Nothing But The Blues
Nothing But The Blues #1
Joanna Connor (Nothin' But The Blues); Tab Benoit (Night Train); Debbie Davies (Sittin' And Cryin'); Henry Butler (Basin Street Blues); Pinetop Perkins (How Long Blues/Come Back Baby); Scrapper Blackwell (Kokomo Blues); Lonnie Johnson (He's A Jelly Roll Baker); Los FabuLocos (Day After Day); Roadhouse (Sea Of Souls); Sweet Suzi and The Blues Experience (Slippin' Out, Slippin' In); Watermelon Slim (Max The Baseball Clown); Memphis Minnie (Chickasaw Train Blues); Jo Ann Kelly (Ain't Nothing In Ramblin'); Albert Collins (Too Tired).
(upbeat music) ♪ All around the world ♪ ♪ Keepin' the dig and the blues ♪ ♪ But it's real and it's honest ♪ ♪ From our heart straight to you ♪ ♪ There's no women to wear ♪ ♪ There's no flash at all ♪ ♪ There's a force flying out ♪ ♪ And the real life it's all ♪ ♪ And while we are lovin' ♪ ♪ It's plain to me ♪ ♪ 'Cause it makes you move ♪ ♪ And it makes you feel ♪ ♪ It's been a long time ♪ ♪ And oh, how it's changed ♪ ♪ But the matter how you're playin' ♪ ♪ The feeling's still the same ♪ ♪ So we keep travelin' ♪ ♪ Travelin' never wearin' ♪ ♪ Playin' all music while the whole of heat ♪ ♪ It's a blue ♪ ♪ Ain't nothing but a blue ♪ ♪ Songs about heartin' ♪ ♪ Songs about pain ♪ ♪ Songs about a man, a woman ♪ ♪ All you love's in there ♪ ♪ Blues me with a guitar ♪ ♪ Playin' every night ♪ ♪ Tryin' to make it feel good ♪ ♪ Tryin' to make it all right ♪ ♪ I thank the Lord above for almost sweet time ♪ ♪ That the blue dudes that kept my soul alive ♪ ♪ And now I bring it up and makin' people smile ♪ ♪ I feel so blessed to have playin' with so many minds ♪ ♪ We keep on playin' ♪ ♪ From time to time ♪ ♪ Spreadin' the gospel all around the blues ♪ ♪ Ain't nothing but a new groove ♪ (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) ♪ Many greats have left us recently ♪ ♪ It's time for the new generation to make the world see ♪ ♪ That the blues is about life ♪ ♪ And it's in your heart ♪ ♪ Wornful in a game that's how it all starts ♪ ♪ Keep playin' on music as long as we can ♪ ♪ It's not traditional but you should understand ♪ ♪ I'm a woman born in '62 ♪ ♪ I just sing about what I know and make it all true ♪ ♪ So keep on spreadin' the news to everyone to know ♪ ♪ There's somethin' on it up to me ♪ ♪ Or what's on your radio ♪ ♪ In the blues ♪ ♪ Ain't nothing but a groove ♪ (upbeat music) Hi, this is Nothing But the Blues with me, Cliff. And if you've heard the show before, you've heard it on LCR, the Recampus Radio. Well, I'm now dragging myself into the 21st century and I'm gonna podcast the show instead of doing it from the radio station. So I'm SAS at home now recording it on all the new equipment, which I'll probably make a right mess of, but stick with me, it should be fun. And the idea is, as it says on the tin, nothing but the blues. And Joanna Connor used to be my theme tune when I was doing it on the radio. That's who was doing the opening track there. It's on her CD Slide Time, which came out 10 years ago, 1998 now, on Blind Pig. And I'll give you details about the website and the RSS feed and all that later. But at some stage, you must have found it to be listening to this now. So, but more details later. Let's carry on with some music now. And back from holiday recently, we've had loads of new CDs sent in. And so I'm gonna be playing some of those today. And this is one of them, this is Tab Benoit. Let's kick it off with something like this. (upbeat music) ♪ I'm a night train ♪ ♪ Rollin' nine hundred miles ♪ ♪ Yes, I'm a night train babe ♪ ♪ Rollin' nine hundred miles ♪ ♪ Can't you hear me coming ♪ ♪ I ain't stop at your lonely life ♪ ♪ Keep it burnin' baby ♪ ♪ You got that fuel from my fire ♪ ♪ Keep it burnin' baby ♪ ♪ You got that fuel from my fire ♪ ♪ You know I smoke them jacks to me first ♪ ♪ I ain't stop at your lonely life ♪ (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) ♪ Ain't no time for trouble ♪ ♪ It like burnin' right ♪ ♪ When you got no time for trouble baby ♪ ♪ Got my head like burnin' right ♪ ♪ Keepin' one hour on the cross road ♪ ♪ Yes, I was through the lonely life ♪ (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) ♪ I'm a night team ♪ ♪ Rollin' nine hundred miles ♪ ♪ Yes, I'm a night terrain baby ♪ ♪ Rollin' nine, quarter mile ♪ ♪ Did you hear me coming ♪ ♪ Ain't stop at your lonely life ♪ (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) Yes, Tab Benoit with an appreciative audience. I'd love