Topic: SOTM: "Nobody Knows You"

[David Kaatz]

Despite it being quite jazzy, adding this interesting version because the artist is such a surprise (to me anyway).
Dave

[frankie]

Great topic, Joe, and fantastic contributions from Prof and Pan!

[Mr.OMuck]

This song seems to bring out some great things in people. The Lecan and Cooksey version is terrific, and one that I never heard before. The Bert Williams is a real find! 1906! Holy Bleep! What an interesting scanning and set of lyrics. And Professor and Pan ..both terrific versions. Loved your walking bass lines Pan. I know the Scrapper version well having owned that LP since the mid sixties, and its great. But when Bessie Smith does a song..she just OWNS it! I must have heard her do this hundreds of times back in the days when she'd be on my turntable 24/7 for months on end. She doesn't just make you FEEL it she makes you EXPERIENCE it. What strange power she had! Of all women singers Minnie, Geechie, Billie, Rosetta, Aretha..nobody gets into me like Bessie..with the possible exception of the obscure and under recorded Gospel singer Betty Perkins..and even then, I don't know.
Incidentally This was one of the very first songs I ever learned back in the middle of the last century..hoo boy...
Richard Pryor could really sing! Who knew? Very interesting phrasing. Maybe he was going for the full Sammy Davis image at that point? Its hard to remember how mainstream he was in the beginning, in light of the brilliant social critic he evolved into later. Thanks for all these great posts. This song is very deservedly deemed a "Classic".

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I just found this Josh White version of "Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out" from 1945:



All best,
Johnm

[DavidCrosbie]

The Library of Congress National Jukebox is no longer accessible from here in Britain, but the Arthur Collins recording can be heard on YouTube here



The title All In Out And Down was used for this 1937 recording by Uncle Dave Macon


 
This obviously a different song, and doesn't even use the wording of the title, with its refrain

It's hard time
Pity poor boy
It's hard time
Pity poor boy
When you down and out

And the song is very much about the Great Depression ? not the fickleness of fair-weather friends.

Someone who did use the wording all out and down (but not all in out and down) was Leadbelly.



He seems to have started with some levee camp holler verses, regularised the tune, added a guitar (one of his recordings of the song starts unaccompanied) and some floating blues verses. So the song isn't about false friends or the Depression ? just his terrible job and trouble with his woman.

The Bobby Leecan link YouTube link joebanjo's posting doesn't work here, but here but this one does:




The song has been a turned into a  toast (rhymed recitation). I attach a lo-fi copy from the CD accompanying this book



To hear it, click the link below. I can post a transcription if anybody is interested.