I got an email last night from a reader with a question for all of us. He had heard a song on his local college radio station - female blues singer, sounded somewhat like Bessie Smith singing “an uptempo number where she’s singing about a horse. lots of saucy double entendres… “i’ve got a horse and you know i ride it all night” - that type of thing.” They only thing that I could think of was Jockey Blues, but that doesn’t really fit. It doesn’t appear to be a Bessie Smith song either. If you know what it is let me know!

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Ethel Waters was one of the most famous black entertainer throughout pre and post war era. She was even nominated for an Oscar in 1949! Before she entered popular culture she was a very talented and skilled blues singer, unlike a lot of blues singers who are wonderful because they are clearly not skilled and just have their own flow, Waters is obviously very talented and her voice is one of the best I’ve heard. This track is from 1928 written and backed by the wonderful Clarence Williams, Waters sings about a beggin’ triflin’ man who is trying to win her back. It ain’t going to happen, pal.

Ethel Waters - Get Up Off Your Knees

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