Stone the Crows was a blues-rock band formed in Glasgow in late 1969. The band was formed after Maggie Bell was introduced to Les Harvey by his elder brother Alex Harvey. After playing together in the Kinning Park Ramblers, their next band Power was renamed Stone the Crows (after a British/Australian English exclamation of surprise or shock).
Lyrics below.
Penicillin blues - Brownie McGhee and Sonny Terry Recorded by Maggie Bell with Stone the Crows 1973 - 12 bar in E (first change G, F#m, B then E run) I’ve got bad blood baby, looks like I need a shot I’ve got bad blood baby, looks like I need a shot I’m gonna turn round baby, let you see just what I got. I want you to be my doctor, Gonna throw my legs up against the wall I want you to be my doctor, Gonna throw my legs up against the wall Promise not to scream or wriggle, I want you to let me have it all night long Whow You’ve got your needle in me baby, and it looks and it feels alright You’ve got your needle in me baby, and it looks and it feels alright Don’t want you to lose none of that penicillin I want you to let me have it all Let me have all that penicillin. You’re ways are so lovin, and your skin is so soft, soft next to mine You’re ways are so lovin, and your skin is so soft, next to mine I’ve been all around the world makin honey, come on and mix it with mine. Come on honey bee I said a wha, ha ohh, a wha, ha ohh You’re soo good lookin as any man should be I said a wha, ha ohh, a wha, ha ohh You’re soo good lookin as any man should be I’ll make love to you for the rest of my life If you’ll only stay with me. Wha oh oh oh – I want you to be my doctor
Don Matthews
February 2021
I always thought ‘Stone the crows’ was an Australian expression. I wonder where it originated?
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This is what I found: (another researcher)
I’ve found mid-20th century references from England that describe it as an Americanism and American newspaper articles that call it ‘an old English phrase’. The dates of those are more or less right but not the locations — the phrase appears to have originated in Australia. Most of the early citations in print come from down under. It has a sort of Australian twang to it and is in common with several other similar phrases, all with the same meaning: starve the bardies [bardies are grubs], stiffen the crows, spare the crow
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Stone the crows! I have learned something new today…
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I’ve always thought it Australian although we would say ‘stone the bloody crows’……
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I can’t hear that phrase in my head without an Australian accent!
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Gawd, strike me pink and stone the bloody crows…d’day Ingrid… did ya hear me Aussie accent?….
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Strewth! You betcha! Bonza!!
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Shit…missed those….
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😂😂
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glad you liked it….
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Brilliant!!
Never heard it before but it’s a great wee tune!! 😁👍🖤
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Amazing what’s hiding in the bowels of youtube…..now ‘wee tune’ does give away your origin…..
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😁🏴🖤
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