Women in Songs You'd Share

[Karlinamillion]

This is written from a wronged woman's POV, let it be a warning to all you Casanova's!

 

[Bwaslo]

Another Suzie, this time CCR's Suzie Q

While you're at it ..
"The movie wasn't so hot..."
Wake Up Little Suzie

 

[Soandso]

Mamie Smith (1891-1946) is credited with recording the first Blues record (1920; "Crazy Blues") and it's sales were U$1 million causing commercial interests to realize the potential market for non-white records. She died broke and the grave had no headstone until 1970 when Janis Joplin (herself dead 2 months later) along with Juanita Green bought one for Mamie Smith.

Mamie Smith was often irrepressible as when recorded with her band "The Jazz Hounds" (which had a roster of up and coming jazzmen, like the pianist Willie "The Lion" Smith) the tongue-in-cheek song "It's Right Here For You" relating that "… they got married … He'd stay out late to roam around … When he came in she said Bub … I've got something that will surprise you … It's right here for you, If you don't get it, It ain't no fault of mine…."

 

[Soandso]

The year was 1976 when Daryl Hall and John Oates had the smooth hit song "Sara Smile" affirming "… when I feel I can't go on, You come and hold me …."

 

[mhardy6647]

^^^ on the other hand, they also "did" the song Rich Girl.

 

[Karlinamillion]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1972858096927330375

 

[Soandso]

Mid-1940s (between 1945 -1947) "Bad Bad Baby Blues" was recorded by the New Orleans jazz clarinetist Sidney Bechet (1897-1959) along with Chicago clarinetist Milton "Mezz" Mezzrow (1899-1972); both of whom coincidently died self-exiled in Paris. It is a song evocative back to when often New Orleans seminal jazz era musicians trying to make their living by playing in New Orleans' long lost (1917) "red-light" part of town called Storyville music joints were also pimping several female prostitutes.

"You'se a bad bad baby,
and I don't like to make you cry.
…
let me give you a little advice,
…
You always run with some other square,
and you know that burns me up.
…
For a rock can land up in your face baby,
and at the same time cut yo' throat.
…
I'm a good hearted fellow,
but I don't want no jive from you.
…
For I can scratch like a tiger,
and kick like a kangaroo."

 

[Soandso]

New Orleans trumpeter Joseph "Wingy" Manone (1900-1982) recorded "Big Leg Mama" in 1945. He was an irrepressible jazz musician who held his instrument with a prosthetic left hand having lost that arm at the elbow as a young teenager in a railed street car accident.

"Now big leg mama,
get yo' big leg off me.
…
You make me feel so funny,
I'ma run right up a tree.
…
You is all knocked out,
and ain't been around all day.
…
Now let me ask you baby,
where you been all night?
…
That your hair's all mussed up,
and your clothes ain't lookin' right."

 

[Tom C]

With her killer graces
And her secret places
That no boy can fill
With her hands on her hips
Oh, and that smile on her lips
Because she knows that it kills me
With her soft French cream
Standing in that doorway like a dream
I wish she'd just leave me alone
Because French cream won't soften them boots
And French kisses will not break that heart of stone
With her long hair falling
And her eyes that shine like a midnight sun
O-oh, she's the one

That was awesome

 

[Soandso]

Helen Humes from Louisville (1909-1981) in 1928 recorded "If Papa Has Outside Lovin " singing:

"I'm tired of everything you do.
…
Daddy here's what's on my mind.
If Papa has outside lovin'
Momma has outside lovin' too.
…
Most every time you leave me to roam,
I'm gettin' mine without leavin' home.
…
You may think you're fly
when you make your creep.
…
There's no one in town
can do what I do …"

In 1945 (around time when lead-off photo taken) Helen Humes recorded "Pleasing Man Blues" singing with innovative jazz saxophonist Lester "Pres" Young (1909-1959):

"I must have a man
that can satisfy my soul.
…
He must know how to send me
with a fast and slow control.
…
When I want some
real good lovin',
I don't want
no foolin' 'round.
…
When he starts in to love me
ooh-wee
he'll know just what he's doin'.
Start your jivin'
yes jivin' round with me.
Just go on and leave me daddy,
go on and let your momma be."

