THE SONG BEFORE THE SONG
Original and Early versions of classic songs that shaped
Popular
music 1920’s to 1950’s
RELEASE DATE - 5th March 2007
Behind most famous songs that we all know and love, are the
original/early versions that we have never heard – until
now.
Highlighting a fascinating period in the development of Popular
music, these songs inspired and influenced artists, covering
them almost exactly or taking elements & molding it into
their own version.
For example Elvis heard Big Mama Thornton’s version of ‘Hound Dog’ and
copied it almost exactly but in his own distinctive style. Bob Dylan heard ‘Highway
61’ by Jack Kelly’s Memphis Jug Band and this inspired him to write
his own ‘Highway 61 Revisited’.
Whether the original or early version is better than its more
famous off spring is debatable but it raises the question- if
the song was good in the first place, why wasn’t it the
original or early version that became famous? The answer to this
is quite simply that the social and political climate at the
time was totally wrong for these songs to be heard by a mass
audience. There was no worldwide music industry, marketing etc
as we know it today -also many of the artists were black. Thankfully
the legacy of these great songs still lives on today, in what
we all know as Popular music- without them it would be totally
different.
TRACK LISTING:
1) Big Mama Thornton – Hound Dog 1952
2) Hal Singer -Rock Around The Clock 1950
3) Henry Thomas – Bull Doze Blues 1928
4) Josh White- House of the Rising Sun 1944
5) Nat King Cole – Route 66 1946
6) Leadbelly - Gallis Pole 1939
7) One Night – Smiley Lewis 1955
8) The Bently Boys- Down on Penny’s Farm 1929
9) Slim Gaillard - Tutti Frutti 1945
10) Sidney Bechet – Summertime 1939
11) Lucille Bogan – T and No Blues 1933
12) Big Joe Williams - Baby Please Don’t Go 1935
13) Arthur Crudup – My Baby Left Me 1950
14) Blind Blake – Diddle Wa Diddie 1929
15) Emmett Miller – Lovesick Blues 1928
16) Hank Snow – A Fool Such As I 1952
17) Lonnie Coleman – Old Rock Island Blues 1929
18) Bill Monroe – Blue Moon of Kentucky 1946
19) Jack Kelly’s South Memphis Jug Band – Highway 61 1933
20) Emry Arthur - I’m a Man of Constant Sorrow 1928
PRESS NOTES
Andy Gill's pick of the week Independent March 2007
'For someone who likes and has a knowledge of all kinds
of vintage popular music, then I'm sure there'll be something
here that will appeal'
Now Dig This March 2007
'It's a head-spinning + truly breathtaking collection'
Tim Peacock Whisperin'and Hollerin' April 2007
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