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Get Back to the Well

by John Walker

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1.
Sand Hills Rag 03:15
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Sitting down in Long Pine, nothing to do I began to think I had those blues Just like a flash, I was in my bag I started picking on the Sand Hills Rag That tune has got something that makes me smile When I need to quit some drag I'll be sitting on my front porch all day long Picking on the Sand Hills Rag We have all got to get our fun You get yours, honey, I'll get some of mine And here is how it's done Any time I get to feeling low-down I know what will bring me back I'll be sitting on my front porch all day long Picking on the Sand Hills Rag
2.
Valparaiso 03:47
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We made all the rounds of the honky-tonks 'round town We were free and easy Those summer country rides Out to Valparaiso They were nice and easy And it was good times, you know It was good times for sure Where do those good times go wrong? One came here looking Like how like should be lived Free and easy And for about a year All the boys were fun-loving rounders It was nice and easy And it was good times, you know It was good times for sure But where do those good times go wrong?
3.
The Loser 03:32
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Can you find what you know? You got a long way to go I wouldn't want to be standing in your shoes Though the good Lord knows I have been there before Is it too hard to make it on your own? I said look out the door You got a light up ahead I could sing a song Could you sing along? A friend of mine was at the back door But would he be there anymore? Is it too hard to make it on your own? I said look out the door You got a light up ahead Now that woman can be a woman for you Can you learn to let it be true? You know sometimes things just ain't what they seem You got to lose yourself in your dream And you can stay there just as long as you choose Got to lose yourself in your dream And can stay there just as long as you please Is it too hard to make it on your own? I said look out the door You got a light up ahead
4.
Those People at the Pen 02:47
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Those people at the pen, their bars won't bend The people outside don't want to see within That place is such a joke, it makes me want to choke somebody There must be a better way Those people at the pen, we put them therein Gonna rehabilitate them again, and again Put a man in a cage, we'll just let him age There must be a better way Anything so easy Is just here and gone Anything so easy Is undoubtedly wrong It's been said before And of course it's true There must be a better way Now I'm not an above-average fool, I know as a rule Those con-men simply want to be cool Still, every now and then we can all be sinners too There must be a better way Anything so easy You won't hold on to for long Anything so easy You can have for a song It's been said before And of course it is true There must be a better way There must be a better way
5.
Even If I Try 03:25
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She was kind of laying back in her chair Pleased as could be to be young She knew who she was and, by God She knew just what she wanted from you To take it from her, you would have to believe She'd always be young and tan She'd never have heartache or trouble because Her daddy always kept her money-in-hand Even if I try Some people just pass me by I don't understand what goes on in their heads When just to make a little money Or to do something funny They will try to con you any way that they can He would walk around with a grin on his face But it didn't signify any joy He's got a bottle on his hip, a chip on his shoulder Trying to recall when he was a boy He can drink you on the floor, he's a son of a gun If he only could have some fun He wouldn't always be trying to beat you At every little game in town Even if I try Some people just pass me by I don't understand what goes on in their heads When just to make a little money Or to do something funny They will try to con you any way that they can He's got a fancy new suit and a rotary smile Gonna make his mark among men He'll ingratiate himself to anybody here He thinks has some money to spend And his friends are the ones who can help him along Put a little dough in the till It's what makes him feel tall, not walk so small He's always got some kind of scheme to sell Even if I try Some people just pass me by I don't understand what goes on in their heads When just to make a little money Or to do something funny They will try to con you any way that they can just to make a little money Or to do something funny They will try to con you any way that they can
6.
Get Back to the Well 03:43
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You don't have to lie to be happy You don't have to whine like a dog You don't have to go to those parties And sit and bitch about your boss You don't have to spend your time worrying About the things you have lost You don't have to run about thinking about What everything in your life will cost You just get back to the well Every now and then When your spirit is dry And your mind is growing dim And you begin to think It's time your time has come Get back to the well From where your spirit has come You don't have to run with the Joneses Whoever the Joneses may be Some high-town highbrow slicker Or that high-roller just down your street You don't have to be black to love the blues Or white to wear your white shoes You don't have to win at anybody's game To have yourself something to lose Get back to the well Every now and then When your spirit is dry And your mind is growing dim And you begin to think It's time your time has come Get back to the well From where your spirit has come
7.
Okie Boy 03:57
