Posts tonen met het label Unfortunate Rake (1850's). Alle posts tonen
Posts tonen met het label Unfortunate Rake (1850's). Alle posts tonen

zondag 8 september 2013

Unfortunate Rake (1850's) / Charleston Cabin (1924) / Gambler's Blues (1927) / St. James Infirmary (1929) / Dying Crapshooter's Blues (1927) / Blind Willie McTell (1983)

"St. James Infirmary Blues" or "Gambler's Blues" is based on an 18th-century traditional English folk song called "The Unfortunate Rake" (also known as "The Unfortunate Lad"  or "The Young Man Cut Down in His Prime"), about a soldier who uses his money on prostitutes, and then dies of a venereal disease. Variations typically feature a narrator telling the story of a young man "cut down in his prime" (occasionally, a young woman "cut down in her prime") as a result of morally questionable behavior. For example, when the song moved to America, gambling and alcohol became common causes of the youth's death. There are numerous versions of the song throughout the English-speaking world. And while "St. James Infirmary Blues" or "Gambler's Blues" is more like a jazz or blues song, with a melody,  that was derived from "Charleston Cabin", another version evolved into the American standard "The Streets of Laredo", which is more like a folk ballad or waltz, with a different melody,  that was derived from the Irish tune "The Bard of Armagh"


The roots of "St. James Infirmary" (aka "The Gambler's Blues") lay in the 1920's.

In her book "On The Trail Of The Negro Folk-Songs" (1925) Dorothy Scarborough wrote down a song with a striking lyrical resemblance to "St James Infirmary".
The second verse from "St James Infirmary" (the "Let Her Go, Let Her Go, God Bless Her") verse) is literally lifted from "How Sad Was The Death Of My Sweetheart" (which is on page 94 of that book)

And the 1st and the 3rd verse from "St James Infirmary" is literally lifted from a version published in January 1925 !!
This version is credited to Phil Baxter and Carl Moore and was also was copyrighted.


And published in Little Rock, Arkansas



Phil Baxter and his Texas Tommies had the song also on their repertoire.




Carl Sandburg collected a few versions in his American Songbag (1927):



In 1927 "Gambler's Blues" was re-published (for national distribution) as featured by Carl Moore's Virginians. 


On page 2 of the re-published sheet music it says it was introduced by Fess Williams.

Fess Williams also recorded the first version.

(c) Stanley “Fess” Williams and his Royal Flush Orchestra (1927) (as "Gambler's Blues")
accompanied by David “Jelly” James (tb), 2 unknown (as,ts), Otto Mikell (bar), Henry “Hank” Duncan (p), Clinton Walker (bb). One of the saxophonists also plays oboe.
Recorded on February 25, 1927 in New York
Released on Vocalion 1087


Listen here:





Part of the SJI-tune is clearly quoted in an instrumental song called Charleston Cabin (composed by Roy Reber)
This version was recorded by 

(c) Whitey Kaufman's Original Pennsylvania Serenaders (1924) (as "Charleston Cabin")
Recorded on March 21, 1924
Released on Victor 19304
 




Listen to Whitey Kaufman here:




This version was also recorded by

(c) The Carolina Club Orchestra (with Hal Kemp) (1924)
Recorded in August 1924

(c) Saxi Holtsworth's Harmony Hounds (1924)
Recorded on July 6, 1924

(c) Ray Miller's Orchestra (1924)
Recorded on July 22, 1924

Ray Miller's version is here: (the SJI part starts at 59 seconds)
Recorded July 22, 1924.
Released on Brunswick 2666.

Listen here:




(c) Buell Kazee 1928 (as "Gambling Blues")
Recorded January 16, 1928 in New York City
Released on Brunswick 218



Listen here:



Or here:






While on most versions, the composer for "St James Infirmary" is listed as Joe Primrose (a pseudonym for Irving Mills), there is no doubt that the Louis Armstrong version was plucked from the tree of "The Unfortunate Rake" folk-song and is a first cousin to "Streets of Laredo".

