Gin House Blues
| "Gin House Blues" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Amen Corner | ||||
| B-side | "I Know" | |||
| Released | July 1967 | |||
| Recorded | 1967 | |||
| Genre | Blues, blues-rock | |||
| Length | 3:12 | |||
| Label | Deram Records – DM 136 | |||
| Songwriter(s) | credited to Fletcher Henderson and Henry Troy (A-side) Andy Fairweather-Low (B-side) | |||
| Producer(s) | Noel Walker | |||
| Amen Corner singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Gin House Blues" is the title of two different blues songs, which have become confused over the years. Both songs were first recorded by Bessie Smith.
The song originally titled "Gin House Blues" was written in 1925 by Fletcher Henderson with lyrics by Henry Troy,[1] and recorded by Bessie Smith with Henderson on 18 March 1926.[2] It has the opening lines "I've got a sad sad story today / I'm goin' to the gin house when the whistle blows..."
However, the song now most usually called "Gin House" or "Gin House Blues" – with the opening lines "Stay away from me 'cause I'm in my sin / If this place gets raided, it's just me and my gin..." – is an entirely different song. It was originally entitled "Me and My Gin", and was recorded by Bessie Smith on 25 August 1928 and released on Columbia 14384-D.[3] It was written by "Harry Burke",[3][4] which may be a pseudonym of the pianist and songwriter James C. Johnson.[5] It is this song which has been recorded by many musicians over the years under the title "Gin House Blues" (see listing below), with authorship usually credited to Henderson and Troy, apparently in error.
Recorded versions of "Me and My Gin" under the title "Gin House Blues"
- Bessie Smith – first recorded under the title "Me and My Gin" on 25 August 1928,[2] in New York City and issued as Columbia 14384-D;[3] she also recorded a different song called 'Gin House Blues', with Fletcher Henderson, on 18 March 1926.[2]
- Nina Simone – different versions appear on her albums Forbidden Fruit and 'Nuff Said! plus in a live recording format on her The Great Show Live in Paris collection.[6]
- The Boston Crabs – as "Gin House", the B-side of their 1966 UK single "You Didn't Have To Be So Nice".[7]
- Amen Corner – released the song as a single in 1967; it reached Number 12 in the UK Singles Chart.[8] Andy Fairweather Low, the band's lead singer, has continued to perform the song live after going solo.[9]
- The Animals – it appeared on their albums Animalisms (UK release) and the corresponding Animalization (US release) in 1966.[10]
- Buster Bailey (on Buster Bailey Story, 1926-1945)[11]
- Cuby & the Blizzards – released on their debut album Desolation in 1966; the band received an Edison Award for the album.[12]
- Little Brother Montgomery[13]
- Duffy Power[14]
References
- ^ "Gin House Blues – Bessie Smith". AllMusic. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
- ^ a b c "Blues Online Bessie Smith". Physics.lunet.edu. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
- ^ a b c "Bessie Smith". Redhotjazz.com. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
- ^ Steve Huey (27 February 1981). "J.C. Johnson | Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
- ^ [1] Archived 20 August 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ A. "Live in Paris - Nina Simone | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
- ^ "The Boston Crabs - You Didn't Have To Be So Nice (Vinyl)". Discogs.com. 15 March 2015. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
- ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 21. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ Steve Leggett (19 November 2013). "Crossroads Guitar Festival 2013 [Video] - Various Artists | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
- ^ "The Animals - Animalization (Vinyl, LP, Album)". Discogs.com. 1 February 2014. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
- ^ Cub Koda. "Buster Bailey Story, 1926-1945 - Buster Bailey | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
- ^ "Cuby + Blizzards* - Desolation (Vinyl, LP, Album)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
- ^ Tom Schulte (1 September 1969). "No Special Rider - Little Brother Montgomery | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
- ^ "Gin House Blues : Search results". AllMusic. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
