Baby Please Don’t Go (Big Joe Williams, Muddy Waters, Lightnin' Hopkins)

McKinley Morganfield (Muddy Waters), Sam Hopkins (Lightnin' Hopkins) and others are also registered as composers for the copyright on this titel [GEMA]

prob. an adaption by Big Joe Williams of an old folk theme (Long John) dating back to the time of slavery [Herzhaft]

Sources:

Wikipedia

Sheet Music:

Early Blues Songbook: a collection of early blues in words and music / Paul Oliver. London u.a., 1982 – Copyright 1944

Recordings:

1935 - Joe Williams' Washboard Blues Singers - Chicago IL - Oct. 31 - Bluebird Records B6200 - Big Joe Williams (v,g), "Dad" Trace (1 string fiddle), Chasey "Kokomo" Collins (wb) -

1936 - Tampa Kid

1936 - Sam Montgomery

1945 - Big Joe Williams - Chicago, Ill July 22 - Columbia 30099 (CCO 4833) - Joe Williams (v,g), Sonny Boy Williamson (h) Ransom Knowling (b), Judge Riley (d)

1948 - Lightnin' Hopkins

1949 - John Lee Hooker - Detroit MI? - Riverside 008, on: Burning Hell (released 1964) - John Lee Hooker (v,g)

1952 - Big Bill Broonzy - March 19, 1952 - Paris, France - Vogue 524-30, on: The Soul Of New Orleans, Vol. 17. alt. take: Vogue 605-30, on: A Paris - Big Bill Broonzy (v,g) -

1952 - Big Joe Williams - Shreveport LA - March - Specialty unissued (released Specialty SNTF 5014 1973) - Big Joe Williams (v,g)

1953 - Muddy Waters - May 4, 1953 - Chicago IL - U 7501-A Chess 1542. alt. tk Argo 4034, on: Blues Vol. 3 - Muddy Waters (v,g), Little Walter (h)

(1958) - Muddy Waters - Oct. 26, 1958 - Manchester UK - Krazy Kat 7405, on: In Concert 1958 (released 1982) - Muddy Waters (v,g), Otis Spann (p), Graham Burbridge (d)

1958 - Big Joe Williams - Delmar (Delmark) DL-602 - Big Joe Williams, J.D. Short (g,h)

? - Big Joe Williams - Live auf Youtube - early 50s on Studs Terkel "I Come For To Sing" show, local TV, Chicago IL, or 1963 on "I Heat The Blues", Granada-TV, London Eng., or 1966 on "Festival Presents The Blues, CBC-TV", Toronto, Can., or 1971, or 1974 on local blues show on WMAB-TV, Jackson MS ???

(1959) - B.B. King - Feb. 7, 1959? - Los Angeles CA - Kent unissued. P-Vine 5635/8, on: The Vintage Years (released 2001) - B.B. King...

1959 - Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee

1960 - Muddy Waters - July 3, 1960 - Newport RI - Chess 1449, on: At Newport - Muddy Waters (v,g), James Cotton (h), Pat Hare (g), Otis Spann (p), Andrew Stephenson (b), Francis Clay (d)

1962 - Bob Dylan - Dec. 22, 1961 - Minneapolis MN (Bonnie Beecher's Apartment "Hotel Room") - (recorded by Tony Glover) - Bob Dylan)

(1962) - Bob Dylan - March 11?, 1962 - New York City - Yellow Dog, on: Folksinger's Choice (released 1992) - Bob Dylan (v,g,h)

1962 - Bob Dylan - New York, NY - Columbia - April 25, 1962 (Freewheelin' Outtake)

1964 - John Lee Hooker - 1959 - Detroit MI? - Riverside 008, on: Burning Hell - John Lee Hooker (v,g)

(1964) - Muddy Waters - May 1964 - UK - LRC 9050, on: Hoochie Coochie Man (American Blues Legends) (released 2001) - Muddy Waters (v,g), Otis Spann (p), Ransom Knowling (b), Willie Smith (d)

1964 - Bukka White - Takoma B 1001 - on: Mississippi Blues Vol. 1 - ? - rec. 1963 - Bukka White (v,g, bottleneck g, p)

1964 - Them, Van Morrison - Decca / Parrot Single

1965 - John Hammond

1966 - The Chambers Brothers - 1965 - on: Now!

1968 - Bukka White - Memphis TN - July 21, 1968 - on: Memphis Hot Shots, Blue Horizon 7-63229 - Bukka White (v,g), Harmonica Boy (h), Bill Barth (g), Trevor Koehler (p), Anchor (sb), Jim Chroshwait (wb), Joe Gray (d)

1969 - John Lee Hooker - Miami FL - Stax 2013, on: That's Where It's At - John Lee Hooker (v,g), Earl ? (b)

1969 - Muddy Waters - April 24, 1969 - Chicago IL - 17800 Chess 127, on: Fathers And Sons - Muddy Waters (v,g), Otis Spann (p), Paul Butterfield (h), Mike Bloomfield (g), Donald "Duck" Dunn (b), Sam Lay (d)

1970 - Al Kooper

70s - William Robertson (Cecil Barfield) -

1972 - Gary Glitter

(1972) - Muddy Waters - June 13, 1972 - Lausanne Switzerland - 2771 Chess 2-9348, on: One More Mile (Chess Collectibles Vol. 1) (released 1994) - Muddy Waters (v,g), George "Mojo" Buford (h), Louis Myers (g)

(1974) - Muddy Waters - July 24, 1974 - Antibes F - Frances Concert 116, on: Live In Antibes, 1974 (released 1988) - Muddy Waters (v,g), Bob Margolin, Luther "Guitar Jr." Johnson (g), Joe "Pinetop" Perkins (p), Jerry Portnoy (h), Calvin Jones (b), Willie Smith (d)

