THROWBACK THURSDAY: Deep Ellum Blues

Deep Ellum Dallas, 1959

The Deep Ellum district in downtown Dallas started out as a African-American commercial area in Dallas. In the early part of the last century it was known as a hotbed of blues and jazz. Blind Lemon Jefferson and Lead Belly worked there as street musicians.

And apparently, during an era of segregation, it was a place, where black and white musicians played together before integrated audiences. A 10-minute 1985 documentary by Alan Govenar features folks who were there talking about those times. (The documentary disappeared from YouTube since I first posted this. but you can rent it for 99 cents HERE, and below is a trailer:)



But outside of Dallas, fans of blues, country and rockabilly might best know Deep Ellum from a great American tune that celebrates the neighborhood as a red light district, a place where you can find redheads who "never give a man a chance"; where you have to keep your money in your shoes and where police officers expect $15 bribes. A sinful place where preachers lay their Bibles down and good gals become hardened.

It's been covered by Les Paul, Doc Watson, Harmonica Frank Floyd, Red Allen & Frank Wakefield, Rory Gallagher, Hot Rise, The Asylum Street Spankers, And apparently Jimmie Dale Gilmore could see Deep Ellum from a DC-9 at night.

Most versions of the song are called "Deep Elem Blues" or "Deep Elm Blues" (which actually makes sense because "Ellum" came from Elm Street in Dallas. Most the singers who recorded this song were white.

But the song started out as an ode to a wild place in Georgia called Black Bottom. Here's a 1927 version by a group called The Georgia Crackers.



In the early '30s a Texas group called The Shelton Brothers changed the locale of this song to Deep Ellum.



Country singer Hank Thompson did a rocking version in the late '60s.



Jerry Lee Lewis also recorded it in the '50s.



But probably the most popular version in recent decades was done by the unplugged version of The Grateful Dead.




For more deep dives into songs, check out The Stephen W. Terrell Web Log Songbook

WACKY WEDNESDAY: It's National Beer Lover's Day

I'm not sure who determines such things, but today is National Beer Lovers Day  (Not to be confused with National Beer Day, which is April 7.)

But most of us still have to go to work.

Actually I quit drinking about 13 years ago, but I still indulge in a few beer songs from time to time.

Here are some of my favorites.

Here's Jimmy Witherspoon



"It'll set your head on fire and make your kidneys scream ..."



When is National Pigfoot Lover's Day?


Here's a honky-tonk beer lover's classic from Hank Thompson


Sorry, I have to cut you off ... OK, just una mas cerveza ...

TERRELL'S SOUND WORLD PLAYLIST

Sunday, Sept. 4, 2016 
KSFR, Santa Fe, N.M. 
10 p.m. to midnight Sundays Mountain Time 
Host: Steve Terrell
Webcasting!
101.1 FM
email me during the show! terrell(at)ksfr.org


Here's the playlist

OPENING THEME: Let It Out (Let it All Hang Out) by The Hombres
Pills by Chesterfield Kings
Kill Zone by James Arthur's Manhunt
It's Mighty Crazy by Barrence Whitfield & The Savages
I Wanna Be Your Busyman by The Fadeaways
Somethin' Else by The Flamin' Groovies
Follow Me Home by The Mystery Lights
I'm Your Man by Muck & The Mires
Yeah! by The Cynics
Obeah Man by Meet Your Death

A Public Execution by Mouse

Wax Dummy by John Spencer Blues Explosion

Wild Snakes by The Thick 'Uns

King's Highway Sulphur City
Juicy Lucy by LoveStruck
Backstreet Girl by Social Distortion

Nest of The Cuckoo Bird by The Cramps

Timothy by The Buoys

Modern Woman by Johnny Dowd

Quick Joey Small by Kasenetz-Katz Super Circus

Head Holes by Lonesome Shack

LABOR DAY SET

Plenty Tuff and Union Made by The Waco. Brothers

Working at Working by Wayne Hancock

Big Boss Man by Jimmy Reed
How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live by The Del-Lords

