Nothing But The Blues
Nothing But The Blues #62
B.B. King (Better Not Look Down); Paul deLay Band (Who Will Be Next?); Sugar Blue (Shed No Tears); Willie Reed (Dreaming Blues); Oscar Woods (Lone Wolf Blues); Chris Smither (Don't Call Me Stranger); Tom Doughty (Hound Dog Blues); Bukka White (Bukka's Jitterbug Swing); Samuel James (Miss Noreen); Otis Taylor (Little Liza Jane); Blind Blake and Leola B. Wilson (Black Biting Bee Blues); Big Mama Thornton (Bumble Bee); Harmonica Red (A Room With A View); Tommy Johnson (Cool Drink Of Water Blues); Peetie Wheatstraw (Drinking Man Blues); Cry Baby and The Hoochie Coochie Boys (Gimme One More Shot).
[ Music ] >> I've been around and I've seen some things. People live in faster than the speed of sound. People living like Superman all day and whole night. And I won't say if it's wrong or I won't say if it's right. I'm pretty fast myself. But I do have some advice to pass along right here in the words of this song. [ Music ] [ Music ] >> An old girlfriend of mine showed up the other day. That girl had to live in love and fall of that over love and under love all night. If the arrows from Cupid's bow that had passed through her heart had been sticking out of her body she would look like a vocal find. And she asked me, "Baby, do you think I've lived my life all wrong?" And I said, "The only advice I have to pass along is concealed in the course of this song." [ Music ] >> I was walking down the street at sunrise one morning in London, England. And that was a very large Rolls-Royce limousine pulling slowly along this street. And in that Rolls-Royce was the Queen of England looking tired and just got back from her party. And the Queen leaned out and she said, "Aren't you B.B. King?" She said, "Oh B.B., sometimes it's so hard to pull things together. Could you tell me what you think I ought to do?" And I said, "You better not go down. If you want to keep on firing, put the hammer down. Keep it cool to keep on firing. Better not look back or you might just want to try. You can keep it cool to keep on firing. You better not look down. If you want to keep on firing, put the hammer down. Keep it cool to keep on firing. Better not look back or you might just want to try. You can keep it cool to keep on firing. Well, I'll make your own mind up whether he said it to the Queen or not. B.B. King, I better not look down from 1979, but played here from his defensive greatest hit, Salome, which came out in 1999. Welcome to Nothing but the Blues with me, Cliff. And I had email from Hugh Whitaker, who's a harmonica player, and he made some suggestions. So the next couple are for you here. ♪ Who were you next? Where'd you start? Who would be the next one? Not in you, General Martin. Blessed be your heart, baby. Because of your name. I say, "Blessing your heart now." Yeah, because of your name. Tell me who would be the next one, baby. Then you would be ashamed. ♪ Will it be the one? Give it his go. Oh, will it be the monster? Take more, you whore. Baby, I bring it my life. Just keep it by my side. Oh, yeah. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Oh, God, it all starts my life. Just keep it by my side. ♪ ♪ ♪ I've shed no tears in misery. I stand the mountain in the rain. Planars and broken memories. Lots of it is all in vain. But now I'm crying, being my life's a broken storm. I'm dying. Now there's a sweet black poison. But just love my and my face. Tell me, God, I love you. And Lord, she don't know my name. But now I'm crying, being my life's a broken storm. And I'm dying. ♪ ♪ ♪ My baby's a sweet black poison. But just love my and my face. Tell me, God, I love you. She don't even know my name. But now I'm crying, being my life's a broken storm. And I'm dying. