Ethel Waters - What Did I Do To Be So Black And Blue (1930)

[SweetMapleRose]

She is not 100% black. Her paternal grandmother was white. Please read her autobiography titled, His Eye Is On the Sparrow. This is one of the best books I have read in years!

[lazeezee]

so sad shed rather be white its so sad the self hatred of this time alllll the way up till now... an the truth is genetically being darker skined- is to be a stronger breed of human,, wow! the ignorance is so sad*(

[Jeeves1952]

What a voice! I remember her TV appearances when I was a kid in the 50's & 60's....had no idea really about her career. the phrases, "I'm white, but it's on the inside...." and the one re: the "mark of Ham" were amazing! I had no idea popular culture even recognized prejudice so openly as to find such lines in popular lyrics.

[mvnkct]

Fascinating. Wish I could hear her 1925 recording of "No One Can Love Me Like The Way You Do." I heard it once long ago at a friend's house from his collection. It was really hot hot hot and the orchestra was great!

[Mejayjay6]

She had an amazing life story - Read her book, it really puts the music she sings in perspective. A great lady...

[lordkoos]

Amazing song

[livvyandlove]

Did she actually regret being black? It doesn't really sound that sarcastic.

[1337SuperNewb]

@livvyandlove She (actually written by Andy Razaf) regretted being black for the simple reason that she stood no chance to thrive from the moment she (he) was born. It didn't matter what someone did, their race decided everything: where they would live, how much they would get paid, who they could marry, which buildings they were allowed into and who they could consort with.

[ExcelsiorElectric]

Boy, can I relate! But when I sing it, it's called; "What Did I Do To Be So FAT And Blue"...

[Corrie121]

This was recorded 1st. April, 1930 on Columbia 2184-D. At this time, Ethel was mostly accompanied by white studio musicians, including The Dorsey Brothers; Benny Goodman; Mugsy Spanier and Joe Venuti.

Thank you for sharing this great post.

[dumkat82]

Which musicians are playing at this recording?

[StevesWifeCharlo]

Dear God, this song is amazing. Good clean and crisp recording. The content is deep, because there are so many black people who still FEEL THIS WAY! Thanks for posting this great piece of history. God has brought us through so much as a people. The photo is very 'Shug Avery' ( Color Purple- movie)

[quizzicalsphinx]

A great recording of a great song. This is so clean, almost modern-sounding! Thanks for sharing.

[mrazsong]

love it

[TheRosiemay123]

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[faqirsilki]

amazing

[purposedrivenking]

Interesting song. We've come a long way but more progress is needed not only in white America but among black america too.

[EDDIEJAMES238]

Yes yes yes soooooo very good.

[LaurenKaity]

Wow I wish we could share what we know now. Great soulsssss have we really changed

[deaddora]

i love her.

c'est si bon!

more of these old blues singers need to be shared...

and MORE Ethel~ she has an extensive body of work and what an amazing talent.

imagine seeing her and La Baker in the same revue?!

[jameslax]

jdl1@columbia.edu

[MediaFilter]

Really good -- brave woman indeed to sing about such things, back then.

[wavesnearmyhome]

I glad I listened to thyis great song.

[explosivejohnny]

i wish fucking beyonce or some shit would take on an issue like this..... she's not quite empowered but bravo to her for being honest..... it's ridiculous that we come from a place where people are systematically made to hate themselves and we don't discuss it. i love african features.... but we as a culture prefer weak, small features.... call them "fine".... HA!

[saldanat]

@explosivejohnny as much as I love this music times change and people do and the best we can do is let it. Beyonce doesn't need to sing about issues like this because its not as serious as it used to be. I get what you're saying but I doubt a song will change how people feel about themselves and their esteem. they will have to work on that

[dorfox08]

@saldanat Beyonce may not, Alicia Keyes may not, Christina Milian may not, but India.arie may have to. Just ask 'Lil Wayne', or 'Yung Berg'. or Michael Jackson (r.i.p) smh.

[CiCiVidal86]

@saldanat -Stop kidding your self hun, you must be really young or blind to the world around you. This is still an issue, it's just not as open as it was back then.

[gregoryagogo]

Amazing lyrics! Boy if this song don't say it all!

[jvbryant]

See her in "Cabin in the Sky," with Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, Lena Horne, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington and his orchestra. Played today (MLK Birthday) on Turner Classic Movies. Simply wonderful movie, and Ethel Waters is great. Groundbreaking film from 1943, with all African-American cast.

[ccaammiiittoo1]

Sweet Mama Stringbean started her pioneering career in the business as a flapper and later segued into a character actress in the same category as Jane Darwell. Both had great emotional projection in the face! If you want a little comedy from Waters, please give a listen to Birmingham Bertha! lol!!!

[MahoganyArchives]

If you have the orginal 78rpm recording of this and you ever sell it you are to contact me ASAP! I've played it 7 times straight. I'll give you $50 bucks for it right now. I'm serious.

[78timothy]

For a Race Series Columbia from 1930 this is incredibally clean. I've always loved this song, cuz Ms. Waters certainly was not an unattractive Woman. Look at her film presence in "Show of Shows" from 1929. She was a pretty hot woman. The short subject for Vitaphone she made with the Young Sammy Davis Jr (about the same time) Watch her reaction to his tap dancing, If you didn't know that he had a mother you would swear that she was; just had that proud Mamma look on her face..

[Bobchai]

Wonderful, 5 stars! I've admired Ethel Waters for a long time. This recording is the cleanest I've heard; many can be difficult to hear very clearly.

[debjame]

Wonderful. Thank you.

[novusmundi]

Edmund, where do you get all of these recordings from? I love them all. I LOVE music from the 20's. I subscribe to you because you always put these gems up. Ethel is my favorite singer of that period for females and Lena Horne would be for the 40's.