On This Day – Stagger Lee (Yet Again)
Feb 9, 2010 On This Day
On this day in 1959 Lloyd Price reached number one in the States with “Stagger Lee”.
“Stagger Lee” has been recorded many times under many names by many people.
The song has been Bowderized, revised, chewed up and spat out by too many people to mention. Some of whom should have known better and some of whom had no idea of the history of the song and what it was about.
The definitive recordedversion was by the wonderful Mississippi John Hurt in 1928 although the song had been sung ever sinc ethe original crime in 1895.
Just why this particular crime became immortalised is not known (at least to me). The facts of the case m’lud, as the say, are quite simple. Stagger Lee Shelton was pimp and taxi driver in St. Louis. Not just any pimp along with a number of other pimps collectively known as “The Macks” they seemed to love the attention they got. Stagger was friends with Billy Lyons. One night they were drinking and began to talk politics, that developed into an arguement. Billy took Stagger’s hat from his head. Stagger demanded it back, Billy refused and Stagger shot him.
Killed over a hat.
Stagger and Billy became subject of a song that has mutated and survived during the following 100 years and shows no sign of being forgotten 115 years after the crime.
Alternative titles have included; “Stagolee”, “Stackerlee”, “Stack O’Lee”, “Stack-a-Lee”, “Stack Shot Billy”, and other variants that owe a lot to the original like The Clash’s “Wrong ‘Em Boyo”.
Among the artists that have sung and recorded the song are; Mississippi John Hurt, Leadbelly, Sidney Bechet, Beck, Pat Boone, James Brown, Cephas & Wiggins, Neil Diamond, Johnny Dodds, Fats Domino, Dr. John, Bob Dylan, Duke Ellington, Woody Guthrie, Bill Haley & His Comets, The Isley Brothers, Taj Mahal, Memphis Slim, Modern Life is War, Wilson Pickett, Professor Longhair, Sam the Sham, Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes, Ma Rainey, Tom Rush, Ike and Tina Turner, Dave Van Ronk, Doc Watson, George Thorogood, Muddy waters, Billie Holiday, Nick cave
Anyway you get the idea virtually evryone who is someone has recorded a version of the song.
The interesting thing about Lloyd Price’s version? It removed any referrence to the murder and Stagger and Billy just shouted at each other and made up the next day…..
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Sam Phillips Dies 30 July 2003
Jul 30, 2009 Blues, Departures, On This Day, rock and blues
Sam Phillips did more than most to shape popular music in the 50s and 60s.
As Owner and leading light of the mighty Sun Records he discovered or developed Presley, Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Conway Twitty, Jerry Lee Lewis and more.
Inpite of this roll call of talent it is easy to forget that the path that Sun Records trod was not always easy. He had to sell Elvis’ contract to RCA to raise enough cash for the label to continue in 1955.
The legacy left by Sun Records is great and glorious.
Tags: blues music, classic rock music, love rock music, On This Day, real rock and blues, rock and blues, sam phillips, sun records
Champion Jack Dupree
Jul 15, 2009 Blues
Real Blues, Champion Jack Dupree
All things are connected, sort of. Yesterday I wrote about Keef Hartley because I had lost a post about him due to a problem with wordpress (too boring to explain fully, just stay with this). So last night I picked up Keef Hartley’s book Halfbreed opened it at random and started reading about Keef recording with Champion Jack Dupree. That was at the same time as Champion Jack was on the stereo, spooky!
Champion Jack Dupree was a great blues singer who had the archetypal blues man. Orphaned when he was 2 he was raised in a home for ‘coloured waifs’. He was a self taught pianist who took to the road in the blues tradition. He dug ditches, worked as a cook, took all sorts of jobs as he moved round the country playing his blues.
After meeting Joe Louis he became a boxer winning several titles, hence the nickname Champion Jack. He was subjected to many racist incidents and like a lot of blues men left the States and moved to Europe. He eventually settled in Halifax, Yorkshire, UK where he spent much of the ,60s and ’70s before moving to Germany.
Tags: blues music, champion Jack Dupree, live music, real rock and blues
John Henry Hammond
Jul 10, 2009 Departures
John Hammond died on this day in 1987.
JH was one of those people who were enormously influencial but often overlooked. Often given credit where it was not deserved but denied the credit that was due to him.
John Hammond was a record producer rather than a talent scout. Back in the early ’30s he was writing about the racial divide in the USA and ridiculing it using jazz as the vehicle for this line of reasoning. He was instrumental in promoting Billie Holiday, arranging her first recording debut, she appeared on a Benny Goodman session. Later he also championed the Count Basie orchestra.
For those two instances he deserves to be remembered. However along with promoting blues music and musicians he did one other thing that makes him one of the most important people in popular music development.
He oversaw and championed (but did not produce as many think) “King of the Delta Blues Singers” released in 1961 this was a rerelease of all the recordings made by Robert Johnson. This is possibly one of the 5 most influencial records ever released.
Tags: billie holiday, blues music, deaths, john hammond, On This Day, robert johnson
On This Day – 2nd July
Jul 2, 2009 On This Day
Ralph Nader (serial presidential candidate, consumer champion, pain in the arse of car makers, general all round good guy in other words) warned us in 1969 that loud rock music would make us all go deaf. I SAID THAT LOUD ROCK MUSIC WOULD MAKE US ALL GO DEAF…..
I so want this to be true, James Marshall Hendrix was honorably discharged from the US army on this day in 1962 after nreaking his ankle on his 26th parachute jump. I want it to be true but there is quite a lot of evidence that Jimi’s departure from the army was less, well, honorable. A terrible Marksman, truant, subject of negative statements by his fellow soldiers, and he did not protest when it was suggested that he should be discharged. On the other hand, I never felt comfortable with one of my heroes being a model soldier.
What is reassuring is that one of the greatest guitarists ever (Zappa, Robert Quine, Rheihard, one of those is the best) could not hold a conversation while thinking about his guitar. Somethings are more important than being a soldier.
Tags: blues music, classic rock music, jimi hendrix, On This Day, real rock and blues
1846 was a Good Year
Jun 22, 2009 On This Day
The sexiest instrument (apart from the electric guitar) was patented on this day in 1846 by Adolphe Sax. What do you think he called it?
- Anyone else finds it strange to find out that you can patent a musical instrument? I know that he disigned it but even so.
You will not be surprised to know that his paptent was challenged by other instrument makers.
Hello world!
Jun 10, 2009 About and things, Uncategorized
A new blog, but not a new site, this is Real Rock and Blues. Originally the site supported a radio programme I did for a community radio station, with the play lists and links to good bands etc.
The station died, lack of funds and too many egos…….. and so did the site.
But it is back! (Sorry about that).
What to expect?
Well lots of me pontificating about what “Real Rock and Blues” means and who does it. (Hint, not Celine Dion). Some stuff about on this days and a smattering of my thoughts (if any) and pet hates (lots).
I hope that you enjoy the ride.
Right, I am off now to clean my office (attic) while listening to Nick Cave – sort of sums up my attitude to hoovering.
Phil
Tags: blues music, nick cave, real rock and blues, rock music
