Customer Reviews

Greatest Hits

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Elsewhere in this space I have mentioned that in the early days of the blues, at least the recorded blues, women vocalists dominated the market. One thinks of Mabel Smith and Ma Rainey in that regard. But the queen of the hill, and the one still best remembered, for roaring out those barrel house blues is Bessie Smith. This little two-disc compilation gives a very nice beginner cross section of the kind of subjects that she sang about-mainly broken-hearted love, no good men and the trials and tribulations of being a black women on her own.

Bessie music also represents the place, as with Blind Willie McTell on the male side, where the blues go from the Saturday night juke joints of the farm, make that cotton, country to the more sophisticated Southern city locales. Furthermore, she along with Memphis Minnie were the queens of the now lost art of sexual double entendre- you know, 'put a little sugar in my bowl', 'take me for a buggy ride' and other classic lines of that type.

Be aware in listening to this compilation that the quality of the early recordings can be a liitle grating on the ear but bear with it because this thing just grows on you. It is rather an acquired taste but one you have the Bessie in your head you will not want to turn the damn thing off. Top selections here are a moanful , weary Empty Bed Blues, St Louis Gal, Preachin Man Blues that later singers have covered. All these recordings all the essentials to bring you up to speed on Bessie. No way, but go back the first sentence- you will be saving your pennies to get the next album to get others.

My only previous exposure to Bessie Smith was seeing the soundie of her singing "St. Louis Blues." I saw this about half a dozen times, on TV, starting in the mid-sixties. I wasn't prepared for this woman's genius. What a voice. My #1 favorite "girl" singer is Billie Holliday, and it is obvious, from these tracks, that "Lady Day" was influenced, a great deal, by Bessie Smith. With that said, I don't think anyone could guess my #2 favorite girl singer. It's Linda Ronstadt.