Bessie Smith's big, beautiful voice and emotionally naked interpretation made her into one of the all-time stars of the gramophone record, influencing talents as wide ranging as Billie Holiday, Mahalia Jackson and Janis Joplin. This 4CD set includes all of her best known songs, whose raw energy and emotion shine out across the decades and show just why she became such a star. Transcending the worlds of blues, gospel and popular song, Bessie is a seminal figure in modern music and this box is the ultimate overview of her career.
 

Chattanooga Gal - Smith, Bessie  

Disc 1

1. Down Hearted Blues 3:25
2. Gulf Coast Blues 3:04
3. Beale Street Mama 3:34
4. Baby Won't You Please Come Home 2:55
5. 'Tain't Nobody's Bizness If I Do 3:26
6. Bleeding Hearted Blues 3:05
7. Lady Luck Blues 3:06
8. Midnight Blues 3:17
9. Whoa, Tillie, Take Your Time 3:10
10. Any Woman's Blues 3:24
11. Chicago Bound Blues 3:15
12. Moonshine Blues 3:16
13. Work House Blues 3:20
14. House Rent Blues 3:05
15. Rainy Weather Blues 3:35
16. Weeping Willow Blues 3:09
17. The Bye Bye Blues 3:17
18. Sinful Blues 3:08
19. Dying Gambler's Blues 2:57
20. The St. Louis Blues 3:09
21. Reckless Blues 3:02
22. Sobbin' Hearted Blues 3:00
23. Cold In Hand Blues 3:12

Disc 2

1. You've Been A Good Ole Wagon 3:29
2. Cake Walkin' Babies (From Home) 3:09
3. The Yellow Dog Blues 3:02
4. Soft Pedal Blues 3:18
5. Careless Love Blues 3:24
6. Nashville Woman's Blues 3:43
7. J.C. Holmes Blues 3:03
8. I Ain't Goin To Play Second Fiddle 3:21
9. He's Gone Blues 3:09
10. I Ain't Got Nobody 3:09
11. I've Been Mistreated And I Don't Like It 2:55
12. Red Mountain Blues 3:10
13. Golden Rule Blues 3:02
14. Lonesome Desert Blues 3:24
15. Them 'Has Been' Blues 3:31
16. Squeeze Me 2:51
17. What's The Matter Now ? 2:44
18. I Want Every Bit Of It 2:35
19. Jazzbo Brown From Memphis Town 3:18
20. The Gin House Blues 3:12
21. Money Blues 3:09
22. Baby Doll 2:59
23. Hard Driving Papa 2:56
24. Lost Your Head Blues 2:55

Disc 3

1. Hard Time Blues 3:12
2. Honey Man Blues 3:12
3. One And Two Blues 2:52
4. Young Woman's Blues 3:07
5. Preachin' The Blues 2:49
6. Backwater Blues 3:17
7. After You've Gone 2:55
8. Alexander's Ragtime Band 2:58
9. Muddy Water (A Mississippi Moan) 3:05
10. There'll Be A Hot Time In The Old Town Tonight 3:18
11. Trombone Cholly 3:09
12. Send Me To The 'Lectric Chair 3:20
13. Sweet Mistreater 2:59
14. Lock And Key 2:57
15. A Good Man Is Hard To Find 2:58
16. Dyin' By The Hour 2:57
17. Foolish Man Blues 2:52
18. Thinking Blues 3:07
19. I Used To Be Your Sweet Mama 2:48
20. Spider Man Blues 3:21
21. Empty Bed Blues, Pt 1 3:00
22. Empty Bed Blues, Pt 2 3:19
23. Put It Right Here (Or Keep It Out There) 2:58
24. Yes Indeed He Do! 3:14

Disc 4

1. Devil's Gonna Git You 3:09
2. Poor Man's Blues 3:23
3. Please Help Me Get Him Out Of My Mind 2:54
4. Me And My Gin 2:49
5. I'm Wild About That Thing 2:46
6. Kitchen Man 2:55
7. I've Got What It Takes (But It Breaks My Heart To Give It Away) 3:08
8. Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out 2:56
9. He's Got Me Goin' 3:11
10. It Makes My Love Come Down 2:55
11. Dirty No-Gooders Blues 2:55
12. Blue Spirit Blues 2:54
13. You Don't Understand 3:03
14. Don't Cry Baby 3:09
15. Baby Have Pity On Me 3:18
16. On Revival Day 2:54
17. Hustlin' Dan 3:29
18. Black Mountain Blues 3:06
19. Need A Little Sugar In My Bowl 2:46
20. Safety Mama 3:23
21. Do Your Duty 3:23
22. Gimme A Pigfoot 3:28
23. Take Me For A Buggy Ride 2:35
24. I'm Down In The Dumps 3:09 DISCOGRAPHY - DISC ONE - DOWN HEARTED BLUES

