BASIN STREET BLUES
Music and lyrics: Spencer Williams
Year: 1928
Origin of the song
The pianist and compositor Spencer Williams wrote ‘Basin Street Blues’ in 1928. He chose that title because, when he was young, he used to in that street at his aunt’s. But that house wasn’t just any house: it was Mahogany Hall, probably the most famous brothel in Storyville (New Orleans), and his aunt was the well-known "madam" Lulu White. It had passed eleven years since the closure of Storyville and seven since they had changed its name for North Saratoga Street when Williams composed this piece.
The first recording of ‘Basin Street Blues’ was made by Louis Armstrong with his orchestra in Chicago (Illinois) on 4 December 1928 for the OKeh label.
Williams wrote more than a hundred songs, sometimes the music, sometimes the lyrics, and, often, both. Among them, ‘I Ain’t Got Nobody (and Nobody Cares for Me)’ (1915), ‘Royal Garden Blues’ (1919), ‘Careless Love’ (1921), ‘Everybody Loves My Baby’ (1924), ‘I’ve Found a New Baby’ (1926), and ‘When Lights Are Low’ (1936) stand out.
Versions in the top charts
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
DAY OF ENTRANCE |
PERMANENCE WEEKS |
HIGH POSITION REACHED |
|
|
Louis Armstrong Orchestra |
1928.12.04 |
1938.10.29 |
1 |
20 |
Louis Armstrong, (tp, voc) |
|
Charleston Chasers |
1931.02.09 |
1931.05.09 |
5 |
14 |
Jack Teagarden (tb, voc) |
|
1937.09.25 |
1937.11.27 |
3 |
12 |
Bing Crosby, Connee Boswell (voc), John Scott Trotter Orchestra |
Jazz. Outstanding performances
Instrumental
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING
|
|
Bill Dodge All Star |
1934.03.?? |
Benny Goodman (cl), Bunny Berigan, Mannie Klein (tp), Jack Jennye (tb), Art Rollini (ts), Art Schutt (p), Dick McDonough (g), Artie Bernstein (b), Gene Krupa (d) |
|
1949.03.23
|
Wild Bill Davison (tp), Ray Diehl (tb), Sidney Bechet (ss), Art Hodes (p), Walter Page (b), Wilmor Jones (d) |
|
|
Teddy Charles Trio |
1951.11.10 |
Teddy Charles (vib), Don Roberts (g), Kenny O'Brien (b) |
|
1959.02.20 |
Harry 'Sweets' Edison (tp), Johnny Hodges (as), Duke Ellington (p), Leslie Spann (g), Sam Jones (b), Jo Jones (d) |
|
|
1959.04.22 |
Paul Desmond (as), Dave Brubeck (p), Gene Wright (b), Joe Morello (d) |
|
|
1963.04.16 |
Miles Davis (tp), George Coleman (ts), Victor Feldman (p), Ron Carter (b), Frank Butler (d) |
|
|
1964.04.?? |
Buck Clayton (tp), Vic Dickenson (tb), Bud Freeman (ts), Pee Wee Russell (cl), Dick Cary (p), Eddie Condon (g), Jack Lesberg (b), Cliff Leeman (d) |
|
|
Dave Brubeck Trio with Gerry Mulligan |
1970.11.07 |
Gerry Mulligan (bars), Dave Brubeck (p), Jack Six (b), Alan Dawson (d) |
|
1970.11.10 |
Oscar Peterson (p) |
Vocal
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING
|
|
1928.12.04 |
Louis Armstrong (tp, voc), Fred Robinson (tb), Jimmy Strong (cl), Earl Hines (p, voc), Mancy Cara (bjo, cl), Zutty Singleton (d) |
|
|
|
1929.06.11
|
Red Nichols (tp), Jack Teagarden (tb, voc), Glenn Miller (tb), Bud Freeman (ts), Pee Wee Russell (cl), Joe Sullivan (p), Dave Tough (d) |
|
|
1931.02.09
|
Benny Goodman (cl, dir), Ruby Weinstein, Charlie Teagarden (tp), Glenn Miller (tb), Jack Teagarden (tb, voc), Sid Stonebum (as), Larry Binyon (ts), Arthur Schutt (p), Dick McDonough (g), Harry Goodman (b), Gene Krupa (d) |
|
|
1933.01.27
|
Louis Armstrong (tp, voc), Ellis Whitlock, Zilmer Randolph (tp), Keg Johnson (tb), Scoville Brown, George Oldham (cl, as), Albert Johnson (cl, ts), Teddy Wilson (p), Mike McKendrick (bjo, g), Bill Oldham (b), Yank Porter (d) |
|
1935.05.17
|
Louis Prima (tp, voc), Pee Wee Russell (cl), Frank Pinero (p), Gary McAdams (g), Jack Ryan (b), Sam Weiss (d) |
|
|
Esquire All Stars |
1944.01.18
|
Louis Armstrong (tp, voc), Roy Eldridge (tp), Jack Teagarden (tb, voc), Barney Bigard (cl), Coleman Hawkins (ts), Teddy Wilson (p), Al Casey (g), Oscar Pettiford (b), Sid Catlett (d), Lionel Hampton (vib) |
|
1949.09.20 |
Ella Fitzgerald (voc), Sly Oliver Orchestra |
|
|
1956.06.?? |
Louis Armstrong (tp, voc), Trummy Young (tb), Edmund Hall (cl), Billy Kyle (p), Dale Jones (b), Barrett Deems (d) |
|
|
Peggy Lee |
1961.04.15 |
Peggy Lee (voc), Quincy Jones Orchestra |
|
1997.12.05 |
Shirley Horn (p, voc), Roy Hargrove (fis), Ron Carter (b), Al Foster (d). |
On cinemas
The song 'Basin Street Blues' is included in the soundtrack of the following movies:
|
ORIGINAL TITLE |
TITLE IN SPAIN |
YEAR OF PRODUCTION |
PERFORMERS OF THE SONG IN THE FILM |
|
The Glenn Miller Story |
Música y lágrimas |
1954 |
Louis Armstrong and Gene Krupa |
|
Angel Heart |
El corazón del ángel |
1987 |
|
|
Texasville |
Texasville |
1990 |
Louis Armstrong |
|
Casino |
Casino |
1995 |
Louis Prima |
|
The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button |
El curioso caso de Benjamin Button |
2008 |
Preservation Hall Jazz Band |