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Country Blues => Weenie Campbell Main Forum => SOTM - Song Of The Month => Topic started by: Prof Scratchy on February 01, 2019, 07:00:20 AM

Title: SOTM February 2019 - Sweet Black Angel
Post by: Prof Scratchy on February 01, 2019, 07:00:20 AM
The SOTM for February is Black Angel Blues, aka Sweet Black Angel and Sweet Little Angel. This song is much beloved of pub blues bands here in the UK (maybe elsewhere too)? It is often given a ?blues/rock? treatment and makes me groan whenever I hear it done in the pub blues style! Not so the earlier versions of the song, of which I?ll post just a few here for starters.

The first recording of the song is Lucille Bogan?s 1930 version:

https://youtu.be/IWO7yvIPFP8

Tampa Red made this recording in 1934:

https://youtu.be/JprWWzszKc0

Robert Nighthawk?s 1949 rendition echoes Tampa Red?s approach but has a much more ?city? feel about it:

https://youtu.be/yNsgRPZklxI

BB King?s 1956 version is probably the one that launched a million cover versions:

https://youtu.be/e9BTPLKXqaY

In 1965, Big Mama Thornton recorded this version with Buddy Guy on guitar:

https://youtu.be/6-Y_Nl7GebY


Here are the Aces in 1970, playing the song  in Paris:

https://youtu.be/2N_o7q_8JLg


Kid Andersen is a recent visitor to Edinburgh. Here he is with John ?Blues? Boyd in 2017

https://youtu.be/CCHFfwtbqxE
Title: Re: SOTM February 2019 - Sweet Black Angel
Post by: Johnm on February 01, 2019, 03:03:57 PM
Thanks very much for the Song of the Month choice and posting, Professor!  I look forward to listening to the versions I've not heard before.  I remembered Buddy Moss recorded a song called "Little Angel", but it is different enough to be considered a different song, I think.
All best,
Johnm
Title: Re: SOTM February 2019 - Sweet Black Angel
Post by: DavidCrosbie on February 01, 2019, 07:38:07 PM
Here's Earl Hooker (1953).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3Txbfrlzxc

And Sam Baker (1964).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_rOfC_2Bvg
Title: Re: SOTM February 2019 - Sweet Black Angel
Post by: Norfolk Slim on February 02, 2019, 02:27:47 AM
I don't have a version to offer, but wanted to comment briefly on that wonderful BB King version.  I can track my pathway into enjoying and playing pre war country blues music directly through a double compilation CD of assorted blues recordings which I had. 

Sweet little angel by BB King was the track which really caught my attention- without it I may well not have dug any further.

The rasping tone and the nuances of those fills and that solo...  Wonderful.
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