Week 9: SONGSTER II

Henry Thomas, Ragtime Texas

Preliminary note: Usually we do two full weeks on Mississippi John Hurt. But this semester let's broaden things a bit and focus on more examples from the Songster tradition.

We'll continue this week with the Songster material on your Mississippi John Hurt download (from last week). Including the "Ragtime Texas" Henry Thomas--whose songs also give us a look back into the 19th century (Thomas recorded around 1925, a little earlier than Mississippi John Hurt). His "Fishin' Blues" being one of the great examples. (Listen in particular to the way Thomas plays the reed pipes!) Harry Smith put this song in the final spot of his Anthology of American Folk Music (Folkways, 1952) as we discussed in class--you have Smith's notes as the last chapter in your Reader; see the last entry as you listen, Reader p. 287.) Contemporary blues musician (and much more), Taj Mahal made a well-none cover of the song in 1968 (on his first album De Old Folks at Home), one that became a kind of touchstone of those "return to sources" years.

Henry Thomas - Fishin' Blues - YouTube  (same version as on your download)
Taj Mahal - Fishin' Blues - YouTube (early version-1968)

Note that there are several additional Henry Thomas songs on the same download. Plus Old Dog Blue (a gem) by Jim Jackson (1928).

We'll also listen to Doc Watson, Sittin' on Top of the World, one of his best songs, recorded in about 1960, and borrowed from a jug band original by the Mississippi Sheiks, who first recorded it in 1930. Bob Dylan later did a great version of his own (closer to the Mississippi Sheiks). And I'll give you a video of Sam Chatmon who recorded some of these songs in old age--in 1978--with Alan Lomax. (Sam Chatmon was a member of the original Mississippi Sheiks!) All interesting for the back and forth across time--and across musical cultures...

SITTING ON TOP OF THE WORLD (1964) by Doc Watson - YouTube 
The Mississippi Sheiks, Sitting On Top Of The World - 1930-YouTube
Sittin' on Top of the World (Remastered) - Bob Dylan - YouTube 
Sam Chatmon: Sittin' On Top of the World (1978) - YouTube

And then there's Reverend Gary Davis (you know his Candy Man) who brought the songster material to New York City. Cocaine Blues, one of his best songs, was also a jugband favorite. See the Memphis Jugband's version, from about 1929. (You already have the Memphis Jug Band's Stealin' Stealin' on Supplements Download, and in Tan songbook.)

Rev. Gary Davis playing "Candyman" - YouTube (This is his guitar playing.) You have the song version on first S&P download.)
Cocaine Blues - Rev. Gary Davis
'Cocaine Habit Blues' THE MEMPHIS JUG BAND (1929) Memphis Blues Legend - YouTube
YouTube - 'Stealin' Stealin' THE MEMPHIS JUG BAND, Memphis Blues Legend  

These fit this week as well...

Candy Man (Rev. Gary Davis version and Mississippi John Hurt version)
San Francisco Bay Blues (Jesse Fuller)
Stealin' Stealin' (Memphis Jug Band)
Elizabeth Cotten's Freight Train would also find a place here.

Your neighborhood jug band

Here are some related terms: Songster / Ragtime /  Old Time Music / Piedmont Blues / Vaudeville / Minstrel / Medicine Show

READING. You can read the Elizabeth Cotten entry, Reader p. 257-262. Use google sources to followup on rest of the above--including Henry Thomas, songster, jug bands, and Reverend Gary Davis...