By Michael Stevenson
I know that many among us dislike the early onslaught of Christmas music playing in grocery stores, shopping malls, government-run immigration detention centers, etc. Years ago, I wrote a Hobbledehoy post claiming there are only ten good Christmas songs. I’ve since expanded that total to thirty songs, which of course destroys my entire original premise. Serves me right for being such a pretentious bastard!
Hrumph.
Anyway, last Sunday I guest-hosted the weekly radio show Shades of Blue on WRIU and played three hours of classic Blues music, sans the mistletoe. During the show, I received a phone call at the studio thanking me for not playing any Christmas Blues tracks (B.B. King, Charles Brown, and John Lee Hooker each recorded Christmas songs) Is there an LP out there titled “I Saw Mommy Kissing Peg Leg Howell?” I wouldn’t doubt it.
Soon it will be time to just “give in” to the Christmas music blitz, but until then, I thought a replay of my Shades of Blue program might be appreciated by the hobbledehoy among us. As John Lee Hooker would say, “I’m in the mood, baby. Yes, I’m in the mood.”
LISTEN TO THE SHOW (Below)
PREACHIN’, MOANIN’ & HOWLIN’
• Rev. D.C. Rice “The Same King of Power Over Here” [Rev. D.C. Rice Complete Recorded Works (1928-1930]
• Miles Caton & DC6 Singers Collective – “This Little Light of Mine” [from the film Sinners, 2025]
• Son House “Preachin’ Blues” [1930]
• Tedeschi-Trucks Band “So Long Saviour” [I Am the Moon: II. Ascension, 2022]
• Tom Waits “Chocolate Jesus” [Mule Variations, 1999]
• Harmonica Frank “Howlin’ Tom Cat” (Bo Carter)1952
• Lead Belly “Moanin'” [1935]
• Howlin’ Wolf “Howlin’ for my Darling” [1959]
THE BIG HOUSE & A SMALL KITCHEN
• Bukka White “When Can I Change My Clothes” [1940, Chicago]
• Paul Geremia “Skin Game Blues” (Peg Leg Howell) [Gamblin Woman’s Blues, 1992]
• Delaney & Bonnie w Duane Allman “Come On In My Kitchen” [Anthology Vol. 2]
• Ballaké Sissoko & Piers Faccini “Special Rider Blues” (Skip James) [Our Calling, 2025]
I AIN’T BLUE
• Lonnie Johnson (with Elmer Snowden) “Haunted House” [Blues & Ballads, 1959]
• John Koerner “I Ain’t Blue” [Running, Jumping, Standing Still, 1969]
• Mississippi John Hurt “Keep a Knockin’.”
• Bukka White “Sleepy Man’s Blues” (Bukka White)
• Big Bill Broonzy “Hey, Hey Baby” (Broonzy)
• Big Bill Broonzy “The Glory of Love” (Billy Hill)
JIM JACKSON GOT A DOG NAMED BLUE
• Geoff Muldaur “This Morning She Was Gone” (Jim Jackson)[Sleepy Man Blues, 1963]
• Jim Jackson “Mobile Central Blues” (J Jackson)
• Lovin’ Spoonful “Wild About My Lovin'” (J Jackson)
• David Johansen & the Harry Smiths “Old Blue” (J Jackson)
BLIND WILLIE’s BLUES
• Blind Willie McTell “Last Dime Blues” (McTell )
• Blind Willie McTell “Statesboro Blues” (McTell)
• The White Stripes “Lord, Send Me an Angel” (McTell)
• Francis Cabrel “Comme Blind Willie McTell” (Dylan)
KILLING FLOOR CHICAGO
• Howlin’ Wolf “Killing Floor” (1964, Chess single)
• Robert Johnson “Sweet Home Chicago” (1936)
• Paul Butterfield Blues Band “Born in Chicago” (1965, Elekta)
• Howlin’ Wolf “Smokestack Lightin’ (1956, B-side “You Can’t Be Beat”, Chess)
• Muddy Waters “Mannish Boy” (1955, Chess single)
DICK CLARK’S ICE CREAM FOR CROW
• Television clip from “American Bandstand.”
• Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band “Diddy Wah Diddy” 1966
• Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band Ice Cream for Crow” 1982
MR. JELLY LORD
• Jelly Roll Morton “Boyhood Memories” [Alan Lomax interviews, Library of Congress]
• Paul Geremia “Doctor Jazz” [Gamblin Woman’s Blues, 1992]
• Leon Redbone “If Someone Would Love Me” (Morton) Champagne Charlie, 1978
• Jelly Roll Morton “Winin’ Boy Blues” (Morton) The Last Sessions
• Allen Toussaint “Winin’ Boy Blues” (Morton) The Bright Mississippi, 2009
BLUES CROONERS AND BELTERS
• Nat King Cole “Blues in my Shower” [1947]
• Nat King Cole “Gee Baby, Ain’t I Good to You” [1943]
• Charles Brown “Trouble Blues” [1949]
• Charles Brown “I’ll Miss You” [1948]
• Bessie Smith “I Got What It Takes (But It Breaks My Heart to Give It Away)” [1929]
• Dinah Washington “Backwater Blues” (Bessie Smith) Dinah Sings Bessie Smith, 1957