Post 552: BUNK JOHNSON AND THE 'BLUE BELLS GOODBYE' MYSTERY

Among the many tunes recorded by Bunk Johnson in the early 1940s, one of the favourites was Blue Bells Goodbye (available on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nGE7W-R0A4). Its appeal is easy to understand, because, following its leisurely 16-bar Verse, the Chorus breaks into 2/4 time and offers a pleasant, simple 32-bar melody.

The tune achieved even wider popularity when it was taken up by revivalists, such as the bands of Ken Colyer and Papa Bue. The first version I came across (nearly sixty years ago) was the Ken Colyer recording, which you can listen to BY CLICKING HERE.

But where did this tune come from? Bunk claimed to have recalled it from his youth. But nobody could find any evidence of a  'Blue Bells Goodbye' before his recording.

Some fans who idolised him believed that Bunk himself had composed it. Others speculated that it could have been a march dating back to the American Civil War.

Well, here is the solution to the mystery. In 1905, Egbert Van Alstyne composed a tune called Bright Eyes Goodbye. Words were provided by Harry H. Williams.

Sure enough, it has the same melodies as Bunk's tune, and the same 32-bar up-tempo Chorus preceded by the leisurely 16-bar Verse.

Our jazz bands still go on playing it as Blue Bells Goodbye. Perhaps we ought to correct the mistake and begin calling it Bright Eyes Goodbye. But titles get changed in the evolution of jazz, so would it be better to leave it with Bunk's title?

We can excuse Bunk for getting the title slightly wrong. He probably had a much better memory of the tune than of its title.

Here's the original sheet music. You can see that it's the tune in question all right. The Verse is virtually identical to what Bunk plays. The Chorus is almost so, especially at the start, though he seems to have tweaked a few of the later notes. The probable reason for this is that Bunk was further confused by memories of a song called 'Blue Bell' (not 'Blue Bells Goodbye') that had been composed in 1904 by Theodore F. Morse, with lyrics by Edward Madden. Its structure is remarkably similar to that of 'Bright Eyes, Goodbye'.

My good friend Todd Brown has not only offered me his own analysis of this matter (see foot of this post). He has also recorded 'Blue Bell' on his guitar, and you can watch his performance on YouTube BY CLICKING HERE.

Here are Todd Brown's perceptive comments: My guess is that Bunk was conflating "Bright Eyes Goodbye" with another song, known as "Blue Bell" or "Goodbye My Blue Bell" (music by Theodore F. Morse, lyrics by Edward Madden.) Like "Bright Eyes," "Blue Bell" has a lyric that begins with a soldier bidding goodbye to his sweetheart and telling her not to cry; unlike "Bright Eyes," it ends sadly, as we learn in the second verse that the soldier has died in battle, so the two will never be reunited. Interestingly, "Blue Bell" was published in 1904, while "Bright Eyes" was published in 1905. This suggests to me that "Blue Bell" came first and "Bright Eyes" was a sort of "answer song" written in response to it. (Lyrically, the first verse of "Bright Eyes" is remarkably close to "Blue Bell," and the phrase "I'll return true as blue" may have been included in the chorus as a nod to the earlier song.) Bunk Johnson had probably heard both songs and got the titles a little mixed up.

Incidentally, these days "Blue Bell" seems to be best known from an instrumental version by the American guitarist Merle Travis; the title is often rendered, incorrectly, as "Blue Belle" or "Farewell My Blue Belle." I suspect that's because here in the States, most people assume that the setting is the American Civil War and that the title refers to the young lady as a blue (i.e., sad) "southern belle." Given the spelling on the sheet music, I think we are actually meant to assume that the soldier calls his sweetheart "Blue Bell" because her "eyes so blue" remind him of the flower known as a blue bell.

Post 452: 'I CAN'T ESCAPE' - 'YOU CAN'T ESCAPE' ?

Here's something we need to sort out.

In 1936, Leo Robin and Richard Whiting composed a song called I Can't Escape From You. You can watch Bing Crosby singing it in the 1936 movie 'Rhythm on the Range' BY CLICKING HERE.  

Then in 1939, a song called You Can't Escape From Me was composed by Charles French (words) and Sammy Lowe and Erskine Hawkins (music). You can hear the Erskine Hawkins Orchestra recording of it BY CLICKING HERE.

And in 1944 George Lewis recorded (in the San Jacinto Hall) a tune he called San Jacinto Stomp, though it is clearly the Erskine Hawkins tune You Can't Escape From Me. You can check this: listen to George Lewis BY CLICKING HERE. Many traditional jazz bands since then have played it under the title San Jacinto Stomp.

But, adding to the confusion, I Can't Escape From You and You Can't Escape From Me are very similar in structure. They use virtually the same chord progression. So it's not surprising that bandleaders often (incorrectly) tell you that I Can't Escape is also known as San Jacinto Stomp.