Bessie Smith, voc. acc.by Clarence Williams, p
New York, February 16, 1923
80863-5 DOWN HEARTED BLUES
80864-3 GULF COAST BLUES

Bessie Smith, voc.acc.by her Down Home Trio : probably Ernest Elliott cl; Clarence Williams, p; Buddy Christian, bjo
New York, April 11, 1923
80950-2 BEALE STREET MAMA

Bessie Smith, voc. acc. by Clarence Williams, p
New York, April 11, 1923
80952-3 BABY WONâ??T YOU PLEASE COME HOME

Bessie Smith, voc. acc.by Clarence Williams, p
New York, April 26, 1923
80862-10 â??TAINâ??T NOBODYâ??S BIZNESS IF I DO

Bessie Smith, voc. acc. by Fletcher Henderson, p
New York, June 14, 1923
81075-3 BLEEDING HEARTED BLUES
81078-3 LADY LUCK BLUES

Bessie Smith, voc.acc.by Fletcher Henderson, p
New York, June 15, 1923
81080-3 MIDNIGHT BLUES

Bessie Smith, voc, acc.by George Baquet or Ernest Elliott, cl; possibly Jimmy Jones, p
New York, October 15, 1923
81244-7 WHOA, TILLIE, TAKE YOUR TIME

Bessie Smith, voc. acc.by Fletcher Henderson, p
New York, October 16, 1923
81283-3 ANY WOMANâ??S BLUES

Bessie Smith, voc. acc.by Don Redman, cl; Fletcher Henderson, p
December 4, 1923
81391-3 CHICAGO BOUND BLUES

Bessie Smith, voc. acc.by Irving Johns, p
New York, April 9th, 1924
81676-1 MOONSHINE BLUES

Bessie Smith, voc.acc.by Charlie Green, tb; Fletcher Henderson, p
New York, July 23, 1924
81883-2 WORK HOUSE BLUES
81884-4 HOUSE RENT BLUES

Bessie Smith, voc. acc.by Charlie Green, tb; Fletcher Henderson, p
New York, August 8, 1924
81907-1 RAINY WEATHER BLUES

Bessie Smith, voc. acc. by Joe Smith, cnt; Charlie Green, tb; Fletcher Henderson, p
New York, September 26, 1924
W 140062-2 WEEPING WILLOW BLUES
W 140063-3 THE BYE BYE BLUES

Bessie Smith, voc, kazoo, acc. by Fred Longshaw, p
New York, December 11, 1924
W 140162-5 SINFUL BLUES

Bessie Smith, voc.acc.by Charlie Green, tb; Fred Longshaw, p
New York, Deember 13, 1924
W 140176-2 DYING GAMBLERâ??S BLUES

Bessie Smith, voc. acc. by Louis Armstrong, cnt; Fred Longshaw, reed organ, p.
New York, January 14, 1925
W 140241-1 THE ST. LOUIS BLUES
W 140242-1 RECKLESS BLUES
W 1402492 SOBBINâ?? HEARTED BLUES
W 140250-2 COLD IN HAND BLUES

DISC TWO - DISCOGRAPHY - CARELESS LOVE BLUES

Bessie Smith, voc. acc. by Louis Armstrong, cnt; Fred Longshaw, p.
New York, January 14, 1925
W 140251-1 YOUâ??VE BEEN A GOOD OLE WAGON

Bessie Smith, voc. acc. by Fletcher Hendersonâ??s Hot Six : Joe Smith, cnt; Charlie Green, tb; Buster Bailey, cl; Coleman Hawkins, ts; Fletcher Henderson, p; Charlie Dixon, bjo; Bob Escudero, tu.
New York, May 5, 1925
W 140585-2 CAKE WALKINâ?? BABIES (From home)

Same personnel as above
New York, May 6, 1925
W 140586-1 THE YELLOW DOG BLUES

Bessie Smith, voc. acc. by Charlie Green, tb; Fred Longshaw, p
New York, May 14, 1925
W 140601-1 SOFT PEDAL BLUES

Bessie Smith, voc. acc. by Louis Armstrong, cnt; Charlie Green, tb; Fred Longshaw, p.
New York, May 26, 1925
W 140626-1 CARELESS LOVE BLUES
W 140625-2 NASHVILLE WOMANâ??S BLUES

