Happy Blues

Subject: Happy Blues
From: Leadbelly
Date: 18 Aug 07 - 10:02 AM

Hi there,

everbody knows that the original blues describes a state of depression or melancholy aso. But I learned that at least there's one so-called happy blues, which is a rarity. I do refer to the "Blues of Happiness" by Brownie McGhee and Sonny Terry, which is a nice track, recorded in the 50' or 60'.
Is anybody aware of a similar 'Happy Blues'?

Thanks, Manfred

Subject: RE: Happy Blues
From: Mark H.
Date: 18 Aug 07 - 02:07 PM

Countless hokum and jug band numbers. There's a lot of ribaldry and celebration of life's pleasures. Ned Ludd and I were in a band, Hokum, that played little else. One example, "Sitting On Top Of the World" has been performed and recorded many different ways. The idea that blues music is all miserable exasperates me. Blues music is a cure for the blues. Even the downer stuff often has an ironic twist or at least some dignity about it. These are aspects of the music that are often missed by performers and teachers, and books are usually misleading on this point.
Please allow me to recommend the box sets, JSP7752 and JSP7745, and if you like 'em send me a message and we can discuss this excellent music further. Enjoy!

Subject: RE: Happy Blues
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 19 Aug 07 - 10:08 AM

Since I Met You Baby
Peace in the Valley

How about "I Get a Kick Out of You"?

Subject: RE: Happy Blues
From: Leadbelly
Date: 19 Aug 07 - 01:42 PM

To Leeneia (the following notes are subjective, i.e. I can be wrong):

Peace in the Valley: that's a spiritual with some optimistic hopes but no classical blues.
Since a met you baby: More bluesy and with a strong tendency of feeling happy.
I get a kick out you: First recorded by Ethel Merman with many follow-ups (Sinatra twice aso).I really don't know whether this can be characterized as (happy) blues. It's about cocaine, isn't it? Sorry, but I even can't remember the tune (I'm german). Therefore I'm not able to make a judgement.
Many thanks for your contribution!

Manfred

Subject: Lyr Add: THEY'RE RED HOT (Robert Johnson)
From: the button
Date: 19 Aug 07 - 04:13 PM

There's "THEY’RE RED HOT" by Robert Johnson -- hardly renowned for his cheery output, but quite a funny song, nonetheless.

Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes, she got 'em for sale.
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes, she got 'em for sale.
I got a girl, say she long and tall.
She sleeps in the kitchen with her feets in the hall.
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes, she got 'em for sale, I mean,
Yes, she got 'em for sale, yeah.

Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes, she got 'em for sale.
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes, she got 'em for sale.
She got two for a nickel, got four for a dime.
Would sell you more, but they ain't none of mine.
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes, she got 'em for sale, I mean,
Yes, she got 'em for sale, yes, yeah.

Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes, she got 'em for sale.
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes, she got 'em for sale.
I got a letter from a girl in the room.
Now she got something good she got to bring home soon, now.
It’s hot tamales and they're red hot, yes, she got 'em for sale, I mean,
Yes, she got 'em for sale, yeah.

Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes, she got 'em for sale.
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes, she got 'em for sale.
(spoken) They're too hot, boy!
The billy got back in a bumblebee nest.
Ever since that, he can't take his rest, yeah.
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes, you got 'em for sale, I mean,
Yes, she got 'em for sale.

Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes, she got 'em for sale.
(spoken) Man don't mess around 'em hot tamales now,
(spoken) ‘Cause they too black bad. if you mess around 'em hot tamales,
(spoken) I'm onna upset your backbone, put your kidneys to sleep.
(spoken) I'll due to break away your liver and dare your heart to beat ‘bout my
Hot tamales ‘cause they red hot, yes, they got 'em for sale, I mean,
Yes, she got 'em for sale, yeah.

Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes, she got 'em for sale.
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes, she got 'em for sale.
You know grandma left and grandpa too.
well, I wonder what in the world we chillun gon do now.
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes, she got 'em for sale, I mean,
yes, she got 'em for sale.

Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes, she got 'em for sale.
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes, she got 'em for sale.
Me and my babe bought a V-8 Ford.
well, we wind that thing all on the runnin board, yes.
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes, she got 'em for sale, I mean,
yes, she got 'em for sale, yeah.

Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes, she got 'em for sale.
They're too hot boy!
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes, now she got 'em for sale.
You know the monkey, now the baboon playin in the grass.
well, the monkey stuck his finger in that old 'Good Gulf Gas', now.
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes, she got 'em for sale, I mean,
yes, she got 'em for sale, yeah.

Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes, she got 'em for sale.
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes, she got 'em for sale.
I got a girls, say she long and tall.
Sleeps in the kitchen with her feets in the hall.
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes, she got 'em for sale, I mean,
yes, she got 'em for sale, yeah.

Subject: RE: Happy Blues
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 19 Aug 07 - 08:16 PM

Sam Lightnin' Hopkins recorded Happy Blues For John Genn when Glenn's 3-orbit flight into apace happened.
Art

Subject: RE: Happy Blues
From: Duke
Date: 20 Aug 07 - 08:34 AM

Jesse 'lonecat' Fuller once told me that all the songs he does are happy blues. He wrote SanFrancisco Blues, so he may have a point!

Subject: RE: Happy Blues
From: Leadbelly
Date: 20 Aug 07 - 03:48 PM

To the buttom: Indeed, a very funny song by great Robert. But what I meant was characterized by the term happy. That's another category, I do believe. Funny blues might be anothher tread. Supposedly there is a lot of this kind.
To Art: the title seems to be a good example although I don't know Lightnin's song. My only Hopkins LP is "Fast life woman".
To Duke: Are you really sure about what he told? Perhaps he felt happy when playing his songs, but have been all resp. almost all of his songs happy blues? Or more likely funny songs (see above)which would make a difference to this thread? Apart from this: great for you to have talked to him!
To Mark H.: Thanks for your hint! But-again-what I meant are mostly single blues musicians sometimes active in a rare category called happy blues. Like Sonny Terry when he sang:"...I felt so welcome, I felt so happy, it was the beginning, not the end..."

Most classical Blues are about the end of love. That's the main reason because we talk about "blues". That's right????? Or wrong?

Subject: RE: Happy Blues
From: Dan Schatz
Date: 20 Aug 07 - 06:48 PM

"I'm Satisfied" by John Hurt.

Dan Schatz

Subject: RE: Happy Blues
From: GUEST,Jim
Date: 20 Aug 07 - 07:41 PM

I don't know if They're Red Hot really qualifies as blues. I think of it more as a rag.
San Francisco Bay Blues is certainly not my idea of a blues.
While I wouldn't restrict the term "blues" to a twelve bar pattern, it must have some resemblance to a standard blues to be called "blues".

Subject: RE: Happy Blues
From: pdq
Date: 20 Aug 07 - 09:10 PM

So far, John Hurt, Jesse Fuller and the duo of Sonny Terry and Brownie have been mentioned. These people all play a high percent 8-bar blues, sometimes one after another after another. The 8-bar format is just as valid a blues as the 12-bar version, although the latter is certainly the "classic" blues.

Many true blues are also 16-bar songs, a form more likely done by country performers and White musicians. Doc Watson, especially in the latter years of his son Merle, often played half or more of his show using various blues songs, including some written by Jimmie Rodgers. Many 16-bar blues sound like normal folk or pop songs.

If you really want to get a lesson in music, count-out the measures of some of Lonnie Johnson's work from his acoustic "one man, one guitar" era. He uses 8, 12, 16, 24, even 32-bar blues units strung together like building blocks to give a through-composed quality to something that may sound, to an un-trained ear, to be nothing but a primative blues. Lonnie was a genius, so "don't try this at home" if you stlll have Mel Bay vol.1 in front of you.