to see him live, but apparently he likes to drive to his gigs, so he's presumably not coming to the UK any time soon. I'll have to go to the States and catch him. That was a night train from his night train to Nashville album, which came out earlier this year on Telark, and I think it's his latest, but I have difficulty keeping up with him. He's so prolific. Well, there's a tab Benwell link to this next track, and I'll tell you what it is after I've played it. It's Debbie Davis and Sisson and Cryin'. (upbeat music) ♪ Well, I'm sitting here cryin' all over you ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ I'm sitting here cryin', baby ♪ ♪ All over you ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ That ain't no consolation ♪ ♪ You've been cryin' too ♪ ♪ Well, I tried so hard ♪ ♪ Tried to make you mine ♪ ♪ Well, I tried tryin' tryin' baby ♪ ♪ Tried to make you mine ♪ ♪ You uplift me ♪ ♪ I'm your sit here cryin' ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ ♪ (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) ♪ Well, I've made sweet love to you ♪ ♪ Oh, I love you all the time ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ Well, I've made sweet love to you, baby ♪ ♪ Oh, I made you feel so fine ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ And you uplift me ♪ ♪ I'm your sit here cryin' ♪ (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) ♪ Well, I've seen you cryin' baby ♪ ♪ All over you ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ I'm sitting here cryin' baby ♪ ♪ All over you ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ I ain't no correlation ♪ ♪ To know that you've been cryin' too ♪ (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) Debbie Davis with "Sittin' in Crime" from the album, and today this is "Blues Blast" released last year on Tel-Auc, and in fact, tab Benoit, Coco Montoya, and Charlie Musselwhite guest on the album. Strangely, tab wasn't on that track. I should have picked one that he was on, but I quite like that one. So, it came out last year on Tel-Auc. This is "Nothing But the Blues" with me, Cliff, and let's have some piano music. This is Henry Butler and bass and street blues. Without further ado, I'd like to introduce my favorite pianist, Henry Butler. (applause) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (applause) Thank you very much. Henry Butler, as you heard, with the live audience, very appreciative again. That's from another new album, P.N. Nola Live. Nola is printed in capitals, presumably to accentuate the New Orleans connection. Basyn Street Blues, of course, old, traditional blues number. He's a terrific pianist, I have to say, but some of the vocals on this album are a bit strange. She does a weird version of Otis Redding's "Doc of the Bay". Never heard anything quite like it, and I probably won't be playing that. But if you like New Orleans piano, Henry Butler's the man. And if you like piano anyway, good, because I'm going to carry on with another pianist, this is Pine Top Perkins. (upbeat music) (singing) (singing) (singing) (singing) Now come back, baby, darling, please don't go. Now the way I love you, you'll never know. So come back, darling, let's talk it over one more time. (upbeat music) Not my heart is full of sorrow. Full of sorrows. I ain't just full of chills. Full of tears. I ain't been gone 24 hours. 24 hours. Seems like a billion years. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Come back, darling, can we talk it over one more time? (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) Now I can hear that train, who's the lawyer? Can I see your train? Now it's deep out of my heart, just like it can paint. (upbeat music) (singing) Now tell me, darling, what can I do to change your mind? Ooh, you keep me worried, baby, and bother all the time. So come back, darling, let's talk it over. One more time. Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh. (upbeat music) (upbeat music) Now you know there's one. Wasn't made in one day. Now can we talk it over? Before you go away. So come back, darling. Let's talk it over. One more time. (upbeat music) Now I'm gonna sing this time, baby. Ain't gonna sing no more. Ain't no more. Now my time rolling around. Rolling around. I believe I've got to go. I believe I've got to go. So come back, darling. Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh. Let's talk it over. One more time. One more time. Ain't no more. Now lovely stuff. Pine Top Perkins from his new album, Pine Top Perkins and Friends. And the Friends on this track were Eric Clapton on guitar, who you might have recognized, twiddling away in the back there. And Norajean Brusco sharing vocals with Pine Tops. Fabulous combination of Leroy Carr and Ray Charles. How long blues and comeback, baby? Well, I'll use Leroy Carr as the link to the next one, because I'm gonna stop playing the new stuff now, and go way back. This is Scrapper Blackwell and Cocomo Blues. Mmmm, baby don't you want to go. Mmmm, baby don't you want to go. Back your little suitcase, I was going to go. Mmmm, baby where you been, so long. Mmmm, baby where you been, so long. Mmmm, baby you don't know you don't know. Mmmm, baby you don't know you don't know. Mmmm, baby you don't know you don't know. Mmmm, baby you don't know you don't know. Mmmm, baby you don't know you don't know. I was already going back to Cocomo. And me and my baby, And me and my baby, And me and my baby, And me falling out of the air. So lie down now, my baby won't treat me right. Mmmm, baby what you man, no no. Mmmm, baby what you man, no. Mmmm, baby you don't know. And I'll sing this verse, Baby I can sing no more. I'll sing this verse, Baby I can sing no more. I'll sing this verse, Baby I can sing no more. My train is ready, And I'm going to go. Mmmm, baby you don't know. She said, Mr. General Baker, Let me be your slave. When Gabor blows his trumpet, Then I'll rise for my grave for some of your good jelly roll. Yes, I love good jelly roll. It is good for a sick, Yes, and it's good for all. It's good for a minor in the first degree. The judge's wife call up and says, Let that man go free. He's a jelly roll baker. He's got the best jelly roll in town. His only man can bake jelly roll with these damper down. Wasn't a hospital shot all full of holes? The noise left the man dying and says, He's got good jelly roll, It's good old jelly. She says, I love my good jelly roll. She says I'd rather let him lose his life Than to miss my good jelly roll. She says, I love my good jelly roll. She says, I love my good jelly roll. She says, I love my good jelly roll. She says, I love my good jelly roll. She says, I love my good jelly roll. She says, I love my good jelly roll. She says, I love my good jelly roll. She says, I love your jelly roll. It does me good deep down in my soul. She says, can I put an order for two weeks ahead? I'd rather have your jelly roll than my home cook rail. I love your jelly. I love your good jelly roll. It's just like maximal house coffee. It's good deep down in my soul. Fabulous stuff. Lonnie Johnson and he's a jelly roll baker From the complete recorded works, Volume 2 on document records. That was recorded in Chicago on the 13th of February 1942. Before that, we had Scrapper Blackwell with Kokomo Blues, the very first track he ever recorded on the 16th of June 1928 in Indianapolis, and it's believed by many to have influenced Robert Johnson. If you listen to the words, it was very close to Sweet Home Chicago. Well, I'm going to come back up to date now with another new one. This is Lost Fabulocos on day after day. ♪ Man was hot day after day. Too bad the bells had come his way. Try so hard to get ahead. Sometimes only tears are shake. Lost straight home night after night. Try to do the thing that's right. But God healed him down the grave. Many cries a night away. ♪ Feel certain a better light. If he can just keep up the fight. Feels it in his heart and soul. Love can be so posh and cold. Nosedly he must keep his face. That's one thing you'll fucking take. Nosedly there will be all right. As long as he keeps up the fight. ♪ Man was hot day after day. Too bad the bells had come his way. Nosedly there will be all right. As long as he keeps up the fight. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Don't know how I got into this situation. Run face, run time and run. I'm in trouble. And I'm losing control. I've been spinning so hard. Now I'm down and gonna see your souls. See your souls. See your souls. See your souls. ♪ I'm in trouble. And I'm losing control. I've been swimming so hard. Now I'm down and gonna see your souls. See your souls. See your souls. See your souls. ♪ ♪ I'll be drowning. ♪ ♪ I'm drowning. ♪ ♪ I'm drowning. ♪ I'm drowning. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I'm in trouble. And I'm losing control. I've been swimming so hard. Now I'm drowning. See your souls. See your souls. See your souls. See your souls. See your souls. See your souls. See your souls. See your souls. Well that was a band called Road House with a track called Sea of Souls. It's the title track from the album, just published through the Blues Matters magazine, which is a UK magazine. And before that, Lost Fabulocos with Day After Day. And the album is Lost Fabulocos featuring Kid Ramos, just released on Delta Groove music. And it's been a while since I've seen so many tattoos on a band, probably more tattoos per square inch than most bands. Well this next lady has her own radio show, her own blues show in the States. And I first came across her singing backing vocals on Albert Castillia's latest album, These are the Days. The lady's sweet Susie and the track is slipping out, slipping in. ♪♪♪ ♪ Home this morning ♪ ♪ Oh, what a shot ♪ ♪ When I found out my king ♪ ♪ No longer been my life ♪ ♪ Whoa ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Let it go right back out there, baby ♪ ♪ Why you were slipping out ♪ ♪ Oh, someone else was slipping in ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Someone was your fool ♪ ♪ That you can count on ♪ ♪ Well one night I fell ♪ ♪ When no one else was at home ♪ ♪ Whoa ♪ ♪♪ ♪ I think I've found myself under dread ♪ ♪ Why you were slipping out ♪ ♪ Why someone else was slipping in ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Oh, where my heart out ♪ ♪ I know you don't need a thing to be heard ♪ ♪ I'm a new woman, it's beautiful ♪ ♪ Why they're singing out ♪ ♪ And I do the way I walk people ♪ ♪ And I'm wearing my hair ♪ ♪ This big smile you see on my feet there ♪ ♪ You're not putting them ♪ ♪ I've got a new way of wearing my hair ♪ ♪ This big smile you see on my face ♪ ♪ You didn't put it there in your face ♪ ♪♪ ♪ I'm gonna go right back out there, baby ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ Why you were slipping out ♪ ♪ Why someone else was slipping in ♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. (upbeat music) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Oh, come on, hold on. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Yes, sweet Susie and the blues experience with slipping out, slipping in. The track was written by Denise LaSalle, and the album is unbroken. As I say, she has her own radio show in the States, but she only goes out every fortnight for some reason. She does it back to back with another lady. Well, the next person I'm going to play is Watermelon Slim, who's a great blues player, and his new album is No Paid Holidays on Northern Blues. Slim's a Vietnam veteran, and he tackles all sorts of big issues. The track after the one I'm going to play here is called the Bloody Burmese Blues, which shows you the sort of thing he's in. But I thought I'd play this kind of slightly whimsical track, but first a word from the man himself. ♪ Yeah, you need the blues, get your picks right here. This is watermelon slim. [MUSIC] If you could get to big change by making people laugh, Max Patkin would wear the crown. I would giggle to my side, just split in half every time that he came around. And the old grandstand would fill up with fans and the cheers come rolling down. From my belly to head, I hadn't really saw a jail, and Max the baseball clown. I was just a little boy in North Carolina. I'm 11 years old, I think. To young to go out and raise in hell with a girl, then to young to take a drink. But I wasn't too little to watch him go head or home run in a minor league town. And watch a funny man in old baggy pants, Max the baseball clown. If you could get to big change by making people laugh, Max Patkin would wear the crown. I would giggle to my side, just split in half every time that he came around. And the old grandstand would fill up with fans and the cheers come rolling down. From my belly gene, I hadn't really saw a jail, and Max the baseball clown. Now kids grow up, and people get old, and the hair goes grey all in your head. And it's taking me this many years to ask myself if she alive or dead. But I wouldn't change a minute of the way that it's been for a second time around. And I know I was lucky to have seen Max the baseball clown. If you could get to big change by making people laugh, Max Patkin would wear the crown. I would giggle to my side, just split in half every time that he came around. And the old grandstand would fill up with fans and the cheers come rolling down. From my belly gene, I hadn't really