Topic: SOTM February 2019 - Sweet Black Angel

[Prof Scratchy]

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:



Tampa Red made this recording in 1934:



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



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



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




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




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

[Johnm]

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

[DavidCrosbie]

Here's Earl Hooker (1953).



And Sam Baker (1964).

[Norfolk Slim]

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.