Today’s post was written by Paul.
I decided to upload some songs that Pap and I recorded on cassette tapes when I was in my late teens to the Blind Pig & The Acorn YouTube channel.
I considered uploading a bunch of them in one video, as I did with the compilation from Pap and Granny. Instead, I decided to upload them individually so someone who doesn’t even know about our channel might find them by searching for the song titles. I’ll add them to a playlist as I upload them, in case some of you want to hear them back to back.
Most of the songs that I’ll upload were recorded with a Tascam 424 or 464, 4-track cassette recorder, so they are better quality than the cassette tapes that Pap and Granny made together.
This song I’m sharing today was recorded in stereo, on a metal tape that was moving at a much faster speed, which increased the sound quality, along with Dolby noise reduction.
We recorded this song in Pap’s living room while Granny was cooking and washing dishes in the kitchen. Pap sat on the couch, and I sat in the small rocking chair that you see him sitting in during many of the BPA videos from years ago. I’m sitting in that same rocking chair in the picture of me and him in his backyard you’ll see in the video.
The photo and recording are from pretty much around the same time. In the photo, I’m playing the Taylor, and he’s playing the Dove, but in the recording of the song, I’m playing the Dove in G major position, and he’s playing the Taylor with a capo on the 5th fret, in the D major position.
Some have wondered why I play the Dove more often than the Taylor, though Pap bought the Taylor for me. Contrary to what Corie of the Pressley Girls believes, it wasn’t because the Dove is easier to play. It’s because the Dove is a superior guitar in many respects.
One aspect that can be heard in this recording is how good the bottom E-string sounds each time I strum down the C Major chord. The bottom string doesn’t sound that good on most guitars in the standard C position.
Several things in this photo catch my eye: there’s Tipper’s Ford EXP in the background, a car that Ford stopped making a long time ago. There’s Pap’s guitar strap hanging on the back of my rocking chair (it must have been on the Taylor and I removed it because it was in my way). There’s the gold-colored Kyser capo on the Dove (the guitar Pap is playing). It was the first Kyser we ever owned (invented by Little Roy Lewis). And there’s Pap’s highly polished boots, showing the lifelong habit he picked up in the Marines.
“Don’t Let Your Sweet Love Die” is one of my favorite love songs. I learned it from Reno & Smiley and from the Louvin Brothers. Though it would be impossible for me to say which version is better between those two, the R & S version definitely had the bigger influence on me. One listen to their version will show you how much of my picking was patterned after Don Reno’s picking on that song. Don picked the song in F major. I picked it in G major (a much easier position).
When Don and Red sang the song, they came back on a high note in the middle of each verse, in their case, a C note. Charlie and Ira sang the song 2 frets higher, and they cleverly came back from the low chord on more of a mid-level note, a G note. If they had sung the song like R & S, the note would have been a D note.
In my teens and early 20’s, I understood very little about singing, and the way I approached this song forced Pap to sing his harmony in the key where the Louvins sang it but using the higher note path that R & S used. It would have been no problem for him or for Ira in the key of F (where R & S sang the song), but in G, it was a big ask. He got it. What listeners wouldn’t know without me telling them, is that he actually got it much better than you hear in this recording, but because I missed the picking over and over, he had to sing the song with me over and over, until he was beginning to get tired. That’s why his voice broke a little in one of the verses. This recording is the 5th take. Knowing that makes my picking less impressive but his high tenor singing much more impressive. 🙂
I was surprised to learn that Zeke Manners co wrote this song and even more surprised when I learned he was from San Francisco! I was confused because I remembered reading that Don Reno learned the song from Zeke Morris. A little research proved that to be true. Reno played with the Morris brothers when he was only 13. That both men were named Zeke is just a huge coincidence. Another wild coincidence is that Zeke Morris played a Gibson Dove, the same kind of guitar I used in this recording! Songs often travel through twists and turns before we hear them. Compare our recording to others by searching YouTube. See a rare video of the Morris Brothers at this link.
Hope you enjoyed the old recording and my thoughts about it.
Paul
Thanks Paul, magic music. Checked your link, I had not heard of the Morris Bros, what a top rendition of this classic, and to see Earl and Randy as well (RIP all).
Such great guitar playing
I enjoy the picking and songs; takes me back to years ago when relatives/kin and neighbors would all bring their instruments and we would all sing and play out on Grandma’s old wrap around porch… along with spinning some great yarns too lol.
Each of you in your talented family are indeed blessed and with some of those blessings, you share your talent and bless others. You sure know what you are doing and it shows in your singing/playing and in your writing. I am sure you are enjoying your time off and what a wonderful opportunity it is for you and Granny to go gadding about!
Paul,
I am completely naive about cords etc, but I love music , all types.