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Well, that was the amazing harmonica player, Sugar Blue, which had no tears. From his 2007 album, Code Blue. And before that we had the Paul DeLay band, who will be next, played here from a 2 CD compilation called Nothing But the Blues. That's a great title, isn't it? Let's go to Texas. ♪ ♪ I'm gonna leave you, but I'll be back some more days. ♪ I'm gonna leave you, but I'll be back some more days. ♪ I'm gonna make you remember, how you drove me well. ♪ Well, I leaned on dreaming, so then I woke up crying. ♪ I leaned on dreaming, and then I woke up crying. ♪ Then my breath died silent, focused on my mind. ♪ As you ever been to my mind, it's on nothing wrong. ♪ As you ever been to my mind, it's on nothing wrong. ♪ That's according to a day and minute, people leave their home. ♪ Sometimes I think, "Mum, bit too sweet to die." ♪ Sometimes I think, "Mum, bit too sweet to die." ♪ Then again I think, "Mum, bit too sweet to die." ♪ ♪ That's all that long. ♪ 'Cause excuse me, mama, for knocking at your room. ♪ 'Cause excuse me, mama, for knocking at your room. ♪ If I gave you a sweeper, then maybe you'll grow. ♪ ♪ ♪ I'm from Korea, now hey, Dr. Steve. ♪ I'm from Korea, long as I could see. ♪ And I milled in my wama, God, and if you hate me. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ My mother told me when I was quite a child. ♪ ♪ My mother told me when I was quite a child. ♪ And I think life that you'll live in will kill you after a while. ♪ I just began to realize ♪ ♪ I just began to realize ♪ ♪ Since I've been down here and been mistreated this way. ♪ ♪ I never loved no one, one, one. ♪ I never loved no one, one, one. ♪ I never loved no one, one, one. ♪ I'll be trapped in women. ♪ ♪ ♪ And I so can't climb no trees. ♪ And I know my game. ♪ And I so can't climb no trees. ♪ And I'm gonna let no woman make no monkey out of me. ♪ ♪ Hey, brand new 20 dollar bill. ♪ ♪ Hey, brand new 20 dollar bill. ♪ ♪ If there don't bring her. ♪ I know my shotgun will. ♪ ♪ Well, two examples of Texas blues, the Oscar Woods with lone wolf blues, recorded in New Orleans in March 1936. And before that willy reed with dreaming blues, recorded in Dallas in December 1928. And I'm playing them both from a four CD set, Texas blues, early blues masters from the lone star state. So hard to say that with teeth like mine. Right, somebody have not played before on the show. This is Chris Smither. ♪ ♪ ♪ Come with me. I'll guarantee you the best time you've ever had. ♪ Hey, no worry. Don't you worry. I ain't even. I'm just bad. ♪ Do you have a taste of danger? ♪ Suits me if you do. Come on, baby. Don't call me stranger. I'm just like you. ♪ If you listen to your mama, you won't ever have no fun. ♪ Ain't deny it. She's been trying. But she can't see how he's done. ♪ Those little shivers are the flavor. ♪ Of everything she don't understand. ♪ Come on, baby. Do yourself a flavor. Take my hand. