Knowledge (XXG)

Forty-Four

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Montgomery recorded his version titled "Vicksburg Blues". Sykes' version was the most popular and "was to be far more influential than Green's version". Oliver believes that Sykes lyrics, with their "overlays of meaning" accounted for the popularity of his song among singers. Many versions of "Forty-Four" appeared over the following years, including some that bore little resemblance to the original except for the title. Sykes, Green, and Montgomery recorded it themselves ten times between 1929 and 1936.
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He was the first guy I ever heard play the "44" Blues. Several people had been playing it through the country of course—Little Brother Montgomery and several others, but nobody had ever recorded it and there was no words to it, no words or lyrics at all. So Lee Green, he took a lot of time out to
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ensemble piece. Unlike the early versions of the song, Wolf's recording featured prominent guitar lines and an insistent "martial shuffle on the snare drum plus a bass drum that slammed down like an industrial punch-press", according to biographers. Wolf retained Sykes' handgun reference and added
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After Sykes recording, Green and Montgomery recorded their versions of "The Forty-Fours". While instrumentally both were similar to Sykes' version, the subject matter and lyrics were different. Green recorded his version, titled "Number 44 Blues," two months after Sykes and about one year later,
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by blues historian Gerard Herzhaft, who calls it "a necessary piece for all followers of the '88' (piano)". The song has been recorded by numerous musicians in a variety of styles; in reviews, it is often described as a Howlin' Wolf song.
185:, who is usually credited with early performances of the song, described it as a "barrelhouse, honky-tonk blues" without any lyrics. He taught it to another blues pianist, Lee Green, who taught it to Roosevelt Sykes. Sykes explained: 1302: 173:, who provided the lyrics and first recorded it in 1929, that helped popularize the song. "Forty-Four," through numerous adaptations and recordings, remains in the blues lexicon eighty years later. 360:"Well I'm so mad this morning, I don't know where in the world to go". With Howlin' Wolf's gruff and overpowering vocal style, the overall effect was menacing. 383:
issued the song, with "I'll Be Around" as the B-side, on both 78 and 45 rpm record singles in 1954. It is included on Howlin' Wolf's first compilation album,
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Sykes added lyrics to the tune and recorded it as "44 Blues" on June 14, 1929, for
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whose origins have been traced back to early 1920s Louisiana. However, it was
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and the 'little cabin' on which was the number 44, presumably a prison cell".
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recorded his version, titled simply "Forty Four", as an electric
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The Howlin' Wolf Story – The Secret History of Rock & Roll
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Hall, Bob (2006). "Vicksburg Blues". In Komara, Edward (ed.).
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Moanin' at Midnight: The Life and Times of Howlin' Wolf
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Screening the Blues: Aspects of the Blues Tradition
327: 311: 299: 283: 271: 263: 248: 236: 225: 220: 143: 131: 115: 103: 95: 80: 68: 57: 43: 363:Backing Wolf, who sang and played harmonica, were 187: 522: 1022: 876: 789:Herzhaft, Gerard (1992). "Forty Four Blues". 8: 1029: 1015: 1007: 883: 869: 861: 217: 49: 40: 27:Blues standard written by Roosevelt Sykes 507: 469: 421: 224: 56: 838:Segrest, James; Hoffman, Mark (2004). 454: 379:on bass, and Earl Phillips on drums. 320: 7: 431: 535:Fancourt, Morris & Shurman 1991 25: 1081:The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions 1058:With Muddy Waters and Bo Diddley 581:The Progressive Blues Experiment 407:"Forty-Four" is identified as a 198:. According to blues historian 151:Roosevelt Sykes (single credit) 753:. Universal City, California: 1: 916:The Return of Roosevelt Sykes 1145:Howling Wolf Sings the Blues 988:Night Time Is the Right Time 795:University of Arkansas Press 323:Howlin' Wolf (single credit) 1221:Sitting on Top of the World 747:Howlin' Wolf: The Chess Box 391:Howlin' Wolf: The Chess Box 213: 1443: 1054:The Super Super Blues Band 793:. Fayetteville, Arkansas: 523:Segrest & Hoffman 2004 29: 940:Feel Like Blowing My Horn 898: 791:Encyclopedia of the Blues 768:Encyclopedia of the Blues 685: – Review" 653: – Review" 618: – Review" 583: – Review" 183:Little Brother Montgomery 48: 1129:Moanin' in the Moonlight 745:; Shurman, Dick (1991). 