Hardcore might be the best way to describe the Blues singing of Lucille Bogan (April 1, 1897 – August 10, 1948). While many of the Classic Blues singers of the 1920s tackled risqué and controversial issues in their songs, Bogan almost exclusively focused on explicit sexual themes, like prostitution, adultery and lesbianism, and social ills such as alcoholism, drug addiction and abusive relationships.
She was born in Mississippi but grew up in Birmingham, Alabama. In 1923 she made her first recordings in Atlanta, Georgia. The records apparently didn’t sell well because she didn’t record again until 1927 for the Paramount and Brunswick labels after moving to Chicago.
Between 1933 and 1935 she performed and recorded under the pseudonym Bessie Jackson and worked with pianist Walter Roland. Bogan’s recording career came to an end in 1935 and she eventually returned to Birmingham where she reverted to her real name and performed in and managed the group Bogan’s Birmingham Busters but did not appear on either of the group’s records.
In the late 1930s or early l940s, Bogan moved to the West Coast. She died in Los Angeles in 1948 of coronary sclerosis.
| Title | Recording Date | Recording Location | Company |
| Alley Boogie (Lucille Bogan) |
3-1930 | Chicago, Illinois | Brunswick 7210 Perfect 198-B |
| Baking Powder Blues | 7-18-1933 | Chicago, Illinois | Banner 33059 |
| Barbecue Bess | 3-6-1935 | Chicago, Illinois | Banner 33475 |
| B.D. Woman’s Blues | 3-7-1935 | Chicago, Illinois | ARC 5-12-58 |
| Black Angel Blues | 12-1930 | Chicago, Illinois | Brunswick 7186 |
| Bo-Easy Blues | 8-4-1934 | Chicago, Illinois | Banner |
| Boogan Ways Blues | 7-31-1934 | Chicago, Illinois | Banner 33245 |
| Chirpin’ The Blues | 7-1923 | Atlanta, Georgia | Okeh 8071-A |
| Coffee Grindin’ Blues (Lucille Bogan) |
5-9-1927 | Chicago, Illinois | Brunswick 7083 |
| Cravin’ Whiskey Blues | 6-1927 | Chicago, Illinois | Paramount 12577 |
| Changed Ways Blues | 8-2-1934 | Chicago, Illinois | ARC 6-02-64 |
| Crawlin’ Lizard Blues | 12-1930 | Chicago, Illinois | Brunswick 7193 |
| Doggone Wicked Blues | 7-1927 | Chicago, Illinois | Paramount 12514 |
| Dirty Treatin’ Blues | 3-1930 | Chicago, Illinois | Brunswick 7163 |
| Don’t Mean You No Good Blues (Lucille Bogan / Henry Callens) |
7-1923 | Atlanta, Georgia | Okeh 8074-B |
| Down In Boogie Alley | 8-1-1934 | Chicago, Illinois | Banner 33149 |
| Drinking Blues | 7-31-1934 | Chicago, Illinois | Banner 33245 |
| Forty-Two Hundred Blues | 7-18-1933 | Chicago, Illinois | Banner 33119 |
| Groceries On The Shelf | 7-19-1933 | Chicago, Illinois | Banner 32904 |
| Jim Tampa Blues Banjo Accompaniment Charlie Jackson (Lucille Bogan) |
6-1927 | Chicago, Illinois | Paramount 12504-A |
| Jump Steady Daddy | 3-7-1935 | Chicago, Illinois | ARC 5-12-58 |
| House Top Blues | 7-18-1933 | Chicago, Illinois | Banner 32845 |
| Kind Stella Blues Banjo Accompaniment Charlie Jackson |
6-1927 | Chicago, Illinois | Paramount 12504-B |
| I Hate That Train Called The M And O | 7-31-1934 | Chicago, Illinois | ARC 6-02-64 |
| Levee Blues (Williams / Alman / Roth) |
3-1927 | Chicago, Illinois | Paramount 12459 |
