[Dixielandjazz] Re: Sidewalk blues

[EDWIN COLTRIN]

Dear Bill, 
 
Re the Sidewalk Blues,
 and his stories of his early life in N.O. on the Lib of Congress records. Has been a long time since I heard them, when life becomes less hectic, will put the twelve albums on CD and be able to enjoy when wanted,
 
Slainte
 
An a wee dram wil doit
 
Ye Olde Mouldy Fygge
 
Ed Coltrin
WA6FWU
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Bill Haesler <bhaesler at bigpond.net.au> wrote:Dear Ed,
Regarding: >I thought it was a street car off the tracks, I guess at that
time it could have been an automotive street car.<

The vocal introduction to JR Morton's "Sidewalk Blues" [the originally
issued take -3] from 21 Sept 1926, following cacophony involving a police
whistle, shouts, automobile klaxon horn and street car bell, is:
JRM (as street car driver) "Hey! Get out outa the way.
What ya tryin to do? Knock the street car off the tracks?
You're so dumb, you should be president of the deaf and dumb society."
To which the auto owner replies:
"I'm sorry boss, but I got the Sidewalk Blues".
Ever since I first heard this record about 1945 I have always visualized a
busy intersection in New Orleans where an automobile cuts off a street car
(tram).
The vocal coda by Jelly, following the auto klaxon and a whistle is simple
enough. "Let 'em roll".
Youthful imagination? Of course. And I still know it off by heart.
Take -2 (rejected, but issued later on LP) is slightly different, including
"you should belong to the deaf and dumb society".
Now, what about the two cornets mentioned by listmate Anton Crouch?
JRM certainly went to a lot of bother for his second Victor record date on
21 Sept 1926 with some wonderful word/music pictures of life in New Orleans.
"Sidewalk Blues", "Deadman Blues" and "Steamboat Stomp".
Kind regards,
Bill.