DON'T TEAR MY CLOTHES

Created on 18/09/2007
Latest update on 29/11/2023

Artist: State Street Boys
Author: traditional
Label: Vocalion
Year: 1935

With Big Bill Broonzy and Jazz Gillum. Reissued on Document cd Big Bill Broonzy Complete Recorded Works Vol 3. Broonzy sings: "You can pull me, you can push me, all night long, but pretty mama, don't you tear my clothes". We find a similar concern twenty years later with blue suede shoes fetishist Carl Perkins and his like-minded material boys & girls of rock 'n roll.

Covers:

1936:

Blind Boy Fuller [as Mama Let Me Lay It On You; learned it from Rev. Gary Davis]

1936:

Walter Coleman [idem]

1936:

Georgia White [as Daddy Let Me Lay It On You; answer song]

1936:

Washboard Sam [as Baby Don't You Tear My Clothes]

1937:

Harlem Hamfats [idem; Joe McCoy and his brother Charlie]

1957:

Professor Longhair [as Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand]

1958:

Snooks Eaglin [as Mama Don't You Tear My Clothes]

1961:

Lightnin' Hopkins [idem]

1962:

Bob Dylan [as Baby Let Me Follow You Down; learned it through Eric Von Schmidt]

1963:

Hoagy Lands [as Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand]

1964:

Rev. Gary Davis [instrumental as Please Baby]

1964:

Animals [as Baby Let Me Take You Home, inspired by Hoagy Lands' version]

1964:

Dave Van Ronk [as Baby Let Me Lay It On You]

1965:

Boz Scaggs [as Baby Let Me Follow You Down]

1966:

Roky Erickson [idem]

1968:

Little Richard [as Mama Don't You Tear My Clothes]

1974:

Mance Lipscomb [claimed he sang it since the 1920s (as Mama Let Me Lay It On You)]

1974:

Keith Hudson

1978:

Band [with Dylan during The Last Waltz]

1983:

Nappy Brown

1995:

Eric Von Schmidt [on album Baby Let Me Lay It On You]

1998:

Roy Book Binder [as Baby Let Me Follow You Down]

2002:

Robyn Hitchcock [idem]

2003:

Jools Holland [as Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand, credited to Professor Longhair]

2004:

Etta James [as Honey Don't Tear My Clothes]

2004:

James Cotton [as Honey Don't You Tear My Clothes]

2005:

Detroit Cobras [as Baby Let Me Take You Home]

2007:

Bryan Ferry [as Baby Let Me Follow You Down]

In '79 Eric Von Schmidt wrote a book about the Cambridge Folk Scene entitled Baby Let Me Follow You Down.

Contact


If you noticed blunt omissions, mis-interpretations or even out-and-out errors,
please let me know:

Arnold Rypens
Rozenlaan 65
B-2840 Reet (Rumst)

info@originals.be

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