Before Irving Mills copyrighted the song in 1929, Louis Armstrong had already recorded the song on December 12, 1928 for the Okeh-label (credited to Don Redman !!).
Don Redman played clarinet in the Savoy Ballroom Five. 
 


Listen here:




(c) Hokum Boys (1929) (as "Gambler's Blues (St. James Infirmary Blues)")
Recorded October 1929 in Chicago
Released on Paramount 12897


Listen here:



Or here:





(c) Hokum Boys 1929 (as "Gambler's Blues no 2")
Recorded October 1929 in Grafton, Wisconsin
Released on Paramount 12919

Listen here:



Or here:





(c) Kansas City Frank (=Frank Melrose) and his Footwarmers (1929)
 (as "St. James Infirmary Blues (Gambler's Blues)")
Recorded November 1929
Released on Paramount 12898


This record was issued on Broadway records as Harry’s Reckless Five.


Listen here:





(c) George E. Lee and his Orchestra (1929)(as "St. James Infirmary)")
Recorded in Kansas City on November 6, 1929
Released on Brunswick 4684



Listen here:   st-james-infirmary.mp3

Or here:





(c) Goebel Reeves (The Texas Drifter) (1930) (as "Blue Undertaker's Blues")
Recorded on January 3, 1930
Released on Okeh 45408



Listen here:




(c) Rube Bloom and his Bayou Boys (1930) (as "St. James Infirmary")
When you consider the lineup, it is kind of a supergroup. Along with Rube on the piano, he engaged Manny Klein on trumpet, Tommy Dorsey on trombone, Benny Goodman on clarinet, Adrian Rollini on bass saxophone, Stan King on drums and vocalist Roy Evans at the microphone.
Recorded January 16, 1930
Released on Columbia 2103-D



Listen here:





(c) Mattie Hite 1930 (as "St. Joe's Infirmary")
Recorded January 27, 1930 Mattie Hite
Released on Columbia 14503-D

Credits on this version go to the above mentioned E.V. Body  (meaning everybody - author unknown).


Listen here:




(c) King Oliver (1930) (as "St. James Infirmary Blues")
Recorded January 28, 1930
Released on Victor 22298


Listen here:




(c) Gene Austin (1930) (as "St. James Infirmary")
Recorded January 28, 1930
Released on Victor 22299






(c) Ten Black Berries (1930) (as "St. James Infirmary")
Recorded January 29, 1930
Plaza recording session, New York City
This was in fact the Duke Ellington Orchestra
With vocals by Sonny Smith (=composer Irving Mills )




Listen here:




(c) Mills Merry Makers (1930) (as "St. James Infirmary")
Mills Merry Makers (created by composer Irving Mills for recording purposes only), with musicians including Charlie and Jack Teagarden, Harry Goodman (brother of Benny), and Ruby Weinstein, recorded a version on January 31, 1930 in New York.
Vocalist Buddy Edwards = Charlie Teagarden.
It was released the Harmony label (#1104) and Velvet Tone label (# 2104)


Listen here:




(c) Harlem Hot Chocolates (1930) (as "St. James Infirmary")
Recorded March 1930
This was in fact the Duke Ellington Orchestra
With vocals by the composer Irving Mills


Listen here:




(c) Jimmie Rodgers (1930) (as "Those Gamber's Blues")
Recorded in Los Angeles July 5, 1930
Released on Victor 22254



Listen here:




(c) Emmet Mathews (1931) (as "St. James Infirmary")
Recorded May 1931 in Grafton, Wis.
Released on Paramount 13087
 

Listen here:



Or here:





(c) Cab Calloway (1931) (as "St. James Infirmary") 
(credited to Joe Primrose=Irving Mills)
Recorded in New York on December 23, 1930
Released on Brunswick 6105 and Melotone 7-06-05


Listen here:



In 1933 Cab Calloway sang "St. James Infirmary" in the Betty Boop cartoon "Snow-White"
Cab sings "St. James Infirmary" in the rotoscoped guise of Koko the Clown.

