Bessie Smith: The Empress of the Blues

[ladycharsw]

I have a video and one song I like is: I want I ike that thing!! I am young senior, Fresno Cal

[SmilinJackB]

:)

[rm6168]

God bless Bessie Smith! She's great!

[3909clancy]

LOL I guess ye good old days weren't as innocent as we are lead to believe!!!

[yunasol123]

fabulosa

[iidontfitinnobox]

this ole gal is a legand one of the first of the first of female blues singers back in the day oh babay i would give ya some anyday

[sparklingmichele]

So refreshing to hear her again! Does anyone have a copy of her singing 'Somebody's Angel Child?' Would LOVE so much to hear that!

[celticghirlxxx]

Try spotify, you just download it and it's 100% free. No downloads, no virus you just listen to free music. There is loads of Bessie Smith on there, it's great! I'm not sure if that song is on there but they're adding tunes to spotify all the time. It's worth a try xx

[KosmicJanis]

She had a huge influence on Janis. Great posting FofJ. Peace.

[Ermengarde11]

Haven't listened to Bessie for a long time, thanks FOJ for sending !! 5* but should be 8* !!

[steffimeffi5]

perfection!!!

[8cccpeevostokzempf]

Hey Bessie Gal--

Throw me down onna floor

An gimmie some...

Gimmie some'a your

Sweet some more.

[cbrun67176]

Ya Gotta Give Me Some!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[noonienotjune]

what a fabulous blues singer ...didn't know she died in car accident...bless her..

[fluffem]

Filthy. I love it

[beaugarsNYC]

Hey, I want some, too!

[MissKnownUnknown]

I just love Bessie! Her songs were always so progressive and bold. Excellent singer.

[ani3238]

I learned about her through my music class. She would have beeen here longer had it not been for racism. ( God rest her soul)

[ell3en]

I really hope that that's not a reference to the story regarding her car accident and subsequent non-admittance to a white hospital. That story is known to be a malicious urban legend.

[cbrun67176]

What an innocent dirty song

[kspm01]

Thanks a lot for sharing! Really outstanding.

[coc177]

C'est splendide !

[chefnaj]

my favorite blues singer

[Rasscoco]

La belle vielle epoque!

[deltadeb5]

Wow! How did she get away with "I want a piece of your good old meat" and "your round steak"! Controversy!

[NatashaJuhlin]

do anyone have the lyric on this song ???

[blueguitar69]

Just so everyone knows, that's Eddie Lang, the father of jazz guitar, on this cut. He is also considered the first "lead" guitarist, for his single string work.

[lotuswight]

oh really? father of jazz guitar?! what about charlie christian?

[blueguitar69]

Eddie was first. Charlie is the father of "electric guitar".

[BoyJunkie87]

Thats a real woman.

[meandlisalertvideos]

of course shes a real woman im doing a dame history report on her......its Bessie Smith died in car accident and famouse blues singer in the 1930s

[MoonHippy]

One of my favourite Bessie songs - RIP

[glavaplava]

blues je zakon...love it...

[deedee51687]

She is the empress of the blues cause nobody could sing the blues quite like Bessie!

[stadfell]

she really was the empress of the blues and would have lived a lot longer had the racial laws in the states not been as severe.she was injured in n auto accident but the first ambulance toarrive was for whites only. the coloured ambulance came 4 1/2 hours later and she died as a result of not being treated earlier!

[fluffem]

Unfortunately it seems a sensational rumour was run with at the time and got published in the media as fact. It was widely accepted at the time for paramedics to pick up casualties of all colours in emergencies, and poor Bessie was taken to the nearest hospital just minutes away, but died of massive blood loss en route due to the fact she'd severed her arm near the shoulder. But I suppose everyone loves a shocker

[cbrun67176]

Yes Gimmie some!!!!!!!!!!!!

[carlotta8]

merveilleux!

[ChrisAlbertson]

Not one of Bessie's most memorable performances, but she never made a bad record. Very nice presentation.

[FDLance]

Love this song!  Awesome!

[MEdwards24]

I long for singers like this. What happened to good music? It's a low down dirty shame...

[testgebruiker]

I love the song and of course you gotta love Bessie. :D

[bandrunner57]

WoW! She's just great. and some of the best photoo's I've ever seen of her!

[JuliusGray]

Great Video!

[BabyboyDet]

Oooh Bessie, you horny LMAO.

