"Wabash Blues" (Isham Jones, 1921)

Two million sales of this record in 1921 cemented Isham Jones's niche in the musical pantheon of the early Twenties.

The song has been recorded many times since with Dave Ringle's fine lyrics, but no performance has been so popular as this Jones instrumental.

WABASH BLUES
(Fred Meinken, music; Dave Ringle, words)

Let me to lose those Wabash Blues.

A lonesome soul am I
I feel that I could cry
I've got to lose
Those Wabash blues.

I know I got my dues
Yes, I'll pack my walking shoes
I've got to lose
Those Wabash Blues.

--- Instrumental ---

(Got the blues, the Wabash blues
Got the blues, the Wabash blues
Got the blues, the Wabash blues
Got the blues, the Wabash blues.)

Yes, I'll pack my walking shoes
I've got to lose
Those Wabash Blues...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Category:

Music

Tags:

• 1921
• Isham
• Jones
• Wabash
• Blues
• jazz
• age
• Fred
• Meinken
• Dave
• Ringle

[Corrie121]

Thank you posting this Isham Jones rendition.

Just great!!!

[RReady555]

Glad you love this one too, Corrie! One of my favorites from the period.

Warmest wishes,

-RR

[mrdee11091]

thank you not heard thios before so its new to my ears but anmyway thanks for the post ,,,

[RReady555]

A much earlier, acoustical sound--though of amzaing fidelity. Purists will tell you that it's not really "Blues", but never mond them... ;)

Best wishes,

-RR

[hoss73ford1]

Jones was years ahead of his time. In 1921 he (along with Ted Lewis) were recording these uptempo dance records (that kids parents hated!) to set the stage for the roaring 20s as they were.

[starrman813]

My Great Uncle...Luis Panico is the trumpet soloist on this recording, which made his "Laughing Trumpet" gimmick a huge hit. He went on to have his own orchestra in Chicago and released many hit records.

[V8Deuce]

I have a red vinyl 78 RPM of this song by "Newport Society Orchestra"

[ErnieHollerhagen]

@bobbobato: I think it is very difficult to differentiate between jazz and "pseudo-jazz" in these early days, when jazz was just being "invented". Genres are hard to tell apart well into the forties, or is most of what Goodman and Harry James recorded "pure jazz"? Even Ellington oscillated between hot numbers and sweeter dance styles up to about 1927/8. Most of the music of the 20ies contain some stylistic elements of jazz.

[beaconmike]

Given the times, it is no wonder that I associate this type of music with the serials of the Little Rascals and Our Gang Club..............great stuff.

[bobbobato]

.... It's too bad nobody else seems to be interested in this subgenre anymore - if you look for CDs you'll find that there's maybe 200 recordings available digitally from the entire 1920s, and yet if you look up discographies from the early twenties you'll find that the average label would have recorded that many every year!

[bobbobato]

pseudo-jazz acoustic records such as this one from the early 1920s fascinate me. This kind of music isn't real jazz, and yet, it isn't completely slick and commercial. These kind of recordings always have these raw, weird, piquing sounds which simply enchant me and seem so fresh and daring, like the shrill violin notes at the beginning of this recording.

[OberstMadig]

Vielen Dank für diese klassische Version, endlich hat man mal ein Gefühl wie das Original klingt. :)

[HarborGuy]

@RReady555 Of all the many recordings of this wonderful early Jazz number, I have always thought this was the best.........

[SatchmoSings]

I usually shun acoustic recordings, however this one is darn good (it's also well recorded, considering); I have one acquaintance that really likes this period, falling between ragtime and the more "defined" music of the "golden age of dance bands" that followed.

I can now understand why!