Roll On, Roll On, Roll On

Piedmont blues, country blues, acoustic blues

🎙️ The Story of the Lost Tapes: Country Blues 1940–1951

For decades, these recordings were scattered across the South — a reel in a barn loft in Alabama, an acetate found in a pawn shop in Shreveport, a dusty box discovered behind an old church in Tennessee. Each tape carried a name, sometimes just a first one, and the faint hum of a bygone world.

Most were recorded by Harlan “Doc” McCree, a roving radio engineer who, between 1940 and 1951, traveled with a portable Presto cutter, capturing front porch songs, juke joint nights, and backroad blues from men who’d never see a studio.

Over seventy years later, the reels were gathered by collectors and archivists who carefully cleaned, restored, and digitized the fragile sounds. What emerged was a rare portrait of country blues before electricity — warm, ragged, and deeply human.

Now, for the first time, these forgotten voices — Willie “Short Time” Parker, Eddie Mae Brooks, J.T. “Little Hammer” Collins, and others — are reunited in The Lost Tapes: Country Blues 1940–1951, a celebration of life, love, and Southern soul.

(Verse 1 – 12 bars)
Well I’m rollin’ through the dawn,
Yeah I’m rollin’ through the dawn,
Ain’t no whistle man can blow,
Like the one I’m ridin’ on.
Got my hand on the lever,
Got my eye on the rail,
Lord, this engine keeps on moanin’,
Like a lonesome midnight wail.
I don’t stop for no trouble,
Don’t wait for no man’s call,
Just roll on, roll on, roll on —
‘Til I can’t roll at all.

[Chorus — 12-Bar Boogie Instrumental Interlude]
(slide guitar imitating a train whistle — “whoo-ooo!”)

(Verse 2 – 24 bars)
Got a pocket full of cinders,
And my heart full of steam,
Keep this old train runnin’,
Like a fever dream.
I see smoke in the valley,
Hear the wheels sing that tone,
Lord, this track feels like my body,
And that whistle’s my bone.
Ain’t no rich man’s dollar,
Can buy the way I feel,
When the sun hits that engine,
And the steel starts to squeal.
Every mile I’m runnin’,
Every town I pass by,
Some folks wave and holler,
Some just stand and sigh.
But I don’t stop for no trouble,
Don’t wait for no man’s call,
Just roll on, roll on, roll on —
‘Til I can’t roll at all.

[Chorus — 12-Bar Boogie Instrumental Interlude]

(Verse 3 – 12 bars)
Now if you hear that whistle,
In the heat or the rain,
You can bet your last dollar,
That Boyd’s drivin’ that train.
Yeah, this life keeps me movin’,
And I don’t need no stall,
Just roll on, roll on, roll on —
‘Til I can’t roll at all.

[Outro — 12-Bar Boogie Instrumental Fade]
(Train rhythm slows — “chug-chug… chug… chooo…”)

2560/7500

🎙️ The Story of the Lost Tapes: Country Blues 1940–1951 For decades, these recordings were scattered across the South — a reel in a barn loft in Alabama, an acetate found in a pawn shop in Shreveport, a dusty box discovered behind an old church in Tennessee. Each tape carried a name, sometimes just a first one, and the faint hum of a bygone world. Most were recorded by Harlan “Doc” McCree, a roving radio engineer who, between 1940 and 1951, traveled with a portable Presto cutter, capturing front porch songs, juke joint nights, and backroad blues from men who’d never see a studio. Over seventy years later, the reels were gathered by collectors and archivists who carefully cleaned, restored, and digitized the fragile sounds. What emerged was a rare portrait of country blues before electricity — warm, ragged, and deeply human. Now, for the first time, these forgotten voices — Willie “Short Time” Parker, Eddie Mae Brooks, J.T. “Little Hammer” Collins, and others — are reunited in The Lost Tapes: Country Blues 1940–1951, a celebration of life, love, and Southern soul. (Verse 1 – 12 bars) Well I’m rollin’ through the dawn, Yeah I’m rollin’ through the dawn, Ain’t no whistle man can blow, Like the one I’m ridin’ on. Got my hand on the lever, Got my eye on the rail, Lord, this engine keeps on moanin’, Like a lonesome midnight wail. I don’t stop for no trouble, Don’t wait for no man’s call, Just roll on, roll on, roll on — ‘Til I can’t roll at all. [Chorus — 12-Bar Boogie Instrumental Interlude] (slide guitar imitating a train whistle — “whoo-ooo!”) (Verse 2 – 24 bars) Got a pocket full of cinders, And my heart full of steam, Keep this old train runnin’, Like a fever dream. I see smoke in the valley, Hear the wheels sing that tone, Lord, this track feels like my body, And that whistle’s my bone. Ain’t no rich man’s dollar, Can buy the way I feel, When the sun hits that engine, And the steel starts to squeal. Every mile I’m runnin’, Every town I pass by, Some folks wave and holler, Some just stand and sigh. But I don’t stop for no trouble, Don’t wait for no man’s call, Just roll on, roll on, roll on — ‘Til I can’t roll at all. [Chorus — 12-Bar Boogie Instrumental Interlude] (Verse 3 – 12 bars) Now if you hear that whistle, In the heat or the rain, You can bet your last dollar, That Boyd’s drivin’ that train. Yeah, this life keeps me movin’, And I don’t need no stall, Just roll on, roll on, roll on — ‘Til I can’t roll at all. [Outro — 12-Bar Boogie Instrumental Fade] (Train rhythm slows — “chug-chug… chug… chooo…”)

0/500