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That was Muddy Waters, I Feel Like Going Home from 1948.
This is episode 10 of the Roots of Jazz and Blues with King Henry here on W-A-Y-O-L-P Rochester. Today's episode focuses on the blues played with the electric guitar. Muddy Waters we heard from last week as a pioneer of Chicago blues. And he is equally well-known as a pioneer of the transition from acoustic to electric blues. That song demonstrated his use of the electric slide guitar.
In today's show, we'll start with a number of performers from jump blues, starting with T-Bone Walker, a pioneer of jump blues. Well, what are jump blues? They're an up-tempo blues with a boogie-woogie bass line, short horn riffs, and what is called a shuffle rhythm. That's a long first note followed by a short second note. The genre merged elements of swing jazz into blues and was great for dancing, for example, with the jitterbug. Now back to T-Bone. He was born in Texas of black and Cherokee descent. His parents were musicians, and Blind Lemon Jefferson was a frequent dinner guest. He started his professional career in Chicago, but soon established himself in Los Angeles, where he recorded his most famous song in 1947, "Call It Stormy Monday, But Tuesday Is Just As Bad."
[MUSIC - T-BONE WALKER, "CALL IT STORMY MONDAY"] [MUSIC - T-BONE WALKER, "CALL IT STORMY MONDAY"] They call it stormy Monday, but Tuesday's just as bad. Yes, they call it stormy Monday, but Tuesday's just as bad. [MUSIC - T-BONE WALKER, "CALL IT STORMY MONDAY"] Wednesday's worse, and Thursday's also sad. Yes, the eagle flies on Friday, and Saturday I go out to play. Yes, the eagle flies on Friday, and Saturday I go out to play. Sunday I go to church, then I kneel down and pray. [MUSIC - T-BONE WALKER, "CALL IT STORMY MONDAY"] [MUSIC - T-BONE WALKER, "CALL IT STORMY MONDAY"] [MUSIC - T-BONE WALKER, "CALL IT STORMY MONDAY"] [MUSIC - T-BONE WALKER, "CALL IT STORMY MONDAY"] [MUSIC - T-BONE WALKER, "CALL IT STORMY MONDAY"] [MUSIC - T-BONE WALKER, "CALL IT STORMY MONDAY"] [MUSIC - T-BONE WALKER, "CALL IT STORMY MONDAY"] [MUSIC - T-BONE WALKER, "CALL IT STORMY MONDAY"] Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy on me. Lord, have mercy. My heart's in misery. Crazy 'bout my baby. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Send her back to me.
Next, a T-Bone Walker '78 from my collection, also recorded in 1947, "No Worry Blues."
[MUSIC - T-BONE WALKER, "NO WORRY BLUES"] [MUSIC - T-BONE WALKER, "NO WORRY BLUES"] [MUSIC - T-BONE WALKER, "NO WORRY BLUES"] [MUSIC - T-BONE WALKER, "NO WORRY BLUES"] [MUSIC - T-BONE WALKER, "NO WORRY BLUES"] [MUSIC - T-BONE WALKER, "NO WORRY BLUES"] I love my baby. Love her all night long. I love my baby. Love her all night long. I know she's happy because she never treats me wrong. Yes, I'm leaving you, baby. I've got to cross the deep blue sea. I'm leaving you, baby. I've got to cross the deep blue sea. I know she's a fine girl, and she'll never worry me. Ain't got no worry. Baby, I am satisfied. Ain't got no worry. Baby, I am satisfied. Ain't got no worry. Baby, I am satisfied. Oh, my baby loves me, and I've got her by my side. [MUSIC - T-BONE WALKER, "NO WORRY BLUES"]
Our next artist, Big Joe Turner, was a jump blues player and blues shouter. He came from Kansas City, where he grew up in poverty. He had to begin working at age 14, washing dishes at nightclubs. But he soon became a singing bartender. Now, this was during Prohibition, so these clubs were often raided. His boss, Piney Brown, would bail him out and send him right back to work. He built his career in New York City and in 1940, recorded Piney Brown Blues, named after that Kansas City club owner.
[MUSIC]
Joe Turner often played with pianist Pete Johnson, as he did on the previous song and the next one from my collection, "Roll Em Pete".
[MUSIC]
That tune really showed off boogie woogie roots of jump blues. Now our next artist, Bull Moose Jackson, was famous for both jump blues and dirty blues. Her songs like those on our "Ma Rainey" episode, full of double entendres. But despite the risque lyrics, the music itself was rather romantic and sounded much like softer swing jazz. Let's hear Bull Moose Jackson from 1948, "I Want a Bow-Legged Woman."
[MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"] [MUSIC - BULL MOOSE JACKSON, "I WANT A BOW-LEGGED WOMAN"]
Our next artist, H-Bomb Ferguson, was at the opposite end of the spectrum from Bull Moose Johnson in terms of the musical sound. H-Bomb was indeed the bomb with hard-driving rhythm. Let's hear him sing and play piano on "Bookie's Blues" from 1951. [
MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"] [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "BOOKIE'S BLUES"]
In concert, H. Baum wore flamboyant costumes and wild wigs, a precursor to the rock and roll look. Try to imagine a man in a huge orange wig performing "Rock H-Bomb Rock" from 1951.
[MUSIC - H. BAUM, "ROCK H. BAUM ROCK"] Rock H. Baum Rock. One more time. Rock H. Baum Rock. Gonna rock you out your mind. Rock H. Baum Rock. Every single day. Rock H. Baum Rock. All my baby wanna say is, daddy, get this kid rocking, baby. Rock H. Baum Rock. Well, we rock in the morning, rock in the night, rock every day, night, and night. It's all right. She's my baby. Rock H. Baum Rock. Well, I love that gravy. Tell me, tell me, do you feel the beat? Rock H. Baum Rock. I said rock, rock and rock. Rock, baby, rock. Rock, baby, rock. Rock, baby, rock. Tell me, do you feel that rockin' game? Well, let's rock. [MUSIC - H. BAUM, "ROCK H. BAUM ROCK"] [VOCALIZING] All right, lollipop mama, Betty Brown, from all the cows in every town. I'm your baby. Well, I feel that gravy. Tell me, tell me, do you feel the same? Well, we rock, rock and rock. Rock, rock and rock. Rock, baby, rock. Tell me, when to stop. I feel it. Feel that rockin' pain.
You're listening to The Roots of Jazz and Blues with King Henry here on W-A-Y-O-L-P Rochester. We now move from jump blues to electric blues in general. Howlin' Wolf, like Muddy Waters, was at the forefront of transforming delta blues to electric blues and in later life he continued on to rhythm and blues and even psychedelic rock. Howlin' Wolf grew up in poverty and abuse in Mississippi. In the 1930s, he was a protege of Charlie Patton. He became known as an unrecorded delta blues singer and then finally in 1951, he became a successful recording artist. Let's hear his first big hit, "Smokestack Lightning."
[playing in bright rhythm] ♪ ♪ ♪ Oh, smokestack lightning ♪ ♪ Shinin' just like gold ♪ ♪ Oh, don't you hear me cry ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Oh, tell me, baby ♪ ♪ What's done matter yet ♪ ♪ Oh, don't you hear me cry ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Oh, tell me, baby ♪ ♪ Why did you spill last night ♪ ♪ Oh, don't you hear me cry ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Oh, stop your train ♪ ♪ Let out your burnin' light ♪ ♪ Oh, don't you hear me cry ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Oh, fire wheel ♪ ♪ I'll never see you no more ♪ ♪ Oh, don't you hear me cry ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Oh, who bit your baby, sis ♪ ♪ I've been gone ♪ ♪ Little bitty boy ♪ ♪ I'm double gone ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪
In the 1960s, the blues revival brought a new audience to Howlin' Wolf. Let's hear one of his biggest hits in the 1960s, the 1961 Red Rooster.
[playing in bright rhythm] ♪ ♪ ♪ I have a little red rooster ♪ ♪ Too late to crow for day ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I have a little red rooster ♪ ♪ Too late to crow for day ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Keep everything in the barnyard ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Upset in every way ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Oh, the dogs begin to bark at me ♪ ♪ Hounds begin to howl ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Oh, the dogs begin to bark ♪ ♪ Hounds begin to howl ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Oh, watch out, strange-can-be moon-cuck ♪ ♪ Little red rooster's on the prowl ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ If you see my little red rooster ♪ ♪ Please drive it home ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ If you see my little red rooster ♪ ♪ Please drive it home ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ There'll be no peace in the barnyard ♪ ♪ Since the little red rooster been gone ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪
Born to sharecropper parents in Mississippi, John Lee Hooker ran away from home at age 14. He supported himself playing guitar in Memphis, Tennessee. Then, during World War II, he moved to Detroit to work at the Ford factories during the day. At night, he played in clubs and developed his own style of electric guitar blues. His first big hit was "Boogie Chillin'" from 1949.
