WALTER SPRIGGS

WALTER SPRIGGS

           

I'm quite often puzzled when finding in Blues Discography (Leslie Fancourt/ Eyeball Publisher) names almost unknown to me who have nevertheless quite a large discography...

            Walter Spriggs, also recording under the names Wally Wilson or Ray Scott, being one of them, Blue Eye couldn't do otherwise that try to gather all or most of all his "blues" records made for Apollo, Blue Lake, Sabre, Atco, Antler, Tri-Ess, Decca, Jubilee....

            Walter Spriggs is largely undocumented in Blues Magazines and the few things I have been able to gather come from Robert Pruter, Rob Ford, Jim O'Neal (who made a sleuth work!) and a few others hardcore researchers' writings, mostly on the net

            Walter was born in Arkansas in 1933, the son of William and Ollie Spriggs who moved to Saint Louis (Mo) when Walter was a child. He seems to have played piano, guitar, drums when still a teenager. Whatever, we find our man in Chicago in 1952, singing the blues backed by Deacon Brown's band and around the same time in New York where he waxed a record for Apollo with saxophonist Charlie Ferguson's unit. According to the same sources (Chicago Defender), Walter Spriggs was quite active in Chicago during the mid-50's, playing in South Side's clubs with different bands like drummer Larry Wrice's Chicago All Stars. This is during those years that Walter recorded his bluesiest tracks for Chance and Blue Lake. And around the same time, he also recorded several singles as the tenor singer of the pre-doo woop vocal group The Five Echoes.

           

To complicate things a little more, Walter changed his name as Ray Scott around 1955 when another different (according to Jim O'Neal) Ray Scott was a Chicago drummer recording behind Little Willie Foster and Jimmy Reed! While Ray Scott-Walter Spriggs was still active in Chicago, Spriggs joined under his real name and as the featured vocalist the Kansas City Tomcats, a band led by guitarist Lucky Enois who was touring extensively from coast to coast. They recorded in New York City for Josie/ Jubilee two singles in 1955 and 1956.

            While coming back to Chicago, Spriggs/ Ray Scott ran the Scotty's Rock and Roll Inn until at least 1957. Spriggs was there leading the house band who featured a very young Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson and in 1959 Little Walter recorded his famous piece Nobody but you, a song composed by Walter Spriggs. The following years, we find Walter recording in New York for the Atco label and singing with the Jesse Stone's band. Other records for the tiny Antler and Tri-Ess labels were made under the name Ray Scott.

            And then here is our man in Los Angeles singing in clubs and recording under the moniker Ray "The Great" Scott. A paper in the L.A. Sentinel on May, 30, 1963 unveils some details:  "Ray Scott, versatile singer, dancer, musician and comedian, who was christened Walter Spriggs and was born in Arkansas. According to the McGee piece, Scott had arrived in LA from New York City for a comedy gig at the Club Hideaway. He had begun billing himself as "The Great Scott." Spriggs/Scott had been doing comedy since 1959, and was said to know George Kirby and Redd Foxx, both of whom he would have had multiple opportunities to meet and observe in Chicago. His most recent recordings were mentioned, including "Silk, Satin & Lace.... He played bongos with Ray Hamilton, Billy Williams and Johnny Ray and toured 27 countries of Europe" !!!

            During the 1960's Spriggs played comedy and also recorded raunchy tracks for Dootsie Williams in L.A. At last, we find Spriggs/Scott in New York City once again, running from his apartment of Central Park West a music publisher company called Spriggs Production in 1974. And a little later, Jim O'Neal spotted Spriggs in a Chicago club where he was opening for Johnnie Taylor! While at that time, Walter Spriggs was living permanently in Texas where he probably died unnoticed!

            Whatever, we have tried to gather the most possible tracks recorded by this quite mysterious singer, bluesman, comedian, doo woop vocalist, etc... hoping to put some "real" music to lines of the current discography.

            A lot of thanks to all those who helped on this research!

                                                                       Gérard HERZHAFT

Walter Spriggs, vcl; Charlie Ferguson, t-sax; George Rhodes, pno; band. New York City, février 1953

01. I don't want you

02. Let me love you

Walter Spriggs, vcl; Red Holloway, t-sax; Mc Kinley Easton, t-sax; Willie Jones, pno; Lucky Enois, g; Quinn Wilson, bs; Vernell Fournier, dms. Chicago, Ill. 17 janvier 1954

03. If you don't love me

04. The hunt

Walter Spriggs, vcl; Sonny Cohn, tpt; Leon Washington, t-sax; Mc Kinley Easton, b-sax; Lucky Enois, g; Earl Washington, pno; Jimmy Richards, bs; Red Saunders, dms. Chicago, Ill. 8 octobre 1954

05. I'm not your fool anymore

06. Weekend man

Walter Spriggs, vcl; Lucky Enois, g; Eddie Saunders, t-sax; Brooks Lewis, bs; Jimmy Waters, dms. New York City, octobre 1955

