St. James Infirmary Blues
written by irving mills
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CAB CALLOWAY - ST. JAMES INFIRMARY BLUES
SNOW WHITE (BETTY BOOP) 1932
SNOW WHITE (BETTY BOOP) 1932
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St. James Infirmary was made popular by Louis Armstrong in 1928. The song is credited to songwriter Irving Berlin, and it is based on The Unfortunate Rake - an 18th-century traditional English folk song. As with many folk songs, there have been numerous variations in the songs lyrics. Additionally, many other songs have been derived from The Unfortunate Rake, such as The Streets Of Larado and Dyin' Crapshooters Blues. St James Infirmary was originally recorded in 1927 under the title Gambler's Blues by Fess Williams and His Royal Flush Orchestra. In the 1930's that popular version of the song was recorded by many different artists. In 1933, Betty Boop's Snow White short featured St. James Infirmary performed by Cab Calloway as Koko The Clown. The animated scene was a classic example of Max Fleischer's rotoscope invention, the sequence also features Calloway performing a very early version of the "moonwalk."
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1929
LOUIS ARMSTRONG & THE HOT FIVE |
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1929
GEORGE E. LEE AND HIS ORCHESTRA |
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1930
KING OLIVER AND HIS ORCHESTRA |
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1930
JIMMIE RODGERS |
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1930
DUKE ELLINGTON with IRVING MILLS |
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1931
CAB CALLOWAY |
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1931
KANSAS CITY FRANK MELROSE |
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1941
ARTIE SHAW featuring HOT LIPS PAGE |
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1947
CAB CALLOWAY |
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1957
JONAH JONES |
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1959
DAVE VAN RONK |
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1961
BOBBY BLAND |
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1962
JACKIE WILSON at The Copa |
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1962
JANIS JOPLIN |
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1964
EARL HINES TRIO |
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1966
PRESERVATION BALL JAZZ BAND |
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1968
ERIC BURDON & THE ANIMALS |
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1970
THE DOORS |
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1972
JOE COCKER |
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1977
DIZZY GILLESPIE & COUNT BASIE |
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1996
ERIC CLAPTON & DR. JOHN |
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1997
LAS BLACANBLUS from Argentina |
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1999
THE WHITE STRIPES |
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2005
ARLO GUTHRIE |
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2006
VAN MORRISON |
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2008
LITTLE PINK ANDERSON |
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2011
HUGH LAURIE Sings The Blues |
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2011
KING BRITT REMIX |
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2013
JON BATISTE & STAY HUMAN |
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ST. JAMES INFIRMARY BLUES
It was down by old Joe's barroom, on the corner of the square
They were serving drinks as usual, and the usual crowd was there
On my left stood Big Joe McKennedy, and his eyes were bloodshot red
And he turned his face to the people, these were the very words he said
I was down to St. James infirmary, I saw my baby there
She was stretched out on a long white table,
So cool, so sweet and so fair
Let her go, let her go, God bless her
Wherever she may be
She may search this whole wide world over
Never find a sweeter man as me
When I die please bury me in my high top Stetson hat
Put a twenty dollar gold piece on my watch chain
The gang'll know I died standing pat
Let her go, let her go God bless her
Wherever she may be
She may search this wide world over
Never find a sweeter man as me
I want six crapshooters to be my pallbearers
Three pretty women to sing a song
Stick a jazz band on my hearse wagon
Raise hell as I stroll along
Let her go Let her go
God bless her
Wherever she may be
She may search this whole wide
World over
She'll never find a sweeter
Man as me
It was down by old Joe's barroom, on the corner of the square
They were serving drinks as usual, and the usual crowd was there
On my left stood Big Joe McKennedy, and his eyes were bloodshot red
And he turned his face to the people, these were the very words he said
I was down to St. James infirmary, I saw my baby there
She was stretched out on a long white table,
So cool, so sweet and so fair
Let her go, let her go, God bless her
Wherever she may be
She may search this whole wide world over
Never find a sweeter man as me
When I die please bury me in my high top Stetson hat
Put a twenty dollar gold piece on my watch chain
The gang'll know I died standing pat
Let her go, let her go God bless her
Wherever she may be
She may search this wide world over
Never find a sweeter man as me
I want six crapshooters to be my pallbearers
Three pretty women to sing a song
Stick a jazz band on my hearse wagon
Raise hell as I stroll along
Let her go Let her go
God bless her
Wherever she may be
She may search this whole wide
World over
She'll never find a sweeter
Man as me
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