Same personel as above
New York, May 27, 1925
W 140629-2 J.C. HOLMES BLUES
W 140630-1 I AINâ??T GOINâ?? TO PLAY SECOND FIDDLE

Bessie Smith, voc. acc.by Fred Longshaw, p
New York, June 23, 1925
W 140717-3 HEâ??S GONE BLUES

Bessie Smith, voc. acc. by her band : Bob Fuller, cl, as; Isadore Myers, p; Elmer Snowden, bjo.
New York, August 19, 1925
W 140858-3 I AINâ??T GOT NOBODY

Bessie Smith, voc. acc. by Joe Smith, cnt; Charlie Green, tb; Fletcher Henderson, p
New York, November 18, 1925
W 141285-3 Iâ??VE BEEN MISTREATED AND I DONâ??T LIKE IT

Bessie Smith, voc. acc. by Don Redman, cl; Fletcher Henderson, p
New York, November 20, 1925
141293-2 RED MOUNTAIN BLUES
141294-2 GOLDEN RULE BLUES

Bessie Smith, voc.acc. by Shelton Hemphill, cnt; Fred Longshaw, p.
New York, November 9, 1925
141270-3 LONESOME DESERT BLUES

Bessie Smith, voc. acc. by Clarence Wiliams, p
New York, March 5, 1926

141767-2 THEM â??HAS BEENâ? BLUES
141768-3 SQUEEZE ME
141769-2 WHATâ??S THE MATTER NOW ?
141770-2 I WANT EVERY BIT OF IT

Bessie Smith, voc. acc. by Buster Bailey, cl; Fletcher Henderson, p
New York, March 18, 1926

141819-2 JAZZBO BROWN FROM MEMPHIS TOWN
141820-3 THE GIN HOUSE BLUES

Bessie Smith, voc.acc. by Joe Smith, cnt; Fletcher Henderson, p
New York, May 4, 1926
142146-3 MONEY BLUES
142147-2 BABY DOLL
142148-3 HARD DRIVING PAPA
142149-1 LOST YOUR HEAD BLUES

DISCOGRAPHY - DISC THREE -
YOUNG WOMANâ??S BLUES

Bessie Smith, voc. acc. by Fletcher Henderson, p
New York, October 25, 1926
142874-2 HARD TIME BLUES
142875-3 HONEY MAN BLUES

Bessie Smith, voc. acc. by Her Blue Boys : Joe Smith, cnt; Buster Bailey, cl; Fletcher Henderson, p
New York, October 26, 1926
142876-2 ONE AND TWO BLUES
142878-3 YOUNG WOMANâ??S BLUES

Bessie Smith, voc. acc. by James P. Johnson, p
New York, February 17, 1927
143490-2 PREACHINâ?? THE BLUES
143491-1 BACKWATER BLUES

Bessie Smith, voc.acc. by Her Band : Joe Smith, cnt; Jimmy Harrison, tb; Buster Bailey, cl; Fletcher Henderson, p; Charlie Dixon, bjo.
New York, March 2, 1927
143567-2 AFTER YOUâ??VE GONE

Bessie Smith, voc. acc. by Her Band : Joe Smith, cnt; Jimmy Harrison, tb; Coleman Hawkins, ts; Fletcher Henderson, p; Charlie Dixon, bjo
New York, March 2, 1927
143568-1 ALEXANDERâ??S RAGTIME BAND

Same personel and date as above, but add Buster Bailey, cl
143569-1 MUDDY WATER
(A MISSISSIPPI MOAN)

Same personnel and date as above, but omit Coleman Hawkins, ts
143570-1 THEREâ??LL BE A HOT TIME IN THE OLD TOWN TONIGHT

Bessie Smith, voc. acc. by Her Blue Boys : Joe Smith, cnt; Charlie Green, tb; Fletcher Henderson, p
New York, March 3, 1927
143575-3 TROMBONE CHOLLY
143576-2 SEND ME TO THE â??LECTRIC CHAIR

Bessie Smith, voc.acc. by James P. Johnson, p
New York, April 1, 1927
143735-3 SWEET MISTREATER
143736-3 LOCK AND KEY

Bessie Smith, voc.acc. by Porter Grainger, p; Lincoln M. Conaway, g.
New York, September 27, 1927
144797-3 A GOOD MAN IS HARD TO FIND

