"Black Angel Blues", also known as "Sweet Black Angel" or "Sweet Little Angel", is a blues standard that has been recorded by numerous blues and other artists.
This song is structured in the AAB blues pattern, using 12 bars, a very common structure in blues music. Many Blues songs are structured using the AAB format.
The song was first recorded in 1930 by Lucille Bogan, one of the classic female blues singers.
Bogan recorded it as a mid-tempo, twelve-bar blues, featuring her vocal with piano accompaniment.
Lucille's angel is clearly male.
(o) Lucille Bogan (1931) (as "Black Angel Blues")
Recorded December 17, 1930 in Chicago
Released on Brunswick 7186
SEE ALSO: Lucille3
Lyrics
I've got a sweet black angel, I likes the way he spread his wings (2x)
And I'm glad I've found him, he's brought so much joy and ev'rything
If I ask him for a dime, he give me a ten dollar bill (2x)
If he does everything, to keep my wants filled
If my black angel would leave me, I believe that I would die (2x)
And If I see him looking at another woman, I'll just scream and cry
I love my black angel and I want him by myself (2x)
I don't want him to spread his wings over nobody else
Womens don't bother my black angel, don't bother him in any way (2x)
I'll serve night and yell in jail most any day
I'm glad I found my black angel, I like the way he spread his wings (2x)
He's got a new way of getting boots and he sure can shake that thing
Listen here:
In 1934, Tampa Red recorded "Black Angel Blues" for Vocalion Records.
In 1928 and 1929 Tampa Red (=Hudson Whittaker) was the guitarplayer on a few sessions for Lucille Bogan, so he might have learned it from her.
Tampa Red's version was performed at a slower tempo and featured his prominent slide-guitar lines.
Unlike Lucille Bogan, Tampa Red's angel is clearly female.
(c) Tampa Red (1934) (as "Black Angel Blues")
Recorded March 23, 1934 in Chicago
Released on Vocalion 02753
Lyrics
I got a sweet black angel I like the way she spread her wings (2x)
And when she spreads them over me she brings joy and ev'rything
If I asked her for a nickle she give me a ten dollar bill (2x)
I asked her to buy me a drink of liquor and Lord she bought me a whiskey still
I love my black angel I want her all by myself (2x)
I can't stand to see her spread her wings over nobody else
If my black angel should quit me I believe that I would die (2x)
Every time I see her look at another man I just ween and cry
Please don't you try to take her, don't bother her in any way (2x)
I will spend 99 years in the big house in for her most any old day
Listen here:
Tampa Red's version was copied by Robert Nighthawk, another slide guitar maestro.
Robert Nighthawk's "Black Angel Blues" was inducted in 2007 into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame "Classics of Blues Recordings" category.
(c) The Nighthawks (1950) (as "Black Angel Blues")
Recorded July 12, 1949
Released on Aristocrat 2301
Lyrics
I've got a sweet black angel, I likes the way she spreads her wings (2x)
When she spreads her wings over me, I gets joy in everything
If my black angel should quit me, I believe that I would die (2x)
If you don't love me black angel, please tell me the reason why
Asked my black angel for a nickel, and she give me a 10 dollar bill (2x)
Told her I wanted a small drink of liquor, and she bought me a whiskey still
Listen here: nighthawk.sundayblues.org/audio/black_angel.mp3
In response to Nighthawk's success with the song Tampa Red recut the song in 1950 as "Sweet Little Angel."
(c) Tampa Red (1950) (as "Sweet Little Angel")
Recorded November 7, 1950 in Chicago
Released on Victor 22-0107 (78 RPM) and Victor 50-0107 (45 RPM)
Lyrics
I got a sweet little angel I like the way she spread her wings (2x)
When she spreads them over me she brings joy in ev'rything
Well, I love my little angel better than I love myself (2x)
I don't want my little angel to fall in love with no one else
If my little angel should quit me I believe that I will die (2x)
An if my little angel don't love me, Ransom Ooo! Well, I can't see the reason why
'You know what, boy?'
Asked her for a nickle she give me a twenty dollar bill (2x)
I asked her for a drink a-whiskey Woo! that woman bought me a liquor still
Listen here;
In 1953, Earl Hooker recorded it as "Sweet Angel"
(c) Earl Hooker (1953) (as "Sweet Angel")
Earl Hooker (guitar and vocal), Little Sam Davis (harmonica) and a drummer credited only as "Tony".
Recorded April 1953 at Crystal Clear Studios in Miami
Released on Rockin' 513
Lyrics
I've got a sweet black angel, I love the way she spreads her wings (2x)
When she spreads her wings over me, it brings joy and everything
If my sweet black angel was to quit me, I believe that I would die (2x)
You know I love you, black angel, ever since you have been my friend
Give my sweet black angel a nickel, she give me a 10 dollar bill (2x)
She gives me a 10 dollar bill, and a small drink o' liquors too
Listen here:
B.B. King's version of "Sweet Little Angel" was a Top 10 hit R&B in the USA.
According to King, "I got the idea for "Sweet Little Angel" from Robert Nighthawk's "Sweet Black Angel", though I later discovered that the song had been recorded by someone before Nighthawk. At the time 'black' was not a popular word, as it is now". So instead of "black" BB King sang "Sweet Little Angel", and of course that was the title Tampa Red also had recorded as his second version in 1950.
(c) B.B. "Blue Boy" King (1956) (as "Sweet Little Angel")
Recorded April or May 1956 in Little Rock, AR
Released on RPM 468
Listen here:
A few months before, BB King had already recorded a version, which ended up on his 1st album.
That earlier version has a rather different last line (see lyrics below)
(c) BB King (1956) (as "Sweet Little Angel")
Recorded November 19, 1955 on Los Angeles, CA
Released in June 1957 on his 1st album "Singin' the Blues"
Lyrics
I've got a sweet little angel I love the way she spreads her wings (2x)
Yes, when she spreads her wings around me I gets joy, and everything
Lord, if my baby should quit me I do believe I would die (2x)
Yes if you don't love me, little angel Please tell me the reason why
Yes, asked my baby for a nickel And she gave me a twenty-dollar bill (2x)
Yes, you know I asked her to let's go out and have a good time And she bought me a Cadillac Seville
Listen here:
(c) Big Mama Thornton (1965) (as "Sweet Little Angel")
Buddy Guy (guitar), Fred Below (drums), Eddie Boyd (keyboards), Jimmy Lee Robinson (bass)
Recorded October 20, 1965 at Wessex Studio - London, England
Released on her album "In Europe"
Listen here:
(c) Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters and Bo Diddley (1967) (as "Sweet Little Angel")
Recorded September, 1967 in the Ter-Mar studios (=Chess studio) in Chicago
Released on the album "The Super Super Blues Band".
Listen here:
In the fall of 1967 Buddy Guy recorded his own version, after he had played guitar on Big Mama Thornton's version in 1965.
(c) Buddy Guy (1968) (as "Sweet Little Angel")
Recorded fall 1967 at Universal Studio in Chicago (see Billboard October 21, 1967 page 48)
Released March 1968 on album "A Man & the Blues"
An edited version was released as a 45 in March 1968
45-version here:
Album-version here:
(c) Cuby and the Blizzards (1968) (as "Sweet Little Angel")
Recorded November 1968 live at the Jazz- and Bluesfestival in the Rheinhalle in Dusseldorf, Germany
Released on the album "Cuby + Blizzards Live".
Listen here:
More versions here: SOTM February 2019 - Sweet Black Angel
NB: NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH "Sweet Black Angel" by the Rolling Stones.
Geen opmerkingen:
Een reactie posten