SEE NEXT YT (after 4 minutes and 20 seconds)



"St. James Infirmary" was Cab's original signature tune, but he wanted something written specifically for himself, so he and Irving Mills wrote "Minnie the Moocher" to supplant "St. James Infirmary".
The two melodies are extremely similar.

SEE NEXT YT (after 1 minute and 35 seconds)



Both melodies also bear a close resemblance to "Prohibition Blues" 

Missourians - Prohibition Blues (1930)





In 1940 Blind Willie McTell (under supervision of Alan Lomax) recorded "Dying Crapshooter's Blues", which is also a clear variant of "Gambler's Blues".

(c) Blind Willie McTell (1940) (as "Dying Crapshooter's Blues")
Recorded November 5, 1940 
Released in 1965 on the next album:


Listen here:





McTell's "Dying Crapshooter's Blues" was also the inspiration for Bob Dylan to write "Blind Willie McTell" for the 1983 Infidels-sessions.


But "Dying Crapshooter's Blues" was already recorded 13 years earlier by at least 3 artists.


(c) Martha Copeland (1927) (as "Dyin' Crap-Shooter's Blues")
The composer of "Dyin' Crap-Shooter's Blues" (Porter Grainger) accompanies Copeland on piano on this recording !!
Recorded May 5, 1927 
Released on Columbia 14227-D)



Listen here:



Or here:





(c) Nannie McKinney (1927) (as "Dyin' Crap-Shooter's Blues")
Accompanied by the composer of "Dyin' Crap-Shooter's Blues" (Porter Grainger)
Recorded June 24, 1927 for Brunswick, but unissued
  




(c) Viola McCoy (1927) (as "Dyin' Crap-Shooter's Blues") 
Recorded August 26, 1927 
Released on Cameo 1225,
Also released on Romeo 453 (as by Fannie Johnson)
Also released on Lincoln 2690 (as by Susan Williams)
 

Listen here:



Or here:





(c) Rosa Henderson (1927) (as "Dyin' Crap-Shooter's Blues")  
Recorded September 20, 1927 
Released on Pathe Actuelle 7535 and Perfect 135


Listen here:



Or here:





(c) Josh White (1944) (as "St James Infirmary Blues")
Recorded in 1944
Released on the Asch-label (Asch 358)
 



Listen here:





(c) Bobby Bland (1961)  (as "Saint James Infirmary")



Listen here:




(c) Janis Joplin (1962) (as "St James Infirmary")
Featuring the Waller Creek Boys.
Recorded around 1962 in Austin Texas

Listen here:




(c) Johnny Kendall and the Heralds (1964) (as "St James Infirmary")


Listen here:






(c) Eric Burdon & The Animals (1968) (as "St James Infirmary")


Listen here:




(c) Joe Cocker (1972) (as "St James Infirmary Blues")



And on his album: "Joe Cocker on A&M:


Listen here:




(c) Bob Dylan 1983 (as "Blind Willie McTell").

As I said before Blind McTell's "Dying Crapshooter's Blues" was also the inspiration for Bob Dylan to write "Blind Willie McTell" for the 1983 Infidels-sessions.



Here's a live version (around 1997)





(c) The Band (1993)  (as "Blind Willie McTell")


Listen here:





(c) White Stripes (1999) (as "St James Infirmary Blues") 


Listen here:




(c) Hugh Laurie (2011) (as "St James Infirmary")


Listen here:




And here are more versions:






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zondag 4 augustus 2013

Unfortunate Rake (1850's) / Bard of Armagh (1920) / Cowboy's Lament (1927) / Dying Cowboy (1927) / Streets of Laredo (1929) / Homing Waltz (1952) / Only The Hangman (1960)


"Streets of Laredo" (Roud 23650), also known as the "Cowboy's Lament", is a famous American cowboy ballad in which a dying cowboy tells his story to a living one. Derived from the English folk song "The Unfortunate Lad" or "Unfortunate Rake", it has become a folk music standard, and as such has been performed, recorded and adapted numerous times, with many variations. The title refers to the city of Laredo, Texas.



