LEROY CARR — Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order ★ Volume 6 • 1934-1935 | DOCD-5139 (1992) RM | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Some 60 years after his passing, Leroy Carr's complete issued recordings were chronologically compiled and released on compact disc by Document Records, Ltd. The sixth and last installment in that exhaustively complete series picks up the trail on December 17, 1934, and follows his remaining Vocalion recordings with a spate of Bluebirds waxed on February 25, 1935. Almost every song heard on this collection moves slowly and deliberately, as if to support an extra load of Weltschmerz. Although "Bread Baker" is a robustly hedonistic hymn to physical pleasures, "It's Too Short" cooks like a boogie, and "Just a Rag" is upbeat, throughout most of this collection Carr's subject matter is far from uplifting. "Tight Time Blues" is about abject poverty; "Rocks in My Bed" (the inspiration for one of Duke Ellington's greatest laments) describes the ordeal of insomnia; "Arlena" seems to convey Carr's fear of being abandoned; and "Longing for My Sugar" and "When the Sun Goes Down" are studies in heartache and loneliness. Grimmer still is "Suicide Blues," with its description of brains being blown out of his skull with a gun fired by his own hand. The chilliest title of all is "Six Cold Feet in the Ground," an unmistakable premonition of his own impending demise. During the last months of his short life, Leroy Carr was not at all well. Years of heavy alcohol consumption combined with a case of what appears to have been tuberculosis wore him down and finished him off somewhat abruptly, for on April 29, 1935, 30-year-old Leroy Carr checked out far ahead of schedule in Indianapolis, the town where he had made his first record with guitarist Scrapper Blackwell back in 1928. arwulf arwulf

Abridged from this album’s original booklet notes. Leroy Carr and Scrapper Blackwell made their last sides for Vocalion over the two day period 17/18 December 1934 and if Carr’s choice of material was any indication of his mood, then it was indeed a sombre one. Titles like the mournful Black Wagon (you gonna ride when that black wagon comes), the rolling Shining Pistol (“gonna get me a brand new pistol, with a long shiny barrel”) and the all too real images conjured up by his startlingly matter of fact approach to suicide, were abundant:
Took me a Smith an’ Wesson and blew out my brains (x2) I didn’t take no poison, I couldn’t stand the strain l ain’t no coward and I will tell you why (X2) I just tired of living, but wasn’t afraid to die

Due to its subject matter the song, Suicide Blues, not surprisingly failed to get a release while the up-tempo, almost barrelhouse, It’s Too Short, with its suggestions of sexual inadequacies

Baby I can’t play too long, I’m just a skinny fellow and I ain’t very strong

did favour release. Then Leroy Carr’s contract with Vocalion ended, Tampa Red, who was recording for rival company Bluebird, has claimed that he was responsible for persuading them into changing labels. Apparently Tampa took them to the Bluebird studios but during the signing of the contract a dispute broke out between Leroy Carr and Scrapper Blackwell concerning its terms and conditions, with the latter becoming jealous because Leroy’s fame was getting him the lion’s share of the royalty payment. Despite the antagonism they proceeded to record but after the first four numbers Scrapper became angry again and, depending on which source is to be believed, was either ejected from the studio or departed of his own accord. In hindsight, it is far more likely that the session supervisors, rather than abandon the recording date, chose to calm matters down by placating Blackwell with suggestions of his own session in an adjoining studio (where he cut two instrumentals), leaving Carr to complete the one they had started. Following the altercation, Leroy resumed the session with a ferocious sounding Just A Rag (one can almost envisage the recording engineer asking Carr for the title of the number and being greeted with the frosty retort, it’s just a rag!) but he then lapsed into three introspective blues, each becoming more lachrymose than its predecessor until ending the session with the prophetic Six Cold Feet In The Ground:
Just remember me baby when I’m in six feet of cold, cold ground (x2) Always think of me mama, just say a good man has gone down. Don’t cry for me baby, baby after I’m gone (x2) I jest a good man loved you and ain’t done nothing wrong. Just lay my body baby in six cold feet of ground (x2) Well I have been the loser when the deal done gone down.

Three months later, while at an all-night party, Leroy Carr suffered a severe attack of nephritis and he died on Monday morning 29 April, 1935, just one month into his thirtieth year. His passing was mourned by many musicians some, like Bumble Bee Slim and Little Bill Gaither, cut tributes but the most poignant of these was recorded for Champion the month after his death – My Old Pal Blues by Scrapper Blackwell (BDCD-6030). DOCD-5139
Tracklist :
1        Bread Baker 3:01
Guitar, Speech – Josh White, Scrapper Blackwell
Vocals, Piano – Leroy Carr
2        Tight Time Blues 2:55
Guitar – Scrapper Blackwell
Vocals, Piano – Leroy Carr
3        Longing For My Sugar 2:53
Guitar – Josh White, Scrapper Blackwell
Vocals, Piano – Leroy Carr
4        Black Wagon Blues 3:03
Guitar – Josh White, Scrapper Blackwell
Vocals, Piano – Leroy Carr
5        Shinin' Pistol 2:54
Guitar – Josh White, Scrapper Blackwell
Vocals, Piano – Leroy Carr
6        Arlena 3:01
Guitar – Josh White, Scrapper Blackwell
Vocals, Piano – Leroy Carr
7        Arlena 3:02
Guitar – Josh White, Scrapper Blackwell
Vocals, Piano – Leroy Carr
8        It's Too Short 2:53
Guitar – Josh White, Scrapper Blackwell
Vocals, Piano – Leroy Carr
9        It's Too Short 2:54
Guitar – Josh White, Scrapper Blackwell
Vocals, Piano – Leroy Carr
10        My Good For Nothin' Gal 2:37
Guitar – Josh White, Scrapper Blackwell
Vocals, Piano – Leroy Carr
11        Suicide Blues 2:58
Guitar – Josh White, Scrapper Blackwell
Vocals, Piano – Leroy Carr
12        Rozetta Blues 2:51
Guitar – Scrapper Blackwell
Vocals, Piano – Leroy Carr
13        Church House Blues 2:46
Guitar – Josh White, Scrapper Blackwell
Vocals, Piano – Leroy Carr
14        Rocks In My Bed 3:05
Guitar – Scrapper Blackwell
Vocals, Piano – Leroy Carr
15        When The Sun Goes Down 2:56
Guitar – Scrapper Blackwell
Vocals, Piano – Leroy Carr
16        Bad Luck All The Time 2:46
Guitar – Scrapper Blackwell
Vocals, Piano – Leroy Carr
17        Big Four Blues 3:08
Guitar – Scrapper Blackwell
Vocals, Piano – Leroy Carr
18        Just A Rag 3:09
Vocals, Piano – Leroy Carr
19        Ain't It A Shame 3:09
Vocals, Piano – Leroy Carr
20        Going Back Home 3:13
Vocals, Piano – Leroy Carr
21        Six Cold Feet In The Ground 2:59
Vocals, Piano – Leroy Carr