Beale Street Blues

"Beale Street Blues" is a song by American composer and lyricist W.C. Handy. It was named after Beale Street, a center of African-American music in Memphis, Tennessee, and was published in 1917.

"Beale Street Blues"
Sheet music cover
Song by Gilda Gray
Published1917
GenreBlues
Songwriter(s)W.C. Handy

Background

The title refers to Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee, an entertainment district for the city's African-American population in the early part of the 20th century.[1]

Composition and lyrics

"Beale Street Blues" "juxtaposes the 12-bar blues form with an 8-bar counter-theme".[1] The song was published in 1917.[1]

Early versions

The publication of the song coincided with the beginning of jazz recordings.[1] An early version by Earl Fuller's Famous Jazz Band earned Handy's firm $2,857 in royalties.[1] A version by singer Marion Harris was a top 10 hit in December 1921.[1] More typically, however, in the early years after it was written, jazz musicians played instrumental versions of the song.[1]

Later versions and influence

Jack Teagarden used the song as a vocal showcase in the 1930s and 1940s, and recorded it with several bands in that period.[1] In the big band era, only a few of the well-known bands recorded it; these included Tommy Dorsey and Duke Ellington.[1] Since the 1950s, the song has been associated with trad bands.[1]

See also

References
  1. Gioia, Ted (2012). Jazz Standards. Oxford University Press. pp. 31–32.
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