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09 Aug 03 - 11:29 AM (#999389) Subject: Earliest Version: Sporting Life Blues? From: Peter T. Three versions of Sporting Life Blues well known to aficionados are Skip James (from his revival, 1960s), Dave Van Ronk, and Brownie McGhee (1970s). Anyone know who did the earliest version of this, and/or where it comes from? Am I missing someone famous who did it in the 20's or 30's? yours, Peter T. |
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09 Aug 03 - 11:50 AM (#999398) Subject: RE: Earliest Version: Sporting Life Blues? From: masato sakurai No entry of "Sporting Life Blues" in comprehensive Blues and Gospel Records 1890-1943, by Robert M.W. Dixon et al. (Oxford, 1997). |
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09 Aug 03 - 01:38 PM (#999438) Subject: RE: Earliest Version: Sporting Life Blues? From: Peter T. Hmm. If so, I wonder if Brownie McGhee wrote it. yours, Peter T. |
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09 Aug 03 - 02:03 PM (#999443) Subject: RE: Earliest Version: Sporting Life Blues? From: GUEST Well, if you listen to Duke Ellingtons Rent Party Blues (late '20's I think,) you will hear the same melody line that Brownie uses but also a middle 8 that Brownie dosn't! I have Brownie with a bowed bass player version, probably late '40's I would guess. If ONLY we had a copy of "Thats The Stuff, the Recordings of Brownie McGhee, Sonny Terry, Stick McGhee and J C Burris" by Chris Smith, Housay Press, Spiral bound paperback. 184 page discography of the great Sonny and Brownie covering their solo work, their long productive partnership and everything in between including recordings with Cecil Gant, Carey Adams, Tarheel Slim, Square Wilson and many more. Original issues with relevant dates/line-ups/session notes/info on reissues on LP and CD/overview of recordings/comprehensive index" all for (UK)£15.00 + £3.00 UK p & P from www.Redlickrecords.co.uk |
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09 Aug 03 - 02:04 PM (#999444) Subject: RE: Earliest Version: Sporting Life Blues? From: Benjamin According to Dave Van Ronk, it was Brownie McGhee. He teaches his arrangement on his instructional video. |
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09 Aug 03 - 02:16 PM (#999447) Subject: RE: Earliest Version: Sporting Life Blues? From: Mark Clark Brownie McGhee had it on a 10" Folkways album that came out in the 1950's sometime. I'll try to remember to check the date. Also what is the relation, if any, between this song and the tune by W. Nelson, W. Breeland and P. Buskirk called Night Life? I always thought they were similar in feel and meaning and the later may have drawn upon the former. - Mark |
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09 Aug 03 - 02:21 PM (#999448) Subject: RE: Earliest Version: Sporting Life Blues? From: Peter T. In the discography to "the Harp Styles of Sonny Terry" there is a mention of Sporting Life Blues being recorded in New York in 1946. (Bass player is Pops Foster or Count Edmondson, the discography is unsure). Guess that must be the earliest. yours, Peter T. |
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09 Aug 03 - 04:10 PM (#999477) Subject: RE: Earliest Version: Sporting Life Blues? From: Candyman(inactive) I have a Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee recording of "Sportin' Life" from 1957. I saw Brownie perform it many times with Sonny in the '60s and '70s, and once solo in the '80s, and he always claimed it as his song. Dave Van Ronk, who was scrupulous in his song scholarship, always referred to it as a Brownie McGhee song. Dave used to tell a strory about learning the song when he was about 17 and then putting it aside because he didn't think that a 17-year-old had the life experience to sing it. Many years later, Dave said, Brownie told him he'd written the song when he was 17. Dave would have been 17 in 1953. |
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09 Aug 03 - 08:11 PM (#999494) Subject: RE: Earliest Version: Sporting Life Blues? From: DonMeixner Jerry Silvermann's book "The Folk Blues " doesn't attribute it specifically but says it was recorded by Brownie McGhee on Folkways FA 2030 and Bob Carey on Stinson SLP 6. I first learned of it from The Lovin' Spoonful and their first LP "Do You Believe In Magic" about 1966. And it was a really fine job of it. My brother Gary does an excellant job of too. Don |
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10 Aug 03 - 03:33 AM (#999578) Subject: RE: Earliest Version: Sporting Life Blues? From: Roger the Skiffler I learned it form Brownie McGhee recording, I don't know if he was the first. RtS (Tried telling my teachers "This Sportin' Life is killin' me" but they still made me do Cross country runs!) |
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10 Aug 03 - 08:32 AM (#999628) Subject: RE: Earliest Version: Sporting Life Blues? From: GUEST,Peter T. Thanks. yours, Peter T. |
