Song of the Week: You Don't Know My Mind

I've been listening to a lot of blues and blues-inspired music lately, and working on my guitar blues-shuffle. I'm predesposed toward women who play guitar, and Odetta is one of my favorites. Here is a video of her singing "You Don't Know My Mind" with its chorus that should be recognizable to many of us in spirit if not by its actual melody:

"You don't know, you don't know my mind,
When you see me laughing,
Laughing just to keep from crying."



Odetta doesn't play guitar in this video, but you can check out some guitar-playing performances in her earlier career here and here.

2/2/08 update: I've finally transcribed the lyrics to this song. Odetta's version doesn't seem to be on the internet, or else it's hidden very well. Here are the lyrics:

You Don’t Know My Mind
As sung by Odetta

My bread is on the table, my coffee’s getting cold
Mama’s in the kitchen getting sweet daddy told
You don’t know, you don’t know my mind—
You see me laughing , laughing just to keep from crying.

I’m walking down the levy, with my head hanging low
Looking for my sweet daddy, Lord, he ain’t here no more
Now you don’t know, you don’t know my mind
You see me laughing, laughing just to keep from crying.

I worked all the summer, and part of the fall
Come home for Christmas in my old overalls
Now you don’t know, you don’t know my mind
When you see me laughing, laughing just to keep from crying.

Well I’m not good looking, I don’t dress fine
But I’m the kind of woman who will take her time
You don’t know, you don’t know my mind
When you see me laughing, laughing just to keep from crying.

I cannot forge no wheel, I can’t shape no fly
But I can do anything if you show me how
You don’t know, you don’t know my mind
Now when you see me laughing, laughing just to keep from crying.

You don’t know, you don’t know, you don’t know my mind, doggonit
You don’t know, you don’t know my mind
Now when you see me laughing, laughing just to keep from crying--
When you see me laughing, laughing just to keep from crying.