white with a touch of sweetenin'

[mike edwards66]

Oh well I woke up this morning, and I looked out the door, I can tell that old milkcow by the way she lowed. Hold it fellas, that don't move me, let's get real, real gone for a change....................Recorded sometime in late 1954, did Elvis ever sound more the bona fide country bluesman. Sliding effortlessly from low notes to falsetto, fashioning classic rockabilly from an old blues number.......let's milk it:


..


"Milkcow Blues Boogie", at least the version that Elvis was singing, was first recorded in the 30's by Kokomo Arnold:


..


But as with Elvis' version of "CC Rider", his version of "Milkcow Blues Boogie" owed very little to the original, to the point of being an almost different song. As deep admirers of Presley will recall, his version was in fact, filtered thru the white country stylings of "King of The Western Swing" Bob Wills, and his 1946 "Brain Cloudy Blues"........Come in Tommy, let's hear you sing.......


..


Elvis loved the blues. He may even have known the original. Heck! We can be sure he did!

So was the Hillbilly Cat partial to his blues the same way he was partial to his coffee. That's white with a touch of sweetenin'.

[drjohncarpenter]

Posted this information on FECC in 2011:

For Elvis, Scotty and Bill, "Milkcow Blues Boogie" derives from two recordings, one blues, the other country:

(1)

..



Kokomo Arnold, "Milk Cow Blues" (Decca 48000, November 1946)
Note that this single (the one Elvis heard) was a reissue of the original 1934 release, Decca 7026.


(2)

..



Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys, "Brain Cloudy Blues" (Columbia 37313, May 1947)


Many of Elvis' Sun recordings derive from his open-eared, adolescent listening habits.

Lucky us, lucky world.

[Juan Luis]

Thanks Mr Edwards66! Hadn't heard the other versions before.

[Hard Rocker]

Not forgetting America's greatest ever Rock n Roll band....

..

[mike edwards66]

Posted this information on FECC in 2011:

Thank you, buddy. 2011, before my time. Five years later, what are your thoughts on the main point?

Thanks Mr Edwards66! Hadn't heard the other versions before.

In that case, they're an eye-opener!

Not forgetting America's greatest ever Rock n Roll band....

As if we could.

[Hard Rocker]

Gracias compadre.

[Mister Mike]

My favorite version:

..

[Lonely Summer]

My favorite version is the Kinks rave up on The Kink Kontroversy, 1965; although Rick Nelson's 1960 version is also top notch.

[George Smith]

Posted this information on FECC in 2011:

For Elvis, Scotty and Bill, "Milkcow Blues Boogie" derives from two recordings, one blues, the other country:

(1)

..

Kokomo Arnold, "Milk Cow Blues" (Decca 48000, November 1946)
Note that this single (the one Elvis heard) was a reissue of the original 1934 release, Decca 7026.


(2)

..

Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys, "Brain Cloudy Blues" (Columbia 37313, May 1947)


Many of Elvis' Sun recordings derive from his open-eared, adolescent listening habits.

Lucky us, lucky world.

All present and correct, John, thank you.

I also feel that this 1941 version from Johnny Lee Wills (Bob's younger brother) should be mentioned in all conversations pertaining to this song.

..

Thanks for the original post, Mike: this is indeed a fantastic song.

[Davelee]

My favorite version:

..

Killer version, just love it.

Elvis' one is tops, for me.

[Davelee]

Posted this information on FECC in 2011:

For Elvis, Scotty and Bill, "Milkcow Blues Boogie" derives from two recordings, one blues, the other country:

(1)

..

Kokomo Arnold, "Milk Cow Blues" (Decca 48000, November 1946)
Note that this single (the one Elvis heard) was a reissue of the original 1934 release, Decca 7026.


(2)

..

Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys, "Brain Cloudy Blues" (Columbia 37313, May 1947)


Many of Elvis' Sun recordings derive from his open-eared, adolescent listening habits.

Lucky us, lucky world.

All present and correct, John, thank you.

I also feel that this 1941 version from Johnny Lee Wills (Bob's younger brother) should be mentioned in all conversations pertaining to this song.

..

Thanks for the original post, Mike: this is indeed a fantastic song.

Always did think that Elvis' version was based on Johnny Lee Willis - the tempo and how Elvis actually sings it is almost the same.

Thanks for posting, George. Wanted to post that version myself but don't know how to post YouTube videos on here - still a lot to learn about how to use the forum.

[mike edwards66]

I also feel that this 1941 version from Johnny Lee Wills (Bob's younger brother) should be mentioned in all conversations pertaining to this song.

