Obit: Ruth Brown, Queen of R&B

Subject: Obit: Ruth Brown, Queen of R&B
From: Scoville
Date: 17 Nov 06 - 10:55 PM

Just saw this on the online news.

Subject: RE: Obit: Ruth Brown, Queen of R&B
From: Peace
Date: 17 Nov 06 - 11:00 PM

Somethin' else was that gal.

Subject: RE: Obit: Ruth Brown, Queen of R&B
From: Ron Davies
Date: 17 Nov 06 - 11:02 PM

What a saga! Her early hits are true classics--but it's also great she spoke out about the exploitative contracts----and that Atlantic finally paid royalties.

And that bit about "unrecouped debts"--sounds like "I owe my soul to the company store".

Subject: RE: Obit: Ruth Brown, Queen of R&B
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Nov 06 - 11:13 PM

One of my all time favorite songs was "Black Coffee." She was awesome...

Subject: RE: Obit: Ruth Brown, Queen of R&B
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Nov 06 - 11:15 PM

Bye bye soulfull woman...



BLACK COFFEE
Words & Music by Sonny Burke & Paul Francis Webster, 1948.

I'm feelin' mighty lonesome, haven't slept a wink.
I walk the floor from nine to four. In between, I drink
Black coffee. Love's a hand-me-down brew.
I'll never know a Sunday in this weekday room.

I'm talkin' to the shadow, one o'clock till four,
And Lord, how slow the moments go when all I do is pour
Black coffee since the blues caught my eye.
I'm hangin' out on Monday, my Sunday dreams to dry.

BRIDGE: Now, man is born to come a-lovin',
And a woman's born to weep and fret,
To stay at home and tend her oven,
And down her past regrets in coffee and cigarettes.

I'm moonin' all the mornin', moanin' all the night,
And in between, it's nicotine, and not much heart to fight.
Black coffee -- feelin' low as the ground.
It's drivin' me crazy, this waitin' for my baby
'Til he come around, 'til he come around.

Subject: RE: Obit: Ruth Brown, Queen of R&B
From: Azizi
Date: 18 Nov 06 - 12:10 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NkVdXIPT8I&mode=related&search=

Ruth Brown - Mama He Treats Your Daughter Mean

Added September 26, 2006;From mrcalavera

Subject: RE: Obit: Ruth Brown, Queen of R&B
From: Azizi
Date: 18 Nov 06 - 12:21 AM

Sorry ,Peace about posting to the same song.

Great minds and all that...

****

See http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/11/17/23329/361 for a diary and comments ["Ruth Brown, champion of artists' rights, dies at 78" by Gutterboy
Fri Nov 17, 2006 at 08:03:29 PM PST]

****

My condolences to her family. She was a great lady.

Subject: RE: Obit: Ruth Brown, Queen of R&B
From: Peace
Date: 18 Nov 06 - 12:23 AM

No problem. The song is worth hearing more than once, that's for sure. That gal could sing!

Subject: RE: Obit: Ruth Brown, Queen of R&B
From: Elmer Fudd
Date: 18 Nov 06 - 12:27 AM

Awwww. Heaven done called another blues singer back home. RIP to a great lady.

Elmer

Subject: RE: Obit: Ruth Brown, Queen of R&B
From: fat B****rd
Date: 18 Nov 06 - 05:24 AM

RIP Miss Brown. Great film clip BTW Gentlemen.

Subject: RE: Obit: Ruth Brown, Queen of R&B
From: Azizi
Date: 18 Nov 06 - 07:23 AM

Should I bother to note that I'm not a gentle man but a
gentle woman?

Naw. It's the spirit that counts...

Besides some people might not consider me to be very gentle.

;o)

Subject: RE: Obit: Ruth Brown, Queen of R&B
From: Azizi
Date: 18 Nov 06 - 07:45 AM

Some people may think that wasn't appropriate for me to have made a joke on an Obit thread. But I believe that Ruth Brown may be smiling, since she shares the same tradition as me of folks celebrating a person passing on by gathering, reminiscing about the good times they shared-sharing those stories & songs with others.

Though I never had the pleasure of meeting Ruth Brown except through print and this video, perhaps the woman in this next video did meet her. Hopefully, Ruth Brown [and her family] will accept this next song as a tribute to her memory and the work she did on behalf of other recording artists:

Lavern Baker - Substitute

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bi2hOU46MRo

Added November 12, 2006; From DooWopMan {who adds extensive info regarding Lavern Baker]

Also notice the floating verse from a spiritual in the lyrics "One of these days/it won't be long/look for me and I'll be gone".

Subject: RE: Obit: Ruth Brown, Queen of R&B
From: maire-aine
Date: 18 Nov 06 - 07:06 PM

Thank you, Ms. Brown, for all the great music you left us.

M.