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Hey, all you women ♪ ♪ Won't you do that you're the bucks way ♪ ♪ Hey, all you women ♪ ♪ Won't you do that you're the bucks way ♪ ♪ When you do that you're the bucks ♪ ♪ Shake that thing ♪ ♪ ♪ When you do that you're the bucks ♪ ♪ Shake that thing ♪ ♪ When you do that you're the bucks ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Well, we started off there with Tom Douty with Houndock Blues from his latest album, have a taste of this excellent album. And I'm not sure why he goes into Jitterbug Swing towards the end of it, but I thought I'd do the same. So then you heard Booker White's, Booker's Jitterbug Swing, recorded in Chicago in March 1940 with Washboard some, not unnaturally, on Washboard. Well, Samuel James' new album for Rosa Maeve and Noreen is a Grace album, and this is one of the ladies for whom the album is named. This is Miss Noreen. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Now I'm one thing about Miss Lorraine ♪ ♪ Findin' a little thing that she ever seen ♪ ♪ And she just 400 pounds ♪ ♪ And still take the chance ♪ ♪ 'Cause it ain't how she looks ♪ ♪ It's how she dance ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ She comes, watch her cool ♪ ♪ That's Miss Lorraine ♪ ♪ And she's dancing for the first thing ♪ ♪ She don't dance dirty enough ♪ ♪ I'm feelin' another foul ♪ ♪ Still know how to make 'em hootin' out ♪ ♪ All the other women shadow, you're the man blather ♪ ♪ All the women wanna be, all the men wanna have a ♪ ♪ Here we go ♪ ♪ Dance ♪ (guitar music) (guitar music) ♪ Every man there beg to be a boy ♪ ♪ She always days alone ♪ ♪ But not to be cause ♪ ♪ Her men come up ♪ ♪ Try to grip on her hips ♪ ♪ She'd do a little move ♪ ♪ And away she'd slip ♪ (guitar music) ♪ Well, here she comes ♪ ♪ Watch her go ♪ ♪ That's Miss Noreen ♪ ♪ And she's dancing for the Philistine ♪ ♪ Last Saturday night ♪ ♪ When she didn't show up ♪ ♪ Boy, she doesn't even that place her up ♪ ♪ Bloody murder violence jumped on the scene ♪ ♪ Such violent wonder of a Miss Noreen ♪ (guitar music) ♪ Broken bottles and blood in a great big fire ♪ ♪ Wild headphones and ash and buck and wire ♪ ♪ Couldn't live without her that miserable mob ♪ ♪ I'm dead, I wasn't there but now I need a new job ♪ ♪ You think it'd be sad that she might see a frown ♪ ♪ Overall that terrible stuff that went down ♪ ♪ But I can't keep her smiling ♪ ♪ Big as I can as I watch Noreen dance ♪ ♪ To a banjo man ♪ ♪ Well, here she comes ♪ ♪ Watch her go ♪ ♪ Oh, that's Miss Noreen ♪ ♪ No more dancing for the Philistee ♪ ♪ Said here she comes ♪ ♪ Watch her go ♪ ♪ Now that's Miss Noreen ♪ ♪ And she's dancing only for me ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Well, I got a gallon ball tomorrow ♪ ♪ Liza Jane ♪ ♪ She repetitive, she live next door ♪ ♪ Liza Jane ♪ ♪ Raccoon and that salmon treat ♪ ♪ Liza Jane ♪ ♪ Thought I summoned down me ♪ ♪ Liza Jane ♪ ♪ Ooh, Liza, Liza Jane ♪ ♪ Ooh, Liza, Liza Jane ♪ ♪ Ooh, Liza, Liza Jane ♪ ♪ Ooh, Liza, Liza Jane ♪ ♪ Hey! ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Oh, my Liza, come to me ♪ ♪ Liza Jane ♪ ♪ Sit that guy down on the knee ♪ ♪ Liza Jane ♪ ♪ Tiny Liza went down the track ♪ ♪ Liza Jane ♪ ♪ It was 12 o'clock when they got back ♪ ♪ Liza Jane ♪ ♪ Ooh, Liza, Liza Jane ♪ ♪ Ooh, Liza, Liza Jane ♪ ♪ Ooh, Liza, Liza Jane ♪ ♪ Ooh, Liza, Liza Jane ♪ ♪ Headed ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ Well that was from the Otis Taylor album, recapturing the banjo. Little Liza Jane came out last year. Actually, it's Guy Davis on banjo and vocal and Otis Taylor on mandolin. And there's no harmonica credit on the track, but the only person listed as playing harmonica anywhere else on the CD is Guy Davis, so it's probably him on this track. And before that, the fabulous Samuel James with Missed Noreen from his album, "For Rose and Maven" Noreen. And I'm going to change the style a bit now. Now this is Blind