HARMONICA-LED BLUES INSTRUMENTAL
You are of course the ambassador of the blues today, I think.
You go round the world, everybody knows you.
You take the blues to different countries.
I think about 30 years ago, though, the first ambassador of the blues,
the first guy to bring the blues to Europe was Big Bill Broonzy.
He made a lot of friends in Europe, came and played here,
I saw him - I was only a schoolboy at the time.
You know, you had to lie about your age
to get into a bar to see him play!
I remember going to see him in some jazz club in Nottingham,
a little Dixieland band plays first, then he came out...
We were only kids, you know, we thought this is a real blues man -
you just didn't see Americans at that time.
You certainly didn't see blues singers.
I think we probably thought he'd come out and change,
do a work song for us, Take This Hammer or something like that!
But he came out and did a very, very wonderful set.
Did you ever see him play?
- I - never did see him. - I never met him, really.
I have some of his records.
One I have called In The Evening (When The Sun Goes Down).
And many other things that he did.
But I learned about him from a couple of friends of mine -
Alexis Korner and Memphis Slim, both knew him very well.
- But you know, sitting - here with you, - may I say this,
I've been a blues singer for almost 40 years,
I've learned so much tonight, sitting here with you.
- I've learned so much... - YOU have?!
I've learned... Even though I've known all along
that there were many shades of blues,
but the performers and the bits and pieces
- that you've been able - to collect and put together
has really been educational for me, as a blue singer.
I've learned a lot.
And believe me, I have learned so much
that it's going to make me try to tighten it up
- and do a little - better - than I've been doing.
Yeah, well, I can't say that, obviously,
but I've certainly enjoyed seeing all these films that we've seen.
And thank you for coming in and filling in from a personal standpoint
your memories and thoughts about the blues.
- My pleasure. - Mr BB King.
As I say, this is the end of the Arena Blues Night
with Big Bill Broonzy, the first ambassador of the blues to Europe.
- And Big Bill here - seems - to have brought the blues
- a very long way - from the cotton fields.
Strangely enough, to some little sort of Bohemian,
- left-bank - jazz club somewhere - in Belgium...
- Yes. - ..of all places.
But before Bill finally takes us out, obviously, we must say good night
from me and good night from BB King.
And Lucille!
Good night from Lucille, of course, yes.
And finally good night from Big Bill Broonzy.
And good night from the blues.
(You'll like this.)
APPLAUSE
- This song is one of the old... songs of - America.
- When - Did You Leave Heaven?
# When did you leave heaven?
# How did they let you go?
# How's everything up in heaven?
# I would love to know
# Why did you trade heaven?
# Just for these earthly things?
# Why did you lose your little halo?
# Baby, why d'you drop your wings?
# How have they missed you?
# Could you get back in?
# Oh, if I would kiss you
# Would it be a sin?
# No, I'm just only human
# But you are so divine
# When did you leave heaven
# Little old angel o' mine?
# If I would kiss you
# Would it be a sin?
# No, I'm just only human
# But you are so divine
# When did you leave heaven
# Little old angel o' mine? #
APPLAUSE
# It was a dream
# Lord, what a dream I had on my mind
# It was a dream
# Lord, what a dream I had on my mind
# God, when I woke up, baby
# Not a thing there could I find
# I dreamed I went out with an angel
# And had a good time
# I dreamed I was satisfied
# Had nothin' to worry my mind
# But that was just a dream
# Lord, what a dream I had on my mind
# God, when I woke up, baby
# Not an angel could I find
# I dreamed I played policy
# And played the horses too
# I dreamed I win so much money
# I didn't know what to do
# But that was just a dream
# Lord, what a dream I had on my mind
# God, when I woke up, baby
# Not a penny there could I find
# I dreamed I was in the White House
# Sitting in the President's chair
# I dreamed he's shaking my hand
# And he said "Bill, I'm so glad you're here"
# But that was just a dream
# Lord, what a dream I had on my mind
# God, when I woke up, baby
# Not a chair there could I find
# I dreamed I got married
# And started me a family
# I dreamed I had ten children
# And they all looked just like me
# But that was just a dream
# Lord, what a dream I had on my mind
# God, when I woke up, baby
# Not a child there
# Looked like mine. #
APPLAUSE
GLASS SMASHES
HE LAUGHS
APPLAUSE
# Late one Saturday evening
# After the sun went down
# It was late one Saturday evenin'
# Lord, after the sun went down
# Yes, I went lookin' for my baby
# But she was nowhere around
# The wind started howlin'
# And the rain began to fall
# The wind started howlin'
# Lord, and the rain began to fall
# Yes, if my baby had-a known how much I loved her
# She wouldn't have never left at all
# Her picture is still on my dresser
# And her gown is still on my bed
# Her picture's still on my dresser
# And her gown is on my bed
# Yes, I was just sittin' there wonderin', is my baby livin'
# Lord, or is my little baby dead?
# Every Saturday evenin'
# I get as blue as blue can be
# Every Saturday evenin'
# I get as blue as blue can be
# Yes, we three were so happy
# My wife, my guitar and me. #
APPLAUSE
And so, just as he came to you, there goes William Broonzy
better known as Big Bill,
carrying along, all over the world,
his folk songs
and his own blues.
MUSIC: "Meet Me In The City" by Junior Kimbrough
# Meet me, oh, momma, in the city
# And see everything's is so fine
# We'll get together now, darlin'
# Oh, yes, we will
# We'll make everything all right so, honey, don't
# Oh, honey, don't
# Please, please don't leave me right now, girl
# Right now, right now Oh, no, no, no
# You got me, baby
# You got me, girl
# You got me where you want me, baby Oh, yeah
# Now, girl, I know you are satisfied
# Sometimes I think I will, baby
# And then I get my mind to change
# And tell me, don't do it no more
# Sometimes I think I will
# And then I get my mind to change
# And tell me don't do it no more
# Yeah, but I'm still begging you Baby
# Please, please don't leave me right now, girl
# Right now, right now Oh, no, no, no. #