We all know the blues, a musical genre that includes a 12-bar verse and chorus. While this is true, in the early 20th century, this style of music had a broader definition. Not all blues songs and pieces were required to have a 12-bar verse and chorus, before the 1920s, it was more of a variation of ragtime. Thankfully, the genre first emerged in the acoustic recording era. Through recording we can very well hear the evolution of this genre.
Before 1900, it is very difficult to determine songs that could fit the antiquated definition, but there certainly were some songs to consider. A good one is the 1898 song “All I Wants is My Chickens” by black songwriter Jack Wilson. Thankfully this song was recorded several times in the era, memorably by Len Spencer and Arthur Collins. The sentiment and themes in the song are similar to other blues songs that would come years later. Many of what people called “blues” songs in those days didn’t include a 12-bar verse or chorus. It was more common to include the blue mood in the lyrics of the song, and to have a few “blue” notes in the accompaniment. People at the time would have assumed that it was a song about struggles, therefore a blues.
Arguably one of the most famous early blue songs was “Coon, Coon, Coon” by Leo Friedman and Gene Jefferson, white men. Usually blues songs in the early days originated with black writers, such as Irving Jones and Ernest Hogan, but this piece was an unusual exception. Many songs of this type by black writers at the time were written as protest songs in a way, to illustrate the horrific struggle of black folk in white society at the time. Hearing any version of Friedman’s song on record at the time, it is a very sad song. The song, despite its now problematic title, is still heart-wrenching. Thankfully for us, it was a huge hit at the time, so you can take your pick on whose version of it you want to hear. There are also several instrumental takes of it. Unfortunately there aren’t any major commercial recordings of the song by black performers, but the impact still remains.
Things get really interesting in 1901 with several 12-bar blues songs. The first 12-bar blues song to be published was “You Needn’t Come Home” by Hughie Cannon. Cannon continued to write many songs with 12-bar verses, but this was his first one. It is an obscure song today, but it was just popular enough at the time to be recorded for one label at the least. Unsurprisingly, Arthur Collins was the one who recorded it, and he did it for Zon-O-Phone. At the time Zon-O-phone was a relatively small label, and often recorded more obscure songs than other labels. You can often find the only period recordings of some pieces on Zon-O-Phone. It is honestly quite remarkable to hear such an overt blues song so early on record, and an obscure one at that. The accompaniment on it also adds to the amount of blue notes in the original sheet music.
Just a few months later came, “Ain’t Dat a Shame,” credited to composer Walter Wilson and lyricist John Queen. Not only was it one of the biggest hits of 1901, but it also happened to be a 12-bar blues song. Pretty much every performer who made records at the time recorded it. Because of this, there are so many variations on the accompaniment to be heard. Not only was it popular on recordings, it was also popular in sheet music. The sheet music for the piece continues to show up regularly, over 120 years later. Not only did singers record the piece, but bands and orchestras as well, including Hager’s orchestra.
In 1902, Hughie Cannon wrote his most famous blues song, “Bill Bailey, Won’t You Please Come Home?” “Bill Bailey” is Cannon’s “answer song” to “Ain’t Dat a Shame,” with the same 12-bar blues structure in the verse, continuing the story of Bailey, and name-checking the earlier title in the chorus. This, of course, is a song that jazz, ragtime, and folk musicians all know very well, and thankfully for us, it was recorded extensively in the era. As such, it was arguably the most famous blues song of its time.
In 1904, came two more significant blues songs, one by Hughie Cannon “He Done Me Wrong.” This is another song that most people know, though they might not know it by the above title. It is the same tune as “Frankie and Johnny,” and recounts the death Bill Bailey. This was also recorded several times in the era. There’s nothing quite like hearing a very famous blues song like this on recordings that are over 120 years old. The accompaniment on all of these is impressive.
In the same year came a seemingly very different song, that happened to be a blues, without the 12-bar format. Harry Von Tilzer wrote literally hundreds of songs. One of his more obscure songs, with lyrics by Frank Abbot, was “Wouldn’t it Make You Hungry?” Upon reading the title, you’d think it was a regular old comic song of the era, but it’s certainly a bit more interesting than just that. It isn’t a typical 12-bar blues, but the context of the lyrics certainly are blue. It tells a story of a starving black gentleman walking by nice restaurants, seeing giant meals, and feeling intense envy. The sentiment doesn’t hit as much as songs previously mentioned, but it can still inspire melancholy, which is the point of the blues genre.
The amount of actual blues songs like those mentioned here diminished slightly for the next few years, but by the early 1910s, this is when things really ramp up. Many people still consider the 1910s the ragtime era, but really it should be considered the blues era, as that is the genre that took over the sheet music and record market. What really shifted the market was W.C. Handy’s “Memphis Blues” in 1912. That piece was recorded extensively throughout the decade, and led to a “craze” with dozens of blues pieces that came after.
In 1915, Artie Matthews wrote the “Weary Blues,” first piece to be published with the standard boogie-woogie bass line. You can tell that a musical genre has achieved popularity when there are pieces with titles referring to the genre but which have nothing to do with it musically. It happened with ragtime, and of course it happened with blues. Even white orchestras and bands, such as the studio group led by Charles Prince, were recording blues songs.
The blues is an endlessly fascinating topic; there remains so much more to be said on it. I will likely do a follow-up article as more early blues songs continue to be discovered.
R. S. Baker has appeared at several Ragtime festivals as a pianist and lecturer. Her particular interest lies in the brown wax cylinder era of the recording industry, and in the study of the earliest studio pianists, such as Fred Hylands, Frank P. Banta, and Frederick W. Hager.