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18 Feb 09 - 12:07 PM (#2570109) Subject: Origins: Sporting Life blues From: matt milton I'm just listening to "Sporting Life" by Ken Colyer's Skiffle Group, off the compilation UK Skiffle Boom. It's a great version. I love the fact he inserts his own name into the song, "she used to fall on her knees and pray/ And these are the words she'd say/ Kolyer, oh Kolyer, please change your ways". I'm aware of Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee's version and I think they are probably the musicians who popularized it. Am I right? I've also heard a great version by Champion Jack Dupree and one on emusic by Tom Paley. But: a. who wrote the song? Or is it one of those 'trad' blues? b. who else has recorded good versions? |
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18 Feb 09 - 12:36 PM (#2570133) Subject: RE: Origins: Sporting Life blues From: cptsnapper I've always enjoyed Mary Asquith's version. |
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18 Feb 09 - 12:41 PM (#2570135) Subject: RE: Origins: Sporting Life blues From: JedMarum Wily Nelson has a rewrite version too. |
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18 Feb 09 - 12:42 PM (#2570139) Subject: RE: Origins: Sporting Life blues From: JedMarum I've been singing the older version for years. I learned it in guitar lessons when I was 12 years old from a Jerry Silverman book called The Art of the Folk Blues. |
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18 Feb 09 - 12:58 PM (#2570146) Subject: RE: Origins: Sporting Life blues From: matt milton So when you say "the older version", what does that mean? Did that book credit a writer for the song? Can anyone verify who actually wrote it? |
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18 Feb 09 - 01:01 PM (#2570149) Subject: RE: Origins: Sporting Life blues From: dwditty Sportin' Life was written by Brownie McGhee - when he was 15 years old! - which attests to the kind of childhood he had. The late Dave Van Ronk - who does the best version I know - tells a great story about the song. He covers the song on several albums - a google search will turn it up I am sure. |
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18 Feb 09 - 04:20 PM (#2570320) Subject: RE: Origins: Sporting Life blues From: DonMeixner The Silverman Book I have was published in the early 60's and has it listed as 2nd or 3rd publication. As I remember anyway. My favorite version is the one done by The Lovin' Spoonful on their first or second LP. It really shows John Sebastian's skill on the harmonica. For some reason I had it credited to Bill Broonzy or Gary Davis but I am not surprised to hear it is a Brownie McGee song. Don |
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12 May 09 - 06:26 PM (#2630326) Subject: RE: Origins: Sporting Life blues From: Jim Dixon There is an earlier "origins" thread about this song: Origins: Earliest Version: Sporting Life Blues? Also, the lyrics are in the DT: SPORTING LIFE BLUES Threads combined. Joe Offer |
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13 Nov 14 - 12:55 PM (#3676954) Subject: RE: Origins: Earliest Version: Sporting Life Blues? From: GUEST,Joseph Scott "Brownie... always claimed it as his song." But Brownie also claimed that the "Blues Had A Baby And They Called It Rock And Roll" that Muddy Waters had already recorded as his own song when he recorded it, so.... Also, do we think Skip was bothering to learn any songs from the 13-years-younger Brownie? Maybe. In any case, the expression the "sporting life is killing me" itself is at least as old as 1892. |
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24 Apr 18 - 01:23 PM (#3919685) Subject: RE: Origins: Earliest Version: Sporting Life Blues? From: GUEST Bob Cary sings it on American Folksay: Ballads & Dances. Sounds like Fred Neil. |
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24 Apr 18 - 01:29 PM (#3919687) Subject: RE: Origins: Earliest Version: Sporting Life Blues? From: GUEST He's listed as Bob Cary on the Stinson Collectors Series CD. Bob Carey here: http://www.folkmusicworldwide.com/bob-carey-1.html |
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22 Apr 19 - 10:33 AM (#3988558) Subject: RE: Origins: Earliest Version: Sporting Life Blues? From: GUEST,Dave Jones First time I heard this tune was in the sixties by Dave Van-Ronk on record and likewise Brownie MgGhee but it was played by a couple of New Orleans style jazz bands locally where I live in the UK. Personally I think this fabulous bit of blues reeks of New Orleans! the arrangement and the subject matter, everything, so I think it probably goes back quite a way. I learned the lyrics from Dave and Brownies versions but my arrangement in D major was Learned from a piano player from one of the afore mentioned bands. |
