Leadbelly-Boll Weevil

"Boll Weevil" is a traditional blues song, also known by similar titles such as "Boweavil" or "Boll Weevil Blues." Although many songs about the boll weevil were recorded by blues musicians during the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s, this one has become well known, thanks to Lead Belly's rendition of it as recorded by folklorist Alan Lomax in 1934 (wikipedia)

[sarahjaneavery]

Beautiful. One of my favourite singers

[thebrazilianatlantis]

"blues" Twelve-bar non-blues ballad a la "Frankie And Albert, " but as blues music became popular it was sometimes mixed with blues.

[lilfuego]

Leadbelly don’t get talked about enough, Sonhouse, Blind Willie just a few names I can name of the top, there music keeps me a going, they showed me the blues the truest blue can be 🙏🏽

[deskarriados]

Leadbelly-Boll Weevil:

[Verse 1]
You can talk about the latest
Puedes hablar de lo último

The latest of your home
Lo último de tu hogar

These boll weevils, they will rob you of a home
Estos gorgojos del algodón, te robarán un hogar

They're lookin' for a home
Están buscando un hogar

They're lookin' for a home
Están buscando un hogar

[Verse 2]
The first time I seen the boll weevil
La primera vez que vi al gorgojo del algodón

He was sittin' on a square
Estaba sentado en una plaza

Next time I seen the boll weevil
La próxima vez que vi al gorgojo del algodón

He had his whole family there
Tenía a toda su familia allí

He's-a lookin' for a home
Está buscando un hogar

He's-a lookin' for a home
Está buscando un hogar

[Verse 3]
The farmer take the boll weevil
El granjero lleva al gorgojo del algodón

Put him in the sand
Lo pone en la arena

The boll weevil says to the farmer, "You are treating me just like a man
El gorgojo del algodón le dice al granjero: "Me estás tratando como a un hombre

I'll have a home, I'll-a have a home
Tendré un hogar, tendré un hogar

And I'll have a home, and I'll have a home
Y tendré un hogar, y tendré un hogar

And I'll have a home, and I'll have a home"
Y tendré un hogar, y tendré un hogar"

[Verse 4]
Now the farmer, he says to the merchant
Ahora el granjero, le dice al comerciante

"I never made but one bale
"Nunca hice más que una bala

Before I'll let you have that last one, I'll suffer and die in jail
Antes de dejarte tener esa última, sufriré y moriré en la cárcel

And I'll have a home, and I'll have a home"
Y tendré un hogar, y tendré un hogar"

[Verse 5]
And the old lady says to her old man
Y la anciana le dice a su viejo

"I been trying my level best
"He estado haciendo todo lo posible

To keep these boll weevils out of my brand new cotton dress
Para mantener estos gorgojos del algodón fuera de mi vestido de algodón nuevo

It's full of holes, and it's full of holes
Está lleno de agujeros, y está lleno de agujeros

Yes it's full of holes, yes it's full of holes
Sí, está lleno de agujeros, sí, está lleno de agujeros

Yes it's full of holes, yes it's full of holes"
Sí, está lleno de agujeros, sí, está lleno de agujeros"

[Verse 6]
The farmer take the boll weevil
El granjero lleva al gorgojo del algodón

Put him in the ice
Lo pone en el hielo

The boll weevil said to the farmer, "You treatin' me mighty nice
El gorgojo del algodón le dice al granjero: "Me estás tratando muy bien

And I'll have a home, and I'll have a home"
Y tendré un hogar, y tendré un hogar"

[Verse 7]
Now if anybody should come along and ask you people who composed this song
Ahora si alguien viene y les pregunta quién compuso esta canción

Tell 'em its Huddie Ledbetter, he's done been here and gone
Díganles que fue Huddie Ledbetter, él ya estuvo aquí y se fue

He's lookin' for a home, he's lookin' for a home
Está buscando un hogar, está buscando un hogar

He's a-lookin' for a home, he's a-lookin' for a home
Está buscando un hogar, está buscando un hogar

He's a-lookin' for a home, he's a-lookin' for a home
Está buscando un hogar, está buscando un hogar

[lstring]

@2:42 he refers to himself as "U"-de Ledbetter rather than Huddie (hud-e) as I've always though his first name was pronounced.