Don't Look Now by Creedence Clearwater Revival

Working Man by Bo Diddley

Mr. President Have Pity on the Working Man by Randy Newman

Gelatinous Cube by Thee Oh Sees

Alien Agenda by Alien Space Kitchen
Joan of Arc by The Melvins

Baby's Going Underground by Helium

Adios Amigo by Dan Penn & Donnie Fritts

September Song by Lou Reed

CLOSING THEME: Over the Rainbow by Jerry Lee Lewis

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THE SANTA FE OPRY PLAYLIST

Friday, Sept. 2, 2016
KSFR, Santa Fe, NM
Webcasting!
10 p.m. to midnight Fridays Mountain Time
Host: Steve Terrell 101.1 FM
Email me during the show! terrel(at)ksfr.org

Here's my playlist :

OPENING THEME: Buckaroo by Buck Owens
Amos Moses by Dale Watson
She Got the Goldmine (I Got the Shaft) by Jerry Reed
Drugstore Rock 'n' Roll by Janis Martin

Killed THem Both by Wayne Hancock

I Ain't Never by Headcat

I'm Going to Memphis by Paul Burch

Drinkin' Wine and Staring at the Phone by Dave Insley

Tall Tall Trees by Roger Miller

100% Pure Fool by The Derailers

Get a Load of This by R. Cumb & His Cheap Suit Serenaders

I Am My Own Grandpa by Asylum Street Spankers

I'm the Only Hell My Mama EverRaised by Johnny Paycheck

The Breeze by Banditos

Marijuana by Reverend Horton Heat

Honey You Had Me Fooled by Defibulators 

Walk Right In by Otis Taylor featuring Guy Davis and Corey Harris

Fishing Blues by Jim Kweskin & Geoff Muldaur

Buglight by The Flat Five

Western Trek by The Legendary Stardust Cowboy

Strangers by San Antonio Kid

Elvis is Haunting My Bathroom by The Royal Hounds

She Still Comes Around by Jerry Lee Lewis

The Way I Walk by Ruby Dee & The Snake Handlers

Country Singer's Prayer by Buck Owens

Shadow My Baby by Ray Condo & His Richochets

Banjo Lovin' Hound Dog by Johnny Banjo

Hard Times by The Bubbadinos

Cow Cow Yicky Yicky Yay by Clothesline Revival

Tell Me a Swamp Story by Tony Joe White

Back in My Day by The Handsome Family

Summer Wages by David Bromberg

Jack O Diamonds by P.W. Long & Reelfoot

Blind Willie McTell by The Band 
CLOSING THEME: Comin' Down by The Meat Puppets


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THROWBACK THURSDAY: Songs That Crumb Taught Us

Cartoonist and old-time music enthusiast Robert Crumb turned 73 this week. Last year around this time in honor of his birthday I posted a bunch of songs by Crumb, most of them with his Cheap Suit Serenaders. (Check that out HERE.)

This year I'm posting original -- or at least older -- versions of songs recorded by Crumb & The Cheap Suit Serenaders.

So happy birthday, Mr. Crumb!

Crumb and the band based "Get a Load of This" -- one of their best-known tunes from the early '70s -- on Charley Jordan's "Keep it Clean." Crumb and the lads added some modern references -- "Bowling for Dollars," "pink burritos" etc. -- and, for reasons unclear to me, they changed Coca Cola to R.C. Cola. But you still hear a lot of the original in Crumb's version.



Here is one the better known songs that Crumb and band covered. "Singing in the Bathtub" was written by Herb Magidson and Ned Washington, It first was performed by Winnie Lightner in the 1929 movie Show of Shows. British Music Hall vet Gracie Fields recorded it around the same time, (I think I know now where Singing Sadie got her shtick.)



Here's one Crumb got from this amazing old string band from Texas led by mandolinist Coley Jones.



Crumb picked up this entendre-laden masterpiece from Harry Roy and His Orchestra.