You can find a dual tab note for note transcription of this tune in "Alligator Records Presents Acoustic Blues Guitar" published by Hal Leonard.

I've got Lonnie's Hot Licks video featuring his unique take on acoustic blues. I believe that they also issued another video featuring his electric stuff. They are re-releasing a lot of the Hot Licks stuff out on DVD so you might want to check www.elderly.com periodically.

This animation film, 'Cookie Blues' has been around for a few years but this
is the first year I have seen it. A professional blues musician friend (for IGS board, that would be The Great Hoodadoo) sent this to me.
The music and vocal was so good that I had to find out who recorded it!

The original song used in the animation is in fact, "Oreo Cookie Blues" recorded by Lonny Mack with his long time friend and co-producer, Stevie Ray Vaughn, on the 'Strike Like Lightning' CD, originally recorded in 1985 and released in 1990, perhaps as a tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughn. From what I have read, SRV is most likely the principle guitarist on 'Oreo Cookie Blues' playing a vintage National Duolian metal bodied resonator guitar and Lonny Mack is the vocalist. CD info:
http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1011851/a/Strike+Like+Lightning.htm

I have read a credit elsewhere (I don't recall where) that stated that SRV did play a resonator guitar on this CD. When I listen to it carefully, it seems to me that there are a couple of subtle but characteristic SRV moves, so I am assuming that this is in fact is SRV

Further searches revealed that the creator of the animation is 28 year old Jason Taylor who must have been about 23 years old when he did this animation back in 2000-2001... The cookie character is one of his creations. In his biography he states that he is a guitar player, drummer and songwriter.

quote:

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I play the guitar and a bit of drums. I'm currently writing songs with my friend, Karen. Juggling is a passtime of mine. I recently got back into it again. At home, I am creating animated shorts and exercises. These are purely for fun and to improve my skills.

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Here is the URL to Jason Taylor's bio page:

http://www.captainkeyframe.com/pages/about.htm

HERE is one of the URLS where you can see the Video, or right click on the link, then 'Save Target As' and save it to a folder on your computer. (which is what I did).

http://kragenbrinkguitars.com/NEW%20PICS/Cookie-Blues.wmv

I liked the acoustic guitar in the animation so much that I decided that I want to learn how to play the whole song note for note.

I just got ahold of the full acoustic version of the song today and heard it for the first time. Further below are the lyrics. (Also there is an electric version by Lonnie Mack with slightly different lyrics, see link further below for a free download of the electric version)

The acoustic guitar solo(s) are in three parts; note the vocal intros into the solos. The first part picking solo is introduced with the vocal lead in, "Play it Stevie" and after that solo a faint voice hands the solo over to the slide guitar player saying "Brother Bill, play it". That would have to be brother Bill McIntosh as cited in the credits. At the end of the slide solo another vocal lead in, eg; "Can I have one" back to the picking solo. Credits: http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1011851/a/Strike+Like+Lightning.htm

quote:

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Personnel: Lonnie Mack (vocals, guitar); Stevie Ray Vaughan, Bill McIntosh (guitar);Stan Szelest (piano, keyboards); Tim Drummond (bass); Dennis O'Neal, Gene Lawson (drums); Lisa Gilkyson, Karen Kraft, Gwen Newsome (background vocals). Recorded at Cedar Creek Recording, Austin, Texas. Includes liner notes by Ben Sandmel.

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Here are the full lyrics for those in other Countries who might not be able to pick up on the dialect which is somewhat southern USA, (I see that he lives in Tennessee, which is where Mississippi Fred McDowell is actually from). 'Oreo Creme Sandwich' I think is printed on the label of 'Oreo Cookies' but I'm not certain since I don't eat those things. 'Nookie' is a slang noun which generally means sexual activity, or sexual intercourse and appears to have originated in the 1920's.

Lyrics:

Verse 1

Chocolate on my fingers, icing on my lips,
sugar diabetes - and blubber on my hips
I keep the nightlight burning in the kitchen, babe,
so I can go downstairs and cruise.
I got them Oreo Cream Sandwich,
chocolate covered cream filled cookie blues.

Verse 2

I hide em in the cabinet, I keep 'em (them) in a jar.
For emergenicies you know I keep 'em in the-
glove compartment of my car,
an' I can't live without em,
they get me higher than I can get on booze.
I got them Oreo Cream Sandwich,
chocolate covered cream filled cookie blues

(guitar solo in three parts)

"Play it one time, Stevie" (Acoustic Guitar Picking Solo)
"Brother Bill, play it" (Acoustic Slide Solo)
"Can I have one?" (back to Picking solo)

Verse 3

Doctor says I'm crazy.
'You'd better give 'em up-a-quick
or you'll be pushing up daisies-because,
boy you definately sick.'
Ya know but uh,
I couldn't quit if I wanted to.
Yeah, I don't wanna loose___
them Oreo Cream Sandwich, (now watch me)
chocolate covered cream filled cookie,
built by Nabisco, yaknow aint no rookie uh-huh
Next best thing to nookie, Blues
====================================

For reference, here is the Lonnie Mack website which also has a link to his MySpace website:
Lonnie Mack's Flying V Music
http://www.lonniemack.com/

OK, so my question might have been anticipated. I started playing this song today in an open D tuning which may be a half step sharp or flat since I haven't checked it in awhile, and I am playing it capoed on the third fret. It seems to be working just fine so far for the picking parts. I haven't worked on the slide yet.

First: Is this the same tuning used in the original recording? I want to play this note for note the same way so I don't want to waste time trying different tunings, although it would be fun I just want to get the song down pat in the right tuning first. There may be an easier tuning(?)

If you've played this song, what tuning(s) do you use for the picking and what tuning for the slide (if different)? I just tried the slide in open D and it seems to work fine/

One thing I really like about this recording is the sense of friendship between these guitar players.

There is a book with the transcription which has been mentioned in other topics but I honestly can't afford to buy it so that do me any good. I've had only 3 dollars for the past 3 weeks. I could explain how the War Criminals in Washington DC are directly responsible for that fact (has to do with Social Security Disability cuts and worse) Those comments belong in the non-guitar discussion forums.

By the time I wrote this long thing I think I figured that open D capoed works just fine.

HERE is the URL to a free download of the electric Oreo Cookie Blues by Lonnie Mack. (SRV not on this one):
http://homepage.mac.com/forcedcall/FileSharing40.html

Another absolute standout tune on that record is If You Have To Know, a duet with Lonnie & Stevie.

quote:

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Originally posted by Brian Kramer:
Great tune! I just recently found an early CD of Lonnie's Strike Like Lightnin' after I wore out my cassette.
Brothah Bill Mcintosh IS Lonnie's actual brother.
This tune is in standard tuning all the way, E... picked, slide everything.
I love Lonnie's chickin' picked solo.

Another absolute standout tune on that record is If You Have To Know, a duet with Lonnie & Stevie.

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I was sure having alot of fun with it in open D and learning some cool stuff but I guess it's back to the fretboard to start over in standard tuning which I haven't played in much since I started playing acoustic slide. (although I really like slide in standard tuning). I think it may be easier in standard since blues in E is the first blues I ever learned many years ago, Lightinin' Hopkins sort of thing. (Coincidently, 'Lightnin' is in the title of this CD)

Probably it only seems easier because that is where most people start, so they learn the fretboard in standard tuning. (so tuning is relative).

I thought I had it right in the open D capoed, except for a couple or notes I couldn't seem to get right so I suspected a standard tuning. I'll probably go back to open D for this style because I found some pretty unique sounding tricks there.

I hope I get to a point soon where each alternate tuning doesn't seem like a different instrument fretboard and the tuning changes are automatically transposed in my mind. Otherwise it's almost like learning several different instruments or a single more complex instrument. Guess I got no choice, keep plugging away. At 8:17 am after being up almost 24 hours I got them gotta learn all this stuff in different tunings blues. When I wake up it will be a new day. New Day New Key Blues

I just now tried the song in standard and it is quite easier, some very nice classic acoustic blues in standard tuning.

I wonder which people built this style anyway? I'll have to look back and learn all that (more stuff to study) I am familiar with T-Bone Walker.

There still are some things in open D that I found unique so I plan to focus quite a bit in that tuning.

I thought that Lonnie was probably playing guitar somewhere in there.

Too tired blues here