Subject: RE: Happy Blues
From: GUEST,Jim
Date: 21 Aug 07 - 12:29 PM

I'd agree that Key To The Highway, Trouble In Mind and I ain't Got No Honey Baby Now are all blues, even though they're 8-bars, but they SOUND like blues, while the ones I mentioned above don't. The same exact accompaniment for They're Red Hot can be used for Arlo's Alice's Restaurant, John Hartford's Boogie, Pink Anderson's Bring It On Down, and the western swing tune You Can't Tame Wild Women. With a few chord changes in the bridge, it works for Jada too. None of these sound very bluesey to me.

Subject: RE: Happy Blues
From: GUEST,Jim
Date: 21 Aug 07 - 12:41 PM

Back to the topic of this discussion; I'm not sure, but I think I heard Michael Cooney sing this:

I prayed to the Lord to send me an angel down
I prayed to the Lord to send me an angel down
He must've been outa angels 'cause he sent me old Thelma Brown.

What is it makes me love that Thelma Brown?
What is it makes me love that Thelma Brown?
Must be the same old thing makes a bulldog hug a hound.

The first verse might not sound too happy, but the second one one puts me in a good mood.

In a similar vein, Lonnie Johnson sang:

What makes my Grandma love my Grandpa so?
What makes my Grandma love my Grandpa so?
He's got the same jelly-roll he had fifty years ago.

Now that's pretty happy.

Blues sure aren't all sad. A lot of blues seem to be bragging about sexual bravado:

I ain't never had no two women at one time
No, I ain't never had no two women at one time
To satisfy me takes six, seven eight or nine.

Subject: Lyr Add: HAPPY BLUES FOR JOHN GLENN (Hopkins)
From: Leadbelly
Date: 21 Aug 07 - 02:36 PM

Thus far, thanks to all!
For deeper information about the blues I would like to recommend thread " What is Blues?" from year 2000. It's very interesting.

Because of Art Thieme's mention here are the lyrics:
(Source: gettherhyth.com)


Happy Blues For John Glenn
Lightnin' Hopkins

People I was sittin' this mornin' with this on my mind
Said there ain't no livin' man who gone around the world three time
But John Glenn did
Yes he did
He did it, I'm talkin' about him
Only did it for fun
Half a million dollars made him feel so well
He got to eatin' his lunch and couldn't hardly tell
He said I feel all right
John Glenn said it
Everybody was laughin'
And dipped in the gritty
It was a million prayer went up
Prayin' that he would land
I looked at a schoolhouse full of men and they didn't know what to say
But they said "Let him come back, God
Please let him land
You know that's the onliest man ever did it
And you're the helpin' hand"
I see'd him when he left but I didn't see him when he land
But I knowed he was doin' all right when they said it is OK to give him a great big hand
He'll be in on the ship
They say he's on deck
His mother say I know my son gonna make it, it ain't never been no mistake
You know I wanna tell you somethin', this ain't lyin'
You know that man must had on his mind flyin'
It ain't nobody will take that for his tryin',
unless they gonna build him his own self airplane and they gonna go flyin'
They told him "Don't worry, this is true
You may miss me for a few minutes but I'll be back to see about you" - He did!
Yes he did
Yes when he done it, didn't know what had happened the helicopter say -
You know they tested that boy's body, even test his heart
They knowed he was all right when he was gettin' to start
I mean he's made it!
He went around the world three times
You know he went and got him an airplane.

Correction: Blues of Happiness was sung by Brownie.

Subject: RE: Happy Blues
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 21 Aug 07 - 03:26 PM

I just pulled out an Ella Fitzgerald CD at random (see A Blind Pick thread)and was surprised with one of the tracks. Most of the cuts on the CD are with a big band backing, but this one starts out with a blues guitar introduction. The song was recorded with a small combo and very much in the rhythm and structure of the blues. The title: I'm A Lucky So And So. The whole song is about seeing how miserable others are, and feeling lucky to have a home to go home to, with someone there to greet you.

Kinda dissorienting, in a way..