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I was raised in many a town No bigger than a dime I've been on the road and back Lord knows, many a time I've seen my sorrows and good times Crusty-faced old men Women who'll turn your head around Some who make you want to go Back home again I'm an old-time Okie boy And I love it here, don't you? I've got a love for 8-ball pool And those homemade country blues Country-warm women Lord knows I do The good Lord knows I do The good Lord knows I do I've seen some good men, some who know Some who think they do Many who lose more than they need To make it all come true I'm an old-time Okie boy And where I'm coming from, I tell you so you will know Is somewhere 'tween this earth and the dawn I'm an old-time Okie boy And I love it here, don't you? I've got a love for 8-ball pool And those homemade country blues Country-warm women Lord knows I do The good Lord knows I do The good Lord knows I do Hot-rod Chevys and jukebox songs Country roads and dusky dawns Hot sweet corn and rock and roll Lord, how good How good it is I'm an old-time Okie boy And I love it here, don't you? I've got a love for 8-ball pool And those homemade country blues Country-warm women Lord knows I do The good Lord knows I do The good Lord knows I do
8.
Get Me an Auctioneer 02:42
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Get me an auctioneer Get me out of here Pack my bags Pawn what I don't use Pack up my grip Pawn what I don't use Gonna beat these blues Last old thing that I do A big leg woman and me See what we can see Ain't looking back Get on down the road Ain't looking back Get on down the road Gonna find the right road Somewhere where we go See me in your town Please don't bring me down If my jeans ain't clean I got a hole in my shoes I got a wrinkle in my shirt A hole in my pocket too There might come a day I would be a good friend to you
9.
Old Friend 03:41
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You friend of mine I won't let you down People talk about you And run you around Old friend Old friend of mine I won't quit you Those blues, I've known them, too Whatever you do In the name of your game I may not understand it But it's still the same Old friend Old friend of mine I won't quit you Those blues, I've known them, too And you look around For a helping hand People grin at you Like you're some kind of crazy man Old friend Old friend of mine I won't quit you Those blues, I've known them, too And those sly old stories Come back to you And people are believing What you know ain't true Old friend Old friend of mine I won't quit you Those blues, I've known them, too So whatever you do For wealth or fame You get to feeling low down Just call on my name Old friend Old friend of mine I won't quit you Those blues, I've known them, too
10.
The Doctor's Prescription for the Blues 04:18
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You say you're feeling blue There's blue ghoses after you Come to see me, baby That's the one thing you should do Come to see the Doctor Get your prescription now When you're feeling low down Come to see me somehow You go to the hospital Take all them pills Hang around with them other men And it don't cure your ills Come to see the Doctor Get your prescription now When you're feeling low down Come to see me somehow You go to the drugstore Take all that aspirin, too See your physician 6 times a week And it don't cure what's ailing you Come to see the Doctor Get your prescription now When you're feeling low down Come to see me somehow I can't fix a broken leg I won't preach you your sins But if your trouble's in your heart I'm gonna make you well again Come to see the Doctor Get your prescription now When you're feeling low down Come to see me somehow
11.
Stone Pony Blues 04:26
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Gonna find a stone pony Ride a Shetland no more Gonna find a stone pony Ride a Shetland no more Gonna find my pony, child Down at my baby's front door Said the blues come a-rollin' Stop at my front door The blues come rollin' Stop at my front door I'm gonna change my way of livin' I don't have to worry no more I'm gonna saddle my pony Get that big black mare I'm gonna saddle my pony Get that big black mare Going down to Louisiana Find my baby somewhere The blues come rollin' Stop at my front door The blues come rollin' Stop at my front door I'm gonna keep on moving I don't have to worry no more So I find a stone pony Ride a Shetland no more I'm gonna find a stone pony Ride a Shetland no more Gonna find my pony, child Down at my baby's front door
12.
Fine Healthy Woman 03:30
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Talk about your woman, boys You ought to see mine She'll cause the lame to walk Giving eyesight to the blind A fine healthy woman I love the way she speaks her mind Gives me loving in the morning In the evening, red beans and rice my babe was in the kitchen Baking hot corn bread A dying man in the next room Jumped right out of his bed, said A fine healthy woman I love the way she speaks her mind Gives me loving in the morning In the evening, red beans and rice I was up for murder Was in the first degree My baby called the judge's wife She told the judge, let that Walker boy go free A fine healthy woman I love the way she speaks her mind Gives me loving in the morning In the evening, red beans and rice
13.
Whim 02:36
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14.
Amazing Grace 04:43
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It was grace that taught my heart to fear And grace my fear relieved How precious did that grace appear The hour I first believed Amazing grace, how sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me I once was lost but now am found Was blind but now I see When we've been there 10,000 years Bright shining as the sun We'll have no less days to sing His praise Than when we first begun Amazing grace, how sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me I once was lost but now am found Was blind but now I see Through many dangers, snares, and toils We have already come It was grace that saw us safe thus far and grace will lead us home Amazing grace, how sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me I once was lost but now am found Was blind but now I see

