"See That My Grave Is Kept Clean" is a song recorded by American blues musician Blind Lemon Jefferson in two slightly differing versions in October 1927 and February 1928 that became "one of his most famous compositions".
The most commonly used name for this song is "See That My Grave Is Kept Clean", but other titles used are: "One Kind Favor", "Two White Horses In A Line" and "Dig My Grave With A Silver Spade" or variations on these titles. The traditional/bluegrass song "Sad And Lonesome Day" is another variation of the song.
Many recordings give writing credit to Blind Lemon Jefferson but it was an existing "folk spiritual" that Jefferson learnt as "Two White Horses In A Line". It is likely that a number of similar songs existed.
The following site mentions other possible sources: http://www.earlyblues.com
Blind Lemon Jefferson's first version appears to have been issued as Paramount #12585, on which matrix 20074 ("See That My Grave Is Kept Clean") was coupled with matrix 4579 ("He Arose From The Dead") .
The same #12585 was re-issued coupling matrix 4579 ("He Arose From The Dead") with matrix 20073 ("Where Shall I Be ?").
Lemon Jefferson originally recorded this song under the pseudonym “Deacon L.J. Bates”
(o) Deacon L.J. Bates (=Blind Lemon Jefferson) (as "See That My Grave's Kept Clean")
Recorded October 1927 in Chicago.
Matrix 20074
Released on Paramount #12585
It's odd that on the re-issue, coupling "Where Shall I Be ?" with "He Arose From The Dead", for the latter the matrix-number 20074 is used. SEE: John Tefteller's Museum-Quality 78's, by label
Listen here:
4 months later Blind Lemnon Jefferson re-recorded "See That My Grave Is Kept Clean" and released it under his real name.
(c) Blind Lemon Jefferson (1928) (as "See That My Grave Is Kept Clean")
Recorded February 1928 in Chicago
Matrix 20374
Released on Paramount 12608
Listen here:
On May 28, 1930 Son House also recorded a version of "See That My Grave is Kept Clean", which was never issued, but on the same day he used the same melody for "Mississippi County Farm Blues".
Listen here:
(c) Two Poor Boys (1931) (as "Two White Horses In A Line")
Recorded May 20, 1931 in New York City
Released on Oriole 8081
Also released on Perfect 182 and Romeo 5081
Listen here:
It is generally assumed that in 1940 Woody Guthrie lifted the melody for "Vigilante Man" from the Carter Family's "Sad And Lonesome Day".
But on his turn "Sad And Lonesome Day" is a reworking of Blind Lemon Jefferson's "See That My Grave Is Kept Clean".
(c) Carter Family (1935) (as "Sad And Lonesome Day")
Sara and Maybelle Carter (vocal duet) / Sara Carter; guitar
Recorded May 7, 1935 in New York
Released on Conqueror 8735 and Melotone 7-04-53
Listen here:
(c) Woody Guthrie (1940) (melody used in "Vigilante Man")
Recorded April 26, 1940 in Camden, New Jersey
Released July 1940 on the 78RPM album "Dust Bowl Ballads Vol 2" on the B-side of Victor 26624
Listen here:
And in 1944 Woody also literally covered the Carter Family's "Sad And Lonesome Day".
(c) Woody Guthrie (1944) (as "Lonesome Day")
Woody Guthrie: vocal/mandolin, Cisco Houston: vocal/guitar, Sonny Terry: harmonica
Recorded April 25, 1944
Matrix MA90
Released in 1952 on Stinson SLP 44
Listen here:
(c) Lightnin' Hopkins (1952) (as "One Kind Favor")
Recorded 1950/1951 in Houston Texas for the Quinn Recording Company
Producer: Bill Quinn
Released in 1952 on RPM # 359
Listen here:
(c) Lightnin' Hopkins (1952) (as "One Kind Of Favor")
Lightnin' Hopkins: vocal/guitar, Donald Cooks: bass
Recorded 1951 in Houston TX
Producer: Bob Shad
Released on Sittin' In With # 649
(c) Dave Van Ronk (1961) (as "Please See That My Grave Is Kept Clean")
Listen here:
As Dave Van Ronk was Bob Dylan's "first New York guru", this might be the reason 1 year later Dylan also covered the song on his first album.
(c) Bob Dylan (1962) (as "See That My Grave Is Kept Clean")
Listen here:
In 1967 Bob re-recorded the song with the Band, which is included on The Genuine Basement Tapes.
This version was re-titled "One Kind Favor" on the Bootleg Series Vol 11; the Basement Tapes Complete
Listen here:
(c) Staple Singers (1962) (as "A Dying Man's Plea")
Recorded February 1962 in New York City
Listen here:
(c) Peter, Paul and Mary (1964) (as "One Kind Favor"),
Listen here:
(c) Canned Heat (1968) (as "One Kind Favor")
Listen here:
(c) Grateful Dead (as "One Kind Favor")
Recorded live on July 30, 1966 in Vancouver, Canada
Listen here:
In November 2001 Lou Reed recorded a live version of "See That My Grave Is Kept Clean".
An abridged version was used on the soundtrack of the 2003 movie "Martin Scorsese presents The Blues - The Soul of a Man"
But here's the magnificent full 12 minute version.
In November 1999 Lou Reed had recorded an electrified version, which was released in 2006 for the Harry Smith Project.
Listen here:
In 2004 Mavis Staples recorded "A Dying Man's Plea", which she previously had recorded with the Staple Singers in 1962 (SEE ABOVE)
In 2015 Mavis Staples re-recorded the song (as "See That My Grave Is Kept Clean") for her album "Your Good Fortune".
It won the 2016 Grammy Award for Best American Roots Performance.
(c) Mavis Staples (2015) (as "See That My Grave Is Kept Clean")
Listen here:
NOTE: musically speaking "See That My Grave Is Kept Clean" has a little resemblance to
"Loveless Love" / "Careless Love".
And there's also a little resemblance to "Fare Thee, Honey, Fare Thee Well" / "I'll See You In The Spring, When The Birds Begin To Sing".
More versions of "See That My Grave Is Kept Clean" here:
"See That My Grave Is Kept GREEN" is an example of a similar song.
Although it doesn't have much in common with Blind Lemon Jefferson's song, it does have the lines "This one little wish I ask of you, see that my grave is kept green."
The sheet music can be seen at the Historic American Sheet Music site.
In 1928 Bela Lam and his Greene County Singers recorded a version of "See That My Grave Is Kept Green".
And in 1933 The Carter Family also recorded a version of "See That My Grave Is Kept Green".
Geen opmerkingen:
Een reactie posten