New, New Minglewood Blues
(aka: All New Minglewood Blues, New Minglewood Blues, Minglewood Blues, Menglewood, Menglewood Blues)
Noah Lewis  (as adapted, recorded and performed for many years by Grateful Dead)

History:
Noah Lewis wrote Minglewood Blues in the mid 1920's. The subject is a wild gambling town 80 miles north of Memphis, Tennessee called Menglewood. He re-wrote and recorded the song in 1928 and called it "New "Minglewood Blues. In 1929 Charlie Patton released "It Won't Be Long". One verse of the song is:
You ever go down to Memphis, stop by Minglewood
You ever go down to Memphis, stop by Minglewood
You Memphis women don't mean no man no good
In 1930 Noah Lewis completely re-wrote and re-recorded the song as "New, New Minglewood Blues" using Patton's verse. The Grateful Dead recorded a version  of this final re-write on their 1967 debut LP, and titled it "All New Minglewood Blues". They later re-wrote the verses, and the re-written verses version is what the band performed live throughout their career. This Dylan version is basically the live version performed by the Dead.


Transcribed by bobsboots.com from Differdange,  6/24/96
Born in the desert
Raised in a lion's den
I was born in the desert
Raised in a lion's den
My number one occupation...
Stealing women from other men

I skipped jail in Texas,  [original: I'm a wanted man in Texas]
Busted jail and I'm gone for good.
Wanted man in Texas,
Busted jail, I'm gone for good.
Sheriff couldn't catch me,
's little girl wish she would  [original: But his little girl wished she could]

Some says I'm crazy  [original: The Doctor said I'm crazy]
Some says I am, some says I ain't  [original: Sometimes I am... sometimes I ain't]
Some says I'm crazy  [original: The Doctor said I'm crazy]
Some says I am, some says I ain't  [original: Sometimes I am... sometimes I ain't]
'Lil girl says I'm sinner, but    [original:  Yes, and the preacher man call me sinner]
Preacher man says I..........  ain't  [original:  But his little girl call me saint]

Couple shots of whiskey
These Fiscan girls start lookin' good [original:   Women round here start looking good ]
[In these two lines, Dylan usually substitutes the name of the city or country that he's in (as did the Grateful Dead). Here, however, he either  forgets that he's in Differdange, Luxembourg... or discovers at the last moment that it's just not going to fit into the song.]
Couple shots of whiskey
These Se.... girls start lookin' good
Couple more shots of whiskey
I'm going down to Minglewood



From: Cover Songs Performed by Bob Dylan   http://www.bobsboots.com/info.html


 

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