about

From the liner notes:

The selections on this anthology were originally released on the following albums:

John Walker: An Okie Boy
John Walker: The Doctor's Smooth Country Blues
John Walker: The Doctor's Prescription for the Blues
Daddy Squeeze and the Doctor: In Your Living Room

credits

released January 1, 1995

Lincoln, Nebraska is a great place to be. It has notable seasons of the year, 9-mile prairie, the Zoo Bar, the M&N Sandwich Shop, and a slew of players who can pick anything with strings on it. I am happy as a hog in July sunshine for the help I got ono the projects that resulted in this CD.

The musicians are:

Pete Blakeslee on dobro (1, 2, 3, 4, & 14), pedal steel (5), and guitar and harmony vocals (7)
Dave Morris on bass (all except 10, 11, & 12)
Gary Howe on mandolin (4 & 14)
Billy Childs on drums (5)
Billy Dye on electric guitar (5)
Steve "Fuzzy" Blazek on harmony vocals (5)
Jon Lawton on guitar (8)
Jim Cidlik on piano (8)
Madison Slim on harmonica (8 & 9)
Sean Benjamin on piano and bass (10)
Marc Nelson on the brushes (10)
Steve Hanson on guitar (10) and banjo (14)
Lee Tedrow on guitar (11 & 12)
Karl Smelker on bass (11 & 12)
Dan "Daddy Squeeze" Newton on accordion (11 & 12)
Tim Murphy on fiddle (14)
Craig Mortenson on harmonica and vocals (14)

— j.w.

Thanks to Dick Spencer and Century Records, Jim Ludwig's Candy Apple Productions, Tommy Alesio at Spectrum Sound, Phil Hammer's Soundtracker Studio, and Tom Larson at Studio Q for their collective skills at mastering and producing these tunes. A boy-howdy thanks to Daddy Squeeze and the Gumbo King Studio's magicmen, Tedrow and Smelker: Minneapolis is a great place too.

All selections written by John Walker except "Stone Pony Blues," by Charlie Patton, and "Amazing Grace," by John Newton.
Photography by Johna Walker
Graphic design by Reynold Peterson

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John Walker Lincoln, Nebraska

John Walker was an award-winning singer, songwriter, and guitarist who performed his own brand of country/folk/blues across the USA for several decades. He passed away in 2018 and was inducted into the Nebraska Performing Arts Hall of Fame in 2021.

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