Thursday, June 18, 2020

Today's songs - Louis Armstrong/"Black and Blue" and Sam Cooke/"A Change Is Gonna Come"

I listen to WWOZ in New Orleans most mornings for a couple hours, and I've heard these two songs several times during the past few weeks.

Louis Armstrong doing "Black and Blue". The DJs never call him Louie, always Louis.



"Black & Blue"

Cold empty bed, springs hard as lead
Feels like ol' Ned wished I was dead
What did I do to be so black and blue

Even the mouse ran from my house
They laugh at you and scorn you too
What did I do to be so black and blue

I'm white inside but that don't help my case
'Cause I can't hide what is in my face

How would it end, ain't got a friend
My only sin is in my skin
What did I do to be so black and blue

How would it end, ain't got a friend
My only sin is in my skin
What did I do to be so black and blue

"Black and Blue" was composed by Fats Waller with lyrics by Harry Brooks and also by Andy Razaf in 1929. I looked up Ol' Ned and found that it is an old-fashioned euphemism for the devil.

And Sam Cooke singing "A Change Is Gonna Come" which he wrote in 1964.



"A Change Is Gonna Come"

I was born by the river in a little tent
Oh, and just like the river I've been running ever since

It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change gon' come, oh yes, it will

It's been too hard living, but I'm afraid to die
'Cause I don't know what's up there beyond the sky

It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change gon' come, oh yes, it will

I go to the movie and I go downtown
Somebody keep telling me don't hang around

It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change gon' come, oh yes, it will

Then I go to my brother
And I say, "Brother, help me please"
But he winds up knockin' me
Back down on my knees

There've been times that I thought I couldn't last for long
But now I think I'm able to carry on

It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change gon' come, oh yes, it will

9 comments:

  1. I have a couple of CDs with Sam Cooke's music and love his voice!
    Two great talents, both long gone.

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  2. I've always loved that Sam Cooke song. I listened to it again just now and came out in goosebumps.
    Thanks for posting it.

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  3. The lyrics to "Black and Blue" are devastatingly sad, aren't they? I'm a longtime fan of the blues because I think it's one of the most honest and emotional forms of music there is. This is a great performance of that classic song.

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    1. It really is. Usually we see LA cheery and bubbly but in this one, his solemnity is right there.

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  4. I was listening to NPR today and they were interviewing a lady that sings choral songs about change. It was a good interview. I was driving in heavy traffic listening so I can't tell you her name. But the songs they highlighted were good too.

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    1. I looked around NPR for a bit, but couldn't find it.

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  5. Such great music, Nan, but so sad that they are both still so relevant.

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