Empress of the Blues: 1923-1933

Bessie Smith | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 2, 2004)
• Original Release Date: 2004
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Jazz Legends
• ASIN: B0002ABSAY
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #557,834 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Down Hearted Blues

2. Tain't Nobody's Business If I Do

3. Graveyard Dream Blues

4. You've Been a Good Ole Wagon

5. Cake Walkin' Babies from Home

6. The Yellow Dog Blues

7. Careless Love Blues

8. I Ain't Goin to Play Second Fiddle

9. At the Christmas Ball

10. Backwater Blues

11. After You've Gone

12. There'll Be a Hot Time in the Old Time Tonight

13. Send Me to the 'Lectric Chair

14. Mean Old Bed Bug Blues

15. A Good Man Is Hard to Find

16. Empty Bed Blues, Pts. 1 & 2

17. I'm Wild About That Thing

18. Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out

19. On Revival Day

20. Need a Little Sugar in My Bowl

See all 21 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Nobody Does It Better, November 14, 2009

By 

Nick Manix "manixman" (Texas) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Empress of the Blues: 1923-1933 (Audio CD)

There are many blues singers out there and many extremely talented ones too. But above all else, the top of the tops, there is Bessie Smith. In her short career cut short by a tragic car accident, Bessie gave us some of the most soulful and heartfelt songs ever recorded. There are no low points on any Bessie Smith album I've heard and even though it appears that this one is out of print, it's still a great one to have.

Many other blues singers like Memphis Slim, Jimmy Yancey, Billie Holiday and Ma Rainey may be better known. But they only sang ABOUT the blues. When Bessie sang, she SANG the blues. You knew it was the blues and you felt it to your core. Any Bessie Smith Album is worth having. Open the windows on a breezy day, put on some Bessie and kick back.