SOTM August 2016 DUPREE BLUES
Willie Walker recorded Dupree Blues in 1930. I first heard this performance in the late sixties, on the Yazoo Records LP compilation East Coast Blues 1926-1935. It has a very classy outro:
INTRO SOLO
Betty told Dupree, "I wants me a diamond ring." (Oh, baby)
Betty told Dupree, "I wants me a diamond ring." (Oh, sugar)
"Now listen, mama, your daddy bring you 'most anything."
He had to kill a policeman, and he wound a detective, too ( Oh, sugar)
Killed a detective, wounded a policeman, too (Oh, baby)
"See here, mama, what you caused me to do."
Hired him a taxi, said, "Can't you drive me back to Main?" ( ?)
Then he hired him a taxi, said, "Carry me back to Main?" (Oh, baby)
"I've done a hangin' crime. Gal, don't never feel ashamed."
Standin' there wonderin', "Would a matchbox hold my clothes?" (Oh, baby)
Standin' there wonderin', "Matchbox hold my clothes?"
Said, "A trunk is too big. Don't be bothered on the road."
'Rested poor Dupree, placed him in the jail (Oh, Lord)
'Rested poor Dupree, placed him in the jail (Oh, baby)
Yes, the mean old judge, went and refused to assign him any bail
Wrote a letter to Betty, and this is the way the letter read (Oh, baby)
He wrote a letter to Betty, and this is the way the letter read (Oh, Lord)
"Come home to your daddy. I'm almost dead."
Betty went to the jailer, cryin', "Mr. Jailer, please." (Oh, baby)
Betty went to the jailer, cryin', "Jailer, please." (Oh, Lord)
"Please, Mr. Jailer, let me see my used-to-be."
OUTRO
On the first hearing, the song struck a familiar chord. It took some time to realise that I?d heard it before as a pop song in the fifties:
UK skiffle king Lonnie Donegan had also had a go at it in 1957, though mercifully this performance was relegated to the B side of the 78.
Returning now to 1930, another version of the song was recorded by piano player Kingfish Bill Tomlin:
In the late 1930s, Georgia White recorded a version that was such a seller that she quickly recorded a follow up version, New Dupree Blues, which featured a young Les Paul on guitar:
In the fifties and sixties, other singers recorded their versions and a selection is listed below:
With the exception of Lonnie Donegan?s, all the above performances have been by African American singers. I always assumed that if this song had been based on fact, then Betty and Dupree would have been African Americans. I don?t know of any white versions of the song (but if there are any, Weenies will probably know)***. I also assumed that the story, if based on true facts, would probably have taken place sometime in the nineteenth century. In fact, Frank Dupr? was a nineteen year old white man of low IQ who was the last person to be hanged in Atlanta, in September 1922, just eight years prior to the Willie Walker and Bill Tomlin recordings.
The true story of Betty and Dupree is a chilling one. An interview with Tom Hughes, the author of the book ?Hanging the Peachtree Bandit?, is available here:
http://news.wabe.org/post/betty-and-dupre-atlanta-murder-case-riveted-nations-attention
So why did this story form the basis of an African American ballad, and why did it enjoy such popularity amongst African American performers over three decades or so? Were there any versions by white country or folk singers (apart from Lonnie of course)? Finally, just to mention that our very own daddy stovepipe has a fine version of the Willie Walker performance on his youtube channel, so check it out!
***Edited to add: I?ve now found a white version of a song chronicling the Betty and Dupree story. It?s by Vernon Dalhart, recorded in 1927. This is the same story, but a very different song and melody.
Finally, photos of Betty and Dupree:
Willie Walker recorded Dupree Blues in 1930. I first heard this performance in the late sixties, on the Yazoo Records LP compilation East Coast Blues 1926-1935. It has a very classy outro:
INTRO SOLO
Betty told Dupree, "I wants me a diamond ring." (Oh, baby)
Betty told Dupree, "I wants me a diamond ring." (Oh, sugar)
"Now listen, mama, your daddy bring you 'most anything."
He had to kill a policeman, and he wound a detective, too ( Oh, sugar)
Killed a detective, wounded a policeman, too (Oh, baby)
"See here, mama, what you caused me to do."
Hired him a taxi, said, "Can't you drive me back to Main?" ( ?)
Then he hired him a taxi, said, "Carry me back to Main?" (Oh, baby)
"I've done a hangin' crime. Gal, don't never feel ashamed."
Standin' there wonderin', "Would a matchbox hold my clothes?" (Oh, baby)
Standin' there wonderin', "Matchbox hold my clothes?"
Said, "A trunk is too big. Don't be bothered on the road."
'Rested poor Dupree, placed him in the jail (Oh, Lord)
'Rested poor Dupree, placed him in the jail (Oh, baby)
Yes, the mean old judge, went and refused to assign him any bail
Wrote a letter to Betty, and this is the way the letter read (Oh, baby)
He wrote a letter to Betty, and this is the way the letter read (Oh, Lord)
"Come home to your daddy. I'm almost dead."
Betty went to the jailer, cryin', "Mr. Jailer, please." (Oh, baby)
Betty went to the jailer, cryin', "Jailer, please." (Oh, Lord)
"Please, Mr. Jailer, let me see my used-to-be."
OUTRO
On the first hearing, the song struck a familiar chord. It took some time to realise that I?d heard it before as a pop song in the fifties:
UK skiffle king Lonnie Donegan had also had a go at it in 1957, though mercifully this performance was relegated to the B side of the 78.
Returning now to 1930, another version of the song was recorded by piano player Kingfish Bill Tomlin:
In the late 1930s, Georgia White recorded a version that was such a seller that she quickly recorded a follow up version, New Dupree Blues, which featured a young Les Paul on guitar:
In the fifties and sixties, other singers recorded their versions and a selection is listed below:
With the exception of Lonnie Donegan?s, all the above performances have been by African American singers. I always assumed that if this song had been based on fact, then Betty and Dupree would have been African Americans. I don?t know of any white versions of the song (but if there are any, Weenies will probably know)***. I also assumed that the story, if based on true facts, would probably have taken place sometime in the nineteenth century. In fact, Frank Dupr? was a nineteen year old white man of low IQ who was the last person to be hanged in Atlanta, in September 1922, just eight years prior to the Willie Walker and Bill Tomlin recordings.
The true story of Betty and Dupree is a chilling one. An interview with Tom Hughes, the author of the book ?Hanging the Peachtree Bandit?, is available here:
http://news.wabe.org/post/betty-and-dupre-atlanta-murder-case-riveted-nations-attention
So why did this story form the basis of an African American ballad, and why did it enjoy such popularity amongst African American performers over three decades or so? Were there any versions by white country or folk singers (apart from Lonnie of course)? Finally, just to mention that our very own daddy stovepipe has a fine version of the Willie Walker performance on his youtube channel, so check it out!
***Edited to add: I?ve now found a white version of a song chronicling the Betty and Dupree story. It?s by Vernon Dalhart, recorded in 1927. This is the same story, but a very different song and melody.
Finally, photos of Betty and Dupree: