“Doing the Cater Street Shimmy”

House-Rent Records: HRR CD–1

The new CD of Early, Ragtime Blues, Hokum, Jug Band Songs and Gospel by The Hokum Steamers,
Doing the Cater Street Shimmy includes the following songs:

The CD’s title, Doing the Cater Street Shimmy is taken from a line in, Mama Don’t Want It by Lillie Mae (song 5).
Lillie Mae recorded it in 1931 as one of only four songs she recorded; two, in 1930 for Columbia, and two, in 1931 for OKeh.
It is probable that “Lillie Mae” was actually a pseudonym but, if this is the case, the real singer has never been identified.

[click on song title to view the transcribed lyrics]

1.  Sadie Green (The Vamp of New Orleans) (Jay C. Flippen, 1926)
2.  Don’t Think I’m Santa Claus (Lil McClintock, 1930)
3.  Hesitation Blues (Traditinal: W.C. Handy, 1915; Sam Collins, 1927)
4.  No Hiding Place Down Here (Old South Quartette, 1928)
5.  Mama Don’t Want It (Lillie Mae, 1931)
6.  Cocaine Blues (Luke Jordan, 1927)
7.  It’s All Worn Out (Hokum Boys, 1929)
8.  Jug Band Music (Memphis Jug Band, 1934)
9.  Nehi Mamma Blues (Frank Stokes, 1928)
10. In My Time Of Dyin’ (Traditional: Blind Willie Johnson, 1927; Josh White, 1933)
11. Titanic Man Blues (Ma Rainey, 1925)
12. Shine On Me (Traditional: Trad: Blind Willie Johnson, 1929)
13. Wining Boy Blues (Jelly Roll Morton, 1938)      *Listen
14. Shout You Cats (Hezekiah Jenkins, 1931)      *Listen

‡ A NOTE TO GUITARISTS: Drop us a line if you need any of the guitar chords.

Mike Ballantyne and Rick Van Krugel are The Hokum Steamers, based out of Victoria, on Vancouver Island.
They play acoustic, good-time, ragtime blues, hokum, jugband songs and gospel from the 1920s & 1930s.
Although it is common for contemporary musicians and bands to take ragtime blues, and associated songs, and redefine them both lyrically and musically,
The Hokum Streamers, within the bounds of artistic licence, strive to sing the original, recorded words and melodies.