..

Thanks for the original post, Mike: this is indeed a fantastic song.

Thanks, George. Would you agree the Johnny Lee version, is somewhat lacking in punch-power.

[George Smith]

I also feel that this 1941 version from Johnny Lee Wills (Bob's younger brother) should be mentioned in all conversations pertaining to this song.

..

Thanks for the original post, Mike: this is indeed a fantastic song.

Thanks, George. Would you agree the Johnny Lee version, is somewhat lacking in punch-power.

Only when compared to Presley's take.

[mike edwards66]

A favourite of mine!

Apparently Milkcow Blues Boogie was also Parker´s favourite Elvis song.

let's milk it

Coulda been!

[colonel snow]

Kokomo Arnold recorded the song several times:
Milk cow blues # 1 - 10-09-34 (Decca 7026 / Decca 48000) = original version
Milk cow blues # 2 - 18-01-35 (Decca 7059);
Milk cow blues # 3 - 11-09-35 (Decca 7116);
Milk cow blues # 4 - 11-09-35 (Decca 7163).

colonel snow

[promiseland]

Not forgetting one of America's greatest ever Rock n Roll bands....

..

[Hard Rocker]

Nah, they're the best ever I reckon. Maybe even the world's best ever IMO. Either Aerosmith or The Stones.

[Hav-A-Tampa]

A favourite of mine!

Apparently Milkcow Blues Boogie was also Parker´s favourite Elvis song.

let's milk it

Coulda been!

Ha, good catch! Let's milk it for all it's worth!

[drjohncarpenter]

Kokomo Arnold recorded the song several times:
Milk cow blues # 1 - 10-09-34 (Decca 7026 / Decca 48000) = original version
Milk cow blues # 2 - 18-01-35 (Decca 7059);
Milk cow blues # 3 - 11-09-35 (Decca 7116);
Milk cow blues # 4 - 11-09-35 (Decca 7163).

colonel snow

As noted in my previous post, Decca 48000, the 1946 reissue, would be the Komoko Arnold record Elvis heard on the radio, not the releases from a decade before.

[Hobbes]

Willie Nelson recorded a fine version of Milk Cow Blues for his album of the same name from the year 2000. It's bluesy, with country elements, but unmistakably Willie Nelson. With his guitar licks in full effect, along with that unique vibrato and tremulous vocal tones. It's a gem.



..

Thank you for sharing this. I like it a lot! I'm going to seek out this album now.

[Hobbes]

I like Scotty's version too.

..

[drjohncarpenter]

All present and correct, John, thank you.

I also feel that this 1941 version from Johnny Lee Wills (Bob's younger brother) should be mentioned in all conversations pertaining to this song.

..

I would agree, although the 1941 release is not the one Elvis heard. Like the 1934 Komoko Arnold original, it is the Decca reissue of the Johnny Lee Wills single that the young Presley likely heard as a kid in Tupelo or Memphis. It was a B-side in September 1941, but re-released as an A-side in July 1946.


1946 A-side Reissue

460700_Decca 46012_Wills.JPG

1941 B-side Original

410900_Decca 5985_Wills.JPG

[mike edwards66]

Kokomo Arnold recorded the song several times:
Milk cow blues # 1 - 10-09-34 (Decca 7026 / Decca 48000) = original version
Milk cow blues # 2 - 18-01-35 (Decca 7059);
Milk cow blues # 3 - 11-09-35 (Decca 7116);
Milk cow blues # 4 - 11-09-35 (Decca 7163).

colonel snow

Thank you, colonel. Elvis could have heard any or all of those recordings, to suggest otherwise is silly. As it turns out it matters not. The Hillbilly Cat took his blues like he took his coffee. That's white with a touch of sweetenin'.

[George Smith]

I would agree, although the 1941 release is not the one Elvis heard. Like the 1934 Komoko Arnold original, it is the Decca reissue of the Johnny Lee Wills single that the young Presley likely heard as a kid in Tupelo or Memphis. It was a B-side in September 1941, but re-released as an A-side in July 1946.

Damn, but that was good.

What a superb thread this is.

[drjohncarpenter]

I would agree, although the 1941 release is not the one Elvis heard. Like the 1934 Komoko Arnold original, it is the Decca reissue of the Johnny Lee Wills single that the young Presley likely heard as a kid in Tupelo or Memphis. It was a B-side in September 1941, but re-released as an A-side in July 1946.

Damn, but that was good.

What a superb thread this is.

A compliment from you is worth its weight in gold. Thank you.