07. Nobody knows

08. Meet me meet me baby

Walter Spriggs, vcl; Sam Taylor, t-sax; Ernie Hayes, pno; Mickey Baker, g; Doles Dickens, bs; Panama Francis, dms. New York City, 3 août 1956

09. I pawned everything

10. Love you, love you, love you

Walter Spriggs, vcl; King Curtis, t-sax; John Mc Farland, pno; Kenny Burrell, g; Doles Dickens, bs; Joe Marshall, dms. New York City 18 novembre 1957

11. You're movin' me

12. Rack'em back

Walter Spriggs (as Ray Scott), vcl/bongos; Harold Ousley, t-sax; LeRoy Glover, pno/org; Wild Jimmy Spruill, g; Jimmy Breedlove, bs; Pola Roberts, dms. New York City, 12-15 juillet 1959

13. Happy organ

14. Take it and git it

15. Bongo rock

16. Fulltime baby

Walter Spriggs (as Ray Scott), vcl; band. Chicago, Ill. septembre 1959

What it means to have a friend

17. Let's be friends

Walter Spriggs (as Ray Scott), vcl; band. New York City, 1960

18. We need love

19. Silk satin and lace

Walter Spriggs, vcl; band. New York City, 1962

Joy Ran Dee

20. Looking for you

Walter Spriggs, vcl; band. New York City, 23 mars 1967

21. Love piled on top of love

22. The real thing

23. Can't get over losing you

24. I can't get you on TV baby

Walter Spriggs, vcl; band. New York City, 1970

25. The prayer

26. Lily white mama, Jet black dad

HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN

HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN/

Origines et Evolution du célèbre Folk Song/ Origins and evolution of this famous folk song

(re-up)

           

Si House of the Rising Sun est aujourd'hui un thème célèbre dans le monde entier et a engendré des centaines (!) de versions différentes et dans toutes les langues, cela na guère été le cas avant les années 1960. Il s'agit alors d'une ballade parmi d'autres et il faut attendre 1933 et Clarence Ashley pour en graver sur disque la première version. Ashley, originaire des Appalaches et que l'on redécouvrira dans les années 1960, avouera avoir appris cette chanson de son grand père mais en avoir retrouvé d'autres versions lors de ses années passées dans les spectacles itinérants sudistes, les medicine shows.

            On ne sait rien de sûr à propos des lointaines origines de cette chanson qui est, généralement, considérée comme la complainte d'une jeune fille séduite par un souteneur et amenée dans l'infâme maison close "Rising Sun" de la Nouvelle Orléans. Mais les versets (qui varient selon les versions, en tout cas jusque dans les années 1960) ne sont pas aussi clairs et peuvent aussi renvoyer à une prison pour femmes ("I got one foot on the platform, The other foot on the train/ I'm goin' back to New Orleans To wear that ball and chain"), voire un sanatorium! Comme toujours dans les folk songs américains, on leur trouve des réminiscences des Iles Britanniques (une vieille ballade anglaise du XVIIIème siècle mentionne "ask for The Rising Sun, there you'll find two old whores and my old woman's one") ainsi que des références en vieille France, la "nouvelle aube" stylisée par un soleil levant flamboyant étant le symbole de la rédemption et de la guérison, choisi par l'ordre des Ursulines fondé au XVème siècle et dont les couvents sont aussi toujours des hospices pour nécessiteux.

            Mais comme toujours aussi, les folk songs américains sont bien sûr... américains. On trouve à la Nouvelle Orléans plusieurs bâtiments qui peuvent correspondre au "Soleil Levant". D'abord, avec certitude, une maison close du Vieux Quartier, célèbre dans les années 1808-22 jusqu'à sa destruction par un incendie et qui abrite aujourd'hui le Musée Historique de La Nouvelle Orléans. Le Vieux Couvent des Ursulines, installé par les Français au XVIIIème siècle et, comme signalé, décoré de deux fresques représentant des Aubes flamboyantes, a été transformé en prison pour femmes à la fin du XIXème siècle. Enfin, une certaine Mme Marianne Le Soleil possédait une autre maison close dont les murs étaient ornés de fresques représentant des "Soleils Levants" (d'après bien sûr son nom) encadrés de trois Eros décochant leurs flèches. On a retrouvé ces fresques dans le bâtiment de Mme Le Soleil, aujourd'hui occupé par une agence immobilière!

            Quoi qu'il en soit, il est intéressant de retracer l'évolution de ce folk song à partir du premier enregistrement par Clarence Ashley en 1933. Il s'agit alors d'un blues à la façon "Hillbilly". Les Callahan Brothers et Roy Acuff qui ont connu le morceau par Ashley en donnent des versions similaires. Lomax enregistre une chanteuse amateur Georgia Turner qui interprète ce thème. Par Lomax, le morceau passe dans le répertoire des bluesmen et folk singers qui constituent alors la scène new-yorkaise, en particulier Josh White, Woody Guthrie et Lead Belly. Mais c'est l'actrice de théâtre et chanteuse Libby Holman (1904-71), une proche amie de Josh White, qui lui "emprunte" House of the Rising Sun et en enregistre une version de style cabaret de l'époque qui est un grand succès.

