Jimmie Gordon
Jimmie Gordon (probably 1906 – possible October 27, 1993) was an American Chicago blues pianist, singer, and songwriter. In the course of his career he accompanied Memphis Minnie, Bumble Bee Slim, and Big Bill Broonzy, amongst others. He had a hit with "I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water" (1936) and was active on the Chicago blues scene for a number of years leading up to World War II. He is known to have recorded 67 tracks between 1934 and 1946. Gordon was a mainstay of Decca Records during the 1930s and early 1940s, with his recorded work utilizing a piano accompaniment (often his own), as well as guitar, or with a small band that he assembled for the work. As a songwriter, Gordon is often credited with writing "Mean Mistreater", later recorded by both Muddy Waters and Johnny Winter. AllMusic noted that "Gordon was a passable pianist who sang with all his heart in a warm and convincing voice." Details of his life outside the recording studio are sketchy and have been the subject of rumor and speculation over the years. |
Birth and Death Data: Born 1905, Died October 27, 1993
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1934 - 1941
Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist, piano, guitar, composer, lyricist
Notes: Also listed on disc labels as James Gordon.
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Victor | BS-80407 | 10-in. | 3/23/1934 | Neck bone blues | Jimmie Gordon | Male vocal solo, with guitar and piano | vocalist | |
Victor | BS-80408 | 10-in. | 3/23/1934 | Bye bye baby blues | Bumble Bee Slim | Male vocal solo, with 2 guitars and piano | lyricist, composer | |
Decca | 62649 | 10-in. | 10/6/1937 | Rattlesnake bite | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | 62650 | 10-in. | 10/6/1937 | I believe I been hoodood | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | 62651 | 10-in. | 10/6/1937 | She wants to rattle me all the time | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | 62652 | 10-in. | 10/6/1937 | Plenty trouble on your hand | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | 63756 | 10-in. | 5/12/1938 | Crying my blues away | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | 63757 | 10-in. | 5/12/1938 | Fast life | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | 63758 | 10-in. | 5/12/1938 | Sail with me | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | 63759 | 10-in. | 5/12/1938 | Lonesome bedroom blues | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | 63760 | 10-in. | 5/12/1938 | Alberta, Alberta | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | 63761 | 10-in. | 5/12/1938 | She's doin' it now | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | 63762 | 10-in. | 5/12/1938 | Keep your nose out of other people's business | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | 65494 | 10-in. | 4/28/1939 | Get your mind out of the gutter | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | 65495 | 10-in. | 4/28/1939 | Delhia | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | 65496 | 10-in. | 4/28/1939 | Do that thing | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | 65497 | 10-in. | 4/28/1939 | The Mojo blues | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | 65498 | 10-in. | 4/28/1939 | St. Peter blues | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | 65499 | 10-in. | 4/28/1939 | If the walls could talk | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | 90085 | 10-in. | 7/7/1935 | Bed Springs blues no.2 | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | 90086 | 10-in. | 7/7/1935 | Soon in the morning | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | 90183 | 10-in. | 7/19/1935 | Blue, black and evil blues | Alice Moore | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | 90184 | 10-in. | 7/19/1935 | Tomorrow blues | Alice Moore | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | 90305 | 10-in. | 9/6/1935 | I'll take you back-1 | Bumble Bee Slim and his Rhythm Riffers | vocalist | ||
Decca | 90320 | 10-in. | 9/11/1935 | How can I get it?-1 | Bumble Bee Slim and his Rhythm Riffers | vocalist | ||
Decca | 90634 | 10-in. | 3/24/1936 | Little red dress | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | 90679 | 10-in. | 4/17/1936 | Big four whistle blues-1 | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | 90680 | 10-in. | 4/17/1936 | Drunken woman blues | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist, instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | 90701 | 10-in. | 4/30/1936 | Sweet jelly rollin' | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | 90702 | 10-in. | 4/30/1936 | Baker man | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | 90917 | 10-in. | 10/2/1936 | Don't take away my P.W.A. | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | 90918 | 10-in. | 10/2/1936 | She sells good meat | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | 90959 | 10-in. | 10/26/1936 | I'd rather drink muddy water | Jimmie Gordon ; Jimmie Gordon | instrumentalist, piano, vocalist, guitar | ||
Decca | 90960 | 10-in. | 10/26/1936 | Mother blues | Jimmie Gordon ; Jimmie Gordon | instrumentalist, piano, vocalist, guitar | ||
Decca | 90990 | 10-in. | 11/19/1936 | Jacksonville, part 1 | Jimmie Gordon ; Jimmie Gordon | instrumentalist, piano, vocalist | ||
Decca | 90991 | 10-in. | 11/19/1936 | Jacksonville, part 2 | Jimmie Gordon ; Jimmie Gordon | instrumentalist, piano, vocalist | ||
