Basin Street Blues
Encyclopedia
"Basin Street Blues" is a song
often performed by Dixieland
jazz bands, written by Spencer Williams
. The song was published in 1926 and made famous in a recording by Louis Armstrong
in 1928. The famous verse with the lyric "Won't you come along with me/To the Mississippi..." was later added by Glenn Miller
and Jack Teagarden
.
The Basin Street
of the title refers to the main street of Storyville, the notorious red-light district
of the early 20th-century New Orleans French Quarter. It became a red light district in approximately 1870.
and his Texas Playboys also recorded a version during the group's heyday with Tommy Duncan
. Louis Prima
also recorded the song on his 1957 album The Wildest!
as did Dr. John
on his 1992 album Goin' Back to New Orleans. Bob Wills' official version contains slightly different lyrics than those heard on Bob Wills' Anthology. Instead of Basin Street being the place where the "dark and light folks" meet, as sung on the recording, the printed lyrics state that Basin Street is the place where the "young and old folks" meet.
Connee Boswell
recorded the song theatrically with Bing Crosby
in 1937.
A rendition of this song by Ella Fitzgerald
with the Sy Oliver
orchestra can be found on the Decca
release "Lullabies of Birdland".
Jo Stafford
recorded a duet version with Frankie Laine
.
Liza Minnelli
performed the number at her 2008-9 concert Liza's at The Palace...!
.
"Basin Street Blues" was used on the soundtrack for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
In 2008, saxophonist David Sanborn
covered the song from his album "Here & Gone."
The song has also been re-imagined by Canadian turntablist Kid Koala
, by manipulating the vinyl live.
Sam Cooke
recorded a version in 1963, although with different lyrics. He performed the song live on the Tonight Show and the Mike Douglas Show.
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
often performed by Dixieland
Dixieland
Dixieland music, sometimes referred to as Hot jazz, Early Jazz or New Orleans jazz, is a style of jazz music which developed in New Orleans at the start of the 20th century, and was spread to Chicago and New York City by New Orleans bands in the 1910s.Well-known jazz standard songs from the...
jazz bands, written by Spencer Williams
Spencer Williams
Spencer Williams was an American jazz and popular music composer, pianist, and singer. He is best known for his hit songs "Basin Street Blues", "I Ain't Got Nobody", "Royal Garden Blues", "I've Found a New Baby", "Everybody Loves My Baby", "Tishomingo Blues", "Careless Love", and many...
. The song was published in 1926 and made famous in a recording by Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong , nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana....
in 1928. The famous verse with the lyric "Won't you come along with me/To the Mississippi..." was later added by Glenn Miller
Glenn Miller
Alton Glenn Miller was an American jazz musician , arranger, composer, and bandleader in the swing era. He was one of the best-selling recording artists from 1939 to 1943, leading one of the best known "Big Bands"...
and Jack Teagarden
Jack Teagarden
Weldon Leo "Jack" Teagarden , known as "Big T" and "The Swingin' Gate", was an influential jazz trombonist, bandleader, composer, and vocalist, regarded as the "Father of Jazz Trombone".-Early life:...
.
The Basin Street
Basin Street
Basin Street or Rue Basin in French, is a street in New Orleans, Louisiana. It parallels Rampart Street one block lakeside, or inland, from the boundary of the French Quarter, running from Canal Street down 5 blocks past Saint Louis Cemetery...
of the title refers to the main street of Storyville, the notorious red-light district
Red-light district
A red-light district is a part of an urban area where there is a concentration of prostitution and sex-oriented businesses, such as sex shops, strip clubs, adult theaters, etc...
of the early 20th-century New Orleans French Quarter. It became a red light district in approximately 1870.
Other recordings
Bob WillsBob Wills
James Robert Wills , better known as Bob Wills, was an American Western Swing musician, songwriter, and bandleader, considered by music authorities as the co-founder of Western Swing and universally known as the pioneering King of Western Swing.Bob Wills' name will forever be associated with...
and his Texas Playboys also recorded a version during the group's heyday with Tommy Duncan
Tommy Duncan
Thomas Elmer Duncan , better known as Tommy Duncan, was a pioneering American Western swing vocalist and songwriter who gained fame in the 1930s as a founding member of The Texas Playboys...