Jerry

Subject: RE: Happy Blues
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 21 Aug 07 - 09:53 PM

I just got off the phone talkin' to Jerry, and that always makes me feel happy whether I'm up or down.

About Lightnin' Hopkins: He has always been my favorite blues poet. His lyrics told real stories coming from a deep well of intellectual sensitivity in this man. The songs were topical in nature like the best ballads and they didn't shy away from highlighting human emotions and interactions. This rather incoherent song, HAPPY BLUES FOR JOHN GLENN, was probably done off the top of his head in a rural Texas studio somewhere. He wasn't singing only about the L-word--Love, with double and triple entendres. Listen to his blues called MAMA AND PAPA HOPKINS. In it he comes home to find his parents really pissed off at each other and not communicating very well at all. Lightnin' becomes the mediator and points out that they've been together a long time and ought to make an effort to learn a better way and not toss it all away because of a few ego-driven angry words.

It ends with everyone seeing, pretty much, that it'd be better to chill out and not come to blows. At the end, they're all rather happy for having used their heads for once.

One album of his I've always loved was called AUTOBIOGRAPHY IN BLUES.   Give it a listen...

Art

Subject: RE: Happy Blues
From: Mark H.
Date: 22 Aug 07 - 06:43 AM

Jazz Gillum: "Sarah Jane".

Subject: RE: Happy Blues
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 22 Aug 07 - 06:54 AM

Art is da man.No art-ifice in him.

I'd like to add Bay Rum Blues "Give me a dime so I can buy some more." A lot of the white country blues has a humorous edge to it.
Narry an "Ooooh-wheee my baby done left me."

I'll second Lightnion' Hopkins... probably my favoritye as well. I had a chance to hear him and sit at the bar next to him on a memorable night at the Village Gate where he was one-third of a triple bill which alsol included The Modern Jazz Quartet and Sabicas, the highly respected Falmenco player. As unlikely a combination as one night at the Fat Black Pussy Cat in the Village where I did a set, along with Tiny Tim and Richie Havens.

Jerry

Subject: RE: Happy Blues
From: deadfrett
Date: 22 Aug 07 - 08:48 AM

Leadbelly-I always likend Henry Townsend's Fishin'Blues as "Happy Blues". He played Quills or Panpipes and guitar together. How can you not be happy with a sound like that! Then of course there was songs by Barbeque Bob,Jesse "Lonecat" Fuller and Blind Willie McTell. All of them played 12 string Guitar. Ever try slide guitar on a 12 string? What a gas!!    Cheers-Dave

Subject: Lyr Add: FISHIN' BLUES -and- HAPPY BLUES
From: Leadbelly
Date: 22 Aug 07 - 02:20 PM

Deadfrett, found this version of Fishing Blues as sung by Tij Mahal. Is this the version of Henry Townsend, too? Funny, indeed, and with some feelings of happiness. (Source: traditionalmusic.co.uk)

Fishin' Blues

Bet you goin' fishin' all of the time.
Baby goin' fishin' too.
Bet your life that your sweet wife
Gonna catch more fish than you.

CHO: Many fish bite if you got good bait.
    Here's a little tip that I'd like to relate:
    Many fish bite if you got good bait.
    I'm a-goin' fishin', yes I'm goin' fishin',
    And my baby's goin' fishin' too.

I went on down to my favorite fishin' hole,
Baby grab me a pole and line.
Throw my pole on in caught a nine pound catfish,
Now I brought him home for suppertime, provin'

Baby brother 'bout to run me out of my mind,
Sayin', "Can't I go fishin' with you?"
I took him on down to the fishin' hole,
Now what do you think that he did do?

(Chorus 2:) Pulled a great big fish out the bottom of the pond,
Now he laughed and jumped 'cause he was real gone.
Many fish bite if you got good bait.
I'm a-goin' fishin', yes I'm goin' fishin',
And my baby's goin' fishin' too.