Decca | 91077 | 10-in. | 1/18/1937 | Think you need a shot | Jimmie Gordon ; Jimmie Gordon | instrumentalist, piano, vocalist | ||
Decca | 91078 | 10-in. | 1/18/1937 | C.C. & St. Louis blues | Jimmie Gordon ; Jimmie Gordon | instrumentalist, piano, vocalist | ||
Decca | 91252 | 10-in. | 5/14/1937 | Playing in the grass | Jimmie Gordon and his Vip Vop Band | vocalist | ||
Decca | 91279 | 10-in. | 5/14/1937 | You're bound to look like a monkey | Jimmie Gordon and his Vip Vop Band | vocalist | ||
Decca | 91280 | 10-in. | 5/14/1937 | Good as I been to you | Jimmie Gordon and his Vip Vop Band | vocalist | ||
Decca | 91531 | 10-in. | 10/18/1938 | Bleed heart blues (Bleeding heart blues) | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | 91532 | 10-in. | 10/18/1938 | Number runner' s blues | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | 91557 | 10-in. | 10/21/1938 | Me and my gin | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | 91558 | 10-in. | 10/21/1938 | Whip it to a jelly | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | 91820 | 10-in. | 9/29/1939 | Nobody knows the trouble I see | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | 91821 | 10-in. | 9/29/1939 | The boogie man | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | 91822 | 10-in. | 9/29/1939 | Ease it to me | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | 91823 | 10-in. | 9/29/1939 | Henpecked man | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | 93010 | 10-in. | 6/4/1940 | Trigger Slim blues | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | 93011 | 10-in. | 6/4/1940 | (Roll 'em Dorothy) Let 'em jump for joy | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | 93012 | 10-in. | 6/4/1940 | L & N blues | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | 93568 | 10-in. | 3/10/1941 | Boogie woogie blues | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | 93569 | 10-in. | 3/10/1941 | Action speaks louder than words | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | 93570 | 10-in. | 3/10/1941 | Daddy Bear blues | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | 93571 | 10-in. | 3/10/1941 | Lookin' for the blues | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | 93572 | 10-in. | 3/10/1941 | Beer drinking woman | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | 93573 | 10-in. | 3/10/1941 | I'm gonna cut out | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | 93650 | 3/10/1941 | I'm gonna cut out | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | |||
Decca | C 9293 | 10-in. | 8/14/1934 | Louise, Louisa blues | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | C 9294 | 10-in. | 8/14/1934 | Bye bye baby blues | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | C 9384 | 10-in. | 8/24/1934 | Mean mistreatin' blues | Jimmie Gordon | instrumentalist, piano, vocalist | ||
Decca | C 9385 | 10-in. | 8/24/1934 | Yo yo Mama blues | Jimmie Gordon | instrumentalist, piano, vocalist | ||
Decca | C 9430 | 10-in. | 9/10/1934 | Climbing on top of the hill | Bumble Bee Slim | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | C 9431 | 10-in. | 9/10/1934 | Ain't it a crying shame? | Bumble Bee Slim | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | C 9442 | 10-in. | 9/11/1934 | Bed Springs blues | Jimmie Gordon | instrumentalist, piano, vocalist | ||
Decca | C 9619 | 10-in. | 12/14/1934 | Black gal blues | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | C 9620 | 10-in. | 12/14/1934 | Gone gal blues | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist | ||
Decca | C 9634 | 10-in. | 1/9/1935 | Please baby | Joe McCoy | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | C 9635 | 10-in. | 1/9/1935 | One in a hundred | Joe McCoy | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | C 9638 | 10-in. | 1/9/1935 | One more greasing | Joe McCoy | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | C 9639 | 10-in. | 1/9/1935 | What's the matter with you | Joe McCoy | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | C 9641 | 10-in. | 1/10/1935 | Dirty mother for you | Memphis Minnie | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | C 9642 | 10-in. | 1/10/1935 | Sylvester and his mule blues | Memphis Minnie | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | C 9643 | 10-in. | 1/10/1935 | When you're asleep | Memphis Minnie | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | C 9644 | 10-in. | 1/10/1935 | You can't give it away | Memphis Minnie | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | C 9647 | 10-in. | 1/11/1935 | Drive me away blues | Jimmie Gordon and his Vip Vop Band | vocalist | ||
Decca | C 9687 | 10-in. | 1/22/1935 | Graveyard blues | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Gordon, Jimmie," accessed November 7, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/106738.
Gordon, Jimmie. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 7, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/106738.
"Gordon, Jimmie." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 7 November 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Gordon, Jimmie, 1913-1993 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n93005535
Wikidata: Jimmie Gordon - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q19286641
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/54336567
MusicBrainz: Jimmie Gordon - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/b8daba05-94b9-49a8-8ac5-f06eeece26e9
Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license
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