 

[LTig]

Joshua Kadison sings about a difficult love.

And I listened to her promise
"I swear to God this time it's gonna last"

 

[LTig]

This list would be incomplete without Harry Belafonte's Matilda.

 

[Moonhead]

Not a Springsteen fan, but I like AO.

 

[JustAnandaDourEyedDude]

Three more songs which say "woman" right in the title:

Black Magic Woman by Carlos Santana

Gold Dust Woman by Fleetwood Mac

Misirlou (a rebitiko song "the egyptian girl") sung by Sofia Vembo. The song was a hit in the USA for Dick Dale in a surf guitar instrumental version, and revived in the Pulp Fiction soundtrack.

 

[Soandso]

Trombonist Clyde Bernhardt (1905-1986) sang "Lost Weekend Blues" in a 1945 recording backed by a tight jazz group with clear saxophone accompaniment by the legendary Charlie "Bird" Parker.

"I was lyin' here alone last Friday night.
My baby went and left me,
but I felt all right because I was juiced.
…
We went to the liquor store on Saturday night.
You got high, raised hell and started to fight.
So I got juiced, yes I was juiced.
…
You went to church on Sunday to jump, shout and pray.
I knew all the time that wasn't your natural way.
So I got juiced, good and juiced.
…
Well now it's Monday mornin' and I'm sick and tired of you.
I can't afford to quit you, there's only one thing to do.
So I'm juiced, yes I'm juiced."

 

[JustAnandaDourEyedDude]

She Moved Through The Fair covered by Anne Briggs:

Cruel Sister covered by Pentangle / Jacqui McShee / John Renbourn / Bert Jansch et al:

Cruel Mother (the Greenwood Side-O) covered by Emily Smith:

Cole Porter's Miss Otis Regrets covered by Nancy Wilson:

the Beatles' Eleanor Rigby covered by Tessa Souter:

Roses Blue by Joni Mitchell:

Honey by Bobby Goldsboro:

speaking of the previously posted Richard Thompson, Little Beggar Girl by Richard and Linda Thompson:

A Sailor's Life by Fairport Convention:

Yes, as mentioned by previous posters, many sad songs about women. I await posts by others of Little Green Apples, Jolene, Stairway To Heaven, Bella Ciao (I have listened for several years to a cover by Milva without knowing the origin of the song until recent events). This thread could go on forever.

 

[Soandso]

2005 Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winner Juan "Johnny" Pacheco (1935-2021) [pictured below on the left] released the upbeat song LAS MUCHACHAS (1975) ["The Girls"] with singer Hector Casanova (1942-2007) [pictured below wearing eyeglasses]. I decided not to translate any of it to forgo using synonyms that would distort lyrical and slang content (note: the lyrics are available online as are online translation options, however Caribbean Spanish slang meanings should not automatically be assumed identical to the same slang word in all other Spanish speaking countries ).

 

[Soandso]

Albert "Bert" Ralton (1885-1927) died accidentally picnicking with The Havana Band while touring in Africa falling against someone's rifle. Early on he played saxophone in one of the first jazz bands (Art Hickman's) to feature the saxophone.

His own band recorded a rendition of the song "I Never See Maggie Alone" … "And if I phone her, say to her, "Sweet, where shall we meet? Supposin' that we eat." She brings her father, her mother, her sister and her brother. Oh! I never see Maggie alone."

Below is Bert Ralton playing clarinet and some of his assorted Havana Band iteration's members in a recording studio.

 

[Soandso]

Here's Cecil James "Big Jay" McNeely (1927-2018) a tenor saxophonist whose stylistic influence on rhythm and blues carrying through to rock music is apparent in the song "Junie Flip".

"I've got a Junie flip,
nice and neat.
She's has a lot of lip,
but she's got big feet.
…
Well she left home this mornin'.
Said she ain't comin' back no more.
yes,yes
…
Well she don't have long hair,
She's got holes in her shoes.
Every time she leave me,
Man she gives me the blues.
…
That's my baby,
The girl she joke and jive.
…"