| Lonesome Daddy Blues (Lucille Bogan / Henry Callens) |
7-1923 | Atlanta, Georgia | Okeh 8074-A |
| Lonesome Midnight Blues | 7-30-1934 | Chicago, Illinois | ARC 6-04-63 |
| Man Stealer Blues | 3-7-1935 | Chicago, Illinois | Melotone 350913 B |
| Mean Twister | 7-20-1933 | Chicago, Illinois | Banner 33059 |
| My Baby Come Back | 7-18-1933 | Chicago, Illinois | Banner 32956 |
| My Georgia Grind (Spencer Williams) |
3-1930 | Chicago, Illinois | Brunswick 7145 |
| My Man Is Boogan Me | 7-31-1934 | Chicago, Illinois | Perfect 0317 Banner 33375 |
| New Muscle Shoals Blues | 7-20-1933 | Chicago, Illinois | Banner 33072 |
| New Way Blues | 10-8-1928 | Chicago, Illinois | Brunswick 7051 |
| Nice And Kind Blues | 6-1927 | Chicago, Illinois | Paramount 12577 |
| Oklahoma Man Blues (Lucille Bogan / Williams) |
7-1927 | Chicago, Illinois | Paramount 12514 |
| The Pawn Shop Blues | 7-1923 | Atlanta, Georgia | Okeh 8079 |
| Pay Roll Blues | 10-8-1928 | Chicago, Illinois | Brunswick 7051 |
| Pig Iron Sally | 7-31-1934 | Chicago, Illinois | Perfect 0317 Banner 33375 |
| Pot Hound Blues (Lucille Bogan) |
5-9-1927 | Chicago, Illinois | Brunswick 7083 |
| Reckless Woman | 8-1-1934 | Chicago, Illinois | Banner 33313 |
| Red Cross Man | 7-17-1933 | Chicago, Illinois | Banner |
| Roll And Rattler | 7-19-1933 | Chicago, Illinois | Banner 32904 |
| Seaboard Blues | 7-19-1933 | Chicago, Illinois | Banner 32833 |
| Shave ‘Em Dry | 3-5-1935 | Chicago, Illinois | Banner |
| Sloppy Drunk Blues (James) |
3-1930 | Chicago, Illinois | Brunswick 7210 Perfect 198-A |
| Skin Game Blues | 3-8-1935 | Chicago, Illinois | Banner 33448 |
| Struttin’ My Stuff | 12-1930 | Chicago, Illinois | Brunswick 7193 |
| Superstitious Blues (Hooch House Blues |
7-20-1933 | Chicago, Illinois | Banner 32956 |
| Stew Meat Blues | 3-8-1935 | Chicago, Illinois | Banner 33448 |
| Sweet Patunia (H. Charles) |
3-1927 | Chicago, Illinois | Paramount 12459 |
| Sweet Man, Sweet Man | 8-1-1934 | Chicago, Illinois | Banner 33149 |
| That’s What My Baby Likes | 3-5-1935 | Chicago, Illinois | Melotone 350913 A |
| They Ain’t Walking No More | 3-1930 | Chicago, Illinois | Brunswick 7163 |
| Tired As I Can Be | 8-1-1934 | Chicago, Illinois | Banner 33313 |
| T & N O Blues | 7-17-1933 | Chicago, Illinois | Banner |
| Tricks Ain’t Walking No More | 12-1930 | Chicago, Illinois | Brunswick 7186 |
| Triflin’ Blues (Daddy, Don’t You Trifle On Me) (Porter Grainger / Bob Ricketts) |
7-1923 | Atlanta, Georgia | Okeh 8071-B |
| Troubled Mind | 7-20-1933 | Chicago, Illinois | Banner 32833 |
| Walkin’ Blues | 7-18-1933 | Chicago, Illinois | Banner 33119 |
| War Time Man Blues (Lucille Bogan) |
6-1927 | Chicago, Illinois | Paramount 12560-B |
| Whiskey Selling Woman (Lucille Bogan) |
3-1930 | Chicago, Illinois | Brunswick 7145 |
| Woman Won’t Need No Man (Lucille Bogan) |
6-1927 | Chicago, Illinois | Paramount 12560-A |
| You Got To Die Some Day | 7-30-1934 | Chicago, Illinois | ARC 6-04-63 |
| Artist | Instrument |
| Bob Campbell | Guitar |
| Thomas Dorsey | Piano |
| Will Ezell | Piano |
| Eddie Heywood | Piano |
| Frank James or Eddie Miller | Piano |
| Walter Roland | Piano, Guitar, Vocals |
| Tampa Red | Guitar |