The words of You Can't Escape From Me are nothing special. On the other hand, the words of I Can't Escape From You (you heard them in the Bing Crosby film clip) are fun to sing.

So, it's possible today to play a song you call I Can't Escape, actually using the tune of You Can't Escape, even though your words are those of I Can't Escape! Confusing, isn't it?

The result can be exhilarating. It's what happens when Marla Dixon performs with The Shotgun Jazz Band. I made a video of them playing this tune. Sample it BY CLICKING HERE.

Marla's husband, John, has added further enlightenment (or confusion!) by telling me the song is also Not to be confused with 'I Can't Escape From You' by Hank Williams, the lyrics of which also work on top of that familiar 32-bar pattern! You can find the Hank Williams performance on YouTube.

Finally, with deepest gratitude to my friend John Whitehorn, here is the sheet music for You Can't Escape:

Post 416: ONE TUNE - TWO TITLES?

It is surprising how many tunes in the traditional jazz repertoire have with the passage of time acquired more than one title. There must have been various reasons for this, one of which was that a later performer wanted to disguise the fact that he was plagiarising a tune from an earlier band. But I am sure there were other reasons too, that had more to do with mere memory loss.

Here are over fifty examples. Maybe you can send me some more?

Algiers Strut is You're all I Want for Christmas (composed by Glen Moore and Seger Ellis)

Astoria Strut is also known as Climax Rag

Atlanta Blues (final strain) is also known as Make Me a Pallet on the Floor

Babik is a variation on I Got Rhythm

Barnyard Blues is also known as Livery Stable Blues

Black Bottom Stomp is also known as Queen of Spades

Blame it on the Blues is also known as Quincy Street Stomp

Blue Bells Goodbye was actually composed in 1905 as Bright Eyes Goodbye

Bogalusa Strut is a re-interpretation of the first two strains of Scott Joplin's Rose Leaf Rag

Bugle Boy March is also known as American Soldier

California Blues is also known as Blue Yodel No. 4

Can I Sleep in Your Arms Tonight, Lady? is the same tune as Red River Valley and is the same tune as We Shall Walk Through the Streets of the City

Chant of the Tuxedos is virtually the same as Ol' Man Mose

Chicago Breakdown is the same as Stratford Hunch

Chimes Blues is also known as Mournful Serenade

Corrinne Corrinna is also known as Alberta Blues

Creole Love Call is basically the middle theme from Camp Meeting Blues

Creole Song is also known as L'Autre Can Can and is also known as Madame Pedoux

Dauphine Street Blues (first strain) is also known as Nobody Knows the Way I Feel This Morning

Deep Bayou Blues is also known as The Three Sixes

Dippermouth Blues was re-created by the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra as Sugarfoot Stomp

Do Lord (tune) is also known as It Takes a Worried Man to Sing a Worried Song

Don't Go 'Way, Nobody (tune) is also known as  How Come You Do Me Like You Do Do Do? and  is also known as Everybody's Talking About Sammy and  is also known as I'm a Ding Dong Daddy from Dumas and  is also known as If It Don't Fit, Don't Force It and is much the same as Walk Right In

Don't You Feel My Leg is also known as Don't Make Me High

Down Home Rag is also known as Black Rag

Duke's Place is also known as C-Jam Blues

Fidgety Feet is also known as War Clouds

Frogimore Rag (trio) is also Sweetheart of Mine

Frosty Morning Blues is also known as Lost Your Man Blues

The Eyes of Texas (tune) is also known as I've Been Working on the Railroad

Garbage Man Blues is also known as Call of the Freaks and is also known as New Call of the Freaks 

Get a Working Man is identical to Pinchbacks, Take 'Em Away (and the chorus is harmonically the same as It's a Long Way to Tipperary)

Golden Leaf Strut is also known as Milenberg Joys

Good Time Flat Blues is also known as Farewell to Storyville

Hesitating Blues is also known as How Long, How Long Blues

Hiawatha Rag  is also known as Lizard on a Rail and as A Summer Idyll

San Jacinto Stomp is based on You Can't Escape from Me and is also known as In the Groove and  is also known as Baby, I Don't Mean Maybe and is harmonically identical to The Kat's Got Kittens

I Hope Gabriel Likes My Music is also known as I Hope You Like My Music

In The Highways (I'll Be Somewhere Working for My Lord) is pretty much the same as Down By The Riverside

In The Sweet By and By is also known as The Preacher and the Slave

Joe Avery's Piece is also known as Victory Walk and also as The New Second Line

Jones Law Blues is also known as Muscles Blues

La Harpe Street Blues (theme) is also known as We Sure Do Need Him Now

Lily of the Valley is also known as Everybody Ought To Know and was probably plagiarized from the final theme of Red Onion Drag

London Blues is also known as Shoe Shiner's Drag

Lotus Blossom is also known as Sweet Lotus Blossom (it started out as Sweet Marijuana, of course; but that title came to be considered politically incorrect)

