This song is structured in the AAB blues pattern using 12 bars, a very common structure in blues music. Many Blues songs are structured using the AAB format.
"Rollin' and Tumblin'" (or "Roll and Tumble Blues") is a blues song first recorded by American singer/guitarist Hambone Willie Newbern in 1929.
Called a "great Delta blues classic", it has been interpreted by hundreds of Delta and Chicago blues artists, including well-known recordings by Muddy Waters.
"Rollin' and Tumblin'" has also been refashioned by a variety of rock-oriented artists.
Hambone Willie Newbern's "Roll and Tumble Blues" shares several elements of Gus Cannon's Jug Stompers' "Minglewood Blues". SEE: Joop's Musical Flowers: Minglewood Blues (1928)
But it is also similar to Walter Rhodes' "The Crowing Rooster", already recorded in 1927 .
(o) Hambone Willie Newbern (1929) (as "Roll And Tumble Blues")
Recorded on March 14, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia
Released on Okeh 8679
And I rolled and I tumbled and I cried the whole night long (2x)
And I rosed this morning mama and I didn't know right from wrong
Did you ever wake up and find your dough‑roller gone (2x)
And you wrings your hands and you cry the whole day long
And I told my woman Lord [just] before I left her town (2x)
Don't she let nobody tear her barrelhouse down
And I fold my arms Lord and I [slowly] walked away (2x)
Says that's all right sweet mama your trouble going to come some day
Listen here:
When he was 15 years of age, Sleepy John Estes and family moved to Brownsville, Tennessee. Brownsville was also home to his cousin, Hambone Willie Newbern, an important early influence. So Estes probably reworked Newbern's "Roll And Tumble Blues" and wrote some new words.
(c) Sleepy John Estes (1929) (as "The Girl I Love She Got Long Curly Hair")
Sleepy John Estes (vocals and guitar), Yank Rachell (vocals), Johnnie Hardge (piano)
Recorded September 24, 1929 in Memphis, TEN.
Released on Victor V-38549-B
Now, I'm goin' to Brownsville an take that right hand road (2x)
Lord, I ain't gon' stop walkin' 'till I get in sweet mama's do'
Now, the girl I'm lovin' she got the great, long, curly hair (2x)
An her mama an her papa they sho' don't 'llow me there
If you catch my duffel hangin' upside yo' wall (2x)
Now, you know by that, babe I need my ashes hauled
Now, what cha' gon do, babe yo' doughroller gone? (2x)
Go in yo' kitchen, Lordy cook until she comes.
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In 1938 Estes re-recorded the song as "Browsville Blues"
And in 1969 Led Zeppelin covered "The Girl I Love, She Got Long Curly Hair" for BBC radio.
(c) Garfield Akers (1930) (as "Dough Roller Blues")
Garfield Akers, voc, g;
Recorded February 21, 1930, Memphis, Tenn.
Released on Vocalion 1481
Yes, I rolled and I tumbled and I cried the whole night long (2x)
Yes, I rolled this mornin', and I didn't know right from wrong
Have you ever woke up then, and found your dough roller gone? (2x)
Then you wring your hand and you cried "oooo" whole day long
Yes, I told my woman just before I left the town (2x)
Don't you let nobody tear that old barrelhouse down
Yes, I fold my arm, and I begin to walk away (2xc)
I said, "That's all right, sweet mama, your trouble's gonna come some day
Listen here:
(c) Robert Johnson (1936) (as "If I Had Possession Over Judgment Day")
Robert Johnson, voc, g
Recorded November 27, 1936 in San Antonio, TX;
Not issued at the time
Finally released in 1961 on the following album
Robert Johnson "borrowed" 2 verses from Hambone Willie Newbern.
If I had possession, over judgment day (2x)
Lord, the little woman I'm lovin' wouldn't, have no right to
pray
And I went to the mountain, lookin' as far as my eyes could
see (2x)
Some
other man got my woman, and these lonesome blues got me
And I rolled and
I tumbled and I, cried the whole night long (2x)
Boy, I woke up this mornin', my biscuit roller gone
Had
to fold my arms and I, slowly walked away (2x)
(spoken: I didn't like the way she
done)
I said in my mind,
"Yo' trouble gon' come some day
Now run here, baby, set down
on my knee (2x)
I wanna tell you all
about the way they treated me
Listen here:
While he was still under contract with the Chess Brothers' Aristoctrat-label, Muddy Waters recorded a version of "Rollin' and Tumblin'" for the rival Parkway label, featuring his band mates Little Walter and Baby Face Leroy Foster.
The Parkway label credits the Baby Face Leroy Trio, with vocals by Leroy, and Muddy Waters as the songwriter. They recorded 2 parts on both sides of a 78 RPM.
But unlike most such releases that are divided into parts, "Rollin’ and Tumblin'" was really two takes of the song, one with sung lyrics and the other with wordless moaning. The original Parkway release listed the moaning take as Part 1 and the lyrics take as Part 2.