Some early versions share a melody with the British sea-song "Spanish Ladies".


Around 1928 Harry "Mac" McClintock used the lyrics of "Cowboy's Lament" to a tune, that shares the melody with The Bard of Armagh, sometimes attributed to Thomas Campbell (written in 1801), sometimes attributed to J.L. Ritchie (or A.A. Ritchie) or to Patrick Donnelly, who might have written this song early 1700's, when he assumed the title of Phelim Brady, the Bard of Armagh.
And that's the tune we're familiar with today. (SEE FURTHER ON IN THIS POST)

“The Cowboy’s Lament” (also known as “Streets of Laredo”) is most often cited as "traditional," and it also has been credited to various authors. Today, most accept that, in 1876, Francis Henry Maynard (1853-1926) wrote an early version of the song, titled "The Dying Cowboy"

In 1911 the lyrics of Maynard's version were published in the book "Rhymes of the Range and Trail"



As “The Cowboy’s Lament” the song had already been published on page 74 in John A. Lomax’s seminal "Cowboy Songs and Other Frontier Ballads".(1910). It is very likely, that John a. Lomax version of "The Cowboy's Lament" was set to the tune of "The Bard of Armagh".



In 1921, in the book "Songs of the Cowboys", Jack Thorpe credits Troy Hale, Battle Creek, Nebraska, and says, "I first heard it sung in a bar-room at Wisner, Nebraska, about 1886



And in the book Folk-Songs of the South (1925) there are various versions





The first recorded version of "Cowboy's Lament" seems to be by Ewen Hail.
This version is accompanied by the "Spanish Ladies" tune.
Recorded in New York, NY Thursday, March 31, 1927
Ewen Hail, v; acc. Bert Hirsch, f; Carson Robison, g
Matrix E-22204*/05
Released on Vocalion 5146, Supertone S2043 and Brunswick 141:


This version has not yet the familiar tune we know from later versions.

Listen here:



Or here:




The next version shares the lyrics, probably derived from the Francis Henry Maynard version
This version is accompanied by a tune, closely resembling the melody used in the verse of  another cowboy-song: "Get Along Little Dogies" (or "Whoopee Ti Yi Yo"), first published in John A. Lomax's book Cowboy Songs and other Frontier Ballads (1910)



(c) Holland Puckett 1927 (as "Dying Cowboy") (Get Along Little Dogies tune)
This artist’s real name may be Hartsell Watson.
Holland Puckett, v; acc. own h-1/g.
Recorded April 1927 in Richmond, IN
Matrix 12786
Released on various labels:

Gennett 6271 (as by Holland Puckett)



Also released on Silvertone 5065, 25065, 8152 (as by Holland Puckett)


Herwin 75557
Supertone 9253 as by Si Puckett.
Herwin 75557 as by Robert Howell.

Champion 15428 (as by Harvey Watson) (SEE PIC BELOW)


Listen here to Holland Puckett / Harvey Watson's version from April 1927




(c) Vernon Dalhart 1927 (as "The Cowboy's Lament") (Get Along Little Dogies tune)
Vernon Dalhart: vocals and harmonica
Carson Robison: guitar
Recorded July 12, 1927
Released on various labels: Banner 0531, Broadway 4099, Cameo 0131 and 8219, Conqueror 7467 and 7724, Jewel 5784 and 20048, Oriole 1783 and 8048, Pathe 32282, Perfect 12361, Regal 8922 and 9017 and 10017, Romeo 599 and 5048





(c) Al Bernard (1928) (as "Cowboy's Lament") (Get Along Little Dogies tune)
Recorded March 1928 in New York
Released on Grey Gull 4173


Also released on Radiex 4173






Harry McClintock's version from 1928 may be the first version with the Bard of Armagh tune, the tune we're familiar with today.

(c) Harry "Mac" McClintock 1928  (as "Cowboy's Lament")  (Bard of Armagh version)
Recorded March 1, 1928
Released on Victor 21761




Listen here:  Cowboys-Lament-1928.mp3

Or here:



But as I said above, that familiar tune in McClintock's version shares a melody with  the Irish tune The Bard of Armagh.


