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12-bar 'Blues' 1908-1914

26 Mar 17 - 05:40 AM (#3846715)
Subject: 12-bar 'Blues' 1908-1914
From: GUEST,Joseph Scott

These may be the only tunes with "Blues" in the title as copyrighted or published during 1908-1914 that include the 12-bar blues progression:

"1913 Medley Blues" Valentine
"Baby Seals Blues" Seals
"Colorado Blues" Bowman
"Dallas Blues" Wand
"Florida Blues" Phillips
"I Got The Blues" Maggio
"Jogo Blues" Handy
"Kansas City Blues" Bowman
"Memphis Blues" Handy and Norton
"Negro Blues" White
"Original Blues" Barron
"St. Louis Blues" Handy

Only two of the above have AAB lyrics, "Negro Blues" and "St. Louis Blues." There are also AAB lyrics in the "Railroad Blues" that Will Thomas quoted in a 1912 article (without providing music).

I don't think I've ever seen or heard "I've Got The Weary Blues And Don't Know What To Do" by Johnnie Anderson and Jesse Smith, 1914.


26 Mar 17 - 06:17 AM (#3846722)
Subject: RE: 12-bar 'Blues' 1908-1914
From: GUEST,Joseph Scott

Oh, add to the list

"Blues" House and Patterson


02 Apr 17 - 01:31 AM (#3848101)
Subject: RE: 12-bar 'Blues' 1908-1914
From: Jim Dixon

I assume the one you call "Negro Blues" by White was actually this one:

Nigger Blues by Leroy "Lasses" White, 1913. (Click for sheet music at University of Alabama.)


07 Apr 17 - 04:07 AM (#3849212)
Subject: RE: 12-bar 'Blues' 1908-1914
From: GUEST,Joseph Scott

White called it "Negro Blues" when he copyrighted it in 1912.


07 Apr 17 - 04:17 AM (#3849215)
Subject: RE: 12-bar 'Blues' 1908-1914
From: GUEST,Joseph Scott

Add to the list

"New York Tango Blues" Spiller (if we accept that intro as the first four bars of a twelve-bar progression)
"Ft. Worth Blues" Bowman (there's a copyright from '14)