Put him in the pot baby put him in the pan,
Honey cook him till he's nice and brown.
Make a batch of buttermilk coldcakes mama,
Then chew those things and chomp 'em on down, singing,
(Repeat first verse.)

As sung by Taj Mahal

As to slide technique: yes, I tried, but my 12-string Guild said to me, please put your bottle neck away and use normal techniques. So I stopped trying although...it wasn't bad at all.

Jerry, thanks for your nice lttle story! And here comes another song by Ella, called Happy Blues. It's rather long. (Source: lyricstime.com)

Happy Blues

We want to leave you happy
Don't want to leave you sad
We want to leave you happy
Don't want to leave you sad
Want to sing some blues
But don't want to sing them bad

Roy wailed for you
He wailed the blues tonight
Roy wailed for you
He wailed the blues tonight
He wailed, he wailed, he wailed 'em just right

He talked about a mean woman
Oh what a woman was she
Talked about a mean woman
What a woman was she
I've got my chance to talk about a man
I'll talk about he

He was good to me
He was good
He was good to me
Whoa, so good
I don't know much about the blues
But I know somewhere

There's a little bit of soul in Ella
There's a little bit of soul in me
There's a little bit of soul in Ella
There's a little bit of soul in me
Oh somewhere down the line
I've had misery

Every woman gets misery
Every woman is crying
Every woman has misery
Every woman is crying
Crying 'bout a man
And the way he did her wrong

I had one too
I had one too
I had one too
I had one too
He did me wrong, but what did I do
I picked up and took patoot

Yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah
I want to go out swinging
Swinging the blues tonight

Don't want to talk about Mack The Knife
Don't want to talk about the snuffing
Just want to have fun talking about
Things that make you happy
Snappy happy happy snappy, that's me

Joe Williams sang the blues tune
He talked about his woman
Joe Williams sang the blues tune
He talked about his woman
Everybody, everybody pays those dues

Have you paid your dues
Have you paid your dues
Have you paid your dues
Have you paid your dues
Everybody, somewhere along the line is paying some dues

Dues, one and two
Dues, doesn't matter nothing
Dues, three and four
Dues, maybe more, that's all right
You're still paying dues

So let's stay happy, happy, happy
Let's stay happy
Go swinging out, swinging out, swinging out
Singing the blues

Bye-bye
Bye-bye
It's been a wonderful night tonight
Yes, it's been nice
One more chorus, just for you

I thank you daddy, for coming out
I thank you people, for coming out
Cause somewhere along the line, everyone will want to shout

I want to shout
Shout about my troubles
I want to shout
Shout about my troubles
Like you I've paid the dues
And I've got double trouble

Come on, let's stay happy
Come on, clap, let's stay happy
Let's sing the happy blues
No more sad dues


I am happy you are happy too
I am happy you are happy too
So let's go out with the blues that's swinging

Like Count Basie, swing on
Like Count Basie, swing on
Like Count Basie, swing on
Like Count Basie, swing on
Swing on, swing out tonight

Hey now
Hey now
Hey now
Right on now, with that soul

C'mon everybody
C'mon and say right on
I said right on
I said right on
Right on
Right on
Right on
Right on
Right on

Get with it, yeah
Get with it, yeah
Get with it, yeah
Get with it, yeah
Get with it
Get with it
Get with it, c'mon

Let's make you happy
Happy
I've sung these blues, and I'm through
Cause I don't know what I'm singing about
I don't know what I'm singing about
With this happy music
This happy music

So I'd better leave while I'm happy
And say good night to you
Goodnight
Goodnight
Goodnight
Goodnight
Goodnight

Subject: RE: Happy Blues
From: MissouriMud
Date: 22 Aug 07 - 03:01 PM

Fishin Blues is indeed happy, unless you consider the lot of one who has nothing better to do than fish only to be outdone by his baby brother, as blues worthy.   It may be a bit more raggish than bluesy, but it is a great song.   Taj's version is very similar to Henry Thomas' original other than the latter's use (at least in the recording I heard) of a fast high chord accompaniment with a break on the quills, a sound reproduced by Canned Heat in Going Up the Country (which appears to have been a reworking of another Thomas tune)

