"Mean Old World" is a blues song recorded by American blues electric guitar musician T-Bone Walker in 1942.[1] It has been described (along with the single's B-side) as "the first important blues recordings on the electric guitar".[2] Over the years it has been interpreted and recorded by numerous blues, jazz and rock and roll artists.
T-Bone Walker began performing "Mean Old World" when he was with Les Hite and His Orchestra from 1939 to 1940.[3] After leaving Hite's band, Walker continued to develop and refine his style on the Los Angeles club circuit. On July 20, 1942, he recorded "Mean Old World" for Capitol Records.[4] The song was performed in the West Coast blues style, with a small combo of pianist Freddie Slack, bassist Jud DeNaut, and drummer Dave Coleman accompanying Walker on vocal and guitar. "Mean Old World" "showcased T-Bones's new, and already developed, style, in which he answered his smoky, soulful vocal phrases with deft, stinging, jazz-inflected lead lines on his electric guitar".[2] Capitol released the song in November 1945, with "I Got a Break, Baby", as the third disc in a five 10-inch record collection "The History of Jazz, Volume 3: Then Came Swing" (Capitol Criterion CE 18).[5] Capitol later issued it as a single in 1947 (Capitol 15003).
Because of a recording ban, T-Bone Walker did not record again until October 10, 1944, for the Rhumboogie label in Chicago.[6] He recorded a variation on "Mean Old World", initially designated "T-Bone Blues No. 2".[6] When Rhumboogie released it in 1946, it was retitled "Mean Old World Blues".[6] It did not feature Walker's guitar as prominently (the backing group, Marl Young's Orchestra, had a five-piece horn section) and some new lyrics were substituted. Walker commented "those sides were not so hot, not as good as the ones in L.A. later. They were big band numbers, more like what I recorded with Hite".[7] However, the opening verses remained the same:
This is a mean old world, baby to live in by yourself This is a mean old world, babe to live in by yourself When you can't get the woman you love, you know she's loving someone else
This anticipated future versions, in which new lyrics would be added to the familiar opening lines. On December 14, 1956, Walker recorded another version for Atlantic Records that was released on the acclaimed 1959 album T-Bone Blues.[8] He is backed by a small combo with Lloyd Glenn on piano, Billy Hadnot on bass, and Oscar Bradley on drums.[9]
Little Walter version
In October 1952, Little Walter recorded his version of "Mean Old World" for Checker Records, a subsidiary of Chess Records.[10] It was recast as a Chicago blues, with Walter's amplified harmonica prominently featured and several new lyrics substituted. The song was a hit, reaching number six on the Billboard R&B chart, where it remained for six weeks in 1953.[11] Backing Little Walter are the Aces, with guitarists Louis and Dave Myers and drummer Fred Below.[10] T-Bone Walker's Capitol version was released before Billboard magazine or a similar service began tracking such releases, so it is difficult to gauge which version was more popular. Little Walter received the sole credit for his recording.
References
^The opening verses appear in Bill Gaither's "Mean Old World to Live In" (1938 Decca 7606); Big Bill Broonzy's "Mean Old World" has different lyrics and arrangement (1937 ARC 7-07-64).
^ ab Harper, Johnny. . There. There Productions. Archived from the original on April 22, 2014. Retrieved April 6, 2014.
^O'Neal, Jim; van Singel, Amy (2002). The Voice of the Blues: Classic Interviews from Living Blues Magazine. Routledge. ISBN978-0-415-93654-5.
^ Dance, Helen Oakley (1999). Stormy Monday: The T-Bone Walker Story. LSU Press. p. 253. ISBN978-0807124581.
^ Billboard (November 3, 1945). "Advance Record Releases". Billboard. Vol. 57, no. 44. p. 77. ISSN 0006-2510.
^ abc Pruter, Robert; Campbell, Robert L. (May 6, 2013). "The Rhumboogie Label". The Red Saunders Research Foundation. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
mean, world, blues, song, recorded, american, blues, electric, guitar, musician, bone, walker, 1942, been, described, along, with, single, side, first, important, blues, recordings, electric, guitar, over, years, been, interpreted, recorded, numerous, blues, j. Mean Old World is a blues song recorded by American blues electric guitar musician T Bone Walker in 1942 1 It has been described along with the single s B side as the first important blues recordings on the electric guitar 2 Over the years it has been interpreted and recorded by numerous blues jazz and rock and roll artists Mean Old World Single by T Bone WalkerB side I Got a Break Baby ReleasedNovember 1945 1945 11 RecordedHollywood July 20 1942GenreBluesLength2 56LabelCapitolOriginal song EditT Bone Walker began performing Mean Old World when he was with Les Hite and His Orchestra from 1939 to 1940 3 After leaving Hite s band Walker continued to develop and refine his style on the Los Angeles club circuit On July 20 1942 he recorded Mean Old World for Capitol Records 4 The song was performed in the West Coast blues style with a small combo of pianist Freddie Slack bassist Jud DeNaut and drummer Dave Coleman accompanying Walker on vocal and guitar Mean Old World showcased T Bones s new and already developed style in which he answered his smoky soulful vocal phrases with deft stinging jazz inflected lead lines on his electric guitar 2 Capitol released the song in November 1945 with I Got a Break Baby as the third disc in a five 10 inch record collection The History of Jazz Volume 3 Then Came Swing Capitol Criterion CE 18 5 Capitol later issued it as a single in 1947 Capitol 15003 Because of a recording ban T Bone Walker did not record again until October 10 1944 for the Rhumboogie label in Chicago 6 He recorded a variation on Mean Old World initially designated T Bone Blues No 2 6 When Rhumboogie released it in 1946 it was retitled Mean Old World Blues 6 It did not feature Walker s guitar as prominently the backing group Marl Young s Orchestra had a five piece horn section and some new lyrics were substituted Walker commented those sides were not so hot not as good as the ones in L A later They were big band numbers more like what I recorded with Hite 7 However the opening verses remained the same This is a mean old world baby to live in by yourself This is a mean old world babe to live in by yourself When you can t get the woman you love you know she s loving someone else This anticipated future versions in which new lyrics would be added to the familiar opening lines On December 14 1956 Walker recorded another version for Atlantic Records that was released on the acclaimed 1959 album T Bone Blues 8 He is backed by a small combo with Lloyd Glenn on piano Billy Hadnot on bass and Oscar Bradley on drums 9 Little Walter version EditIn October 1952 Little Walter recorded his version of Mean Old World for Checker Records a subsidiary of Chess Records 10 It was recast as a Chicago blues with Walter s amplified harmonica prominently featured and several new lyrics substituted The song was a hit reaching number six on the Billboard R amp B chart where it remained for six weeks in 1953 11 Backing Little Walter are the Aces with guitarists Louis and Dave Myers and drummer Fred Below 10 T Bone Walker s Capitol version was released before Billboard magazine or a similar service began tracking such releases so it is difficult to gauge which version was more popular Little Walter received the sole credit for his recording References Edit The opening verses appear in Bill Gaither s Mean Old World to Live In 1938 Decca 7606 Big Bill Broonzy s Mean Old World has different lyrics and arrangement 1937 ARC 7 07 64 a b Harper Johnny T Bone Walker Blues Guitar Godfather There There Productions Archived from the original on April 22 2014 Retrieved April 6 2014 O Neal Jim van Singel Amy 2002 The Voice of the Blues Classic Interviews from Living Blues Magazine Routledge ISBN 978 0 415 93654 5 Dance Helen Oakley 1999 Stormy Monday The T Bone Walker Story LSU Press p 253 ISBN 978 0807124581 Billboard November 3 1945 Advance Record Releases Billboard Vol 57 no 44 p 77 ISSN 0006 2510 a b c Pruter Robert Campbell Robert L May 6 2013 The Rhumboogie Label The Red Saunders Research Foundation Retrieved May 18 2015 Dance 1999 page 72 Blues Foundation 2009 2009 Hall of Fame Inductees T Bone Blues Atlantic 1959 The Blues Foundation Archived from the original on September 23 2015 Retrieved May 18 2015 Dance 1999 page 263 a b Glover Tony Dirks Scott Gaines Ward 2002 Blues with a Feeling The Little Walter Story Routledge p 288 ISBN 978 0 415 93711 5 Whitburn Joel 1988 Top R amp B Singles 1942 1988 Record Research Inc p 261 ISBN 0 89820 068 7 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mean Old World amp oldid 1145619245, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
