it baby, alright.
Shake it baby, shake it baby, shake it baby, all night.
Po’ boy in Sugarland,
Cuttin’ down the sugarcane,
If you see me runnin’, gonna be a free man.
Shake it baby, shake it baby, shake it baby, alright.
Shake it baby, shake it baby, shake it baby, all night.
Went to a sugartree
Shook it with all my might
Said “what’s the matter, honey?”
You ain’t shakin’ right
Shake it baby, shake it baby, shake it baby, alright.
Shake it baby, shake it baby, shake it baby, all night.
On down to Sugartown
On down to Sugartown
Lord Have Mercy
(Junior Kimbrough)
Luther Dickinson:Lord Have Mercy is a completely live first take.
Oh Lord, oh Lord, have mercy on me
Oh Lord, oh Lord, have mercy on me
Have I done anybody wrong?
I cried, oh Lord, have mercy on me
Used to be a bad boy
Troubles always chasing me
It really got me down
(repeat)
I fell down on my knees
And I cried, oh Lord, have mercy on me
Write to my mama
Mama please ma’am deliver me home
Write to my mama the way I feel
The doctor can’t do me no good
You out there I believe
And I cry, oh Lord, have mercy on me
Have mercy on me
Storm
(Dickinson/Chew)
Storm is an old song Luther and Cody have played together for years, but the version on 51 Phantom is the first time the Allstars ever played it.
It had been still all day
Not a breeze in the night to blow the heat away
Firefly flashin’ electricity in the sky
The outside dogs begin to bark, it be a good night to fly
Do a little a dance in the wind
Thunder’s rumblin’ again
Storm’s come to wash it all away
The storm’s a-comin’
We’ll go out and play in the rain, in the rain.
Blind man on a bicycle in the middle of the night
Downhill through the woods he rides guided by the light
He can taste the rain and smell the changes in the air
But he just keeps on rollin’ wherever he falls will be there.
Do a little a dance in the wind
Thunder’s rumblin’ again
Storm’s a-comin’ to wash it all away
The storm’s a-comin’
We’ll go out and play in the rain, in the rain.
Do a little a dance in the wind
Thunder’s rumblin’ again
Storm’s a-comin’ to wash it all away
The storm’s a-comin’
We’ll go out and play in the rain, in the rain.
Freedom Highway
(Roebuck "Pop" Staples)
Marching on the freedom highway
Marching each and every day
Marching on the freedom highway
Marching each and every day
I made up my mind, and I won’t turn around
I made up my mind, and I won’t turn around
There is just one thing that I can’t understand about friends
Why some folks think freedom is not designed for all men
There are so many people living their lives perplexed
Wondering in their minds what’s gonna happen next
Chorus
Found dead people in the forest(Alternate lyrics: You got your brothers and your sisters in the choir room)
Tallahatchie river and lakes
The whole wide world is wonderin’ what’s wrong with the United States
Yes we want peace if it can be found
We’re gonna stay freedom highway, we’re not gonna turn around
And do you (do you) do you think I voted for the right man
Who said we will over come
I march the freedom highway until the day is done
Chorus
I’m gonna keep on marching on the freedom highway
And I’m not gonna turn around
Circle in the Sky
(Dickinson/Chew)
Circle round the sun, my time has come
Circle round the sun
My time has come, circle round the sun
Time has come, round the sun
Circle round the moon, something’s coming soon
Circle round the moon
Something’ coming soon, circle round the moon
Coming soon, round the moon
Circle in the sky, take me home or high
Circle in the sky
Take me home or high, circle in the sky
Home or high, in the sky
Ship
(Dickinson/Chew)
Luther and Chris wrote Ship on the road.
Waitin for my ship (waitin for my ship)
Waitin for my ship (waitin for my ship)
to come in, yes, lord, to come in
Waitin for my ship to come in
I’m gonna keep on walking (keep on walking)
Keep on walking (keep on walking)
Gonna walk ‘til I reach the shore
And when I reach (reach the shore)
And when I reach (reach the shore)
Lord I ain’t gonna walk no more
I see it coming (sailing in)
I see it coming (sailing in)
Sailing in, yes, lord, sailing in
Open up the door (come on in)
Open up the door (come on in)
I’m coming in, yes, lord, I’m coming in
I’m gonna step aboard (step aboard)
I’m gonna step aboard (step aboard)
And I ain’t gonna worry no more
They’ll be no more trials and tribulations when I step aboard
No more trials and tribulations when I step aboard
No more trials and tribulations when I step aboard
When that great great ship comes in
Be singing and dancing (sing and dancing)
Singing and dancing (sing and dancing)
When that great great ship comes in
So satisfied (I’m satisfied)
I’m satisfied (so satisfied)
When that great great ship comes in
(repeat)
Leavin’
(Dickinson/Chew)
Leavin' and Up Over Yonder are Luther's favorite songs off of 51 Phantom
When the evening sun goes down
I'm going to ball you baby, and ramble on
Don’t you let my leavin grieve you
When it comes to rambling, lord, I’m natural born
Don’t let my leavin’ grieve you
Don’t know where I’m headed
Don’t remember where I’m from
Only when they lay me down will I feel at home
Don’t let my leavin’ grieve you
Ten thousand women came from the east and the west
To the burial ground as I got my rest
"Low down, good for nothin'" she said in her Sunday dress
But when it comes to ramblin’ yonder lies the best
Don’t let my leavin’ grieve you
When the evening sun goes down
I’m bound to ramble on
Up Over Yonder
(Dickinson/Chew)
Headed out walkin’, nobody by my side
You see me allow me to pass on by
Pass on by, pass on by, headed out walkin’
Head up over yonder, head up over yonder
Biding my time ‘til the sweet by and by
We all meet again at the home on high
Home on high, sweet by and by we all meet again
Head up over yonder, head up over yonder
My time along, got to travel on
Don’t ask me to stay, I’m goin’ home
Goin’ home, I’m goin’ home, my time along got to move
Head up over yonder, head up over yonder
Mud (Mississippi Mud)
(Cody Dickinson)
Cody Dickinson: Yeah, “Mud” is my fault.
Memphis, Tennessee is where I was born
Mississippi is where I was grown
into a man age 25
Jumpin’ in the mud, glad to be alive
(Alternate live lyrics:
Well back on the farm where I was born
My barnyard where I was grown
Out in the country down in the sticks
Jumpin’ in the mud I would get my kicks)
Beat yo’ feet(s) in the Mississippi mud! (4x)
Well if you don’t know I ain’t gonna tell ya
Well if you don’t know I ain’t gonna tell ya
From now on your such a fellow
Beat yo’ feet(s) in the Mississippi mud! (8x)
I’m in the mud and the mud’s in me. (10x)
Well if you don’t know I ain’t gonna tell ya
From now on your such a fellow
Words don’t count in a time like this
Now you know just what I’m talkin’ about.
Beat yo’ feet(s) in the Mississippi mud! (8x)