Big Bill Broonzy - When Did You Leave Heaven

[dirtyrockeu]

My man!!

[rafaelbonchristiano]

makes me cry... big bill was a master

[papajonbee]

had this on a vangaurd EP!! i bought 57/58 loaned it to long john baldry and he ,,, got rather fond of it ! sadly he,s passed away,iguess its on the big juke box in the sky thanks diggin' it out, john mccoy

[iagmule]

from the film low lights and blue smoke...wish i could find it

[deewilki]

hmm 3 people dislike this i am now inclined to say that they are muppets of a low order

[zzausel]

A singular event, and so moving.

[JJKaeshagen]

best male voice i know of.

[bluesborn]

This is healing water from deep down in the well.

[Johntheresonator]

Always loved this song. A real departure from Big Bill's usual style but he nailed it.

Brilliant!

[empathic11]

@Johntheresonator On one album, perhaps recorded in Paris in the 1950s, his guitar intro hits some feedback, creating some early fuzz notes.  Spine chilling.

[JimiChristopher]

You have the whole set? Could you upload the instrumental now known as hey hey please? would be appreciated!

[loneguitar13]

Wasn't this filmed at the Cavern in Liverpool?

[AnarAtragin]

@loneguitar13 Clip is from a slightly longer film Low Light & Blue Smoke - filmed in Belgium in 1956

...dunno why the uploader was hesitant to mention it

[TurnItBlueToYou1]

My favorite version of this song ,hands down. His voice is raw and just sounds so damn good !

[maquon]

thumbs up if keith richards sent you here

[estrozamochos]

@maquon He sent me here, and damn he has good taste

[arikc10]

its one of the blues songs that the 60's artists like to mention as influence and sometime cover it themselves . like sweet home Chicago by Robert Johnson and (call it) stormy monday by T bone Walker

[hswatnik]

great contribution- great song- great artist-

[empathic11]

Love this song. I heard a Broonzy version with a bit of amplified guitar distortion in the first few notes. Sent shivers.

[lenny1980]

WHo wrote this song? I haven't been able to figure it out

[pushelildaisies]

@lenny1980 WHEN DID YOU LEAVE HEAVEN ?

From the film "Sing, Baby, Sing" (1936)

(Richard Whiting / Walter Bullock)

[gtrfinger]

It was this very video, played on the UK South Bank show around 1987 that got me into the acoustic guitar. Excellent, thanks for posting.

[MsRationalbeing]

I can't watch this without breaking down in tears, it is just so beautiful.

[willyrobson]

Always a clump in my throat and a tear my eye listening and looking at this mans face

[Metakism]

Somehow this song flow to all hearts!

[7Hatefull]

Fucking awesome! tkx so mush for this , i`ve been looking desperately for this song of Big Bill Broonzy since i saw this bit from Beatles Anthology. Long live old blues !

[spangle69]

Like other people here, I also saw a tiny clip of this on a tv documentary 20+ years ago and it has stuck in my mind ever since. I thought I'd never track it down but here it is! Fantastic stuff.

[TheJaynethepayne]

This is beaut and so sad

[SirCecilSeltzer]

Keef sent me.

[alternapproach]

Hey, berlin1925....Keith Richards referenced you clip in the Dec. 9 Rolling Stone mag!

[SUPERSWIFTEH]

Keith Richards brought me here.

[manos626]

i found this amazing song after reading the 'rolling stone' magazine's playilst issue.It's Keith Ritchards' 2nd favourite song!

[chronosynclastic8]

Damn, bluesy and soulful. Good tune.

[dsweetla]

This sounds like it influenced the very early Beatles song "In Spite of All the Danger"

[busessuck1]

him and josh white weren't really blues performers whne they got semi-famous... this is the pop/soul style that marvin gaye and al green got popular with

[GiggleBlizzard]

I found the whole video for you guys who want it, got 4 great songs in there, incl. this, Just a Dream and Hey Hey:

bluesnote.multiply.com/video/i­tem/18

Hope i'm allowed to post that. Anyways, thanks for the music, truly wonderful! I love Bills voice.

[potatoepeter1]

Thanks very much Big Bill ! for this song, absltutly very glood

[Broonzied]

Well done for posting Berlin.  The performances from this gig in Belgium are repeatedly removed form youtube which is a great shame. It was watching this in the 80s which inspired me to take up guitar. In my view, no one, no matter how talented, ever comes close to Bill when trying to perform music he has already touched with his gift.

