Bring Me My Shotgun

Lyrics: Lightnin' Hopkins
Music: Lightnin' Hopkins

This was played twice in acoustic sets in 1970, and is also on Pigpen's home tapes.

The version on 18 April 1970 is (thanks to Andy McGaan for his help with the transcription):

I said go bring me my shotgun
Bring me back just one or two shells
I said go bring me my shotgun
Bring me back just one or two shells
'Cause if I don't get some competition
You know there's got to be trouble here

You know my mama told me
The day that I left her door
Said you're gonna have bad luck son
And I don't care where you go
And I said now bring me my shotgun
Bring me back just one or two shells
And if I don't get some competition
You know there's got to be a little trouble 'round here

No, you're gonna bring me my shotgun
And a couple of shells will do just fine
Bring me my shotgun
Couple of shells will do just fine
It don't take much competition
To satisfy my angry mind

Walk down on the street sometime get yourself an idea
Walk down on the street and get yourself a little idea
If the man mess with you, just tell him how you feel
So you can go down any time you wanna in the morning
And you can find yourself just a little bit of company in the dawning
But what kinda way are you gonna do when the day is falling
On 12 July 1970, Pigpen sang only a fragment as a lead-in to She's Mine):
I said go bring me my shotgun
Bring me back a few little shells
I said go bring me my shotgun
Bring me back just one or two shells
If I don't get some competition
There's got to be trouble here

Yeah, you bring this shotgun, baby
Walk down the street
Then somebody got to give you
Something to eat
'Cause you can't keep your eyes on [?]
Yes all right
The version on Pigpen's home tapes is:
Go, bring me my shotgun, bring me back some shells
Why don't you just bring me my shotgun
Bring me back about a pocket full of shells
Well you know if I don't get myself a little competition
You know there's gonna be some trouble 'round here

Well you know my mama told me, when I left my door
She said, "you gonna have bad luck, son, don't care where you go"
So why don't you bring me my shotgun
Bring me back a pocket full of shells
Well you know if I don't get myself a little competition
You know there's gonna be some trouble 'round here

Early in the morning when the sun gonna rise
She's laying there rolling them old bloodshot eyes
In the morning bring me my shotgun
Well, I can stand any mess for a while
But I can't stand it for very long

Woke up this morning
Found out some [jack strap?] had gone took my room
Woke up this morning
Found out some [jack strap?] had gone took my room
Yeah you know he took along with it my woman
That [jack strap?] going to meet his doom

That's why I say bring me my shotgun, boy
I want you to bring me back some shells
I said why don't you bring me my shotgun
Bring me back a pocket full of shells
You know if I don't get myself some good competition
There's gonna be some trouble 'round here
The Lightnin Hopkins version I've got is a bit different:
Yes I said, go bring me my shotgun, go and bring me back some shells
Yes I said go bring me my shotgun, go and bring me back a pocketful of shells
Yes if I don't get some competition, you know there's gonna be trouble here

Yes you know my woman tried to quit me, when I ain't done nothing wrong
She done put me out of doors babe, and I even ain't got no home
I said go, bring me my shotgun, whoa Lord and a pocketful of shells
Yes if I don't get some competition you know there's got to be trouble here

Yes you know my mama told me, the day that I left the door
She says you gonna have bad luck son, and I don't are where you go
I said just bring me my shotgun, boy you can bring just one or two shells
Yes if I don't get some competition, you know there's go to be trouble here

Well I cried bye, bye baby, you know you done me wrong
I'm gonna take my little shotgun now, I'm gonna carry it back home
I said go out in the morning, boy, and carry my shotgun home
Yes I figured the best thing I can do was leave that woman alone

Grateful Dead Recordings
     Date Album
     18 Apr 1970 Family Dog at the Great Highway

The Lightnin' Hopkins version is available on "The Complete Aladdin Recordings" [EMI CDP-7-96843-2]. The title there is "Shotgun." It was recorded in 1948 and originally issued on an LP "Lightnin' Hopkins Strums The Blues" [SLP-4022]. I am not sure if it is the same song as "Shotgun Blues" also recorded by Lightnin' Hopkins.




Further Information
For more information on recordings see Matt Schofield's Grateful Dead Family Discography

 


Home | Find words/phrases| Find Song lyrics| Dead originals| Dead covers|