Topic: Commercially recorded blues songs that start with spoken introductions

[Blind Arthur]

Woke up this morning thinking about this (seriously), and couldn?t find an existing list of classic blues songs that start with a (usually very short) spoken introduction (mostly) by the singing artist herself or himself, so I?d like to make a start with those I know out of my head. This is a very modest start only - would like to edit more into the first post as I think of them - and excluding Library of Congress records. I am also not sure about adding the well-known ragtime instrumental pieces that have spoken asides before or instead of any singing, would rather leave them out here either, also the "preachers with congregation" discs, also the "talking blues" such as Blind Willie?s "Traveling Blues" or Howell?s "Chittlin? Supper", even if these do have some singing, and finally, also the very few songs such as Blind Boy Fuller?s "Trucking Little Baby" which have spoken outros, and many dialogue-heavy husband-and-wife duets (but IMO excluding Memphis Minnie?s "What?s The Matter With The Mill", which I?d feel bad leaving out here). However, I definitely think that when in a band setting some friendly banter comes before the singing starts (such as with many MJB songs), this should belong to here.



Alberta Hunter:
Beale Street Blues
Everybody Mess Around

Barbecue Bob:
Darktown Gambling - part 1
Mississippi Low-Levee Blues

"Beans" Hambone - El Morrow:
Beans

Bessie Mae Smith:
St. Louis Daddy

Bessie Smith:
Dixie Flyer Blues
Follow The Deal On Down

Bessie Tucker :
Fryin? Pan Skillet Blues - all takes

Blind Blake:
Dry Bone Shuffle - all takes
Low Down Loving Gal
Rambling Mama Blues
New Style Of Loving

Blind Boy Fuller:
Piccolo Rag (even if it?s just skatting)

Blind Lemon Jefferson:
Balky Mule Blues
Christmas Eve Blues
DB Blues
Hangman?s Blues (take ... )
Happy New Years Blue
Hot Dogs
Maltese Cat Blues
Oil Well Blues
Old Rounders Blues
That Black Snake Moan No. 2
Weary Dogs Blues

Bo Weavil Jackson:
When The Saints Come Marching Home

Booker White:
Good Gin Blues

Buddy Boy Hawkins:
Jailhouse Fire Blues
Snatch It Back Blues

Charlie Lincoln:
Country Breakdown
Jealous Hearted Blues

Charley Patton:
A Spoonful Blues
Going To Move To Alabama (inaudible)
I?m Going Home
Lord, I?m Discouraged

Coley Jones w/ Dallas String Band:
Hokum Blues

Ed Bell:
Frisco Whistle Blues
Mamlish Blues

El Watson:
El Watson?s Fox Chase

Frank Stokes:
Beale Town Bound

Freddie Spruell:
Milk Cow Blues

Freeman Stowers:
Railroad Blues
Sunrise On The Farm
Texas Wild Cat Chase

Geeshie Wiley:
Pick Poor Robin Clean

George "Bullet" Williams:
Frisco Leavin? Birmingham (both takes)
Middlin? Blues


Jaydee Short:
Barefoot Blues
Snake Doctor Blues

Jim Jackson:
Jim Jackson?s Jamboree - Part 2

King Solomon Hill:
Times Done Got Heart

Lead Belly:
Good Morning Blues

Lilian Miller:
Dead Drunk Blues

Lonnie Johnson:
Furniture Man Blues - parts 1 + 2
Tin Can Alley Blues

Louise Johnson:
Long Ways From Home

Ma Rainey:
Ma Rainey?s Black Bottom
Night Time Blues - all takes

Memphis Jug Band:
Cave Man Blues
Everybody?s Talking About Sadie Green
Move That Thing
Peaches In The Springtime - both takes

Memphis Minnie:
My Butcher Man
What?s The Matter With The Mill

Mississippi Sarah & Daddy Stovepipe:
If You Want Me

Mississippi Sheiks:
Sales Tax

Noah Lewis:
Devil In The Woodpile

Papa Charlie Jackson:
Baby, Please Loan Me Your Heart
Bright Eyes
Skoodle-Um-Skoo
Skoodle Um Skoo
What?s That Thing She?s Shaking
Your Baby Ain?t Sweet Like Mine

Papa Harvey Hull & Long Cleve Reed:
Don?t You Leave Me Here
Gang of Brownskin Women
Mama, You Don?t Know How

Peetie Wheatstraw:
Don?t Feel Welcome Blues

Peg Leg Howell:
Away From Home (inaudible)
Monkey Man Blues (inaudible)

Pine-Top Smith:
Jump Steady Blues

Robert Johnson:
Love In Vain (take 1)

Robert Petway:
Boogie Woogie Woman

Rosie Mae Moore:
Stranger Blues

Smokey Harrison:
Iggly Oggly Blues
St. Peter?s Blues - Pt. 1+2

T.C.I. Section Crew:
Track Linin?