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22 Feb 20 - 11:55 PM (#4035572) Subject: RE: Origins: Earliest Version: Sporting Life Blues? From: GUEST,Steve Schachter Not to the point I know, but I need to say that my favorite version of this song is by Ian Buchanan, recorded at Antioch College in the early 60s. In fact it's my favorite Buchanan song. |
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22 Mar 20 - 04:18 PM (#4041388) Subject: Lyr Add: SPORTIN LIFE BLUES (Brownie McGhee) From: Jim Dixon You can hear this recording at the Internet Archive. I have boldfaced the words that are different from the copy in the DT. Only 3 verses are approximately the same, and they are in a different order: SPORTIN LIFE BLUES As recorded by Brownie McGhee, Alert (401-B), 1948. I'm tired of runnin' around. Think l will marry and settle down. This old night life, This old sporting life is killin' me. I got a letter from my home. Most of my friends are dead an' gone. I began to worry, Began to wonder 'bout days to come. My mother used to talk to me. Young and foolish an' I could not see. I have no mother. My sisters and brother won't talk to me. She used to fall on her knees an' pray. These are the words Mother used to say: She'd say: "Brownie, Oh, Brownie, please change your way." [Instrumental break] I am goin' to change my way. I'm getting older ev'ry day. When I was young and foolish, I was eas'ly led astray. I been a gambler an' a cheater too. Now it's come my time to lose. Sportin' life Has got me bested; what can I do? |
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22 Mar 20 - 05:23 PM (#4041399) Subject: Lyr Add: SPORTIN' LIFE BLUES (Dave Van Ronk) From: Jim Dixon I believe Van Ronk made other recordings at different times, that are on different albums, but I think the words are all substantially the same. I have boldfaced the words that are different from McGhee's recording. I heard this recording on Spotify. SPORTIN' LIFE BLUES As recorded by Dave Van Ronk on "And the Tin Pan Bended and the Story Ended" (2004) I got a letter from my home. Most o' my friends are dead an' gone. Make you worry, Make you wonder 'bout times to come. My ol' mother said to me: "So young and foolish, child, you can't see." Now I ain't got no mother. My sister and my brother turned their back on me. She used to fall on her knees an' pray. These are the very words she would say: "You better change, rearrange, Or stop your low-down way." [Instrumental break] I've been a liar and a cheater too, Spent my money on booze an' you, But this ol' night life, This sporting life is killin' me. When I was young and feelin' blue, All them young women would see me through. Makes you sad, makes you scared, Makes you worry what time can do. [Instrumental break] I'm bound to change, change my ways. I'm gettin' older each an' ev'ry day, But this ol' night life, This sporting life is killin' me. I'm gettin' tired of runnin' 'round. I'm gonna get married, settle down. This ol' night life, It is a mean life and it's killin' me. [Instrumental break] [Repeat verse 1] |
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23 Mar 20 - 04:21 AM (#4041483) Subject: RE: Origins: Sporting Life Blues From: GUEST,Martin Ryan Brings me back ... Didn’t Ian Whitcomb have a sizeable hit on both sides of the pond with this? Early ‘60’s? Peter Adler on harmonica. Regards |
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24 Mar 20 - 09:18 AM (#4041785) Subject: RE: Origins: Sporting Life Blues From: GUEST,Don Meixner https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1ECdCVSgKM |
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11 May 20 - 03:32 PM (#4051853) Subject: RE: Origins: Sporting Life Blues From: GUEST,RMT check reference book Folk Blues by Jerry Silverman page 112 for the original version. |
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12 May 20 - 10:14 AM (#4052032) Subject: RE: Origins: Sporting Life Blues From: GUEST,Martin Ryan Thanks for that link, Don - only got round to checking it out now! Sorry to hear he died recently. He was well known on the Dublin beat club scene back in the early '60's, along with Peter Adler, son of the great Larry. Regards |
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27 May 21 - 10:48 AM (#4107771) Subject: RE: Origins: Sporting Life Blues From: TheBluesButcher I keep my chord sheet in the Big Bill folder. Duke Ellington was first tho |
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27 May 21 - 08:15 PM (#4107834) Subject: RE: Origins: Sporting Life Blues From: GUEST,GuestTF "Sporting Life" was a staple of any Hamish Imlach set, Hamish being a very accomplished blues picker. I wouldn't be surprised if he learned it direct from Brownie McGhee. For the benefit of younger readers, Hamish was a top man from the sixties right through to his premature demise. Many of us learned loads from him. |