[wearethephysics1]

R.I.P BESSIE....

[pirilampomarley]

wonderfull!

[brendafohio]

Yeah that Bessie, she could sure belt em out couldn't she!?

[BoyJunkie87]

Lol she was singing about "humps" and "lumps" nearly 80 years before the Black Eyed Peas. Sex in music is nothing new all hail the Empress x

[brendafohio]

:D My humps, my humps pfffft Bessie was wayyyyy more naughty than Fergie! :) Yer right about that!

[BoyJunkie87]

Indeed Fergie is just juvenile, this is a real woman singing with real passion. I'm only 19 yet I realise they don't make em like they used to :p

[JustinComparable]

Yes they do, you just have to look in the right place.

[BoyJunkie87]

Well in MY mind they don't so nerrr.

[rustythespian]

gimme a pigfoot and a bottle of beer what was it from? please help! it's on the tip og my tounge

[brendafohio]

Lol, I am so sorry I don't know. I got this song from a boxed set of Bessie I got for my birthday 6 years ago. Bessie did sing it. But don't despair, you have tossed your question out there and someone watching this video will hopefully be able to answer it. Are you asking if it was in a movie? Or what album it was from? The YouTube community will surely come up with an answer for ya! Peace.

[rustythespian]

Hi! no I only wanted the proper title of the song it came from and to make matters worse it may NOT have been Bessie! it could have been Ma Rainy Ida Smith or Lizzie Miles! thanks for your help Brenda.

[Shawty4show]

I put this video on my report on Bessie!!

[brendafohio]

I'm very glad you could use it!

[mobayjames]

long live the empress!!! my five year old twin boys love bedbug blues

[cbrun67176]

see people never change only the times do.We loved dirty sexy song even way back then

[Diskatopia]

Were the original sheetmusics misprinted?

Sites list these as lyrics:

"Said mister Jones to old butcher Pete"

and

"Seeper called to Pele-Mele, sugar lump" (?)

when sound and sense seem to indicate

"Said MISS Jones to old butcher Pete"

and

"ZEBRA called to CAMEL, 'sugar lump'"

Were the lyrics misprinted in the original sheetmusic, or is it just net wiki-style disinformation?

[brendafohio]

From researching the lyrics on the net (and we know one piece of misinformation can be spread til it becomes believed to be gospel) the Seeper and Pele-mele part never sounded like Seeper to me i hear she (indistinguishable) and I hear campbell's, then sugar lump. Your zebra called to camel seems more plausible to me. I am clueless on that part. And I never sing MISTER Jones I sing Miss Jones.

[Diskatopia]

Best.Double-entendre.Song.Ever­.

[pcrudup]

awesome man!

[pentatonic1357]

hey , "bessie smith" is the queen of the blues . she is one of the original resource for r&b ,jazz , blues singers. bessie had learned the blues from "ma rainey" the mother of the blues .. .

[Gerry319]

That sure is a sexy song. And if it was "doctored" it wasn't such a good job, because there was still plenty of static.

[brendafohio]

Thanks! It's cuz I love me some Bessie.

[Jen534]

What a great video! You did a wonderful job

[shalba1]

Wish someone would post a recording not re-mastered to make it sound better. I lived back in the 30's, and no recording (78"s), or the movies ever sounded this good. Does someone have a "real old 78" to post??

[neakapla]

Are you out of your skull?;) Yes, it is charming to hear how recordings sounded originally, but remastering of old records shouldn't hinder your enjoyment. The soul of this legend is still apparent. Be glad that this was remastered, because otherwise this, and other old recording could eventually be lost forever.

[user192021]

They let her die just because she was black. What a mess ! "

That's a rumor started by John Hammond in his Downbeat article following Bessie's death - the rumor was quickly proved to be false.

[chipoetess]

false my ass lol!!! the times were changin not re-facing themselves...alot was still jacked...who is to say...but i dont dismiss it though....great video

[user192021]

Don't take my word for it.  Do a little research.

[chipoetess]

baby i have! i love the blues! all its mystique and bullshit...its a wonderful era of music...im assiduous in its history and everythang...but i no one knows but god or what ever higher power you believe in :)_

[adrianborland]

They let her die just because she was black. What a mess !

[paul51]

Very nice video . . . you did Bessie proud.

[brendafohio]

This video has been redone, due to two pictures that didn't belong. TY John 4 the head's up, good lookin' out.