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Song to JCB

from Traveling Wildfire by Dom Flemons

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lyrics

Oh, listen to my story
And I’ll tell you ’bout my friend
Plays the best harmonica
And I’ll love him to the end
He’s traveled all the highways
From New York to Vancouver Bay
Born in a Georgia shack
And he’s in San Francisco today
So listen to what I say

Chorus
Who’s that man
Singing that song?
Who’s that man
Singing that song?
Who’s that man?
Tell me who’s that man?
I think it’s JC and everybody sing along

Well, JC sittin’ out there
On Grant Street
Ain’t got much money
And he ain’t got much to eat
Well, all you rich people
Passing by his feet
You make JC so sad sometimes
That he don’t know how to sleep
Ah, he don’t know how to sleep

Chorus

I remember them lonely nights
We’d sit and hear JC play
Bruce and me and Godfrey
All crouched in some doorway
Laughing and a-cryin’
And stomping our feet
Til the landlord said,
“Move on! Get out!
My children are asleep!”
I said, “My children are asleep!”

Chorus

Instrumental

Well, J.C. said one night
I’m gonna tell you ’bout my shoes
They walked with Pete Seeger and Sonny Terry too
Tryin’ to earn a livin’ and tryin’ to play the blues
Them souls are getting thin now and I guess mine is too

Oh, look in his eyes, friend
Look at his hands
Seen a lot of livin’
and touched a lot of land
And if you don’t believe
he’s breathing and alive
Then you better watch yourself
When he’s doing the “Old Hand Jive”
Watch J.C. doing the “Old Hand Jive”

Who’s blowing them blues?
Tell me brother
Who’s blowing them blues?
Tell me sister
Who’s blowing them blues?
It’s the man you all abuse
I think it’s J.C.
On his old harmonica

credits

from Traveling Wildfire, released March 24, 2023
Dom Flemons, vocal, Fraulini Angelina guitar, harmonica, rhythm bones, “hambone”; David Hidalgo, drums; Lashon Halley, harmony vocals

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Dom Flemons Chicago, Illinois

The American Songster, Multi-Instrumentalist, Singer-Songwriter, Music Historian, Record Collector

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