Loveless Love is also known as Careless Love

Love Me Tender is also known as Aura Lee

Martha is also known as Mazie

Memphis Blues is also known as Mr. Crump

Milneberg Joys is usually mis-spelt Milenberg Joys [The New Orleans suburb took its name from Scotsman Alexander Milne]

Midnight Mama - see under Tom Cat Blues

Mississippi Wobble is also known as Quality Shout

Montmartre is also known as Django's Jump

Mood Indigo is also known as Dreamy Blues

Moonlight and Roses is actually Lemare's 'Andantino'

The chorus of Celestin's My Josephine (1926) is remarkably similar to Some of These Days

New Orleans Bump is also known as Monrovia

Old Stack o'Lee Blues (not Stack o'Lee Blues) is virtually identical to Faraway Blues

Oriental Jazz was called Soudan by its composer

The 1919 March is also known as The Rifle Rangers

China Boy is also known as Pacific Rim Stomp

Poor Old Joe is also known as Old Black Joe

Lazy Luke (composed in 1905 by George J. Philpot) was misleadingly renamed Red Flannel Rag by Turk Murphy when he recorded it many years later

Moanful Blues is actually Some Day Sweetheart

My Good Man Sam is virtually identical to Doctor Jazz

After You've Gone (1917) seems to have plagiarized Peg o' My Heart (1913)

Riverboat Shuffle was originally Free Wheeling

Riverside Blues is also known as Dixieland Shuffle

Root Hog or Die is virtually the same as Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen

The final theme of Royal Garden Blues is also the main theme of Georgia Bo Bo

Savoyager's Stomp is also known as Muskrat Ramble

Sidewalk Blues is also known as Fishtail Blues

Silver Bell (second theme) is also known as Sometimes My Burden's Too Hard to Bear

Si Tu Vois Ma Mère is also known as Lonesome

Soap Suds is also known as Fickle Fay Creep

South is also known as Pork Chop

Storyville Blues is also known as Those Drafting Blues  and is also known as Bienville Blues

Gully Low Blues is also known as S.O.L. Blues

Original Dixieland One-Step (final strain) is also known as That Teasing Rag

Take My Hand, Precious Lord is the same tune as Maitland

Tar Paper Stomp is also known as Hot and Anxious (one theme) and is also known as In The Mood

The Midnight Special is also known as Shine a Light on Me

Till Times Get Better and Smokehouse Blues are almost identical to Up a Lazy River

Ting-a-ling started its life as Waltz of the Bells

Tom Cat Blues is also known as Midnight Mama (or Midnight Papa)

Two Nineteen Blues is also known as Mamie's Blues

Uptown Bumps was originally The Long Lost Blues (by Paul Wyer, 1914). Its final theme is also known as The Bucket's Got a Hole in It. It also became Keep a Knockin' But You Can't Come In. The Bucket's Got a Hole in It is also known as Ta-Wa-Bac-A-Wa and was used again in If You Don't Want Me, Please Don't Dog Me Around

Viper Mad is also known as Pleasure Mad

Washington and Lee Swing is also known as Tulane Swing and Louisiana Swing

Way Down upon the Swanee River is also known as The Old Folks at Home

Weary Blues is also known as Travelling Blues and much of it is often played as Shake It And Break It (but note there is also a different Shake It And Break It recorded by King Oliver)

When Shadows Fall is also known as Home

Yaaka Hula Hickey Dula is also known as Hawaiian Love Song

BUT:
Please note that Red Onion Rag (by Abe Olman, 1912) is a quite different tune from Louis Dumaine's Red Onion Drag.

Correspondent Robert Duis writes:

Dear Ivan, 

1) BLACK ORPHEUS
MANHA DO CARNAVAL

2) MOULIN A CAFE
THE COFFEE GRINDER

3) OLD FOLKS AT HOME
SWANEE RIVER

4) SEE SEE RIDER 
EASY RIDER

5) QUIET NIGHTS OF QUIET STARS 
CORCOVADO

Best regards, 

Robert Duis.

Post 332: 'SOMETIMES MY BURDEN' AND 'SILVER BELL'

The popular traditional jazz number Silver Bell, with music composed in 1910 by Percy Weinrich, has two themes, the first comprising 16 bars in the key of F. The melody 'bounces down the ladder', you may recall. Then it modulates into the key of Bb, for a Chorus which also comprises 16 bars.

There is also a popular spiritual called Sometimes My Burden is Too Hard to Bear, played by many jazz bands. I have heard people wonder whether the music for this spiritual was 'lifted' from the Chorus of Silver Bell.

Well, the original Weinrich sheet music proves that they are indeed exactly the same tune.

So I think we should credit the composer of Sometimes My Burden as Percy Weinrich and not as 'Anon' or 'Trad'. According to one source, the words for Sometimes My Burden were added in the 1940s by someone called Eugene Williams.