Release Date: 1991.
Recording Time: 62 minutes.
Recording Date: June 23, 1938 - February 6, 1939.
Release Info: BDCD-6011, Compilation, Studio Recording, Remastered.
Styles: Acoustic Blues, Acoustic Chicago Blues, Acoustic Memphis Blues, Classic Female Blues, Pre-War Country Blues, Regional Blues.
The fourth volume in the series opens with Memphis Minnie's lone 1938 studio date; backed by mondolinist (and former brother-in-law) Charlie McCoy, the session possesses elements of the classic string band sound, with sides like "I'd Rather See Him Dead" and "Good Biscuits" among the most sexually explicit in her catalog. The remaining material, all cut in February 1939, is comprised of guitar-duet accompaniments with Little Son Joe, heralding the format consistent throughout the majority of Minnie's pre-war recordings; indeed, as stellar performances of "Keep Your Big Mouth Closed" and "Low Down Man Blues" indicate, perhaps no other arrangement was more ideally suited to her unique style. ~ Jason Ankeny
Informative booklet notes by Howard Rye. Detailed discography.
Memphis Minnie had only one recording date in 1938. Its unusual atmosphere is attributable in main to Charlie McCoy's mandolin, which introduces a whiff of string bands and minstrelsy, especially noticeable on Long As I Can See You Smile. Genuine double meanings are rare, but the advice in Good Biscuits, "Don't let no outside woman bake no biscuits for you man," is equally valid whether taken literally of metaphorically, not that I imagine that the literal meaning was uppermost in the minds of either performers or listeners. The theme is continued in Keep On Eating. Minnie obviously belied in the old saying that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. I'd Rather See Him Dead is in a different idiom, a sombre exposition of confused feelings about a man. "If you don't sleep with me, I'd rather see him dead," she says, but, "If I could only get him back, I would be that poor man's slave". With Son Joe on hand, Minnie's recordings again used guitar-duet accompaniments. All her remaining pre-war records, and indeed most of her post-war records too, make use of this format and the addition from time to time of bass or drums makes very little difference to the results. It seems safe to conclude that Minnie felt that this was the presentation best suited her style. In general, critics have agreed with her. It is perhaps fanciful to detect an actual sense of having returned to her roots, but that feeling is certainly engendered by Keep You Big Mouth Closed, performed to the tune of "Sittin' On Top of the World", with its stolid folk wisdom: "You got to use good judgement and keep your big mouth closed." The words of Don't Lead My Baby Wrong: "I have wondered all day and dreamed funny things last night, Trying to find someone to love me and someone treat me right", equally reflect universal human experiences. More aggressive is Low Down Man Blues, concerning a "nasty man". Minnie's reaction is blunt. "Now, I might get me a young boy and raise him to my hand", she says. ~ Howard Rye
Credits: Lizzie Douglas - Composer; Jim Gordon - Piano; Black Bob Hudson - Piano; Ransom Knowling - Bass, String Bass; Ernest Lawlars - Composer; Little Son Joe - Guitar, Guitar (Rhythm), Performer, Vocals; Charlie McCoy - Mandolin; Kansas Joe McCoy - Composer, Guitar, Vocals; Minnie McCoy - Composer; Memphis Minnie - Guitar, Primary Artist, Vocals; Johnny Parth - Compilation Producer; Howard Rye - Liner Notes; Chuck Segar - Piano; Rudi Steager - Executive Producer; Traditional - Composer; Fred Williams - Drums.
Tracklist:
01. I Hate To See The Sun Go Down - Memphis Minnie
02. As Long As I Can See You Smile - Memphis Minnie
03. Has Anyone Seen My Man? - Memphis Minnie
04. Good Biscuits - Memphis Minnie
05. I've Been Treated Wrong - Memphis Minnie
06. Keep On Walking - Memphis Minnie
07. Keep On Eating - Memphis Minnie
08. I'd Rather See Him Dead - Memphis Minnie
09. Diggin' My Potatoes - Little Son Joe
10. A.B.C. Blues - Little Son Joe
11. Bone Yard Blues - Little Son Joe
12. My Black Buffalo - Little Son Joe
13. Tuff Luck Blues - Little Son Joe
14. Key To The World - Little Son Joe
15. Black Widow Stinger - Memphis Minnie
16. Good Soppin' - Memphis Minnie
17. Poor And Wandering Woman Blues - Memphis Minnie
18. Bad Outside Friends - Memphis Minnie
19. Worried Baby Blues - Memphis Minnie
20. Call The Fire Wagon - Memphis Minnie
21. Low Down Man Blues - Memphis Minnie
22. Don't Lead My Baby Wrong - Memphis Minnie
23. Keep Your Big Mouth Closed - Memphis Minnie
Personnel: Memphis Minnie - Vocals, Guitar; Charlie McCoy - Mandolin; Black Bob - Piano; Ransom Knowling - Acoustic Bass; Little Son Joe - Vocals, Guitar; Fred Williams - Drums.
Recording date, location, matrix, catalog number:
01. June 23, 1938, Chicago, IL, C-2280-1, Vocalion 04356
02. June 23, 1938, Chicago, IL, C-2281-1, Vocalion 04506
03. June 23, 1938, Chicago, IL, C-2282-1, Vocalion 04250
04. June 23, 1938, Chicago, IL, C-2283-1, Vocalion 04295
05. June 23, 1938, Chicago, IL, C-2284-1, Vocalion 04250
06. June 23, 1938, Chicago, IL, C-2285-1, Vocalion 04356
07. June 23, 1938, Chicago, IL, C-2286-1, Vocalion 04295
08. June 23, 1938, Chicago, IL, C-2287-1, Vocalion 04506
09. February 3, 1939, Chicago, IL, C-2446-1, Vocalion 04707
10. February 3, 1939, Chicago, IL, C-2447-1, Vocalion 04776
11. February 3, 1939, Chicago, IL, C-2448-1, Vocalion 04776
12. February 3, 1939, Chicago, IL, C-2449-1, Vocalion 04978
13. February 3, 1939, Chicago, IL, C-2450-1, Vocalion 04707
14. February 3, 1939, Chicago, IL, C-2451-1, Vocalion 05004
15. February 3, 1939, Chicago, IL, C-2452-1, Vocalion 04694
16. February 3, 1939, Chicago, IL, C-2453-3, Vocalion 04694
17. February 3, 1939, Chicago, IL, C-2456-1, Vocalion 05004
18. February 3, 1939, Chicago, IL, C-2457-1, Vocalion 04797
19. February 6, 1939, Chicago, IL, C-2454-1, Vocalion 04898
20. February 6, 1939, Chicago, IL, C-2455-1, Vocalion 04858
21. February 6, 1939, Chicago, IL, C-2458-1, Vocalion 04797
22. February 6, 1939, Chicago, IL, C-2459-1, Vocalion 04898
23. February 6, 1939, Chicago, IL, C-2460-1, Vocalion 04858