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James Stump Johnson

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Occupation(s)
  
Musician, singer

Name
  
James Johnson

Genres
  
St. Louis blues

Instruments
  
Vocals, piano

Role
  
Singer

James
Born
  
January 17, 1902Clarksville, Tennessee, United States (
1902-01-17
)

Died
  
December 5, 1969, St. Louis, Missouri, United States

Albums
  
Don't Give My Lard Away, James "Stump" Johnson 1929-1964

Record labels
  
Paramount Records, Bluebird Records

Similar People
  
Roosevelt Sykes, Walter Davis, Peetie Wheatstraw, Henry Townsend, St Louis Jimmy Oden

James stump johnson don t give my lard away 1933


James "Stump" Johnson (January 17, 1902 – December 5, 1969) was an American blues pianist and singer from St. Louis.

Contents

James Stump Johnson on 78rpm - Bound To Be A Monkey


Biography

James "Stump" Johnson was the brother of Jesse Johnson, "a prominent black business man," who around 1909 had moved the family from Clarksville, Tennessee, to St. Louis, where he ran a music store and was a promoter. James, a self-taught piano player, made a career playing the city's brothels. He had an instant hit with the "whorehouse tune" "The Duck's Yas-Yas-Yas," "a popular St. Louis party song." The song's title is explained by quoting the lyrics more fully: "Shake your shoulders, shake 'em fast, if you can't shake your shoulders, shake your yas-yas-yas."

He made a number of other recordings (some mildly pornographic) under various pseudonyms. One of the more obscene tunes was a version of "Steady Grinding", which he recorded with Dorothea Trowbridge on August 2, 1933; the song has the "defiant, sexually aggressive lyrics" early blueswomen were noted for, "grind" being slang for copulating.

James "Stump" Johnson (1929–1964)

"Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order," on Document DOCD-5250, CD.

  1. "The Duck Yas-Yas-Yas"
  2. "The Snitcher's Blues"
  3. "Bound to Be a Monkey"
  4. "My Babe Blues"
  5. "Jones Law Blues"
  6. "Transom Blues (Bury That Thing)"
  7. "Soaking Wet Blues"
  8. "Kind Babe Blues"
  9. "What You Do What I Asked You To"
  10. "Heart Is Right Blues"
  11. "Low Moanin' Blue"
  12. "Snitcher's Blues"
  13. "Baby B. Blues"
  14. "You Buzzard You"
  15. "Sail on Black Sue"
  16. "Barrel of Whiskey Blues"
  17. "Steady Grindin'"
  18. "Money Johnson"
  19. "Don't Give My Lard Away"
  20. "Snitcher's Blues No. 2 [#]"
  21. "Bound to Be a Monkey [#]"
  22. "Duck Yas-Yas-Yas [#]"

The Duck's Yas-Yas-Yas

Compilation/reissue on Agram Blues AB-2007, LP.

Side A

  1. "The Duck-Yas-Yas-Yas"
  2. "The Snitchers Blues"
  3. "My Babe Blues"
  4. "My Babe Blues"
  5. "Transom Blues (Bury That Thing)"
  6. "Soaking Wet Blues"
  7. "Kind Babe Blues"
  8. "Would You Do What I Asked You To"

Side B

  1. "The Duck's Yas-Yas-Yas"
  2. "Heart is Right Blues"
  3. "Snitcher's Blues"
  4. "You Buzzard You"
  5. "Sail on Black Sue"
  6. "Money Johnson"
  7. "Snitchers Blues"
  8. "The Duck's Yas-Yas-Yas"
  9. "The Duck's Yas-Yas-Yas"
  10. "Snitchers Blues"

Songs

Steady Grindin'
Snitcher's Blues
Barrel Of Whiskey Blues
The Duck's Yas Yas Yas
You Buzzard You
Kind Babe Blues
Don't Give My Lard Away
Money Johnson
Sail On Black Sue
Bound to Be a Monkey
Snitcher's Blues No 2
Blues For Lindy
Baby B Blues
Soaking Wet Blues
What You Do What I Asked You To
Jones Law Blues
Low Moanin' Blues
My Babe Blues
Heart Is Right Blues
Transom Blues

References

James "Stump" Johnson Wikipedia
(Text) CC BY-SA