Woke up This Morning
Film looking at the early years of the blues shows how the likes of Bessie Smith and Charlie Patton used the latest media to bring their music to the public.
Blues is usually described as the sound of racial suffering and feeling sad, but this documentary argues that the blues began as a form of black pop music. First appearing in the southern states of the USA around 1900, blues created by the poorest people in the richest nation on earth took America by storm. The film looks at the early years of the blues to discover how Bessie Smith, Blind Lemon Jefferson and Charlie Patton used the latest media to bring their music to the public. With contributions from Keith Richards, Taj Mahal and Chuck D.
Last on
More episodes
Previous
You are at the first episode
Music Played
-
Roosevelt Robert Blues Band
Dust My Broom
-
Robert Johnson
Walking Blues
-
Muddy Waters
Walking Blues
-
Bessie Smith
Empty Bed Blues (Part 1)
-
Count Basie
Lester Leaps In
-
The Paul Butterfield Blues Band
Walkin' Blues
-
The Rolling Stones
Little Red Rooster
-
John Lee Hooker
Boom Boom
-
Lomax Prison Recording
Rock Me Mama
-
Muddy Waters
Louisiana Blues
-
Henry Thomas
Railroadin' Some
-
Sam Collins
Yellow Dog Blues
-
Ebony Hillbillies
Pateroller
-
William Christopher Handy
St Louis Blues
-
Peg Leg Howell
Moanin' & Groanin' Blues
-
Dallas String Band
Hokum Blues (feat. Coley Jones)
-
Lt Jim Europe's 369th Infantry band
Memphis Blues
-
Mamie Smith
Crazy Blues
-
Ida Cox
Blues Ain't Nothin' Else But!
-
Mamie Smith
I Love My Man But He Treats Me Like a Dog
-
Bessie Smith
Young Woman's Blues
-
Rev Wilkins & Hunter's Chapel Band
Calvary
-
Bessie Smith
St Louis Blues
-
Blind Lemon Jefferson
Got the Blues
-
Blind Lemon Jefferson
See That My Grave is Kept Clean
-
Blind Boy Paxton
See That My Grave is Kept Clean
-
Sam Collins
Yellow Dog Blues
-
Skip James
Devil Got My Woman
-
Charley Patton
Down The Dirt Road Blues
-
Blind Boy Paxton
Down The Dirt Road Blues
-
Charley Patton
Spoonful Blues
-
Tommy Johnson
Canned Heat Blues
-
Charley Patton
Pony Blues
-
Howlin’ Wolf
Howlin' Wolf Talks, No.1
-
Charley Patton
Pony Blues
-
Skip James
Hard Time Killing Floor Blues
-
Mississippi Fred McDowell
61 Highway
-
Son House
Jinx Blues
-
Skip James
I'm So Glad
-
Skip James
Drunken Spree
-
C.B. and Axe Gang
Rosie
-
Benny Richardson and Group
Jody
-
22 and Group
Early in the Mornin'
-
Lead Belly
Goodnight Irene
-
Lead Belly
Take this Hammer
-
Lead Belly
Where Did You Sleep Last Night
-
Lead Belly
The Bourgeois Blues
-
Count Basie & Jimmy Rushing
Sent For You Yesterday And Here You Come Today
-
Leroy Carr
When The Sun Goes Down
-
Robert Johnson
Love In Vain
-
Robert Johnson
Walking Blues
-
Count Basie
Jumpin' At the Woodside
-
Robert Johnson
Preachin' Blues (Up Jumped the Devil)
-
Big Bill Broonzy
Good Jelly
-
Big Bill Broonzy
Key To The Highway
-
Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee
Red River Blues
-
Fats Waller
Tain't What You Do (It's The Way That You Do It)
-
Muddy Waters
Country Blues
-
Sonny Boy Williamson
Nine Below Zero
-
Muddy Waters
I Be's Troubled
-
Muddy Waters
I Can't Be Satisfied
-
The Rolling Stones
(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
-
Howlin’ Wolf
Howlin' Wolf Talks #1
-
Lead Belly
In The Pines
-
Big Bill Broonzy
Key to the Highway
³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Four Blues Collection
Credits
Role | Contributor |
---|---|
Executive Producer | Mark Cooper |
Director | Mick Gold |
Series Producer | Mick Gold |
Broadcasts
- Fri 29 Nov 2013 21:00
- Sat 30 Nov 2013 00:30
- Sun 1 Dec 2013 23:55
- Fri 21 Feb 2014 23:35
- Sun 15 May 2016 01:30
- Sun 12 Mar 2017 01:15
- Wed 14 Mar 2018 23:00
Featured in...
The Blues
Blues programmes featuring influential musicians including B.B. King and Muddy Waters.
Blues America ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Music Playlist
Check out our Blues America playlist - music from the heart of Blues country.
Director's blog post: Recreating the music"Find musicians today who can embody early blues music"
Director's blog post: Recreating the music