Marv's Idea of the Blues

I was pleasantly surprised a couple days ago, when I received a note from my 'old' friend Marv.

He writes occasionally, but most of the time it is to share political crap that is so far right that I have to turn around to read it.

But, I just smile when I read the garbage Marv sends, because he has a great sense of humor and shares some really funny shit some times.  And, besides, he's my friend.

We've been buddies for more than fifty years, although we lost track of each other for a long time.  He was amassing a dynasty of barber shops on the left coast, and I was running like hell on the corporate fast track, to stay ahead of the wave.  Marv cut the best flattop west of the Mississippi!  I could tell some wild stories about our youth, but what happens in the barber shop, stays in the barber shop.

We reconnected a while ago, thanks to my other friend Jim, who recently passed away.  RIP, Jim.

Marv knows I build cigar box guitars, and a short time ago he asked me to create a guitar for his grandson.  I guess that got him to thinking about music, 'cause in his recent missal, he shared a poem that will soon become the lyrics for my latest blues tune.

I goes something like this . . . .

Susie Lee done fell in love,
     She planned to marry Joe.
She was so happy 'bout it all,
     She told her papa so.


Papa told her, Susie gal,
     You'll have to find another.
I'd just as soon yo' mama don't know,
     But, Joe is yo' half brother.


So Susie put aside her Joe,
     And, planned to marry Will.
But, after telling papa this,
     He said, 'There's trouble still'.


You cannot marry Will, my gal,
     And, please don't tell yo' mother.
But, Will and Joe, and several mo',
     I know, is yo' half brother.


But, Mama knew and said, my child,
     Just do what makes yo' happy.
Marry Will, or marry Joe,
     'Cause, you ain't no kin to Pappy!


Thanks Marv, you da blues lyrics maven.