Downhearted Blues
| "Down Hearted Blues" | |
|---|---|
 Sheet music for "Down Hearted Blues" | |
| Single by Alberta Hunter | |
| Released | 1922 |
| Recorded | July 1922, New York City |
| Genre | Blues |
| Length | 3:01 |
| Label | Paramount |
| Composer(s) | Lovie Austin |
| Lyricist(s) | Alberta Hunter |
| Recordings | |
Recording of Downhearted Blues, performed by Alberta Hunter (1922) | |
Recording of Downhearted Blues, performed by Bessie Smith (1923) | |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Downhearted Blues (1922 composition).
"Down Hearted Blues" is a
Joe "King" Oliver's band.[1]
Blues singer Bessie Smith recorded the song with piano accompaniment by Clarence Williams.[2] It was released as her first single (backed with "Gulf Coast Blues") and 780,000 copies were sold in the first six months.[3] One historian noted that "sales through the years plus the bootlegging of her discs must have made it a million seller".[4]
The
Grammy Hall of Fame Award.[9]
The 1923 sound recordings of the song entered the public domain in the United States in 2024.[10]
References
- ^ a b
Weissman, Dick (2006). American Popular Music: Blues. ISBN 9780415970686.
- ^
"Down Hearted Blues" (Single notes). Bessie Smith. New York City: Columbia Records. 1923. 78 label. A3844.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^
Felder, Deborah G. (2001). The 100 Most Influential Women of All Time. New York City: ISBN 0-8065-2271-2.
- ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
- ^ "Complete National Recording Registry Listing". Loc.gov/programs. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
- ^ "Librarian of Congress Names 50 Sound Recordings to the Inaugural National Recording Registry". Loc.gov/programs. January 27, 2003. Archived from the original on February 2, 2007. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
- ^ "The Recording Industry Association of America Top 365 Songs of the Twentieth Century". Theassociation.net. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
- ^ "500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll: 'Downhearted Blues' – Bessie Smith". Rockhall.com. 1995. Archived from the original on 2007-05-02. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
- ^
"Grammy Hall of Fame Award: 'Downhearted Blues' – Bessie Smith: Columbia (1923, single)". Grammy.com. 2006. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
- ^ "Public Domain Day 2024 | Duke University School of Law". web.law.duke.edu.