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I didn't care if she didn't love ♪ ♪ I was boogie-woogie in the house ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ When I first come to town, people ♪ ♪ I was walking down Hastings Street ♪ ♪ I heard everybody talking about ♪ ♪ The Henry Swing Club ♪ ♪ I decided I'd drop in there that night ♪ ♪ And when I got there, I said, "Yes, people" ♪ ♪ Yes, they was really having a ball ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Yes, I know ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Boogie Chillin' ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ One night I was laying down ♪ ♪ I heard Mama and Papa talking ♪ ♪ I heard Papa tell Mama ♪ ♪ To let that boy boogie-woogie ♪ ♪ 'Cause it's in him, and it got to come out ♪ ♪ Well, I felt so good ♪ ♪ And I went on boogie-woogie just the same ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪
In the 1960s and '70s, Hooker toured Europe and performed with rock groups, including Canned Heat. Now, listeners may recall that Canned Heat was the title of the devastatingly sad Tommy Johnson song about drinking Sterno. Let's listen to Hooker playing with the group Canned Heat, 1970, "Meet Me at the Bottom."
Okay, here we go, here we go. [playing in bright country rhythm] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Meet me at the bottom ♪ ♪ Bring my boots and shoes ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Meet me at the bottom ♪ ♪ Bring my boots and shoes ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I got to go now, Mama, I ain't got no time to lose ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Hey, Lordy Mama ♪ ♪ Lordy Mama ♪ ♪ Hey, Lordy Mama ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I ain't got no time to lose ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ They got me killed a murderer ♪ ♪ I ain't hardly mad ♪ ♪ They got me on the run, baby, I can't stay no longer ♪ ♪ Hey, hey, hey, meet me at the bottom ♪ ♪ At the bottom, baby ♪ ♪ Bring my boots and shoes ♪ ♪ I got to go now, baby, I ain't got no time to lose ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ They got me on the run ♪ ♪ Got me on the run ♪ ♪ I can't stay out ♪ ♪ Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Lordy Mama, Lordy Mama ♪ ♪ I got to go now, I ain't got no time to lose ♪ ♪ Meet me at the bottom, Mama ♪ ♪ Bring my boots and shoes ♪ ♪
B B King may be the blues artist who gave largest number of performances all time. His recording career stretched from 1949 to 2014, just one year before his death. Like John Lee Hooker, he was born on /a Mississippi plantation to sharecropper parents. He learned music at his Pentacostal church and first performed professionally in 1941 on the King Biscuit Radio Hour. His first number one hit was from 1952, Three O'clock Blues.
Hey, hey, hey ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [guitar, bass, & drums play in syncopated rhythm] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Can't even close my eyes ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Oh, 3 o'clock in the morning, baby ♪ ♪ Can't even close my eyes ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Oh, baby ♪ ♪ Lord, I can't be satisfied ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Lord, I've looked around me ♪ ♪ Well, my baby can't be found ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Well, I've looked all around me, people ♪ ♪ Well, my baby can't be found ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Well, if I don't find my baby ♪ ♪ I'm going down to the bowling ground ♪ That's where the men hang out at. ♪ ♪ Well, I'm bound to find 'em! ♪ ♪ Yeah! ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Come on, baby! ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Well, goodbye, everybody ♪ ♪ Lord, I believe this is the end ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Oh, goodbye, everybody ♪ ♪ Lord, I believe this is the end ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Well, you can tell my baby ♪ ♪ To forgive me for my sin ♪ ♪ ♪ (narrator)
King developed a shimmering guitar style with bursts of sharp phrases inflected with the left-hand vibrato. Let's hear a piece in his mature style "Don't Answer the Door" from 1966.
[playing in slow tempo] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Woman, I don't want a soul ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Hanging around my house when I'm not at home ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Oh, I don't want a soul, baby ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Hanging around my house when I'm not at home ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I don't want you to answer the door for nobody, baby ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Oh, when you're home and you know you're all alone ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I don't want your sister coming by ♪ ♪ Because the little girl, she talk too much ♪ ♪ If she want to come by to visit us ♪ ♪ Tell her to meet us Sunday down at the church ♪ ♪ 'Cause I don't want a soul, baby ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Hanging around my house when I'm not at home ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Yes, I don't want you to answer the door for nobody, baby ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Oh, when you're home and you know you're all alone ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ If your mother want to visit us ♪ ♪ Tell her I get home 'bout to break of day ♪ ♪ And that's too late to visit anybody, baby ♪ ♪ So tell her to please stay away ♪ ♪ 'Cause I don't want a soul, baby ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Hanging around my house when I'm not at home ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Yes, I don't want you to open the door for anybody, baby ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Oh, when you're home and you know you're all alone ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Now, if you feel a little sick, baby ♪ ♪ And you know you're home all alone ♪ ♪ I don't want the doctor at my house, baby ♪ ♪ You just suffer till I get home ♪ ♪ 'Cause I don't want a soul, baby ♪ ♪ Hanging around my house when I'm not at home ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Yes, I don't want you to open the door for nobody, baby ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Yeah, when you're home all alone ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪
Today's last blues artist is one of my favorites, Buddy Guy, like B.B. King and John Lee Hooker, had parents who were sharecroppers. As a child, Buddy worked picking cotton. He learned the blues from his older brother and played a homemade instrument named a diddy bow. This is made of baling wire strung over a glass bottle on a wooden board. As a young man, he played in local bands in Baton Rouge. A key step in the development of his career was moving to Chicago, where he got to know Muddy Waters and won a recording contract. His early recordings were traditional Delta blues, but with a blistering electric guitar. Let's listen to Buddy Guy, 1960, "First Time I Met the Blues."