I enjoyed the song very much. I really love the harmonies!! Thank you for sharing!! I continue to pray for your sweet mother. God bless you, Granny, and the Pressley’s. H H
I am so overwhelmed at the talent in your beautiful family. I enjoy every recording I hear and also anticipate hearing the next one, sooner rather than later. Thanks Paul. You must have been a truly amazing child to your parents, that must have been so special to them. I’m just guessing, they probably felt that way of Steve and Tipper too. Have a great week. Enjoy gallivanting with your precious momma. I wish I could with mine. God bless you all.
Beautiful! I really enjoy the music posts you create. I hope you are enjoying your retirement and imagine you are going to have just as busy a day, but, with the things you enjoy, music especially. Healing prayers to Granny!
Happy Sunday! This is such a sweet song. I love hearing Pap and you singing together with such beautiful harmonies. I had listened to the song on the Blind Pig and the Acorn YouTube channel the other day and enjoyed it. I was thrilled to get to hear it again today. Thank you Paul, for sharing the story behind the recording of this song and how it’s one of your favorite love songs. I enjoy the songs you post on YouTube and enjoyed your post today.
I really enjoyed the song this morning. It’s wonderful that you have all these recordings that you can go back and listen to and share them with all of us. Thank you, Paul for taking the time to explain the history of the song too. Have a blessed Sunday everyone!!
I recall my aunts and grandma (who was my mommy) singing this together in the early 1970’s and dancing around together. It was great fun and excitement for us 3 little kids that I recall like yesterday, except more clearly. What I wouldn’t give to do that one more time in the mindset of a 4 year old baby girl… they are all long gone, but the loving memories will always remain. Paul, you and pap did this song just harmonically and beautifully. Thank you, Paul, for keeping these songs alive and sharing so graciously with us BP& A rambunctious crowd!!! We love it and want more of it!!!! God bless you all this Sunday and try to hang in there on the BIG TILTAWHIRL.
I’m sooo long-winded; at least I know it. And please forgive me for talking about myself. I’ve been listening all morning, and I’m completely overwhelmed. Thank you.
Paul that was beautiful! I love the sound of that Dove guitar too, and I have a really old rocking chair just like you are sitting in. It belonged to my Grandfather down in NE MS and years after my Grandparents passed my Father had it and then gave it to me. Oh how I wish I had asked where it came from or if they made it. It is so small in size. My Grandfather was a tall man but thin and he liked that chair. Thanks Paul for all the work you do on downloading or uploading, don’t know if those are the correct terms, but I do enjoy all the music and your beautiful voice along with outstanding guitar playing.
God bless you for sharing this us. Love, love, love the harmonies and the photograph, but also the history of the writers, guitars, and of the recording. You have no idea how much I love this music. Please send my love to Granny, and please sing more songs with her. Your voice is beautiful beyond words, and Granny has the voice of an angel. I feel blessed every time I hear your family’s music.
I do not understand any of Paul’s talk about the cords, frets and notes. All I know about music is it either sounds good to me or it don’t sound good. I have said this before, I can’t even play a radio without getting static. It has been a long time since I have heard anyone mention Little Roy. The title of the song really hurts and makes me think, three years ago this April I lost my Sweet Love and I buried a huge part of my will to live and motivation to carry on both at the same time I buried her. Valentine Day is only a few days away and I have been thinking about our last one together and me telling her a sympathy card would be more appropriate than a Valentine card for her after putting up with me during all of the years we were together. All together, dating and marriage was only a few months short of 50 years. Getting to be together everyday like Tipper and Matt do know, during her seven months of retirement was some of the happiest times of my life.
Randy, we are so very sorry for your loss. Maybe it would help motivate you to think about how she would want you to be as happy and as active as you can. This song isn’t a gospel song, but it has an important line, “When the flowers fade away, they’ll bloom again someday.” The best thing we have is the Promise of our Lord and Savior. God bless you.
This song was so sweet to listen to this morning. Thank you for sharing—-looking forward to the next one.
Loved the song . I enjoy the hearing the history of the song and the photo.
What a great song. I always marvel at how blessed y’all are to have these recordings. Such a special treasure. Thank you Paul for sharing. God bless and keep you.
I have a Kyser gold colored capo with metal flake right in front of me.
The S of R & S is my cousin. His real name was Arthur Lee Smiley Jr. His father was my great grandmother’s brother.
Papaw, Red Smiley was one of the very best. So cool that you are related to him. 🙂
Good morning Paul, yes, I enjoyed it very much, thank you, and God bless Granny with healing and health in Jesus name
I have been storing your videos with music in a ‘B P & C file on my computer as well as most of the others, but this way, I can go back and play some of the most bestest, as they all are. Thanks so much for sharing you history and memories. Prayers for you guys and of course Granny…hugs and love to you all