Guitars101 - Guitar Forums banner

The Real New Catfish Blues Part 1(featuring Jim Jackson III)(Swamp-shuffle bluesremix

2K views 1 reply 1 participant last post by  Billiken Johnson III 
#1 ·
https://soundcloud.com/kingumbopa/t...ring-jim-jackson-iiiswamp-shuffle-blues-remix
The Real New Catfish Blues Part 1(featuring Jim Jackson III)(Swamp-shuffle blues remix)

:(6):

http://rlv.zcache.com/catfish_blues_t_shirt-p2358050307338687772fi0v_325.jpg

Although Cowley rightly says “Catfish Blues” is “...an enduring Mississippi blues theme that dates, on commercial record, from 1941 (and) it was first recorded by Robert Pettway” (sic), this only tells part of the story. It had for a long time been associated with the rough-voiced guitar-man Tommy McClennan. Both singers were from the Greenwood area in the Mississippi Delta. A younger Delta singer, David ‘Honeyboy’ Edwards, told “Blues Unlimited” magazine in 1968, that Tommy McClennan was “.. . playing the same things he made (i.e. recorded), “Catfish” and “Bullfrog”. Ha. ha. Playing pretty much the same way he did on his records, yeah, same way, same things”.

http://rlv.zcache.com/catfish_blues_postcards-r5a5016b460ca4a26ae3e5d9f78065393_vgbaq_8byvr_324.jpg

‘Honeyboy’ is referring to McClennan’s “Catfish” on which the latter only mentions the bullfrog. Said Tommy in 1941:

“I wants to make this one right.
This is the (best) one I got.”
Then he hung his head an’ went to singin’ an’ cryin’:
“Now, I wished that I was a bullfrog, swimmin’ in that deep blue sea.
Lord, I would have all these good* lookin’ women, now, now, now, fishin after me.
Fishin’ after (guitar completes line)…
I mean after …..
Sure nuff, after me”.

Tommy McClennan. c.1940.

http://m.c.lnkd.licdn.com/mpr/pub/i...LWVWubVgYmF3i_MV96Jgf4pfXA0/catfish-blues.jpg

McClennan's rasping vocal veering between the menacing and the sensual, in the familiar dark melodic strains that have become associated with this famous blues. His spoken self -encouragement might refer to the fact he featured slide for the only time on a record, or that this was his most popular number in the jukes and barrelhouses in the Delta. As' Honeyboy' says "When he played his style the peo*ple liked it. He had a big mouth and could holler a whole lot. I learnt "Catfish Blues" & " Hard Headed Woman Blues” (probably “whiskey Head Woman” from McClennen’s 1st. session in 1939), and a few numbers he made." And Calt & co. state "Although Petway's was the original recording of "Catfish" Blues" under that title,...the song had been McClennan 's sig*nature piece around Greenwood”.

http://images.commeaucinema.com/galerie/catfishgal1.jpg

Robert Petway played with McClennan on many of his gigs. Petway had a similar style, in both vocal and guitar, to Tommy, which Edwards deemed 'different' (i.e. new at the time). "It'd be in and out; sometimes Tommy would be by himself and then when he get something pretty large he'd go get Robert." Tommy McCle*nnan, who was better known, had moved to Chicago and started recording for the Bluebird label in 1939. It would seem that after enjoying a few "hits" he sent for Petway who had 2 sessions in 1941 and 1942. Petway's first side was his version of the "Cat fish Blues" theme; taken at a much faster lick on his National guitar, but without the bottleneck:

https://sp.yimg.com/xj/th?id=OIP.Md685988e37da5d4224ce163aaf4ac3c3o0&pid=15.1&P=0&w=300&h=300

“Well, if I was a catfish, mama, I said, swimmin’ deep down in deep blue sea.
Have these gals now, sweet mama, Sittin’ out, sittin’ out, folks, for poor me;
Sittin’ out, folks, for poor me;
Sittin’ out, folks, for poor me;
Sittin’ out, folks, for me;
Sittin’ out, folks, for me;
Sittin’ out, folks, for me.”
http://www.in-fisherman.com/files/2014/07/Blue-Catfish-Lead-In-Fisherman.jpg
A superb dance-oriented version this record introduces an early example of the “fade-out” technique (almost unique in pre-war blues records). Petway was a better guitarist (on record) than McClennan, while the latter “could beat him hollering”

Robert Petway. 1941.

https://sp.yimg.com/xj/th?id=OIP.M6a7852d0013e6170e14492795d5ab5d0o0&pid=15.1&P=0&w=300&h=300
 
See less See more
#2 ·
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top