Leroy Foster, voc, dr; Little Walter, voc, hca; Muddy Waters, g, voc
Recorded January 1950 in Chicago, IL;
Listen here:
Leonard Chess was not amused that Muddy Waters had recorded the song for the Parkway-label and in February 1950 Leonard Chess insisted that Waters record the song again for the Chess Brother's Aristocrat-label (less than a month after Waters had recorded the version for the rival Parkway label).
Whatever the motive behind it, the Aristocrat session, which would be the last to use only Big Crawford's bass for accompaniment, was superb. It produced a new two-part "Rollin' and Tumblin'", released on Aristocrat 412. For the second part, Muddy recycled lyrics from two 1948 sides that Aristocrat had left in the vault: "Kind Hearted Woman" and "Down South Blues".
Muddy Waters (v,g), Big Crawford (b)
Recorded February 1950 in Chicago, IL;
Listen here:
In 1948 Muddy Waters had already used the tune, though not the words, for his "Down South Blues" which he recorded for the Aristocrat-label, but it wasn't issued at the time
It was finally released in 1967 on the next album
Listen here:
A few months after Baby Face Leroy and Muddy Waters 78s came out, John Lee Hooker recorded his "Rock N' Roll" recorded in Detroit, with slideless guitar playing and foot-tapping. His opening lyrics paid hommage to Newbern’s version, and he ended the same way as Baby Face Leroy’s "Rollin' and Tumblin' Part 2":
Engineer blew the whistle and the fireman rung the bell
Engineer blew the whistle and the fireman rung the bell
Lord, I didn’t have time to tell my baby ‘Fare you well’
(c) John Lee Hooker (1950) (as "Rock N' Roll")
Recorded in Detroit on April 28, 1950.
Produced by Bernie Besman.
Released on Modern 767
Listen here:
An alternate take from the same session was released in 1970.
John Lee Hooker (as "Rollin' Blues" (alt. take of "Roll N' Roll")
Recorded April 28, 1950 in Detroit.
Released on Specialty album "Alone" (SPS 2125)
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(c) Elmore James (1960) (as "Rollin And Tumblin")
And of course Fire-boss Bobby Robinson is credited as "author" !
Elmore James, voc, g; saxes; prob. Johnny Acey, p; Jimmy Spruill, g; Homesick James, b-g; Sam Myers, dr
Recorded May 23/4, 1960 in New York
Released on Fire 1024
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(c) Howlin Wolf (1961) (as "Down In The Bottom")
Howlin' Wolf, voc, # g; Johnny Jones, p; Hubert Sumlin, Jimmy Rogers, g;
Willie Dixon, b; Sam Lay, dr
Recorded May 1961 in Chicago, IL;
Released on Chess 1793
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Musically Howlin Wolf's "Down In The Bottom" copies the blues scheme of "Roll And Tumble Blues"
But lyrically Howlin Wolf's "Down In The Bottom" was in fact a re-working of Bumble Bee Slim's "Meet Me In The Bottom" (1936), which itself was a re-working of Buddy Moss' "Oh Lordy Mama" (1934).
SEE: Joop's Musical Flowers: Oh Lordy Mama (1934) / Hey Lawdy Mama (1935) / Meet Me In The Bottom (1936)
Since the 1960s the song has also been played and recorded by numerous blues-rock bands, including
(c) Cream (1966) (as "Rollin' And Tumblin'")
On their debut, Fresh Cream (credited to Muddy Waters)
Listen here:
(c) Yardbirds (1966) (as "Drinking Muddy Water")
Listen here:
(c) Canned Heat (1967) (as "Rollin' And Tumblin'")
On their eponymous debut album (credited to Muddy Waters)
Listen here:
(c) Johnny Winter (1968) (as "Rollin' And Tumblin'")
On his debut album (credited to Muddy Waters)
Listen here:
(c) Blues Creation on their 1969 debut album (as "Rollin' and Tumblin'")
Credited to Muddy Waters
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(c) Fleetwood Mac (1971) (as "Rambling Pony No. 2")
Recorded in 1967 and previously unreleased.
Finally released in 1971 on the album The Original Fleetwood Mac
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But already in 1967 Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac released a version (as "Rambling Pony") on the B-side of "I Believe My Time Ain't Long".
Recorded on September 9, 1967 at CBS Studio, New Bond Street, London.
Original Release: CBS/Blue Horizon #3051
Listen here:
(c) Bonnie Raitt (1971) (as "Rollin' And Tumblin'")
Credited to Robert Johnson.
Live at Syracuse University, New York, March 27th, 1971
Listen here:
(c) Eric Clapton (1992) (as "Rollin' And Tumblin'")
On his Unplugged album
Listen here:
(c) Eric Clapton (2004) (as "If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day")
On his album Me and Mr. Johnson
Listen here:
(c) Bob Dylan (2006) (as "Rollin' And Tumblin'")
The song was recorded by Bob Dylan for his 2006 album Modern Times.
Dylan claims authorship of the song on most versions of his record. While musically the arrangement is very similar to the Muddy Waters version, Dylan's introduces all new verses, though retaining the two opening lines.
Listen here:
More versions here:
