St. Louis, Missouri: Delmar Avenue, Delmar Boulevard, Delmar Loop. In 1920, St. Louis was the fourth largest city in the USA (after New York City, Chicago and Philadelphia); by 1920, Detroit and Cleveland leapt ahead of it, and by 1930, Los Angeles had pushed aside Cleveland, so that St. Louis fell to seventh largest city in the country. By 1970, St. Louis had fallen off the top ten list, presumably never to return. Detroit followed early in the 21st century.
In the 1920s and 1930s, St. Louis artists tended to record in or near Chicago or New York, where their record labels had studios. Signifying Mary Johnson recorded her last blues sessions with that moniker in Chicago on May 22/23, 1936; though Peetie Wheatstraw played piano at those sessions, Roosevelt Sykes was the pianist and Kokomo Arnold guitarist backing Mary on "Delmar Avenue."
Here's my transcription -- I'm not 100% sure about line 11. The most interesting phrasing to me is, "I know you got a racket, Daddy," followed by her vow of "moving [Daddy] 'round" almost like a chess piece. She may be visualizing what became an Iggy Pop lyric ("A tall building fell on Daddy").
"Delmar Avenue" by Mary Johnson (1936)
Sittin' on Delmar Avenue
Watching the cars go by
Sittin' on Delmar Avenue
Watching the cars go by
Well, I could not see nothing
But the blue clouds in the sky.
Sometime it was raining
And sometime the sun would shine
Sometime it was raining
And sometime the sun would shine
And sometime poured May rain
People felt just like crying.
I know you got a racket, Daddy
And your Mama is going to find it out
I know you got a racket, Daddy
And your Mama is going to find it out
And if you don’t treat me no better
I’m going to move you 'round.
It was on one Thursday evening
When I looked up at the clock
It was on one Thursday evening
When I looked up at the clock
I say you got to move now Daddy
Or move to the Undertaker’s shop.
Because you got a racket Daddy
And your Mama’s going to find it out
Because you got a racket Daddy
And your Mama’s going to find it out
And if you don’t treat me no better
I’ve got to move you 'round.
Photo credit of Delmar Blvd., August 1932: [Saint Louis] University City Public Library. Where are the people?
Today's Rune: Breakthrough.
3 comments:
Erik, Mary could be singin' about Woodward Ave.!
Not a lot of joyous lyrics in her music!
Jodi and Charles, yes on Woodward and yes, it is grim, indeed.
After her last blues recording, she tried gospel but felt it didn't have the bite of the blues.
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