In 1847 "The Bard of Armagh" was published in on page 437/438 of National Songster; a collection of Scotch, English and Irish standard popular songs, original and select. (published in Glasgow by Francis Orr and Sons)
In this collection "The Bard of Armagh" was attributed to J.L. Ritchie.

 


In 1867 "The Bard of Armagh" was published as a broadside (publ. in Belfast by P. Brereton)


For a bigger picture: click on (this link)

SEE ALSO: Ballads Online


In 1915 the song was published as the first song in "Irish Country Songs vol 2" edited and arranged by Herbert Hughes. Notes: "Bard of Armagh" (traditional from County Tyrone, Northern Ireland)
(PS: I think County Armagh, which lies east of County Tyrone, seems more obvious to me. Patrick Donnelly, though he was born in County Tyrone, was a bishop in Armagh for a few years).




Already in 1920 John McCorrmack recorded the above Herbert Hughes arrangement  of "The Bard of Armagh" for the Victor label



Listen here:






(c) The Arkansas Woodchopper (1928)  (as "The Dying Cowboy") (Get Along Little Dogies tune)
Recorded December 6, 1928 in Dallas, TX
Released on Columbia 15463-D






(c) Vernon Dalhart 1929 (as "Cowboy's Lament") (Get Along Little Dogies tune)
Recorded January 22, 1929
Released on various labels


In Canada on Sterling 283013: listen here:




(c) Bradley Kincaid (1929) (as "In the Streets of Laredo") (Get Along Little Dogies tune)
Recorded on January 28, 1929 in Richmond, Indiana.
Released on Gennett 6790 and Supertone 9404



Listen here:




(c) Jules Allen (as "Cowboy's Lament") (Get Along Little Dogies tune)
Recorded April 8, 1929
Released on Victor 40178 (and Montgomery Ward M-4099)



Listen here:




(c) Dick Devall (1929) (as "Tom Sherman's Barroom")
    ------>  (another variant of "Cowboy's Lament")
Recorded October 13, 1929 in Dallas TX.

Listen here:




(c) Ken Maynard (1930) (as "Cowboy's Lament") (Get Along Little Dogies tune)
Recorded April 14, 1930 in Los Angeles
Original issue Columbia 2310-D


Listen here:




(c) Bud Kelly (1932)  (as "Cowboy's Lament") (Get Along Little Dogies tune)
(This artist’s real name is believed to be Rex Kelly or Buck Nation).
Recorded January/February 1932 in Grafton WI
Released on Broadway 8323.


Listen here:





(c) The Ranch Boys (1934) (as "Cowboy's Lament") (Bard of Armagh version)
Recorded October 19, 1934 in Chicago, IL.
Released on Decca 5061


Here is a version by The Ranch Boys from 1938 in a medley with another cowboy classic.





(c) Burl Ives (1941) (as "Cowboy's Lament") (Bard of Armagh version)

Released on Okeh album K-3



Listen here:





All the following versions below, follow the familiar "Bard Of Armagh" tune.
Over the years that version is best known under the title "Streets Of Laredo" and is one of the most famous cowboy-songs.


(c) Tom Glazer (1943) (as "Cowboy's Lament")
Recorded 1943
Released on 3-disc-album "America's Favorite Songs"
Label:  Disc 607


Listen to sample:




(c) Rex Allen (1955) (as "I'm a Young Cowboy")






(c) Ed McCurdy 1956 (as "Cowboy's Lament")


Listen here:





(c) Pete Seeger 1956 (as "Streets of Laredo")


Listen here:





(c) Pete Seeger 1958 (as "Ballad of Sherman Wu")

The lyrics of Pete Seeger's "Ballad of Sherman Wu" are patterned after "Streets of Laredo'" and is set to the same tune. The song presages the American Civil Rights Movement and recounts the refusal of Northwestern University's Psi Upsilon fraternity to accept Sherman Wu because of his Chinese heritage. The song deliberately echoes "Streets of Laredo", beginning.