. Louis Prima
Louis Prima
Louis Prima was a Sicilian American singer, actor, songwriter, and trumpeter. Prima rode the musical trends of his time, starting with his seven-piece New Orleans style jazz band in the 1920s, then successively leading a swing combo in the 1930s, a big band in the 1940s, a Vegas lounge act in the...
also recorded the song on his 1957 album The Wildest!
The Wildest!
The Wildest! is an album by Louis Prima, first released in 1957. It features singer Keely Smith with saxophonist Sam Butera and the Witnesses. It is considered an innovative mixture of early rock and roll, jump blues and jazz as well as eccentric humor....
as did Dr. John
Dr. John
Malcolm John "Mac" Rebennack, Jr. , better known by the stage name Dr. John , is an American singer-songwriter, pianist and guitarist, whose music combines blues, pop, jazz as well as Zydeco, boogie woogie and rock and roll.Active as a session musician since the late 1950s, he came to wider...
on his 1992 album Goin' Back to New Orleans. Bob Wills' official version contains slightly different lyrics than those heard on Bob Wills' Anthology. Instead of Basin Street being the place where the "dark and light folks" meet, as sung on the recording, the printed lyrics state that Basin Street is the place where the "young and old folks" meet.
Connee Boswell
Connee Boswell
Constance Foore "Connee" Boswell was an American female vocalist born in Kansas City but raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. With her sisters, Martha and Helvetia "Vet" Boswell, she performed in the 1930s as The Boswell Sisters and became a highly influential singing group during this period via...
recorded the song theatrically with Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
in 1937.
A rendition of this song by Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Jane Fitzgerald , also known as the "First Lady of Song" and "Lady Ella," was an American jazz and song vocalist...
with the Sy Oliver
Sy Oliver
Melvin "Sy" Oliver was a jazz arranger, trumpeter, composer, singer and bandleader...
orchestra can be found on the Decca
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
release "Lullabies of Birdland".
Jo Stafford
Jo Stafford
Jo Elizabeth Stafford was an American singer of traditional pop music and jazz standards and occasional actress whose career ran from the late 1930s to the early 1960s...
recorded a duet version with Frankie Laine
Frankie Laine
Frankie Laine, born Francesco Paolo LoVecchio , was a successful American singer, songwriter, and actor whose career spanned 75 years, from his first concerts in 1930 with a marathon dance company to his final performance of "That's My Desire" in 2005...
.
Liza Minnelli
Liza Minnelli
Liza May Minnelli is an American actress and singer. She is the daughter of singer and actress Judy Garland and film director Vincente Minnelli....
performed the number at her 2008-9 concert Liza's at The Palace...!
Liza's at the Palace...!
Liza's at The Palace...! was a concert presented by Liza Minnelli at the Palace Theatre on Broadway from December 3, 2008 through January 4, 2009....
.
"Basin Street Blues" was used on the soundtrack for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (film)
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a 2008 American fantasy-drama film directed by David Fincher. The screenplay by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord is loosely based on the 1922 short story of the same name by F. Scott Fitzgerald...
In 2008, saxophonist David Sanborn
David Sanborn
David Sanborn is an American alto saxophonist. Though Sanborn has worked in many genres, his solo recordings typically blend jazz with instrumental pop and R&B. He released his first solo album Taking Off in 1975, but has been playing the saxophone since before he was in high school...
covered the song from his album "Here & Gone."
The song has also been re-imagined by Canadian turntablist Kid Koala
Kid Koala
Eric San , who records under the name Kid Koala, is a Canadian DJ, turntablist, musician and an author of graphic novels. He is signed to the British record label Ninja Tune, is a member of alternative hip hop supergroup Deltron 3030, and The Slew with Dynamite D and former members of the...
, by manipulating the vinyl live.
Sam Cooke
Sam Cooke
Samuel Cook, , better known under the stage name Sam Cooke, was an American gospel, R&B, soul, and pop singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur. He is considered to be one of the pioneers and founders of soul music. He is commonly known as the King of Soul for his distinctive vocal abilities and...
recorded a version in 1963, although with different lyrics. He performed the song live on the Tonight Show and the Mike Douglas Show.
External links
- "Basin Street Blues" Louis Prima (Tp.)
- "Basin Street Blues" Jack Teagarden (Tb.&Vo.) and his Orchestra - We can hear the verse with "Won't you come along with me/Around the Mississippi...".