Papa Was A Rascal

[gakathon]

LEFT hand...LEFT hand!! DAAAAYYYUMM...that LEFT hand!!

[Kurtiz76]

This is what should be held in high regard. Not fashion, one hit wonders, wicked vanity, cruel intentions. This is suffering. This is love.

[MultiKZB]

Always thought my skin was the wrong color...very difficult for a white person to get into a black club in the old days...somehow we managed and it was heaven!!

[LJBroussard]

I went out to see him when I was a teenager, in the Garden District or Uptown maybe after he'd fallen on hard times and somebody got him an upscale gig, don't remember the name of the bar, but my oh my, he played with his audience, you get my drift. He was cool. At Jazzfest, he knew what was what -- all those drunk white kids -- such a genius, James Booker. I love him still. Nobody but nobody played like him.

[ARRYJAZZ]

he was the great inspiration for Harry Connick jr.

[manni62]

It's one of life's great treasures when you first discover this guy and his music. You hear one recording and then you want to hear more.

[MsIfuckinghateyou]

i watch this about 63 times a week and i always thing the bass player is gonna hit sweet james in the noodle.

[MultiKZB]

Thought so...along with the loss of his immediate family by the age of 28...just finished teaching class, got home and saw your comment! Hmmmm...something is surreal here--I finished class with a song by Booker.

[MultiKZB]

Booker was a genius...he is helping my students understand the conspiracy theory (Kennedy's assassination) and just how life was in my day. Most of them do not even know what KKK stands for..."about the age of 9"?...wasn't Booker a student at St. Monica's who was dragged by a speeding ambulance for many, many feet, leg broken in 8 places, not expected to live at the time? His facial expressions are teasing, taunting, serious with that one eye twinkling. RIP sweet, James.

[1blastman]

@MultiKZB That accident caused Booker to become a drug addict, which contributed to his "Mad Genius"

[Freeminder23]

Wheew...what a tune! Is there any good quality recording of this gig available...on sale...anywhere? Would pay a dime...or two....going on youtube 3 times a day to listen to this doesn't cut it...

[bigts076]

@Freeminder23 To my knowledge, this is the recording featured on the Live at Montreux disc, although it is likely out of print (as is most of his recordings, unfortunately.

[itkapatanka]

great drummer

[gentleman118]

anyone any idea of the chord progression to this here awesome tune?

[eyencyst]

@gentleman118 i play it on guitar as - A minor7-E7- (I-V) key of a minor.for the walk downs i play descending octaves...if on guitar...make sure to do the half step slide into yr chords...for piano... there are so many embellishments going on that are difficult.but we do it with just the 1 chord and the 5 chord...hope that helps...(i m not a piano player tho...just a guitar player and huge Booker fan)...

[ownerfate]

i would love to learn how to play this song on the paino great song.

[1blastman]

What always amazes me about Booker is how he can cover a standard and he will take total possession of whatever song he covers. His interpretations are so original..... He owns every song he played.

If you want to hear a rare treat, get a hold of the Booker\Jerry Garcia sessions. He recorded with Garcia I think he recorded with Garcia about the same time the "Lost Paramont Tapes" were recorded.

[outsidernl]

the groove is so deep

[andysweetwater]

what are the lyrics?........im'a cover this

[bklyntigr]

if you have to ask...

[osknikkon]

man booker was crack, dawg!

[zm177]

lol he always sings about the CIA

[swans0n]

What is this from? Hopefully there is a full length of this somewhere out there.

[IndependentGeorge76]

booker was a crazy, fucked up genius - the greatest ever piano player from N'Awlins... what a talent...

[ledzepp461]

YES, YES, YES!

[widefilth]

that drummer.funk

[gamoonbat]

We all better watch out for the CIA!

[audiofile7]

yeah you rite!!!!!!

[theonlywalrus]

C-I-Ayyy, Ayy, Ayyy

[slycopp]

the stinker is a deep thinker,keep on ticking for ever.

[skeptyky]

james ,logical ,the best song du blues/jazzy,

my good,the very gooddddddd!!

[sayyes2bull]

laissez les bons temps rouler!

[fonkpop]

Booker is THE KING. A crazy mad bastard on the piano...he took it to another level and that level will be there forever...listen and go there.

[fairbam]

I have to say, after 50 years of loving great rocking piano, this guy just blows me away!!! I heard him on NPR last month, and have systematically been collecting all of his music I can find.

He's better than Xanex, booze, and maybe even money!!!!!

iTunes has tons of his music.

What a gift he had.

So sad he's gone.

[presidentbeagle]

Keep'em coming, Stinky.

[ChicoEscuela]

This cooks up a slow rolling boil of funky blues. Thanks StinkySquirrel!

[Burnsomatic]

Woah! Another great video of the great James Booker!