Listen here:






(c) Roy Rogers & Dale Evans (1958) (as "Streets Of Laredo")





(c) Marty Robbins (1959) (as "Streets Of Laredo")




(c) Tex Ritter (1959) (as "Streets of Laredo")




(c) Jim Reeves (1961) (as "Streets of Laredo")




(c) Joan Baez (1960's) (as "Streets of Laredo")
On album "Very Early Joan" (with never previously released performances recorded during Baez concert tours 1961-1963)




(c) Kingston Trio 1962 (as "Laredo")




(c) Waylon Jennings (1964) (as "Streets of Laredo")
Live at JD's




(c) Johnny Cash 1965 (as "Streets of Laredo")




(c) Hank Williams Jr 1965 (as "Streets of Laredo")




(c) in the movie "Bang The Drum Slowly" 1973 (with Robert de Niro)

The song plays a prominent role in the book and film Bang the Drum Slowly, in which a version of "Streets of Laredo" is sung. The words from the title replace the words "beat the drum slowly" from the lyrics of "Streets of Laredo". This in turn is the phrase used in the song "Bang the Drum Slowly" on the album Red Dirt Girl by Emmylou Harris.




(c) John Cale 1981 (as "Streets of Laredo")


Listen here:




(c) Prefab Sprout (2001) (as "Streets of Laredo")




The "Bard of Armagh"/ "Streets of Laredo" tune was also used in 1952 as the melody-line for Vera Lynn's UK Top 10 hit "The Homing Waltz".

(c) Vera Lynn (1952) (as "The Homing Waltz")
Recorded July 1952
Matrix DR 17112
Released on Decca F 9959


Listen here: 




But Billy Cotton already recorded a version of "The Homing Waltz" before Vera Lynn, also on the Decca-label.

(o) Billy Cotton (1952) (as "The Homing Waltz")
Recorded on June 18, 1952
Matrix DR 17060
Released on Decca F 9947

Listen here:




And in 1960 the "Bard of Armagh"/ "Streets of Laredo" tune was also used as the tune for Wayne P. Walker's song "Only The Hangman (Is Waiting For Me)", first recorded by Bobby Sykes.

(c) Bobby Sykes (1960) (as "Only The Hangman (Is Waiting For Me)")
Recorded August 10, 1960 in Nashville, TN
Released on Columbia 4-42160




Listen here:




2 British artists Jess Edwins and Terry Kennedy adapted the words and added a chorus to the above Wayne P Walker song and published it in the UK under the title "Only The Heartaches".
It was a minor hit in the UK by Houston Wells and The Marksmen and has been recorded by many other artists.

(c) Houston Wells and The Marksmen (1963) (as "Only The Heartaches")


Listen here:




In 1960 a V.A. album by the title of "The Unfortunate Rake" was released by Folkways, dealing exclusively with variations on this tune and song subject, no matter who dies in it (a gambler, a soldier, a sailor, a prostitute...), who's visiting the dying, no matter where the action takes place (in Old Joe's barroom, in St. James' Hospital or even in the Streets of Laredo), long as there's a final request for a decent funeral ceremony (which all versions hold).



Here are the liner-notes: FW03805.pdf

Here's beautiful example from that album: the song that started it all: "The Unfortunate Rake" sung here by A.L. Lloyd. with Alf Edwards on concertina.




If you want to listen to all the songs on that album in a row: here below is a link





In 2018 "Unfortunate Lad" was also included in the Coen brothers movie: "The Ballad of Buster Scruggs", sung her by Brendon Gleeson.






On the next link are a lot of "Streets of Laredo" covers:




This "Dying Cowboy" variation is NOT TO BE CONFUSED with another "Dying Cowboy"


And like "Cowboy's Lament" or "Streets of Laredo", which is more like a ballad or waltz, there is another song that was derived from the same English folk song "Unfortunate Rake": That song became "Gamber's Blues" better known as "St James Infirmary", which is more like a blues song.





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