Blake and Lee Ola B. Wilson. ♪♪ ♪ Lattie-pooly ♪ ♪ That's a lattie-pooly ♪ ♪♪ ♪ That it's mine, it's time to write for a lie ♪ ♪ He's a little baby, let's make me cry ♪ ♪ But he ain't gonna be done, but never is done ♪ ♪ That it's mine, it's mine, it's time to write for a lie ♪ ♪ He ain't married, that it's time to write for a lie ♪ ♪ And baby, that it's time to write for a lie ♪ ♪ That it's mine, that it's time to write for a lie ♪ ♪ And baby, that it's time to write for a lie ♪ ♪ And baby, that it's time to write for a lie ♪ ♪ And baby, that it's time to write for a lie ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ Time to write for a lie ♪ ♪ Time to write for a lie ♪ ♪ Time to write for a lie ♪ ♪ Time to write for a lie ♪ ♪ Time to write for a lie ♪ ♪ And baby, that it's time to write for a lie ♪ ♪ Time to write for a lie ♪ ♪ Time to write for a lie ♪ ♪ And oh, my baby, that it's time to write for a lie ♪ ♪ Mama be, Mama be ♪ ♪ Mama be, Mama be ♪ ♪ I said, Mama be, Mama be ♪ ♪ Why don't you come back home ♪ ♪ You got the best old stinger ♪ ♪ And it ain't Mama be I ever see ♪ ♪ You stung me this morning ♪ ♪ And I've been looking for you all day long ♪ ♪ I say you stung me this morning ♪ ♪ And I've been looking for you all day long ♪ ♪ I ain't not the best place one ♪ ♪ Yeah, I see my baby, Mama be ♪ [guitar solo] [guitar solo] [guitar solo] [guitar solo] [guitar solo] [guitar solo] [guitar solo] ♪ I've been looking for you all day long ♪ ♪ Sometimes it makes me happy ♪ ♪ Sometimes it makes me cry ♪ ♪ Sometimes it makes me happy ♪ ♪ Baby, I ain't the same ♪ ♪ Mama be Mama be ♪ ♪ Please, come on back home ♪ ♪ Yeah, I love my Mama be ♪ ♪ Yeah, I hate to see my Mama be ♪ ♪ Please leave home ♪ [guitar solo] [guitar solo] [guitar solo] [guitar solo] [guitar solo] ♪ Sometimes it makes me happy ♪ ♪ Sometimes it makes me cry ♪ [guitar solo] ♪ Sometimes it makes me happy ♪ ♪ Sometimes it makes me cry ♪ [guitar solo] ♪ Yeah, I hate to see the good things ♪ ♪ Yeah, I hate to see the good things ♪ [guitar solo] ♪ Yeah, big Mama Thornton with Bumblebee ♪ ♪ Recorded in San Francisco in April 1966 ♪ ♪ From her ball and chain album that I rediscovered a couple of weeks ago ♪ ♪ And she's back there by the muddy waters band ♪ ♪ James Cotton on the harmonica ♪ ♪ Out his span on piano, muddy and Samuel Lawhorn on guitars ♪ ♪ Luther Johnson on bass and Francis Clayron drums ♪ ♪ Fantastic stuff ♪ ♪ Fancy being backed by the muddy waters band ♪ ♪ Brilliant ♪ ♪ And before that, Blind Blake and Lee Ola B. Wilson ♪ ♪ With black biting bee blues ♪ ♪ Got it ♪ ♪ Recorded in Chicago in November 1926 ♪ ♪ Well, we've had a few harmonica tracks this week ♪ ♪ One last one to go ♪ ♪ This is harmonica Red ♪ ♪ ♪ I've got a room ♪ ♪ I've got a room with a view ♪ ♪ ♪ I've got a room ♪ ♪ I've got a room with a view ♪ ♪ ♪ And you know I still got me a house full of troubles ♪ ♪ I've got a room with a view of the blues ♪ ♪ ♪ Got no pictures on my wall ♪ ♪ Just a ceiling above my head ♪ ♪ No carpet on my floor with me ♪ ♪ No pillow on my bed ♪ ♪ I've got a room ♪ ♪ I've got a room with a view ♪ ♪ ♪ Got me a house full of troubles ♪ ♪ And a room with a view of the blues ♪ ♪ ♪ These are walls ♪ ♪ I said they're closing in on me ♪ ♪ ♪ These are walls ♪ ♪ ♪ I said they're closing in on me ♪ ♪ ♪ No I ain't got no food in my icebox ♪ ♪ This is saying that you said a lot ♪ ♪ There's dust man on TV ♪ ♪ ♪ See ladies getting old ♪ ♪ It's about to touch the flow ♪ ♪ All these blues keep on knocking ♪ ♪ Knocking on my floor ♪ ♪ I've got a