[Dixielandjazz] Aunt Hagar's Blues

[Bill Gunter]

Hi Jim and all,

You write (concerning "Aunt Hagar's Blues") that the Neighbors book and the 
Firehouse book have virtually identical versions. You also mention that the 
Anderson book provides a nearly identical version although the title in the 
Anderson book is one word longer than the others.

Then you go on to state: "To further confuse the situation . . ."

Now I have to admit here that I'm at a loss to figure out where the actual 
confusion lies. Let me see . . . you cite four sources (including the two 
from the Anderson book) that are all virtually the same and you find this 
"confusing"?  That really confuses me.  The fact that three difference 
sources tend to agree on some issue would hardly qualify as "confusing."  
I'd probably be more confused if they didn't agree.

However, you go on to state (after the "confusion" part): "[To further 
confuse the situation,] I recently purchased a CD of recordings made by W.C. 
Handy's Memphis Blues Band between 1917 and 1923.  One of the tunes on the 
record is called the "Honking Cow Blues." It contains the
distinctive second strain of "Aunt Hagar's Blues."

This shouldn't be of any great concern. It happens quite often.  For 
example, has anyone noticed in the tune "East St. Louis Toodle-oo" that one 
of the strains sound suspiciously like "I Wish I Could Shimmy Like my Sister 
Kate"? There are numerous occasions where similar sounding strains show up 
in different tunes.

I've never heard of "Honking Cow Blues" and my attempts to Google it up have 
led noplace. But it doesn't surprise me that you might find a strain therein 
associated with some other tune.

Matter of fact, that might make an interesting thread:

"Can you think of tunes which contain distinctive strains from some other 
traditional jazz tune?"

I already listed one ("East St. Louis Toodle-oo" and "Sister Kate") above.

Respectfully submitted,

Bill Gunter
jazzboard at hotmail.com





>From: "James O'Briant" <jobriant at garlic.com>
>To: <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
>Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Aunt Hagar's Blues
>Date: Sun, 23 Jul 2006 14:01:20 -0700
>
>Here's a question for some of the archivist on this list....
>
>Two of the bands with which I sub from time to time play "Aunt Hagar's
>Blues." Both play it from the lead sheet that's # 295 in the Neighbors Fake
>Book.  The Firehouse Fake Book (where it's # 387) is virtually identical.
>
>The same tune (all three strains) appears twice in the Anderson Collection
>-- once in Volume 1, Page 59, and once in Vol. I of the "With Verses"
>section, Page 122V.  The tune is again nearly identical, but in both places
>Anderson gives the title as "Aunt Hagar's Children's Blues."
>
>To further confuse the situation, I recently purchased a CD of recordings
>made by W.C. Handy's Memphis Blues Band between 1917 and 1923.  One of the
>tones on the record is called the "Honking Cow Blues." It contains the
>distinctive second strain of "Aunt Hagar's Blues."
>
>Can anyone clear up the title discrepancy, and illuminate any connection
>between "Aunt Hagar" and "Honking Cow?"
>
>Jim O'Briant
>Tuba
>Gilroy, CA
>
>
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