Josh White (1914-1969) - One Meat Ball

[RafaSanSeverino]

FUCKING GENIOUS

[epilepsy211]

this made me laugh because its about a meatball, but sad because he could only afford 1 :S

[auntiezanne]

I thought the Dr. Demento version was the real one, but oh my goodness-- this song was almost a totally different song!! Reminds me of the music about sleeping in a car and eating bologna sandwiches. Thanks and praise that I was born so much later that this all sounds like history, not reality!

[XDRobsonCleyton]

very nice, the music talking about crash in 29

[clipsius58]

A letter my father wrote to his sister while he was fighting in WW II referenced this song.."No I haven't heard the songs 'One Meatball' or 'Rum and Coca-Cola'. Decided to look it up and here it is! Thank you.

[synapsecracklepop]

@clipsius58 "Rum and Coca-Cola" is, I think, The Andrews Sisters. I'm old enough to remember when this stuff was "hot wax."

[clipsius58]

@synapsecracklepop

[clipsius58]

@synapsecracklepop Thank you. I listened to that version as well.

[TheMakemFolksinger]

brillant, cheers Dave

[lioninwinter101]

I hear this on the old Arthur Geodfrey show. He used to have this man and his little son sing this song. They kept coming back month after month due to audience demand.

[FairDealDan]

Give the little guy a break! GET HIM SOME FUCKING BREAD!!!!

[rustydobro]

My father had this record, and was often called on to sing it in country pubs after the war: it's my turn now, and this is still a great favourite.

[MyMoppet52]

I have heard this song done by many ... and I love the song by all. This version is so good. I have a hard time putting together the fact that Josh White is of the past. His music is so timeless. He sounds as if he would fit into any generation's best musicians. I love his music and appreciate this post. Thank you.

[nsdtr01]

great song and singer

[usafsarge7]

I saw josh at the hungry I in S/F in the 50s.slim ganard and his trio did the song too.I have a stack of his recordings.

[jbowen43]

He used to light a cigarette and put it behind his ear. That ash would grow and grow and not fall off.

[PrimalStones]

I sing this too my mate who has one testicle.

[synapsecracklepop]

@PrimalStones If I couldn't laugh I'd be crying ALL the time. That, Mr. Stones, is funnier than FLICK.

[WorkingTeacher]

I've heard this song for 30 years and always thought it was a funny story. Now I hear it different. It's about human cruelty. The waiter treated the guy bad. And he was a black guy treating another black guy that way-- "You GETS no bread ...". And the poor little man had nightmares about it --being humiliated. It's a serious song I think --dark.

[Odin029]

@WorkingTeacher With all the immigrants and poorly educated people living in early 20th century America I don't think Black people were the only ones using bad English. The waiter could be Italian or Polish or anything...

[Makingnewnamesisdumb]

@PrimalStones You shouldn't have bitten the other one off.

[PrimalStones]

@Makingnewnamesisdumb GREAT ONE

[RT101894]

he did the original?

[synapsecracklepop]

@RT101894 No, I think another variation of this song dates to the Civil War... and it was updated and popularized, Depression Era. Now that's from memory... I read about this when I first uploaded it... so don't quote me. Mr White's arrangement is the most notable and well known in modern times.

[Johntheresonator]

@synapsecracklepop sounds spot on for the depression era and you might be right about the Civil War. I also read on the internet it was an anthem of 19th century impoverished Harvard students and was called 'one fish ball' with very similar lyrics. Wonderful sad song. Of course if you want to really go far back in time check out the origins of 'Mary of the wild moor.'

[ArchieMoore]

@synapsecracklepop There is a reggae version by Shinehead - it's on youtube. For the Elektra's 40th birthday album Rubaiyat .

[joabblues]

@RT101894 the original was one fish ball a nyc tune

[Rocketmanweed]

yeah my bros dad played this song and it instantly caught my attention lol

[dizzarch1]

George Harrison said that this was probably the first song he ever sang for anyone and one of the first songs he remembers hearing(White's version.)

[theoriginalbadbob]

There have been times, in my life, when I couldn't afford even one meat ball, so I know what the blues is all about. I saw Josh White in 1963. Great show.

[Tineluss]

Thanks for sharig this song, andfor the info too...

[DylanNotBob]

Anybody have any ide what kind of guitar he's holding at the beginning of this video ??? It's a very unusual body shape..

[chinzebo]

Nothing smoooother than this! THX for posting now I MUST hear more of this guy!

[Wooodstock69]

What's the guitar he holds in the first picture?

peace

[kanethecracker]

just heard a cover of this at a blue note bar, had to search this... what an amzing song!

[TheBrowndawg]

kinda sounds a bit like blind willie mctell. at least stylistically.

[ampaholics]

My father used to sing this song around the house when I was a kid, especially when mom was making meatballs and mac's. No one could figure out where it came from. His version was a little different as he heard his dad sing it when he was a kid. Fond memories.

[singmealuvsong]

dad's are funny

[MultiGeraghty]

@singmealuvsong Yep, my Dad was funny and a good musician. About 40 something years ago I had a Josh White album, and was very taken by both his wonderful Blues voice and his straightforward unpretentious guitar style! My favourite song was his rendition of "Buddy (Brother) can you spare a dime?"

[Bolweevils]

My favorite version is on an old record I have called JOSH AT MIDNIGHT which features a couple of other singers.

[synapsecracklepop]

Yes, where he throws in during the chorus, "one meat ball.... AND NO SPAGHETTI."

Yeah... that's the first one I heard too I think

[udz24]

As the mouth tries its food, so the ears tries its words. Listening to Mr. White words brings me to the sad conclusion, that suffering can bring about something good, the blues he sings. The cadence of his voice and the tone he has is captivating. I will go and search out some authentic recording from this gentleman and add him to my music library.

[factsfair]

yeah...tune your instrument to C sharp if you wanna play along wit dis...

[lostintheblues]

Oh man this song is freakin' awesome, I've never heard it before now, and I'm sure this is the best version ever recorded, since Josh White was one of the best bluesmen ever.

[Imjin57]

This was a very popular song in the 1940's and everybody went around singing it, and using it as a come back.

The #1 hit version of this song was by the Andrews Sisters, which was out of character for them, but this version is the best and is absolutely beautiful.

Thank you

This

[im4out]

wow......remember  ry cooder singing something like this........but this is sublime...thank you ...

[TheGreatWolfFenrir]

tHERES A COMEDY SKIT OF THIS

i think with frank sinatra or someone ? anyone know what it was?

theres a live audience with the recording laughing?

[phongbong]

josh white reminds me of the character in Oh, brother where art thou that sold his soul to the devil so he could play the guitar really good.

[synapsecracklepop]

check out skip james

[synapsecracklepop]

also robert johnson, who's legend that fictional blues guy in Oh Brother was based on

[fatburger100]

Love it!!! I once heard him and jr. do it on a radio show. It was sooooooooo funny!