Tommy McClennan:
Baby, Please Don?t Tell On Me
Whiskey Headed Man

Various Artists:
Hometown Skiffle - part 1 (both takes)
Hometown Skiffle - part 2 (both takes)

Washboard Walter:
Overall Cheater Blues

William Moore:
Tillie Lee

Willie Baker:
Ain?t It A Good Thing
Bad Luck Man
Mama Don?t Rush Me


Willie Walker:
South Carolina Rag - take 2

:::::::::::::::
Done numerous edits to include more titles, thanks for the feedback here!

[waxwing]

I think Lemon's "Hot Dogs" would qualify. He taps before the spoken intro, but doesn't start the guitar until after.

Wax

[Johnm]

Mance Lipscomb's "Sugar Babe" would qualify in the category.
All best,
Johnm

[banjochris]

Besides what's been mentioned, Lemon's "Old Rounders Blues," "Weary Dogs Blues," "Balky Mule Blues,"  "Christmas Eve Blues," "Happy New Years Blues," "Maltese Cat Blues," "DB Blues," and "Oil Well Blues" all have spoken intros.

Also, Patton's "Going to Move to Alabama" doesn't have one. "Lord, I'm Discouraged" and "I'm Goin' Home" do, however.
Chris

[Blind Arthur]

Thanks for the additions why didn?t i think of the many more BLJ titles?
But "Going to move to Alabama" has a undeciphereable mumble, at least on the Document reissue

[Blues Vintage]

Robert Johnson - Love In Vain (take 1)

"I wanna go with our next one myself."

Or did he say "I wanna do one that I learned from the devil"?

[banjochris]

Thanks for the additions why didn?t i think of the many more BLJ titles?
But "Going to move to Alabama" has a undeciphereable mumble, at least on the Document reissue

That's right, I forgot! It's been years since I've listened to the Document, and most everybody cuts that out.

[Blind Arthur]

Thanks, harry, good point here is where I forgot the RJ Columbia 2CD box, which unlike the Snapper 2CD set has the spoken words still in.
The harmonica soloists also have a tendency for spoken introductions....adding what I know

[Johnm]

Hi Blind Arthur,
If you go to the Guitar Slim (Alec Seward) and Jelly Belly (Louis Hayes) Lyrics thread, you'll find a bunch of songs with spoken intros.
All best,
Johnm

[Blind Arthur]

Thanks Will look and add these later with pleasure.
The more I think, the more I find: added King Solomon Hill, and some harp players. Even Lonnie. There is probably quite more at the duets with Victoria Spivey etc
If I only knew which Bessie Smith song that was ...I only know it was among her first electrically recorded ones....the one with "stop rolling them bones and listen to me!"
EDIT Got it! "Follow The Deal On Down"!!

[Rivers]

One of my faves is Tampa Red & Big Maceo clowning around in the intro to "She Wants To Sell My Monkey".

See http://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=2990.msg32362#msg32362

Check out that whole thread for more leads and just general interest, it starts at http://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=2990.0

Not all the mentioned songs have their references spoken in the intros though.

The weeniepedia summarized list based on the thread is at http://weeniecampbell.com/wiki/index.php?title=Name_That_Country_Blues_Artist

Scan for 'intro', Bumble Bee Slim shows up.

[Johnm]

Hi Blind Arthur,
I just checked in Weeniepedia and the following Guitar Slim and Jelly Belly songs all begin with spoken introductions:
   * Big Trouble Blues
   * Jail And Buddy Blues
   * Mean Girl Blues
   * Mike And Jerry
   * Snowing And Raining
   * Travelin' Boy's Blues
 
All best,
Johnm