Release Date: 1991.
Recording Time: 66 minutes.
Recording Date: June 27, 1940 - December 12, 1941.
Release Info: CD (BDCD-6012), Compilation, Reissue, Remastered.
Styles: Acoustic Blues, Acoustic Chicago Blues, Acoustic Memphis Blues, Classic Female Blues, Country Blues, Regional Blues.
The fifth and final volume in Document's series begins with a mid-1940 studio date, Memphis Minnie's first in over a year; recorded with Little Son Joe on second guitar, these simple, unaffected sides are among her strongest, with tracks like "Ma Rainey" (a tribute to the recently deceased blues great) and "Nothing in Rambling" brimming with confidence and inspiration. Her final pre-war session, recorded late in 1941, closes out the set; performing on amplified guitar, Minnie's music adopts a relatively urbanized sound on tracks like the superb "I Am Sailin'" and "Don't Turn the Card," precipitating the Chicago blues of the postwar era. ~ Jason Ankeny
Informative booklet notes by Howard Rye.
Detailed discography
After the long interval since their previous session Minnie and Joe's June 1940 session is marked by a sense of commanding confidence, and notably inspired instrumental choruses. The initially autobiographical Nothing In Rambling promotes commonsense, down to earth aspirations.
"You may go to Hollywood and try to get on screen,
But I'm goin' to stay right here and eat these old turnip greens"
The reminiscent mood extends to the remarkable Ma Rainey, a tribute to an acknowledged influence who had died in December 1939. It is replete with the paradox of wondering in the first verse,
"where could Ma Rainey be",
and making clear in the last that she is known to be dead:
"People, it sure look lonesome, since Ma Rainey been gone,
But she left little Minnie, to carry the goods on."
And she does, to dramatic effect, when she returned to the studio nearly a year later. In My Girlish Days, with its account of the consequences of a youthful indiscretion, and Me And My Chauffeur, with its classic double entendres, are justly rated among her finest, but in truth they are not far above the general level. Down By The Riverside is not a return to gospel music but a wistful recollection of the simple life. Though the emphasis is still on guitar duets with Son Joe, who plays acoustic guitar, with only bass for additional support the sound is more 'urban' than before and presages the 'down-home blues' styles of post-war Chicago. Five of the ten titles then recorded remained unissued and have become available only recently. Wartime trading conditions must have been responsible because the unissued sides are in no way inferior and in I Am Sailing include one of her most powerful efforts. The poet Langston Hughes has left an impressionistic account of Minnie's music a year later after this (Chicago Defender, January 9th, 1943). "The electric guitar is very loud, science having magnified all its softness away... the rhythm fills the 230 Club with a deep and dusky heartbeat that overrides all modern amplification. The rhythm is as old as Memphis Minnie's most remote ancestor... She grabs the microphone and yells "Hey now!" then she hits a few deep chords at random, leans forward ever so slightly over her guitar... and begins to beat out a good old steady down-home rhythm..." there is much more in this vein and it applies equally to the music captured on December 12th, 1941. Every title brings its own rewards, with a special mention perhaps for Don't Turn The Card, with its elaborate series of references to fortune-telling, and for Son Joe's two tracks, which show clearly why he was billed as 'Mr. Memphis Minnie'.
Credits: Alfred Elkins - Bass; Hans Klement - Remastering; Ernest Lawlars - Composer; Little Son Joe - Guitar, Guitar (Rhythm), Performer; Memphis Minnie - Composer, Guitar, Guitar (Rhythm), Primary Artist, Vocals; Johnny Parth - Compilation Producer, Producer; Howard Rye - Liner Notes; Rudi Steager - Executive Producer; Unknown Artist - Bass.
Tracklist:
- 01. Lonesome Shack Blues - Memphis Minnie
- 02. Nothing In Rambling - Memphis Minnie
- 03. Boy Friend Blues - Memphis Minnie
- 04. Finger Print Blues - Memphis Minnie
- 05. It's Hard To Please My Man - Memphis Minnie
- 06. Ma Rainey - Memphis Minnie
- 07. In My Girlish Days - Memphis Minnie
- 08. Me And My Chauffeur Blues - Memphis Minnie
- 09. Down By The Riverside - Memphis Minnie
- 10. I Got To Make A Change Blues - Memphis Minnie
- 11. Pig Meat On The Line - Memphis Minnie
- 12. My Gage Is Going Up - Memphis Minnie
- 13. This Is Your Last Chance - Memphis Minnie
- 14. Can't Afford To Lose My Man - Memphis Minnie
- 15. I'm Not A Bad Gal - Memphis Minnie
- 16. You Got To Get Out Of Here - Memphis Minnie
- 17. Don't Turn The Card - Memphis Minnie
- 18. Looking The World Over - Memphis Minnie
- 19. It Was You Baby - Memphis Minnie
- 20. You Need A Friend - Memphis Minnie
- 21. I Am Sailin' - Memphis Minnie
- 22. Remember Me Blues - Memphis Minnie
- 23. Black Rat Swing - Little Son Joe
- 24. Just Had To Holler - Little Son Joe
Personnel: Memphis Minnie - Vocals, Guitar; Little Son Joe - Vocals, Guitar; Unknown Artist - Bass (Sb Or Imb); Alfred Elkins - Washtub Bass (Imb.).
Recording date, location, matrix, catalog number:
01. June 27, 1940, Chicago, IL, WC-3166-A, OKeh 05728
02. June 27, 1940, Chicago, IL, WC-3167-A, OKeh 05670
03. June 27, 1940, Chicago, IL, WC-3168-A, OKeh 05670
04. June 27, 1940, Chicago, IL, WC-3169-A, OKeh 05811
05. June 27, 1940, Chicago, IL, WC-3170-A, OKeh 05728
06. June 27, 1940, Chicago, IL, WC-3171-A, OKeh 05811
07. May 21, 1941, Chicago, IL, C-3764-1, OKeh 06410
08. May 21, 1941, Chicago, IL, C-3765-1, OKeh 06288
09. May 21, 1941, Chicago, IL, C-3766-1, Conqueror 9936
10. May 21, 1941, Chicago, IL, C-3767-1, Conqueror 9935
11. May 21, 1941, Chicago, IL, C-3768-1, Conqueror 9935
12. May 21, 1941, Chicago, IL, C-3769-1, OKeh 06410
13. May 21, 1941, Chicago, IL, C-3770-1, Conqueror 9936
14. May 21, 1941, Chicago, IL, C-3771-1, OKeh 06288
15. December 12, 1941, Chicago, IL, C-4090-1, OKeh 06624
16. December 12, 1941, Chicago, IL, C-4091-1, Columbia 30134
17. December 12, 1941, Chicago, IL, C-4092-1, Columbia unissued
18. December 12, 1941, Chicago, IL, C-4093-1, OKeh 06707
19. December 12, 1941, Chicago, IL, C-4094-1, OKeh 06624
20. December 12, 1941, Chicago, IL, C-4095-1, Columbia unissued
21. December 12, 1941, Chicago, IL, C-4096-1, Columbia unissued
22. December 12, 1941, Chicago, IL, C-4097-1, Columbia unissued
23. December 12, 1941, Chicago, IL, C-4098-1, OKeh 06707
24. December 12, 1941, Chicago, IL, C-4099-1, Columbia unissued