Risque Blues

[dug]

I recently discovered several reissues of blues recordings from the vaults of King Records. There are 5 volumes in this series entitled "RISQUE BLUES". The artists include: Hank Ballard & the Midnighters, Billy Ward & the Dominoes, Roy Brown, Bull Moose Jackson, Wynonie Harris, and many others. They were recorded in the late 1940's and early 1950's.

The lyrics are loaded with double entendres and the instrumental backings are great. Thoroughly enjoyable.

[Big Beat Steve]

Enjoyable indeed, but recycled in various reissue guises a zillion times.

Or to put it another way: High-class R&B for sure but anything but uncharted (or overlooked) territory.

So do enjoy it but don't be surprised or put off later on when you try to investigate these artists deeper and find out you end up with DUPLICATING EVERYTHING from that series on other, more comprehensive reissue series.

[Christiern]

I bet the years, changed attitudes and more accessible minds have eaten away at the risque factor!

[Big Beat Steve]

I bet the years, changed attitudes and more accessible minds have eaten away at the risque factor!

In the late 60s and 70s I would have agreed with you all the way but I am not so sure anymore in today's overly P.C. world (P.C. that outside rap doesn't stop at the gates of the music industry either) anymore.

I wonder if you really could get unrestricted airplay for "Keep On Churnin' Till The Butter Comes" or "I Want A Bowlegged Woman" or "Big Fat Mamas Are Back in Style Again" (remember how in a recent pop hit the exceedingly obese female type was oh so tactfully referred to as "BIG girls"? :D) etc. etc. on regular radio formats outside specialist/niche oldies programs or if this would be rejected outright as being "in bad taste". Not to mention the lyrics to "Cocaine Blues" by Billy Hughes (also on King, though it would rather fall into the hillbilly/Western Swing category and therefore not be on this particular King reissue series): "caught my woman triflin' and shot her down ... I heard a man call my baby's name, I opened up the door and I blew out his flame... etc. etc."

Nuff said/quoted?

Edited June 27, 2010 by Big Beat Steve

[Tom 1960]

This has always been a favorite of mine released on Rhino Records. A few favorites: Big Long Slidin' Thing by Dinah Washington, The Walkin' Blues(Walk Right In, Walk Right Out) by The Jesse Powell Orchestra with Fluffy Hunter and Sixty Minute Man by The Dominoes.

[Christiern]

I bet the years, changed attitudes and more accessible minds have eaten away at the risque factor!

In the late 60s and 70s I would have agreed with you all the way but I am not so sure anymore in today's overly P.C. world (P.C. that outside rap doesn't stop at the gates of the music industry either) anymore.

I wonder if you really could get unrestricted airplay for "Keep On Churnin' Till The Butter Comes" or "I Want A Bowlegged Woman" or "Big Fat Mamas Are Back in Style Again" (remember how in a recent pop hit the exceedingly obese female type was oh so tactfully referred to as "BIG girls"? :D) etc. etc. on regular radio formats outside specialist/niche oldies programs or if this would be rejected outright as being "in bad taste". Not to mention the lyrics to "Cocaine Blues" by Billy Hughes (also on King, though it would rather fall into the hillbilly/Western Swing category and therefore not be on this particular King reissue series): "caught my woman triflin' and shot her down ... I heard a man call my baby's name, I opened up the door and I blew out his flame... etc. etc."

Nuff said/quoted?

Heard much US radio lately?

[Noj]

I have a compilation called Eat To The Beat which features many of the tracks mentioned here. Love it!

It's funny, there's tons of blues/r&b/pop/whatever songs that are obviously about sex. Throw a dirty word in the mix, and be obvious about the subject, suddenly it's a nasty song!

Here's a song which involves inviting a girl over for sex, chatter about knowing how to put it down in bed, and getting her to cheat on her man...but it's slightly less obvious, so I guess that means it's not dirty. Or was this considered a dirty song back then?

[Pete C]

I remember having a ball with the Copulatin' Blues albums on Stash.

http://www.csufresno.edu/folklore/drinkingsongs/mp3s/1930s/1930s--1968ca-copulating-blues-vol-1--stash-records-%28LP%29/index.htm

http://www.csufresno.edu/folklore/drinkingsongs/mp3s/1930s/1930s--1969ca-copulating-blues-vol-2--stash-records-%28LP%29/index.htm

This is one I wasn't aware of, and the page also lists similar items:

http://www.amazon.com/Flashbacks-Vol-Copulation-Blues-1926-1940/dp/B0000517E6

[JSngry]

The original King LP (and the bast bang, pardon the pun, for your buck of all the similarly-themed albums, imo)

1. Big 10 Inch Record - Bullmoose Jackson

2. It Ain't The Meat - The Swallows

3. Annie Had A Baby - The Midnighters

4. Wasn't That Good? - Wynonie Harris

5. Don't Stop Dan - The Checkers

6. Lovin' Machine - Wynonie Harris

7. Silent George - Lucky Millinder

8. 60 Minute Man - The Dominoes

9. Somethin's Gone Wrong With My Lovin' Machine - Robert Henry

10. The Walkin' Blues - Jesse Powell and Fluffy Hunter

11. Keep On Churnin' - Wynonie Harris

12. I Want A Bowlegged Woman - Bullmoose Jackson

13. Rocket 69 - Todd Rhodes

14. Mountain Oysters - Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis

[AllenLowe]

Big 10 inch Record - the story of my life.