Downhearted Blues

Ella Fitzgerald

About Downhearted Blues

"Downhearted Blues" is a blues song composed by American jazz singer Alberta Hunter and musician Lovie Austin. The first line sets the theme for the song: "Gee but it's hard to love someone when that someone don't love you". Hunter sang it during her engagement at the Dreamland Cafe, in Chicago, where she performed with Joe "King" Oliver's band. She made a recording of the song in 1922. Blues singer Bessie Smith recorded the song with piano accompaniment by Clarence Williams on February 16, 1923. It was released as her first single (with "Gulf Coast Blues" on the B-side); 780,000 copies were sold in the first six months, and eventually 2 million copies were sold. The National Recording Preservation Board included Smith's recording in the inaugural National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress in 2002. The board recognizes songs that are "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." In 2001, the Recording Industry Association of America, with the National Endowment for the Arts, included it at number 315 in the list of the Top 365 "Songs of the Century". The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame identified it as one of the "500 Songs That Shaped Rock". In 2006, Smith's recording received a Grammy Hall of Fame Award."Downhearted Blues" has been recorded by numerous other musicians, including Fletcher Henderson & His Orchestra, Eva Taylor, Lucille Hegamin, Edna Hicks, Hazel Meyers, Mildred Bailey & Her Alley Cats, Cab Calloway & His Orchestra, Teddy Wilson, Kid Ory, Juanita Hall, Ella Fitzgerald, Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys (sung by Wills, a longtime Bessie Smith fan), Son House, and Teresa Brewer. 


Year:
1963
3:08
160 
#2

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Gee, but it's hard to love someone when that someone don't love you! 
I'm so disgusted, heart-broken, too; I've got those down-hearted blues; 
Once I was crazy 'bout a man; he mistreated me all the time, 
The next man I get has got to promise me to be mine, all mine! 

Trouble, trouble, I've had it all my days, 
Trouble, trouble, I've had it all my days,
It seems like trouble going to follow me to my grave. 

I ain't never loved but three men's in my life,
I ain't never loved but three men in my life,
My father, my brother, the man that wrecked my life. 

It may be a week, it may be a month or two, 
It may be a week, it may be a month or two, 
But the day you quit me, honey, it's comin' home to you. 

I got the world in a jug, the stopper's in my hand, 
I got the world in a jug, the stopper's in my hand, 
I'm gonna hold it until you meet some of my demands.

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Ella Fitzgerald

Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917 – June 15, 1996), also known as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella", was an American jazz and song vocalist. With a vocal range spanning three octaves (D♭3 to D♭6), she was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing and intonation, and a "horn-like" improvisational ability, particularly in her scat singing. more »

11 fans

Written by: LOVIE AUSTIN, ALBERTA HUNTER

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


7 facts about this song

Alberta Hunter Facts
Alberta Hunter was an influential jazz and blues singer, and she was a co-writer of the song "Downhearted Blues." - Hunter recorded "Down-hearted Blues" in the late 1920s, and it is considered an important track in her discography. - Despite her popularity dwindling in the mid-20th century, she experienced a successful comeback in her 80s, performing at venues like Carnegie Hall.
Bessie Smith Facts
Bessie Smith's rendition of "Downhearted Blues" in 1923 was a major hit, selling over 800,000 copies in its first six months. - Smith, often called the "Empress of the Blues", played a pivotal role in popularizing the song and the blues genre in general. - Her version of "Downhearted Blues" was one of the 50 recordings chosen in 2002 by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry.
Cab Calloway Facts
Cab Calloway was a renowned jazz singer and bandleader known for his vibrant showmanship, though he did not officially record a version of "Downhearted Blues". - His style and charisma greatly influenced later artists in the jazz and swing genres. - He is best known for the song “Minnie the Moocher,” not "Downhearted Blues."
Ella Fitzgerald Facts
Ella Fitzgerald, known as the "First Lady of Song," was a renowned jazz vocalist, though she did not officially record a version of "Downhearted Blues". - She won 13 Grammy awards and sold over 40 million albums during her career. - Fitzgerald was famous for her wide vocal range, improvisational ability, and interpretative skills.
Mildred Bailey Facts
Mildred Bailey was an influential jazz singer during the 1930s, though she did not officially record a version of "Downhearted Blues". - She was known for her light, clear voice and her ability to imbue songs with emotion and complexity. - Bailey was a significant figure in the integration of white and black musical styles in the early 20th century.
Son House Facts
Son House was an influential Delta blues singer and guitarist, known for his emotional and raw vocal style. - Unlike the other artists mentioned, House's version of "Downhearted Blues" was less jazz-influenced and more in keeping with traditional blues. - He was a significant influence on many other blues musicians, including Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters.
Teresa Brewer Facts
Teresa Brewer was a popular singer in the 1950s and 1960s, known for her hits like "Music! Music! Music!", though she did not record a version of "Downhearted Blues". - She had a distinct high-pitched voice that became her trademark in the music industry. - Brewer's repertoire spanned a variety of styles, from pop to country, and later in her career, she recorded several albums of classic blues and jazz songs.

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