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ The first time I met the blues ♪ ♪ If you knew I was walking, I was walking down through the woods ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Yeah, the first time, the first time I met the blues ♪ ♪ Blues, you know I was walking, I was walking down through the woods ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Yeah, I thought my house was blue ♪ ♪ Blues, you know you dug me, you dug me all the holes that you could ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ The blues got after me ♪ ♪ If you know the right me, one tree to treat ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Yeah, the blues got after me ♪ ♪ Blues, you know you ran me, ran me from tree to tree ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Yeah, you should have had me begging you ♪ ♪ Yeah, blues don't bother me ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Yeah, good morning, blues ♪ ♪ Blues, I wonder, I wonder what you're doing here so soon ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Yeah, good morning, good morning, good morning, Mr. Blues ♪ ♪ Blues, I wonder, I keep wondering what you're doing here so soon ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Yeah, blues, you know you be with me every morning ♪ ♪ Every night and every noon ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Oh, yeah ♪
Buddy Guy's later recordings were more varied and unpredictable, mixing blues with jazz, soul, and rock. From his album Sweet Tea in 2001, let's listen to Tramp.
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Tramp ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ You can call me that ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ If that make you feel good ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm a lover ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Lover is all I'm gonna do ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm a lonely child ♪ ♪ Lover is all I'm gonna do ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Tramp ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ You can call me that ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ If that make you feel good ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm a lover ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Mama was ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Papa was too ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ And I'm the lonely child ♪ ♪ Lover is all I'm gonna do ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Tramp ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Call me country ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Right from the woods ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I'll answer when you call me, baby ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ If that make you feel good ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm a lover ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Yes ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ And you know Mama was ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Papa was too ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I'm the lonely child ♪ ♪ Lover is all I know to do ♪ ♪ ♪ Let me show you. ♪ ♪ [audience cheering] ♪ ♪ [audience cheering] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [audience cheering]
This is the last episode in our history of blues. On our next show, we'll finish our journey through jazz history here on Roots of Jazz and Blues with King Henry on WAYO LP Rochester. We're going to close today's show with two versions of the song "Done Got Old." The first is from 1992 by songwriter Jimmy Kimbrough, followed by a very non-electric version by Buddy Guy from that same record "Sweet Tea" that we heard on the previous song. I think you have to be a man of a certain age to really appreciate "Done Got Old."
Well, I done got old ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Well, I done got old ♪ ♪ I can't do the things I used to do ♪ ♪ Oh, me ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I remember the day, girl ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ That I fell fast and gone ♪ ♪ I said I could love you ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ More than any time ♪ ♪ But now things have changed ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Well, I done got old ♪ ♪ I can't do the things I used to do ♪ ♪ Oh, me ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Well, yeah ♪ ♪ Well, I done got old ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Well, I done got old ♪ ♪ I can't do the things I used to do ♪ ♪ Oh, me ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I don't look like you ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I can't walk like you ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I can't love like you ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Now things have changed ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ And I done got old ♪ ♪ And I done got old ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I can't do the things I used to do ♪ ♪ I'm old, old, old, me ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Well, I done got old ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I can't do the things I used to do ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm an old man ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Well, I done got old ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Well, I done got old ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I can't do the things I used to do ♪ ♪ 'Cause I done got old ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Remember the day, baby ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Done, past, and gone ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ That I could love you ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Most all night long ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ But now things done changed ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ And I done got old ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I can't do the things I used to do ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm an old man ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I can't look ♪ ♪ Like I used to ♪ ♪ I can't walk ♪ ♪ Like I used to ♪ ♪ I can't love ♪ ♪ Like I used to ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ And now things done changed ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ And I done got old ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I can't do the things I used to do ♪ ♪ Because I'm an old man ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I'm an old man ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I'm an old man ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I'm an old man ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I'm an old man ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I'm an old man ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ And I'm not the same ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I'm a very old man ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