room ♪ ♪ I've got a room with a view ♪ ♪ ♪ Hey you know I still got me a house full of trouble ♪ ♪ And a room with a view of the blues ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Boys I'm getting blind ♪ ♪ I can't hardly see ♪ ♪ Oh what my baby ♪ ♪ is trying to do me ♪ ♪ I've got a room ♪ ♪ I've got a room ♪ ♪ ♪ I've still got me a house full of trouble ♪ ♪ ♪ And a room with a view of the blues ♪ ♪ ♪ Take me home fellas ♪ ♪ Well today ain't no more room ♪ ♪ Could be unhappy ♪ ♪ In our room with a view ♪ ♪ Of the blues ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ ♪ Harmonica Red with the old level fullsen number A Room With A View. From his 2006 album, I was born in Louisiana. We're going to change the style again now. This is Tommy Johnson. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ to change my dragonweeds. Well I don't think I've played any pity-weeds drawer on the show for ages. It was about the time I did. That was him with Drinking Man's Blues. Drinking Man Blues, sorry, recorded in New York in February 1936 with Kokomo Arnold on guitar. And before that Tommy Johnson called Drink of Water, which is the first track he ever recorded in Memphis in February 1928, with Charlie McCoy on second guitar. Well this has been Nothing But the Blues, and the website is www.nothingbuttheblues.co.uk. There you'll find the playlist with links to artists, links to previous shows, and I'm starting to try and put up some of the interviews that I did when I used to do this show on the radio. If you want to influence the show you can email me like you did, cliff@nothingbuttheblues.co.uk. And given that we just had two drinking songs I thought I'd leave you with a third. This is a band called Cry Baby and the Hoochie Koochie Boys. There's a six-piece band from the Stoke on Trans area, which is not far from here where I live, and they're going out with a gutsy version of the JB Lenore song. Give me one more shot. Thanks for listening. Hope you'll join me again next week for another hour of Nothing But the Blues. [Music] Now give me one more shot by a tenor just before I go. You give me one more shot by a tenor just before I go. And I am my father, I don't feel well alone. You give me one more shot, you give me one more shot, you give me one more shot, you give me one more shot, you give me one more shot but I'm not my own, it's about. If I'm going down, let me go down playing my part. If I'm going down, let me go down playing my part. Yeah, I have my part, I don't feel well alone. You give me one more shot, you give me one more shot, you give me one more shot, you give me one more shot, you give me one more shot, you give me one more shot, you give me one more shot, you give me one more shot, you give me one more shot, you give me one more shot, you give me one more shot, I'm not my own, it's about. [Music] If I'm going down, let me go down playing my part. If I'm going down, let me go down playing my part, I have my part, I don't feel well alone. Hey, bartender, where you been? Give me a shot, I wish you give me one more shot, you give me one more shot, you give me one more shot, I'm not my own, it's about, you give me one more shot, you give me one more shot, you give me one more shot, you give me one more shot, I'm not my own, it's about, you give me one more shot, [Music] give me one more shot, you give me one more shot, you give me one more shot, you give me one more shot, you give me one more shot, you give me one more shot, I'm not my own, it's about. [Music] [Music] [BLANK_AUDIO]