Bessie Smith, voc. acc. by Tommy Ladnier, cnt; Fletcher Henderson, p; June Cole, tu.
New York, October 27, 1927
144918-1 DYINâ?? BY THE HOUR
144919-3 FOOLISH MAN BLUES

Bessie Smith, voc. acc. by Demus Dean, cnt; Charlie Green, tb; Fred Longshaw, p.
New York, February 9, 1928
145626-2 THINKING BLUES
145628-1 I USED TO BE YOUR SWEET MAMA

Bessie Smith, voc.acc.by AbrahamWheat, cl, ss; Bob Fuller, cl; Porter Grainger, p.
New York, March 19, 1928
W 145783-2 SPIDER MAN BLUES

Bessie Smith, voc.acc.by Charlie Green, tb; Porter Grainger, p
New York, March 20, 1928
W 145785-3 EMPTY BED BLUES, PT 1
W 145786-1 EMPTY BED BLUES,
PT 2
W 145787-3 PUT IT RIGHT HERE (OR KEEP IT OUT THERE)

Bessie Smith, voc. acc. by Bob Fuller, cl, as; Ernest Elliott, cl, as; ts; Porter Grainger, p.
New York, August 24, 1928
W 146887-2 YES INDEED HE DO!


DISCOGRAPHY -DISC FOUR - ME AND MY GIN

Bessie Smith, voc. acc. by Bob Fuller, cl, as; Ernest Elliott, cl, as, ts; Porter Grainger, p
New York, August 24, 1928

W 146888-2 DEVILâ??S GONNA GIT YOU

Bessie Smith, voc. acc. by Joe Williams, tb, Bob Fuller, cl, as; Ernest Elliott, cl, as, ts; Porter Grainger, p
New York, August 24, 1928
W 146895-1 POOR MANâ??S BLUES

Bessie Smith, voc.acc. by Joe Williams, tb; Porter Grainger, p
New York, August 25, 1928
W 146896-2 PLEASE HELP ME GET HIM OUT OF MY MIND
W 146897-3 ME AND MY GIN

Bessie Smith, voc.acc. by Clarence Williams, p; Eddie Lang, g.
New York, May 8, 1929
W 148485-3 Iâ??M WILD ABOUT THAT THING
W 148487-4 KITCHEN MAN

Bessie Smith, voc. acc. by Ed Allen, cnt; Garvin Bushell, as; Greely Walton, ts; Clarence Williams, p; Cyrus St. Clair, tu
New York, May 15, 1929
W 148533-2 Iâ??VE GOT WHAT IT TAKES (BUT IT BREAKS MY HEART TO GIVE IT AWAY)
W 148534-3 NOBODY KNOWS YOU WHEN YOUâ??RE DOWN AND OUT

Bessie Smith, voc.acc. by James P. Johnson, p
New York, August 20, 1929
W 148902-2 HEâ??S GOT ME GOINâ??
W 148904-1 IT MAKES MY LOVE COME DOWN

Same personnel as above
New York, October 1, 1929
W 149075-1 DIRTY NO-GOODERS BLUES

Same personnel as above
New York, October 11, 1929
W 149134-3 BLUE SPIRIT BLUES
W 149136-2 YOU DONâ??T UNDERSTAND
W 149137-2 DONâ??T CRY BABY

Bessie Smith, voc. acc. by Charlie Green, tb; Clarence Williams, p
New York, April 12, 1930
W 150459-3 BABY HAVE PITY ON ME

Bessie Smith, voc.acc. by James P. Johnson, p; The Bessemer Singers, vocal group
New York, June 9, 1930
W 150574-4 ON REVIVAL DAY (A RHYTHMIC SPIRITUAL)

Bessie Smith, voc. acc. by Ed Allen, cnt; Steve Stevens, p
New York, July 22, 1930
W 150657-1 HUSTLINâ?? DAN
W 150658-7 BLACK MOUNTAIN BLUES

Bessie Smith, voc.acc. by Clarence Williams, p
New York, November 20, 1931
W 151883-1 NEED A LITTLE SUGAR IN MY BOWL
W 151884-1 SAFETY MAMA

Bessie Smith, voc.acc. by Buck and his Band : Frankie Newton, tp; Jack Teagarden, tb; Benny Goodman,cl (-1), Chu Berry, ts; Buck Washington, p, ldr; Bobby Johnson, g; Billy Taylor, b
New York, November 24, 1933
W 152577-2 DO YOUR DUTY
W 152578-2 GIMME A PIGFOOT (-1)
W 152579-2 TAKE ME FOR A BUGGY RIDE
W 152580-2 Iâ??M DOWN IN THE DUMPS