Jelly Roll Morton Time In Mobile
Of course, I wrote this tune, er, while I was in
Alabama about the year of nineteen-five, when I was
about, er, twenty years old. I was considered very good
amongst my friends — that is, so far as the writing
period. And I’ve always had a kind of a little inkling
to write a tune at most any place that I would ever
land.
Of course, we had King Porter around there — that is, I
mean, Porter King — the man that “King Porter Stomp”
was named after. He was considered a very good piano
player. And of course, we had, er, King — I disremember
his name — I think his name’s Charlie King, another
piano player around there. Baby Grice was another one,
that was supposed to be good.
Where was this?
Er, that was all in Mobile. Baby Grice was, was from
Pensacola, Florida. Then we had another one around that
was supposed to be very good from Florida, also. His
name was Frazier Davis. And Frank Rachel was supposed
to be the tops, when it came down to around Georgia.
But somehow or another, most all those boys kinda felt
that I had, er, little composing ideas, and always
tried to, er, that is, encourage me to play some
numbers. That is, er, write a number, I mean. So that’s
why I wrote “Alabama Bound.”
Let’s hear you play it on the piano.
What you wanna me to do?
Bang it away on the piano.
Alabama Bound
That’s the way I’d play it for the girls, who’d do the
high kicks.
Said, “My, my, play that thing, boy.”
[laughs]
[inaudible comments]
And I’d say, “Well, certainly do it, little old girl.”
That’s just the way they used to act down in Mobile in
those days, around St. Louis and Warren, part of the
Famous Corner. I never will ever forget, after I beat
some guys playing pool, if it wasn’t for one of my
piano playing friends, you’d never heard this record
because the guy was gonna knife me right in the back,
I’m tellin’ you. He had a knife right on me. He said
that I only used the piano for a decoy, which he was
right.
[inaudible comments]
And, of course, er, he had it, had added to his mind
that I was kind of nice looking. Imagine that, huh?
Well, I said . . .
[laughs]
Of course, he wasn’t such a good-looking fellow his-
self. He had some awful rubber-looking lips, I’m
telling you.
[laughs]
Yes indeed. He was kinda jealous of me — I suppose he
was, anyhow.
But I said, “Alabama bound . . . ound,
Yes, Alabama bound,”
One of them good-looking gals told me,
“Baby, come on and leave this town.”
I got put in jail,
I got put in jail,
There wasn’t no one in town,
Wouldn’t go my bail.
They had a sweet, sweet gal,
They had a sweet, sweet gal,
She got stuck on me,
And took me for her pal.