saw a jail, and Max the baseball clown. From my belly gene, I hadn't really saw a jail. And Max the baseball clown. Isn't that lovely? I really like that one. Watermelon Slim and the Workers and Max the baseball clown. From the new album No Paid Holidays on Northern Blues. Well this is Nothing But the Blues with me Cliff, and there's a website associated with the show, which is www.nothingbuttheblues.co.uk. And Nothing But the Blues is all one word, just run it all together. And you can email me Cliff at nothingbuttheblues.co.uk, send requests and if you like. I've got quite a large blues collection, and I've possibly got what you'd like to hear. If not, I'll play something similar, something close. The general trend of the programme is going to be a mix of old and new. But next week I've got something special, hopefully, if I can get it together in time. I went to the Cambridge Folk Festival a few weeks, that's probably a few months ago now. And I got a chance to interview Eric Beiberich, who was very kind enough to talk to me. And I've got an interview with Eric. What I'd like to do is put a programme together based around that interview, playing some of Eric's music, playing some of the music he mentions and so forth. So if I can get that edited down in time, I'll do that next week. But generally the programme will be a mixture of ancient and modern, if you like. Old blues, new blues, anything that's blues, but it has to be Nothing But the Blues as the show's called. And I'm going to go back in time again now. This is Memphis Mini and Chickasaw Train Blues. ♪♪ I might tell everybody what that Chickasaw have done for me. ♪♪ I might tell everybody what that Chickasaw have done for me. ♪♪ She done stole my man away and blow'd that dog or smoke on me. She's all load down, dirty dog. ♪♪ I know, woman, let you ride that Chickasaw. ♪♪ I know, woman, let you ride that Chickasaw. ♪♪ Because everyone she's done, she's stealing some warm and good man. Oh, she's all load down, dirty dog. ♪♪ I told it that way this morning, I don't think he'd treat me right. ♪♪ I told it that way this morning, I don't think he'd treat me right. ♪♪ He done stole my man a ticket and know that Chickasaw leavein' town tonight. He's all load down, dirty dog. ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ I've done a railroad track that Chickasaw leave when let me ride it blind. ♪♪ I've done a railroad track that Chickasaw leave when let me ride it blind. ♪♪ And she's stopped picking up men all up and down that line. She's all load down, dirty dog. ♪♪ Chickasaw don't paint no over no mine. ♪♪ ♪♪ That Chickasaw don't paint no over no mine. ♪♪ And she stopped picking up men all up and down that line. ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Yes, you make all the Hollywoods, and you track it on the screen. ♪ I'm lost here right here, and these are our time to be. ♪ ♪ Lord, You know I ain't nothing better than neither running wrong. ♪ ♪ Well, I believe I'll marry who, Lord, and settle down. ♪ ♪ People on highways, who's walking in crime. ♪ ♪ Some are starving, some are dying. ♪ ♪ Lord, You know I ain't nothing better than running wrong. ♪ ♪ Well, I believe I'll marry who, Lord, and settle down. ♪ ♪ Well, I believe I'll get a good man. ♪ ♪ Oh, Lord, and settle down. ♪ ♪ Joanne Kelley with Nothing in Rambling. It's an emphasis mini number from the two-CD compilation, Blackrat Swing. ♪ ♪ Blackrat Swing put out in 2003 on Castle Music, and it's a great compilation. ♪ ♪ But the sleeve never too rubbish. ♪ ♪ And before that the lady herself meant this mini with Chickasaw train blues, ♪ ♪ which she recorded in Chicago on 24th of August 1934. ♪ ♪ Well, this has been Nothing but the Blues with Me, Cliff. ♪ ♪ And what I'll do is each week put that week's program upon the website for downloading. ♪ ♪ But if you're interested in the show at all, the best thing to do will be to subscribe to the RSS feed. ♪ ♪ And you can find out details about that on the website. ♪ ♪ www. Nothingbuttheblues.co.uk. ♪ ♪ And email me, cliff@nothingbuttheblues.co.uk. ♪ ♪ I'm going to leave you now with a bit of a classic Albert Collins. ♪ ♪ This is Albert from his 1978s album, Ice Picking, and the track is too tired. ♪ ♪ I'll see you next week. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I'm tired of prosperity. ♪ ♪ Tired of luck. ♪ ♪ Sitting on a pen. ♪ ♪ I'm too tired to get up. ♪ ♪ I'm tired. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