           

House of the Rising Sun restera alors dans le répertoire presque obligé des folk singers New Yorkais, Weavers, Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie et al. Mais c'est en fait Dave Van Ronk qui, au début des années 1960 (et bien que lui-même n'enregistre le morceau qu'en 1964) qui signe les arrangements que l'on connaît aujourd'hui. Et c'est Bob Dylan - qui loge chez Van Ronk - qui lui emprunte sa version et la fait figurer sur son premier album. C'est d'après Dylan que le groupe britannique les Animals font de House of The Rising Sun un succès planétaire!

                                                                       Gérard HERZHAFT

            Let's leave (but not too far, don't be afraid!) the hardcore blues to study a little bit one of the most famous American folk song House of the Rising Sun with its hundreds of recordings in dozens languages!.

            In fact, before the 1960's, House of the Rising Sun was just a bluesy Old Time ballad among many others. It was only first recorded by Clarence Ashley in 1933. Ashley who was from Tennessee and was rediscovered during the 1960's Folk Boom told he learned this song from his grandfather and took it in his repertoire while touring around the South with a medicine show.

            The far origins of this song (generally sung from a young girl's speech who was seduced by a gambler and doomed to an infamous "Rising Sun" in New Orleans) are very uncertain. And the verses of the different early versions may refer to a brothel but also to a prison (I got one foot on the platform, The other foot on the train/ I'm goin' back to New Orleans To wear that ball and chain) or even a hospital. Like so very often, one can find British origins of the song: a XVIIIth Century English ballad has those verses: "ask for The Rising Sun, there you'll find two old whores and my old woman's one". Or French origins, the "new dawn with a flamboyant sun" being the symbol of medical redemption and healing provided by the Ursulines Convents since the XVth Century.

            But as always, the American Folk Songs are first and foremost... Americans. One find in New Orleans several buildings with a "Rising Sun" connection. First, a brothel situated in the French Quarter, very famous during the years 1808-1822 when a fire almost destroyed the building which is today the home of the Historic New Orleans Collection Museum. The old Ursulines' Convent created by the French during the early XVIIIth Century has become a prison for women at the end of the XIXth Century. And has still the original decorations of two Rising Sun mural paintings, common to this religious order. There is also an other brothel formerly owned by a certain Madam Marianne Le Soleil (Mrs The Sun!) whose walls were decorated with several Rising Suns (from the Madam's name) surrounded by three cherubs! This very building is occupied today by a real estate who kept the original paintings!

            Whatever, it is rewarding to follow the evolution of this folk song from the very first 1933 Clarence Ashley recording which was mostly a "Hillbilly blues". The Callahan Brothers and Roy Acuff have learned the song from Ashley and their renditions are close to the "original". In 1937, Lomax recorded the song by an amateur singer from Kentucky, Georgia Turner who might have learned the song from the records or from local singers. Anyway, with this version, House of the Rising Sun takes root among the numerous folk singers and bluesmen playing in the New York area: Weavers, Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, Lead Belly, Josh White. But it's Libby Holman (1904-71) a cabaret singer and an actress, a close friend of Josh White who hit big with her version recorded in 1942.

            The today well known arrangements of the song have in fact been created by Dave Van Ronk during the early 1960's (although he didn't record it before 1964). Bob Dylan who was at that time living in Van Ronk's apartment borrowed him the song and recorded it on his very first album. The British band, The Animals took the Dylan/ Van Ronk version, electrifies it and enjoyed a huge commercial success throughout the world, then making the previous obscure The House of The Rising Sun one of the most recorded American Folk Song of all times!

                                                                       Gérard HERZHAFT

HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN

01. Clarence Ashley: Rising sun blues (1932)

02. Callahan Brothers: Rounder's luck (1934)

03. Georgia Turner: House of the Risin' Sun (1937)

04. Roy Acuff: The Rising Sun (1938)

05. Libby Holman: The house of the Rising Sun (1942)

06. Josh White: House of the Rising Sun (1944)

07. Lead Belly: House of the Rising Sun (1944)

08. Woody Guthrie: Rising Sun blues (1944)

09. Weavers: House of the Rising Sun (1959)

10. Joan Baez: House of the Rising Sun (1960)

11. Pete Seeger: House of the Rising Sun (1961)

12. Fred Gerlach: Risin' Sun (1962)

13. Bob: House of the Rising Sun (1962)

14. Nina Simone: House of the Rising Sun (1962)

15. Isla Cameron: The House of the Rising Sun (1962)

16. Karen James: The House of the Rising Sun (1962)

17. Roscoe Holcomb: House in New Orleans (1962)

18. Jack Elliott: House of the Rising Sun (1963)

19. Dave Van Ronk: House of the Rising Sun (1964)

20. Animals: The House of the Rising Sun (1964)

21. Doc Watson: Rising Sun blues (1964)

22. Supremes: House of the Rising Sun (1964)