Subject: Lyr Add: MAMA AND PAPA HOPKINS
From: Leadbelly
Date: 22 Aug 07 - 03:13 PM

To Art: To me, Mama and Papa Hopkins (see below)seems to be a more funny blues than a happy one although to the end Lightnin' became some kind of happy: ...and it made me feel so good, man, I went truckin' on down the line
You know I wa't'nt gonna leave 'til I get them old folks together,
whoa yeah, and get bad things of they (their??) mind..

In so far, you are right, Art.

Mama and Papa Hopkins

I wonder why my mama don't love my papa no more?
I guess my daddy been doing somethin' wrong
I wonder why my mama don't love my papa no more?
Yeah, my daddy must been doing somethin' wrong
You know, I asked my mama, I said "Mama, what's the trouble?"
She looked at me and said, "Boy, you'd better go head on"

I looked at my mama, she looked at me unconcerned,
I told my mama, "Don't forget mama, you never gets too old to learn"
That time I was talkin' my daddy, walked in the door,
Said, "Let that boy alone, 'cause he's tellin' you something right, don't ya know?"
Mmmmm, you never gets too old to learn
Still, I say my papa must-a done somethin' wrong,
oh yeah, to 'cause my mama's heart to ruin

Well, you take two old people that's been together a long time,
they don't want children's or nobody else messin' round their bidness
See, that's what I'm talkin bout!
But, the reason why I was talkin', 'cause my mama,
I didn't want her to feel too bad over what papa do
And I don't want papa to feel too bad over what mama do
And I had-a tell 'em

You two people is livin', you been together for a great, long time
You two people's been livin', yeah you been together for a great, long time
Yeah, you know you had four boys and one girl to raise,
now, ya better get bad things off your mind
Y'all just get together and try to get along,
'cause, you ain't got many more days here

You know, then papa told mama, "come, sit down on my knee"
Said, "Little things I've did, will you please, forgive me?"
And it made me feel so good, man, I went truckin' on down the line
You know I wa't'nt gonna leave 'til I get them old folks together,
whoa yeah, and get bad things of they mind
Sho'h 'nough

(Source: blueslyrics.tripod.com)

Subject: RE: Happy Blues
From: deadfrett
Date: 23 Aug 07 - 09:39 AM

Leadbelly- There's a recording of H.Thomas on Harry Smith's Anthology of American Folk Music which is available from the Folkways/Smithsonian Series. Origin of Jazz Library used to have"Henry Thomas Sings Texas Blues"(OJL 3).I've always liked the way Taj makes a song his own.
   
    Fishing Blues

Went up on the hill 'bout 12 o'clock
Reached right back an got me a pole
Went to the hardware, got me a hook
Put that line right on that hook

Chorus
Say you been a fishin' all the time
I'm a-going fishin' too
I'll bet your life, your lovin' wife
I'll catch more fish that you
Any fish bite got yo' bait
Here's a little somethin' I'd like to relate
Any fish bites you got a fish
I'm a goin' fishin'
Yes I'm goin' fishin'
I'm a goin' fishin' too

Looked down the river 'bour one o'clock
I got so hungry didn't know what to do
I'm gonna get me a catfish too (Chorus)

Put on the skillet
Put on the lid
Mamas gonna cook a little shortnin' bread (Chorus)

I believe this was in the key of G

Missouri Mud-In 1929 when this was recorded ,it wasn't the case of nothing better to do, it was subsistence. Or as we in the Ozarks say, "Gettin' by".   Cheers - Dave

Subject: RE: Happy Blues
From: Duke
Date: 23 Aug 07 - 10:48 AM

To Leadbelly: That's what he told me. I lived at a club that he played at for a week and learned a few tricks from him. He was a very strange man! That's the nice thing about living in a folk club, or over it actually, you get to meet all kinds of performers. I met quite a few during the sixties.