Edited by Azizi Powell
This post showcases a sound file of Blind Blake (Arthur Blake)'s 1927 recording "The Wabash Rag". My transcription of the lyrics to this song are also included in this post along with my comments about the meaning of some of those lyrics.
The Addendum to this post provides some information about Rags [music].
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Blind Blake for his musical legacy. Thanks also to the publisher of this video:
RELATED LINK
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/10/blind-willie-mctell-georgia-rag-sound.html for a pancocojams post on the Blind Willie McTell's record "Georgia Rag". Blind Blake's "Wabash Rag" served as the prototype for "Georgia Rag".
****
SHOWCASE SOUND FILE: Wabash Rag (Blind Blake, November 1927) [Remastered]
RagtimeDorianHenry, Uploaded on May 14, 2009
* Wabash Rag
* Blind Arthur Blake (Guitar / Vocal)
* November 1927
-snip-
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blind_Blake
"Arthur "Blind" Blake (1896 – December 1, 1934) was an American blues and ragtime singer and guitarist. He is known for his series of recordings for Paramount Records between 1926 and 1932 and the mystery surrounding his life."...
-snip-
This isn't the same artist as the Calypso performer Blake Alphonso Higgs who was also known as "Blind Blake".
****
LYRICS: THE WABASH RAG
(Arthur Blake,aka "Blind Blake")
Instrumental
Down south on Wabash Street
Everybody you chance to meet
Doin' that Rag, that Wabash Rag.
They're doin' it night and day.
See if it will drive your Blues away.
Doin' that Rag, that Wabash Rag.
Every little kid that you meet
In the alley in the street
Doin' that Rag, that Wabash Rag
Stand up stand up stand up
Stand up standup stand up
Stand up stand up stand up
Stand up standup stand up
Doin' that Rag, that Wabash Rag
[instrumental]
Grab me, mama. Hold me tight.
Let's mess around the rest of the night
Doin' that Rag, that Wabash Rag
Throw your hands way up high
Grab me mama. Make me cry.
Doin that Rag, That Wabash Rag
Stand up, stand up stand up
Stand up, stand up stand up
Stand up, stand up stand up
Stand up.
Stand up, stand up stand up
Stand up, stand up stand up
Doin that Rag, that Washbash Rag
People come from miles around
Get on Wabash, break ‘em down
Doin' that Rag, that Wabash Rag
Anybody stand up.
Last time for standing.
[instrumental]
Doin that Rag, that Wabash Rag.
-snip-
Transcription by Azizi Powell. Additions and corrections are welcome.
-snip-
Explanations of certain words or phrases:
"mama" = female who is man's lover
"stand up" = get up (stand up) and dance
Last time for standing = Last chance to dance
"break 'em down (break them down) = dance really good
I think that the word "them" in "break 'em down" refers to the dance moves.
When you break something down, you take something apart in order to know how it works. As a result of that action, you should understand it better than before. I think that in the same way, if you break down a dance, you know how to do it better than ever.
-snip-
In the United State it's socially incorrect now for performers' stage namee to refer to a physical condition, except perhaps for height (for instance Hip Hop artists whose stage names include the word "Lil" (Little).
****
ADDENDUM: INFORMATION ABOUT "RAGS" (RAGTIME MUSIC)
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ragtime
"Ragtime (alternatively spelled rag-time or rag time)[1] is a musical genre that enjoyed its peak popularity between 1895 and 1918.[2] Its main characteristic trait is its syncopated, or "ragged," rhythm...
Ragtime originated in African American music in the late 19th century, descending from the jigs and march music played by African American bands.[13] By the start of the 20th century, it became widely popular throughout North America and was listened and danced to, performed, and written by people of many different subcultures. A distinctly American musical style, ragtime may be considered a synthesis of African syncopation and European classical music, especially the marches made popular by John Philip Sousa.
Some early piano rags are entitled marches, and "jig" and "rag" were used interchangeably in the mid-1890s.[13] Ragtime was also preceded by its close relative the cakewalk. In 1895, black entertainer Ernest Hogan published two of the earliest sheet music rags...
The emergence of mature ragtime is usually dated to 1897, the year in which several important early rags were published. In 1899, Scott Joplin's "Maple Leaf Rag" was published and became a great hit and demonstrated more depth and sophistication than earlier ragtime. Ragtime was one of the main influences on the early development of jazz (along with the blues). Some artists, such as Jelly Roll Morton, were present and performed both ragtime and jazz styles during the period the two genres overlapped. He also incorporated the Spanish Tinge in his performances, which gave a habanera or tango rhythm to his music.[17] Jazz largely surpassed ragtime in mainstream popularity in the early 1920s, although ragtime compositions continue to be written up to the present, and periodic revivals of popular interest in ragtime occurred in the 1950s and the 1970s."
-snip-
Note that Blind Blake's "The Wabash Rag" (and Blind Willie McTell's "Georgia Rag" which copied that song) focus on the dance that is done to the Rag music, and not the music itself.
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
No comments:
Post a Comment