RICHARD 'Rabbit' BROWN James Alley / Victor 20578 / E killer New Orleans blues

$

555

RICHARD ‘RABBIT’ BROWN
JAMES ALLEY (1927) 



What a remarkable record!  It’s a blues that is borne out of New Orleans, and doesn’t have that typical sound that we hear on so many Mississippi and Georgia recordings from 1927.

The song “James Alley Blues” is also a familiar one, and several others have performed it. The song was also one of Bob Dylan’s early favorites, and there is a recording of him singing the song back in May of 1961.

Richard ‘Rabbit’ Brown is a great example of an artist that was just barely recorded. Only one session was set aside to assure his place in the music scene a century later. He came from around New Orleans and was raised in a dangerous neighborhood that was called ‘Battlefield.’ More specifically, he was raised in Jane Alley, the same neighborhood, at the same time that young Louis Armstrong was thee.

His one session for Victor took place on Friday March, 11, 1927. It was an electric recording, so the new microphones captured the performance wonderfully. Six songs were cut, and only five would ever be issues. So the total scope of ‘Rabbit’ Brown’s recordings could be contained on one 10-inch, a 12-inch and on one side of a Victor 78 he split with Andrew & Jim Baxter.

This record, his first for the label, pairs “James Alley” and “I’m Not Jealous.”  This is a marvelous example of a 12-bar blues, with the simplicity of the lyric counterpoint with the great guitar work. What appears to be a bass on the session, is Brown doubling up on the parts while he plays. Masterful !

The times ain't now nothin' like they used to be.
Oh, times ain't now nothin' like they used to be.
And I'm tellin' you all the truth. Whoa, take it from me.

I done seen better days, but I'm puttin' up with these.
I done seen better days, but I'm puttin' up with these.
I could have much a better time with these girls down in New Orleans.

Cause I was born in the country, she thinks I'm easy to rule.
Cause I was born in the country, she thinks I'm easy to rule.
She try to hitch me to a wagon, she wanna drive me like a mule.

You know, I bought her the groceries and I pay the rent.
Yeah, I buy her the groceries and I paid the rent.
She try to make me to wash her clothes, but I got good common sense.

I said, if you don't want me, why don't you tell me so?
You know, if you don't want me, why don't you tell me so?
Cause it ain't like I'm a man that ain't got nowhere to go.

I been give you sugar for sugar, let you get salt for salt.
I give you sugar for sugar, let you get salt for salt.
And if you can't get 'long with me, we'll it's your own fault.

How you want me to love you, and treat me mean?
How do you want me to love you, you keep on treatin' me mean?
You're my daily thought and my nightly dream.

  Sometime I think that you're too sweet to die.
Sometime I think that you're too sweet to die.
And another time I think you ought to be buried alive.

LISTEN TO A SAMPLE HERE-

CONDITION: A solid E record. This is real museum quality shellac. There is a little wear in the groove, but most of those Victor pressings had a bit of that. CLEAN labels and no marks to worry. Astounding example of an important blues record from 1927.  

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