[ckelegancja]

to byli muzycy prawdziwi...

[joelbyrne]

My Farther told me about this when I was really young and listening now I understand why his words were so passionate and strong when he said "what a beautiful, beautiful song" x

[potatoepeter1]

Big Bill ! With this song You beware my to make a this "mistake" he he he he .. cheers

[potatoepeter1]

Thousansd mal i have heard this song.... 100% Bravo Big Bill!

[reneesblues1167]

I know it ws on a biography of Eric Clapton on the Southbank Show years ago. I have a similar version of it that I found years ago on Napster, back when you could still d/l without fear. Anyways, it's an awesome video clip and that you for sharing it.

[Liana5943]

Amazing!!!

[jeppenizer]

Thanks. Like so many else, i´ve been looking for this piece of History for a long time. I Wonder though, what´s happening at the end of the song? it looks like something from a Movie. He blows smoke in the Womans Face?? Greetings from Denmark

[potatoepeter1]

cheers

[dunninator22]

I must say, the way he sings and plays this song just gives me goosebumps.

[SunsetScotty]

Thanks to the uploader! I know exactly the documentary you're talking about; it was on Clapton. I remember seeing this clip from it years ago and it blew me away, too. And like you, I had been looking for it for ages. Thanks for making it available!

[fetermcblues]

My very fav song of BBB ..a true influence a classic ..a true gem ...thnx alot for sharin !!!!

[hanseatus]

Fantastic,superbe real stuff, thx very much for pstg

[potatoepeter1]

Ones of my favorit songs. Absolut good Big Bill. I know this song long times and hear it often. The LP has no groove more.. very good

[rfw45]

Great stuff.

[berlin1925]

Thanks everyone for the comments! I saw a short clip of this years ago on some documentary (either on Clapton, or the blues) and was blown away by it. I tracked down somewhere online the complete film, and cut it down to this song because I thought others would enjoy it as well. Cheers!

[aaarrrggghhhh]

@berlin1925 I saw the same documentary, I'm sure. ( I actually had it on video until recently..long story) It was just a short clip of Big Bill Broonzy after the interviewer asked Eric Clapton about his influences. It stuck in my mind for many years and I have searched for it often. I know this song has been covered by many artists, including Bob Dylan, but this, the Broonzy version is truly magical. Wonderful upload. Thanks many times over.

[empathic11]

@aaarrrggghhhh "the Broonzy version is truly magical." True.

[luthier23]

@berlin1925 Thanks posting these videos! I think I know the clip you had seen....I believe it's at the very end of the SRV Live from Austin Texas VHS/DVD and at the end of the Little Wing Video. The one with the fender guitar factory footage too. At least that's where I first saw it and was taken by it. Cheers!

[CanadianFolkBlues]

@berlin1925 you should put the rest up!

[lesterwyoung]

Of course, in spite of various comments posted on this site, this song is not a blues but a popular song written in 1936 by Walter Bullock & Richard Whiting. It was introduced in the movie musical Sing, Baby, Sing by Tony Martin and later recorded by him.

[klmullins65]

Even though this was originally a pop song, Broonzy's version gives it so much more heart and soul. The pop version sounds more like a novelty, and the words seem "cute", but this version sounds like it's from deep down in the soul.

[hurrayriffraff]

i saw a very short clip of this in the beatles anthology and have been desperately wanting to find the whole video! where did you find this footage? thank you for posting it, it's breathtaking.

[wishtree43]

Same for me. I've been searching for this for the past 2 years or so. Thanks berlin1925!

[bobbydylanio]

This performance was on The Beatles Anthology, they didn't say what song it was so I've been hunting it down, being 19 I've only listened to the obvious blues artists i.e. Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker, but I found this incredible, just had to find it

[danilopresleymania]

fantastic

[corndawgz88]

Thank you for posting this!

[JesseMathews]

he was a true legend no question about it, a Giant of the blues. i posted a video response cover to this song check it out if you like.

[starrchild99]

He's the best!

[jeppenizer]

Yeah, very gratefull. Thanks.

[gtrfinger]

I've been looking for this footage for years.. Excellent. Thanks a lot for posting.