1975 - AC/DC - on: High Voltage

(1976) - John Lee Hooker - Feb. 6, 1976 - New York City - MMG 64005, on: Alone (Live in New York) Volume Two - John Lee Hooker (v,g)

(1977) - Muddy Waters - Jan. 31, 1977 - Montreal CAN - Just A Memory 9142, on: Hoochie Coochie Man In Montreal (released 2002) - Muddy Waters (v,g), Jerry Portnoy (h), Joe "Pinetop" Perkins (p), Bob Margolin (g), Luther "Guitar Jr." Johnson (g), Calvin Jones (b), Willie Smith (d)

(1977) - Muddy Waters - July 9, 1977 - Nice F - LRC 9015, on: Sonny Lester Collection (released 1990) - Muddy Waters (v,g), prob. Bob Margolin, Luther "Guitar Jr." Johnson (g), Jerry Portnoy (h), Joe "Pinetop" Perkins (p), Calvin Jones (b), Willie Smith (d)

1979 - Muddy Waters - March 18, 1977 - Cary IL - Blue Sky 35712, on: Muddy "Mississippi" Waters Live - Muddy Waters (v,g), Johnny Winter (g), Bob Margolin (g), Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson (g), Calvin Jones (b), Willie Smith (d), Joe "Pinetop" Perkins (p), Jerry Portnoy (h)

(1979) - Muddy Waters - 1979 - Cary IL? - Charley 751, on: Charly Blues Legends Live, Vol. 2: Muddy Waters, Chicago 1979 (released 1995) - Muddy Waters (v,g), Luther "Guitar Jr." Johnson, Bob Margolin (g), Jerry Portnoy (h), Joe "Pinetop" Perkins (p), Calvin Jones (b), Willie Smith (d)

(1980) - Muddy Waters - July 1980? - Europe - Wolf 120.893, on: Honey Bee [Chicago Blues Session Vol.47] (released 1999) - Muddy Waters (v,g), Luther "Guitar Jr." Johnson, Bob Margolin (g), Jerry Portnoy (h), Joe "Pinetop" Perkins (p), Calvin Jones (b), Willie Smith (d)

1980 - Robert Pete Williams - 1979 - France? - Spalax 86818, on: Dick Annegarn, Robert Pete Williams: Ferraillages - Robert Pete Williams (v,g)

(1981) - Muddy Waters - Nov. 9, 1981 - Ames IA - Charley 1257, on: In Concert (released 1995) - Muddy Waters (v,g), John Primer, Rick Kreher (g), Georg "Mojo" Buford (h), Lovie Lee (p), Earnest Johnson (b), Ray Allson (d)

(1981) - Muddy Waters - Nov. 22, 1981 - Chicago IL - The Swingin' Pig 1152, on: Muddy Waters & The Rolling Stones: Sweet Home Chicago (released ?) - Muddy Waters (v,g), Mick Jagger (v), Lovie Lee (p), John Primer, Keith Richards, Ron Wood (g), George "Mojo" Buford (h), Earnest Johnson (b), Ray Allison (d)

1982 - Muddy Waters Blues Band - Oct. 22, 1976 - Warsaw Poland - Polijazz 0634, on: Warsaw Session, Vol. 1 - Muddy Waters (v,g), Luther "Guitar Jr." Johnson, Bob Margolin (g), Jerry Portnoy (h), Joe "Pinetop" Perkins (p), Calvin Jones (b), Willie Smith (d)

1983 - Thin Lizzy

1992 - Back Porch Blues - Burnside Distribution, on: Back to Basics - Sheila Wilcoxson, Whit Draper, Jeffrey Dawkins

1992 - Madcat & Kane - Schoolkids, on: Key to the Highway

1997 - John Mooney

2003 - John Campbelljohn - 1995 - ZYX/Pepper, on: Under the Blue Covers

2004 - Aerosmith - on: Honkin' on Bobo

2006 - Gomez - Oct. 6, 2006 - Live at The Bowery Ballroom

2006 - Adam Hole - Adam Hole, on: Why Not

2008 - Amanda Overmyer

? - Lil' Son Jackson - "Turn Your Lamp Down Low"

Version Big Joe Williams '35

Now, baby please don't go,
Now, baby please don't go,
Baby please don't go,
Back to New Orleans
And get your cold ice cream.

I've b'lieve that a man done gone
I've b'lieve that a man done gone
I've b'lieve that a man done gone
To the county farm
Now, with his long chain on.
 

Turn your lamp down low
You turn your lamp turn low
Turn your lamp down low
I cried all night long
Now, baby please don't go.

I beg you night befo'
I beg you night befo'
Beg you night befo'
Turn your lamp down low
Now, baby, please don't go.

I b'lieve my baby done lie
I b'lieve my baby done lie
I b'lieve my baby --- lie
Says she didn't have a man
Now, while I had my time.

'Fore I'd be yo' dog
I swore I'd leave your do'
`Fore I'd be yo' dog
I'd pack my trunk this mo'nin, baby
Go back to Rollin' Fork, uhm.

I b'lieve I'll leave, here
I b'lieve I'll leave you here
I b'lieve I'll leave you here
'Cause you got me way up here
An you don't feel my care.

Now, baby please don't go
Oh, baby, please don't go
Now, baby please don't go
Back to New Orleans
Even though I love you so.

I b'lieve you tryin' just leave me here
Why leave yo' daddy, here?
Why leave yo' daddy, here?
You got me way down here
An you don't feel my care