KNOW YOU RIDER
(Traditional)
Robin Greenstein
I learned this blues song from an Acoustic Hot Tuna recording. It is found in different versions
and with different titles ("Woman's Blues", "Circle Round The Sun"). Indeed, James Taylor,
The Grateful Dead and Hot Tuna have all recorded it in quite different ways. James recorded it
as a slow lament entitled "Circle Round The Sun" backed by a string section. The Grateful Dead
interpreted it as a bluegrass number, and Hot Tuna's acoustic finger-style blues version was the
basis of my arrangement. The all knowing attitude of the weary woman just resonates through the
years, and the simple images are stunning.
Well I know you rider, gonna miss me when I'm gone
Well I know you rider, gonna miss me when I'm gone
You gonna miss your mama from rolling in your arms
Well I know my baby he's bound to love me some
Well I know my baby he's bound to love me some
He throws his arms around me like a circle round the sun
Well I laid down and I tried to take my rest
I laid down and I tried to take my rest
but my mind it just kept wandering like some wild geese in the west
I’m going down the road where I get better care
I’m going down the road where I get better care
I believe I’ll go babe, I just don’t feel welcome here
Just as sure as the bird fly in the sky above
Just as sure as the bird fly in the sky above
Life ain’t worth living if you ain’t with the man you love
The sun’s gonna shine in my back door some day
The sun’s gonna shine in my back door some day
The wind’s gonna rise and blow my blues away
To love you baby, it’s easy as falling off a log
To love you baby, it’s easy as falling off a log
Wanna be your baby but I sure won’t be your dog
*****
I KNOW YOU RIDER
The Grateful Dead
I know you, rider, gonna miss me when i'm gone;
I know you, rider, gonna miss me when i'm gone;
Gonna miss your baby, from rolling in your arms.
Laid down last night, lord, i could not take my rest;
Laid down last night, lord, i could not take my rest;
My mind was wandering like the wild geese in the west.
The sun will shine in my back door someday.
The sun will shine in my back door someday.
March winds will blow all my troubles away.
I wish i was a headlight, on a north bound train;
I wish i was a headlight, on a north bound train;
I'd shine my light through cool colorado rain.
I know you, rider, gonna miss me when i'm gone;
I know you, rider, gonna miss me when i'm gone;
Gonna miss your baby, from rolling in your arms.
*****
I KNOW YOU RIDER
Hot Tuna
I know you rider gonna miss me when I'm gone
I know you rider gonna miss me when I'm gone
Gonna miss your baby from rollin' in your arms
Sun's gonna shine on my back door some day
Sun's gonna shine on my back door some day
And the wind's gonna rise up and blow my blues away
I wish I was a headlight on a northbound train
I wish I was a headlight on a northbound train
I'd shine my headlight through the cool Colorado rain
Lovin' you baby's 'bout as easy as rollin' off a log
Lovin' you baby's 'bout as easy as rollin' off a log
I'll be your daddy but I just won't be your dog
*****
I KNOW YOU RIDER
Janis Joplin - 1966
I know you rider, you're gonna miss me when I'm gone
I know you rider, you're gonna miss me when I'm gone
You're gonna miss your lovin' baby runnin', I said runnin' in your arms
Don't the moon look lonesome, when it's shinin' down through the trees
Don't the moon look lonesome, when it's shinin' down through the trees
Don't my, don't my man looks fine, when he comes runnin', runnin' after me
I know you rider, you're gonna miss me when I'm gone, honey when I'm gone
Say now, I know you rider, you're gonna miss me when I'm gone
You're gonna miss your lovin' baby runnin', I said runnin' in your arms!
I know you rider. you're gonna miss me when I'm gone
I know you rider, you're gonna miss me when I'm gone
Yeah, you're gonna miss your lovin' baby runnin', oh, I said runnin' in your
arms!
And I know my baby, says he's bound to love me so, love me so
Said I, I know my baby, and he's bound to love me so
You know he'll close his arms around me, like a circle, he thinks I'll
understand
I know you rider
Said you're gonna miss me when I'm gone
*****
KNOW YOU RIDER
Well I know you rider, gonna miss me when I'm gone
Well I know you rider, gonna miss me when I'm gone
You gonna miss your mama from rolling in your arms
Well I know my baby he's bound to love me some
Well I know my baby he's bound to love me some
He throws his arms around me like a circle round the sun
Well I laid down and I tried to take my rest
I laid down and I tried to take my rest
but my mind it just kept wandering like some wild geese in the west
I'm going down the road where I get better care
I'm going down the road where I get better care
I believe I'll go babe, I just don't feel welcome here
Just as sure as the bird fly in the sky above
Just as sure as the bird fly in the sky above
Life ain't worth living if you ain't with the man you love
The sun's gonna shine in my back door some day
The sun's gonna shine in my back door some day
The wind's gonna rise and blow my blues away
To love you baby, it's easy as falling off a log
To love you baby, it's easy as falling off a log
Wanna be your baby but I sure won't be your dog
*****
I KNOW YOU RIDER
I know you rider gonna miss me when I'm gone
I know you rider gonna miss me when I'm gone
Gonna miss you little momma from a-rolling in your arms
I'm going down thr road where I can get more decent care
I'm going down thr road where I can get more decent care
Going back to my used to be rider cause I don't feel welcome here
I know my baby sure is bound to love me some
I know my baby sure is bound to love me some
Cause he throws his arms around me like a circle around the sun
I laid down last night trying to take a rest
I laid down last night trying to take a rest
But my mind kept rambling like the wild geese in the West
I'm going down to the river set in my rockin' chair
I'm going down to the river set in my rockin' chair
And if the blues don't find me gonna rock away from here
Loving you baby just as easy as rolling off a log
Loving you baby just as easy as rolling off a log
But if I can't be your woman sure ain't gonna be your dog
I will cut your wood baby I will make your fire
I will cut your wood baby I will make your fire
And I will tote your water baby from that Fresno Bar
Sun gonna shine in my back yard some day
Sun gonna shine in my back yard some day
And the wind gonna rise up baby blow my blues away
(Contributed by Andy & Mogg - July 2003)
