How Long, How Long Blues

"How Long, How Long Blues" is a traditional eight bar blues song, made famous by Leroy Carr on his 1928 Vocalion Records recording with the guitarist Scrapper Blackwell. The song is commonly referred to as "How Long Blues" and is a blues standard that has been recorded by many artists, not only in blues, but also country and western, pop, and jazz.

Song

Carr wrote the music for the song which is a sad tale of life gone wrong. He played an impressive blues piano and accompanied himself aided by Blackwell's single string jazz guitar lines in the role of a responsorial voice as well as providing chords. In contrast to the rural bluesmen of the time, Carr's vocals were emotionally detached, high-pitched and smooth, with clear diction.[1][2]

The song has been recorded with many lyrical variations, but most versions begin with the line: "How long, how long, has that evening train been gone?"

Legacy

This is the first successful recording reflecting the Northern urban blues style resulting from the black migration north. Carr's partnership with guitarist Blackwell combined his light bluesy piano with a melodic jazz guitar that attracted the sophisticated urban black audience in clubs. His vocal style moved blues singing toward an urban sophistican and influenced such singers as T-Bone Walker, Charles Brown, Amos Milburn, Jimmy Witherspoon, Ray Charles amongst others.[1] Blackwell's jazz single string guitar lines helped pave the way for the electric guitarists such as Eddie Durham and Charlie Christian.[2]

A version appeared on Lonnie Donegan's 1956 album, Lonnie Donegan Showcase. On 1 October 1962, the song was recorded by Lou Rawls for his album Black and Blue. Jorma Kaukonen recorded a version on Hot Tuna's first acoustic album in 1970. The Grateful Dead covered the song several times in 1970 during their acoustic sit-down sets. Pinetop Perkins recorded the song on his 1997 album, Born in the Delta. The track was recorded by Eric Clapton for his 1994 album, From the Cradle.

A 1955 recording of "How Long Blues" by James Crutchfield, was released on the CD Biddle Street Barrelhousin' in 2000.

References

  1. ^ a b Shaw, Arnold (1978). Honkers and Shouters. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company. pp. 8–9. ISBN 0-02-061740-2. 
  2. ^ a b Rowe, Mike (1973). Chicago Blues. New York, N.Y.: Da Capo Press. pp. 12–13. ISBN 0-306-80145-0.