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What is the meaning of Down Hearted Blues by Bessie Smith?
In that first hit record, “Downhearted Blues,” you can still hear what won the hearts of her audiences. A lament about the problems associated with love relationships, Smith sings about “being crazy about a man” who mistreated her and broke her heart.
When did Down Hearted Blues come out?
1922
Downhearted Blues
| “Down Hearted Blues” | |
|---|---|
| Released | 1922 |
| Recorded | New York City, July 1922 |
| Genre | Blues |
| Length | 3:01 |
What is the theme of Down Hearted Blues?
“Downhearted Blues” is a blues song composed by Alberta Hunter and Lovie Austin. The first line immediately sets the theme for the song: “Gee but it’s hard to love someone when that someone don’t love you”.
What is downhearted and blue?
Are you feeling sad and discouraged? Then you’re downhearted. You need a hug from a good friend. You can also use words like crestfallen, dejected, or blue to describe this sad emotion. The adjective downhearted includes the word ending -hearted, meaning “at heart,” or “in one’s deepest feelings.”
What instruments are used in Down Hearted Blues?
Naxos Jazz Legends begins its documentation of the Smith legend with a release of some of her earliest extant recordings for Columbia between February 1923 and April 1924. Ms. Smith had sparse accompaniment, usually only a piano or a piano plus a second instrument, such as a guitar or violin.
Who is the composer of 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.
When did Bessie Smith record Downhearted Blues?
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…
How many copies of Downhearted Blues were sold?
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.
When was Downhearted Blues inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
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.