Elmore James (January 27, 1918 — May 24, 1963) was an American blues guitarist, singer, song writer and band leader. He was known as The King of the Slide Guitar and had a unique guitar style, noted for his use of loud amplification and his stirring voice. His best known song is the blues standard "Dust My Broom" (also known as "Dust My Blues"). The song gave its name to Jamess band, The Broomdusters. The songs opening slide guitar riff is one of the best-known sounds in all of blues. It is essentially the same riff that appears in the recording of the same song by Robert Johnson, but James played the riff with electric slide guitar. It was even transformed into a doo-wop chorus on Jesse Stones "Down in the Alley", recorded by The Clovers and Elvis Presley. Stone transcribed the riff as: "Changety changety changety changety chang chang!"
Elmore James – Cry for me Baby
22 thoughts on “Elmore James – Cry for me Baby”
Posted On in Slide Guitar with 22 Comments.
J’adore, un clin d’oeil à Jean-Pierre du 93 !
Love Elmore and this is one of my Favorites . Someone should do a Rock A Billy Version of it !!!
Right tasty morsel !
I’m a rabid Elmore James fan but somehow never heard this one before. Thank you VERY MUCH for introducing me to it!
Eddie Taylor indeed was working on the sessions, but I think that Muddy Waters worked on this song.
Most songs in this era only lasted about two and a half minutes. Anything longer was an unusual rarity in the 1950s. The engineer probably was running out of tape, or the song was getting too long at 2 minutes, 45 seconds, and was ordered to fade out and press "stop" on the audiotape recorder by the label owner in the studio.
The solo is not cut off. It justs fades to black at the end. The guitar solo is more of a quick jam than a solo. This song, and a handful of others, are proof positive that Elmore James was FULLY CAPABLE of playing electric guitar without a slide if he wanted to do so.
This sounds like early Rolling stones
Love this song. Good ole Blues!
During the solo Elmore gives out the kind of cry of appreciation that one would give for someone else playing, not for oneself, and not while one is in the process of playing. So, although Elmore is fabulous, on thios one the solo must be by someone else (Eddie Taylor), I’d say.
there are two guitars, of course. the one playing during the verses sounds a lot like Hubert Sumlin.
ELMORE JAMES…………."NUFF SAID"! TOM D.
The guitar player is Eddie Taylor… through the entire song. He’s the friend who taught Jimmy Reed guitar under the "shady tree"… and is in fact on many Jimmy Reed recordings. Later, ET and Carey Bell were a tandem, as well with Willie Kent. A great, yet unsung author and architect of the Chicago sound. Enjoy.
The guitar player is Eddie Taylor… through the entire song. He’s the friend who taught Jimmy Reed guitar under the "shady tree"… and is in fact on many Jimmy Reed recordings. Later, ET and Carey Bell were a tandem, as well with Willie Kent. A great yet unsung author and architect of the Chicago sound. Enjoy.
The guitar player is Eddie Taylor… through the entire song. He’s the friend who taught Jimmy Reed guitar under the "shady tree"… and is in fact on many Jimmy Reed recordings. Enjoy.
wow what a great voice..
thank you for the info.
I luv Elmore James, his lyrics, his vocals, his picking, to bad the world lost him so early…he’s a legend in his own time, he was way ahead of his time.
wow i hear what mick jagger emulated in the very first cry…
CRY FOR ME BABY – E. JAMES TOP 10 BLUES BOPPER !!!
I LOVE TO PLAY IT IN MY RECORD HOPS – ME ENCANTA PINCHARLA EN MIS SESIONES (DJ TALL MIKE)
tears, tears, tears…why won’t they let me be…
Imelda May sings this song these days look her up if you don’t already know her Elmore legend Imelda current to be legend.