649:"The Derek Trucks Band: 610:Erlewine, Stephen Thomas 510:, pp. 448, 476–477. 386:Moanin' in the Moonlight 190:teach me how to play it. 1065:The Howlin' Wolf Album 192: 34:. For other uses, see 1412:Chess Records singles 1397:Roosevelt Sykes songs 1277:My Country Sugar Mama 1256:I Ain't Superstitious 371:on electric guitars, 1214:Smokestack Lightning 1161:More Real Folk Blues 1073:Message to the Young 214:Howlin' Wolf version 204:.44 caliber revolver 32:Forty Four, Arkansas 1194:Moanin' at Midnight 1187:How Many More Years 1153:The Real Folk Blues 948:Dirty Double Mother 749:(Box set booklet). 36:44 (disambiguation) 1427:Songwriter unknown 1402:Howlin' Wolf songs 1263:Little Red Rooster 1089:The Back Door Wolf 932:Hard Drivin' Blues 901:"The Honeydripper" 651:Out of the Madness 1422:Eric Burdon songs 1379: 1378: 1059: 1004: 1003: 995:Sweet Old Chicago 842:. New York City: 819:. New York City: 781:978-0-415-92699-7 770:. New York City: 718:. August 15, 2012 496:Paramount Records 481:August 16, 1929, 351:In October 1954, 349: 348: 155: 154: 76:"Boot That Thing" 18:Forty-Four (song) 16:(Redirected from 1434: 1354:Related articles 1235:Wang Dang Doodle 1108:Live and Cookin' 1057: 1031: 1024: 1017: 1008: 924:The Honeydripper 885: 878: 871: 862: 857: 834: 808: 785: 762: 728: 727: 725: 723: 716:Robert Plant.com 708: 702: 701: 699: 697: 676: 670: 669: 667: 665: 641: 635: 634: 632: 630: 606: 600: 599: 597: 595: 579:"Johnny Winter: 571: 565: 564: 562: 560: 544: 538: 532: 526: 520: 511: 505: 499: 494:September 1930, 492: 486: 483:Vocalion Records 479: 473: 467: 458: 452: 435: 429: 332: 322: 319:Chester Burnett 316: 295: 294: 290: 259: 257: 244:"I'll Be Around" 241: 218: 148: 127: 126: 122: 91: 89: 73: 53: 41: 21: 1442: 1441: 1437: 1436: 1435: 1433: 1432: 1431: 1382: 1381: 1380: 1375: 1349: 1308: 1289: 1270:Goin' Down Slow 1174: 1119: 1113: 1094: 1040: 1035: 1005: 1000: 954: 903: 894: 892:Roosevelt Sykes 889: 854: 837: 831: 811: 805: 788: 782: 765: 741:Fancourt, Les; 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CHD3-9332. 751:Howlin' Wolf 746: 720:. Retrieved 715: 706: 696:November 12, 694:. Retrieved 688: 682: 674: 664:November 12, 662:. Retrieved 656: 650: 639: 629:November 12, 627:. Retrieved 621: 615: 604: 594:November 12, 592:. Retrieved 586: 580: 569: 559:November 12, 557:. Retrieved 551: 542: 530: 503: 490: 477: 406: 394: 390: 384: 377:Willie Dixon 362: 353:Howlin' Wolf 350: 344:Willie Dixon 231:Howlin' Wolf 221:"Forty Four" 208: 196:Okeh Records 193: 188: 180: 162: 158: 156: 1417:Blues songs 1366:Delta blues 1294:Documentary 1118:Compilation 1099:Live albums 755:MCA Records 616:Little Feat 455:Oliver 1968 393:(1991) and 330:Producer(s) 200:Paul Oliver 1392:1929 songs 1386:Categories 1320:Ike Turner 1200:Forty-Four 967:Forty-Four 485:(No. 1401) 416:References 375:on piano, 373:Otis Spann 340:Phil Chess 159:Forty-Four 44:"44 Blues" 772:Routledge 722:April 29, 645:Koda, Cub 575:Koda, Cub 432:Hall 2006 1330:Pat Hare 1249:Spoonful 1228:Poor Boy 1169:His Best 997:" (1955) 990:" (1937) 983:" (1945) 981:I Wonder 976:" (1936) 969:" (1929) 815:(1968). 690:AllMusic 658:AllMusic 623:AllMusic 588:AllMusic 553:AllMusic 457:, eBook. 399:(1997). 396:His Best 264:Recorded 249:Released 163:44 Blues 96:Recorded 81:Released 1275:1964: " 1261:1962: " 1254:1961: " 1233:1960: " 1219:1957: " 1212:1956: " 1198:1954: " 1185:1951: " 959:Singles 735:Sources 254: ( 177:Origins 165:" is a 86: ( 1300:2003: 1166:1997: 1158:1967: 1150:1965: 1142:1962: 1134:1962: 1126:1959: 1120:albums 1105:1972: 1086:1973: 1078:1971: 1070:1971: 1062:1969: 1051:1968: 951:(1973) 943:(1973) 935:(1964) 927:(1961) 919:(1960) 908:Albums 850:  827:  801:  778:  403:Legacy 321:a.k.a. 284:Length 239:B-side 227:Single 161:" or " 116:Length 71:B-side 59:Single 1179:Songs 306:Chess 301:Label 278:Blues 273:Genre 133:Label 110:Blues 105:Genre 1207:Evil 848:ISBN 825:ISBN 799:ISBN 776:ISBN 724:2013 698:2020 666:2020 631:2020 596:2020 561:2020 367:and 267:1954 256:1954 252:1954 138:OKeh 88:1929 84:1929 229:by 61:by 1388:: 846:. 823:. 797:. 774:. 714:. 687:. 655:. 647:. 620:. 612:. 585:. 577:. 550:. 515:^ 462:^ 439:^ 424:^ 342:, 338:, 293:48 125:05 1286:" 1282:" 1279:" 1272:" 1268:" 1265:" 1258:" 1251:" 1247:" 1244:" 1240:" 1237:" 1230:" 1226:" 1223:" 1216:" 1209:" 1205:" 1202:" 1192:" 1189:" 1030:e 1023:t 1016:v 993:" 986:" 979:" 972:" 965:" 884:e 877:t 870:v 856:. 833:. 807:. 784:. 757:/ 726:. 700:. 668:. 633:. 614:" 598:. 563:. 525:. 291:: 289:2 258:) 157:" 123:: 121:3 90:) 38:. 20:)

Index

Forty-Four (song)
Forty Four, Arkansas
44 (disambiguation)

Single
Roosevelt Sykes
B-side
Genre
Blues
Label
OKeh
Songwriter(s)
blues standard
Roosevelt Sykes
Little Brother Montgomery
Okeh Records
Paul Oliver
.44 caliber revolver
Single
Howlin' Wolf
B-side
Genre
Blues
Label
Chess
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Leonard Chess
Phil Chess
Willie Dixon

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