›

Ripping Off Blues Artists (ROBAR)

LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
edited November 2005 in Strut Central
So I'm listening to Louisiana Red's record on Roulette. All the songs are written by Minten, Glover and Levy. Minten I assume is Louisiana Red. Glover is the producer Henry Glover. Levy, of course, would be label owner and all around gangster Morris Levy. Very safe bet that Glover and Levy did no songwritting. They just wanted a third of everything Louisiana Red made. No publisher is mentioned, Levy probably owns 100% of that.The songs tend to be traditional floating verse blues songs, with some brilliant improvisations by Red.Old story.Dan

  Comments

  • pickwick33pickwick33 8,946 Posts
    So I'm listening to Louisiana Red's record on Roulette. All the songs are written by Minten, Glover and Levy. Minten I assume is Louisiana Red.

    Red's real name is Iverson Minter.

    Glover is the producer Henry Glover. Levy, of course, would be label owner and all around gangster Morris Levy. Very safe bet that Glover and Levy did no songwritting.

    Henry Glover, from all accounts, was supposedly an experienced songwriter (Ray Charles'"Drown In My Own Tears" is the only song that comes to mind at this late hour, although I'm sure there were others). We know Morris Levy didn't write a mumbling word.

    The songs tend to be traditional floating verse blues songs, with some brilliant improvisations by Red.

    Classic album (I'm a Louisiana Red FREAK) but I don't know about the songs being "traditional floating verse(s)." Red has a distinct, personal style that often alludes to his own life. "Red's Dream" (where he appoints Bo Diddley, Big Maybelle, Ray Charles, Lightnin' Hopkins, and Jimmy Reed to the U.S. Senate) and "Ride On, Red, Ride On" (about the Civil Rights movement) definitely weren't compiled from stock cliche verses.
  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
    So I'm listening to Louisiana Red's record on Roulette. All the songs are written by Minten, Glover and Levy. Minten I assume is Louisiana Red.

    Red's real name is Iverson Minter.

    Glover is the producer Henry Glover. Levy, of course, would be label owner and all around gangster Morris Levy. Very safe bet that Glover and Levy did no songwritting.

    Henry Glover, from all accounts, was supposedly an experienced songwriter (Ray Charles'"Drown In My Own Tears" is the only song that comes to mind at this late hour, although I'm sure there were others). We know Morris Levy didn't write a mumbling word.

    The songs tend to be traditional floating verse blues songs, with some brilliant improvisations by Red.

    Classic album (I'm a Louisiana Red FREAK) but I don't know about the songs being "traditional floating verse(s)." Red has a distinct, personal style that often alludes to his own life. "Red's Dream" (where he appoints Bo Diddley, Big Maybelle, Ray Charles, Lightnin' Hopkins, and Jimmy Reed to the U.S. Senate) and "Ride On, Red, Ride On" (about the Civil Rights movement) definitely weren't compiled from stock cliche verses.

    Thank you for the insights. "Red's Dream" is much like Brownie McGee's It Was A Dream. I don't know who recorded it first.

    I agree I was simplifying by saying the songs were "floating verse", though there is some of that. What there is not is the kind of song craft you hear in "Drown In My Tears". So we can doubt that Glover had much writing input.

    Dan
  • pickwick33pickwick33 8,946 Posts

    I agree I was simplifying by saying the songs were "floating verse", though there is some of that. What there is not is the kind of song craft you hear in "Drown In My Tears". So we can doubt that Glover had much writing input.

    True. I own a few other Louisiana Red records*** besides this one, so I'm plenty familiar with his style. Even if Burt Bacharach himself shared a credit on "Keep Your Hands Off My Woman" I wouldn't believe it - Red's songwriting is THAT identifiable.

    [color:blue] ***you should seek out 1975's Sweet Blood Call on Blue Labor, which is Red alone, acoustic and downright terrifying on the title track, which opens with the line: "It's gonna be hard to miss you, woman, with this pistol in your mouth/You might be going north, but your brains are going south." [/color]
  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts

    I agree I was simplifying by saying the songs were "floating verse", though there is some of that. What there is not is the kind of song craft you hear in "Drown In My Tears". So we can doubt that Glover had much writing input.

    True. I own a few other Louisiana Red records*** besides this one, so I'm plenty familiar with his style. Even if Burt Bacharach himself shared a credit on "Keep Your Hands Off My Woman" I wouldn't believe it - Red's songwriting is THAT identifiable.

    [color:blue] ***you should seek out 1975's Sweet Blood Call on Blue Labor, which is Red alone, acoustic and downright terrifying on the title track, which opens with the line: "It's gonna be hard to miss you, woman, with this pistol in your mouth/You might be going north, but your brains are going south." [/color]

    I never paid too much attention to him. The Roulette one I have is actually on French Vouge, I also have the ATco one which I have had before. I will give them both a good listen. I know I have heard him other times, I think I heard him live once, and but it's a bit fuzz now.

    Dan
  • pickwick33pickwick33 8,946 Posts

    I also have the ATco one which I have had before.

    I've owned his Atco album before, too. Didn't dig it. Sold it a long time ago. Years later, I saw it in a used store with a customer turntable; I put it on the box and it was just as mediocre as I remember it being. That Roulette/Vogue album you have is the better bet, although Red has other goodies that have gone in and out of print.
Sign In or Register to comment.