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"...Life Is Too Short To Be Worrying Over You..."
Some Blues artists elicit a kind of affection in me that just won't quit – the slinky Folk Blues of Lightning Hopkins – the Harmonica warble of Slim Harpo buzzing around bees – the combo positive message of Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee on A&M Records in the Seventies – Robert Johnson and those eerie groundbreaking Thirties sides – and on it goes.
Texas Folk Bluesman (Andrew) Smokey Hogg is the same. This 2021 CD is the kind of Acoustic Guitar, plinking Piano and shuffling snare drum beat I could listen to all the live long day – reed of straw in my mouth and a fishing rod in my hands (ok maybe not the fishing rod in Margate after a thunderstorm). And combined with his similar-to-Lightning Hopkins wily voice - I'm a goner.
So I'm more than pleased to report that Ace Records' digital instalment number five (see list below) afforded the largely unknown (Andrew) Smokey Hogg does the heartbreak business once again - even if the artwork is dull as Dallas dishwater. Here are the pretty mamas, crooked fortune tellers, devilish preachers, penitentiary holds and good morning little schoolgirl details...
UK released Friday, 5 February 2021 - "The Texas Blues Of Smokey Hogg" by SMOKEY HOGG on Ace Records CDCHD 1588 (Barcode 029667101226) is a 24-Track MONO CD compilation of Remasters (Four Previously Unreleased, Most New To CD) that plays out as follows (67:17 minutes):
1. I Don't Want You (from the 1967 US LP "Original Folk Blues" on Kent KLP 5024 in Mono)
2. Worrying Over You (June 1948 US 78" on Modern 596, B-side of "Jivin' Little Woman")
3. Everybody Gotta Racket (1950 US 78" on Modern 20-735, A-side - 1947 Recording)
4. Good Mornin' Little Schoolgirl (from the 1961 US LP "Smokey Hogg Sings The Blues" on Crown CLP 5226 in Mono - recorded in 1947)
5. The Way You Treat Me (I Got Your Picture) (1950 US 78" on Modern 20-758, A-side)
6. I Want My Baby (But My Baby Don't Want Me) (from the 1967 US LP "Original Folk Blues" on Kent KLP 5024 in Mono)
7. You Can't Tell Where I'm Goin' (from the 1967 US LP "Original Folk Blues" on Kent KLP 5024 in Mono)
8. No Matter What You Do (from the 1967 US LP "Original Folk Blues" on Kent KLP 5024 in Mono)
9. When The Sun Goes Down (from the 1967 US LP "Original Folk Blues" on Kent KLP 5024 in Mono)
10. Coming Back Home To You Again (from the 1961 US LP "Smokey Hogg Sings The Blues" on Crown CLP 5226 in Mono - recorded in 1950)
11. Kind Hearted Blues - PREVIOUSLY UNISSUED 1950 Modern recording
12. What's That You Got - PREVIOUSLY UNISSUED 1950 Modern recording
13. You'll Need My Help Someday (1950 US 78" on Hollywood 130, A-side)
14. Somebody New (1950 US 78" on Hollywood 130, AA-side)
15. Ain't You Sorry Baby (1951 US 78" on Hollywood 131, A-side)
16. Ruby (1951 US 78" on Hollywood 131, AA-side)
17. Penitentiary Blues Part 1 (1951 US 78" on Hollywood 170, A-side)
18. Penitentiary Blues Part 2 (1951 US 78" on Hollywood 170, AA-side)
19. Baby Shake Your Leg (1952 US 78" on Top Hat 1023, A-side)
20. Fortune Teller Blues (1952 US 78" on Top Hat 1023, AA-side)
21. Where Have You Been (1952 US 78" on Combo 11, A-side)
22. My Gal Gave Me Money - PREVIOUSLY UNISSUED 1951 Combo recording
23. Instrumental - PREVIOUSLY UNISSUED 1951 Combo recording
24. Too Late Old Man (1953 US 78" on Modern 896, B-side on "River Hip Mama")
The 12-page booklet has new track-by-track liner notes by fan and Smokey Hogg-expert GUIDO VAN RIJN whose 320-page book "The Texas Blues Of Smokey Hogg" is published in 2021 by Agram Blues in the Netherlands (the first in-depth book on him). The text here is peppered with hard-to-find 78"s while Page 5 features the Side 2 label of the "Original Folk Blues" LP from 1967 - five of its tracks featured on this CD. It's a typically informative read that pictures labels and album artwork rarely seen outside of specialist circles.
As most are 1947 to 1952 recordings issued on varying 78's and early 45s (13 cuts in all) - the Audio is of course cackling and hiss on the worse - but mostly DUNCAN COWELL has once again done a stunning job getting such clarity out of these recordings. The listen is at times bare Blues - just the Guitar and Voice - but then there are the wonderful piano shuffles in the more R&B stabs. But I love the 'feel' Hogg gets - real and unpretentious - and Cowell has done wonders on what must have been difficult transfers.
The themes rarely veer far from cheatin' gals, sugar daddies praying on those double-dealin' hussies and poor Smokey having to leave lest he reaches for that loaded pistol again. The milkmen in these tales of infidelity and woe leave more than an extra pint and mama likes the rattle of their bottle-holders when they approach the front door (papa usually away on some possibly illegal business). It's great fun in a weird way, but I would have to caution that stuff like "Penitentiary Blues..." is covered in crackle that some may think 'too' much. But then the band shuffle of "Where Have You Been" (Track 21) is both clean as a whistle and great fun – the sitting here wondering when will you come back home vibe sailing out of your speakers with a clarity that is shocking. I just wish more were like it.
"...Everybody gotta rocket...I gotta racket too..." – he sang on "Everybody Gotta Racket" – his woman giving his money to another man on the other side of town (oh dear). You may not know the name the way you do other legends, but if your baby treats you bad like she do, they Smokey and his guitar mojo hand is the pal for you...
SMOKEY HOGG CDs on Ace Records
1. "Angels In Harlem" (August 1992 UK Ace/Specialty Records CDCHD 419 – Barcode 029667141925)
2. "Deep Ellum Rambler" (January 2001 UK CD on Ace Records CDCHD 780 – Barcode 029667178020)
3. "Serve It To The Right: The Combo And Modern Recordings 1947-52"
(December 2002 UK CD on Ace Records CDCHD 866 – Barcode 029667186629)
4. "Midnight Blues" (November 2004 UK Ace Records CDCHD 1019 – Barcode 029667002820)
5. "The Texas Blues Of Smokey Hogg"
(February 2021 UK CD on Ace Records CDCHD 1588 - Barcode 029667101226)
