zzvp | Kokomo Blues

door Jon Editor

In this column: Kokomo, Kokomo Blues, Sweet Home Chicago, Madlyn Davis, James "Kokomo" Arnold, Francis "Scrapper" Blackwell, Freddie Spruell, Robert Johnson, Eleven Light City, speakeasy, Big `Boy Knox, Elwood Haynes, The Pioneer

Four previous versions of the Kokomo Blues led to Robert Johnson's well-known Sweet Home Chicago

Freddie Spruell - Mr. Freddie's Kokomo Blues (1926)

Now, these women 'round Chicago screamin', holl'in' 'bout the times so hard
And the women in Kokomo, baby, they drinkin' liquor from rail 'cross the bar
Why don't you come on, baby, come on, and let's go back to Kokomo
Yes, I'm leavin' here tomorrow mornin', tell me, baby, don't you want to go
...

Freddie Spruell – Mr. Freddie’s Kokomo Blues

Madlyn Davis

Madlyn Davis and Her Hot Shots - Kokola Blues (1927)
On the label spelled as Kokola Blues, but it's Kokomo, because Kokola doesn't rhyme with "don't you wanna go".

...
I belief I’m going, if you have your ways
You keep me worried both night and day
And it’s, hey hey baby, don’t you wanna go
Back to that Eleven Light City
Back to see Kokomo (Kokolo)
...

Like many other female blues singers in the 1920's, Madlyn Davis' career was brief. She made ten recordings in a year. Davis did make history with this composition. The white executives at Paramount screwed the title up with it supposed to have been "Kokoma Blues". Madlyn Davis finished her career in 1928 with four sides backed by Tampa Red & Georgia Tom Dorsey.

Madlyn Davis and Her Hot Shots – Kokola Blues

Francis “Scrapper” Blackwell recorded it the following year (1928) as “Kokomo Blues”.

James "Kokomo" Arnold

In 1934 Kokomo Arnold called his version "Old Original Kokomo Blues".

...
One and one is two, mama
Two and two is four
You know you got to go
Cryin', oooh, baby don't you wanna go
Back to the Eleven Light City
To sweet old Kokomo
...

In his version, Scrapper Blackwell referenced the town of Kokomo, Indiana, while James Arnold stated that "Koko" was a brand name of coffee sold in "The Eleven Light City", a drugstore in Chicago.

Arnold was a guitarist, who was living in Chicago and working as a bootlegger, did not cut another record for four years when he cut “Old Original Kokomo Blues” from which he took his nickname.

James “Kokomo” Arnold – Old Original Kokomo Blues

Robert Johnson

Two years later (1936) Robert Johnson took “Old Original Kokomo Blues,” radically reworked the guitar accompaniment and swapped “Chicago” for “Kokomo,” turning it into a city’s anthem: “Sweet Home Chicago.” Scrapper Blackwell of Indianapolis may have enticed his baby to come with him to Kokomo, but it was no problem making it Chicago.
Johnson sings "Back to the Land of California", "Sweet Home Chicago"; the reason being that either Chicago (or any other northern city for that matter) or anywhere in California would be a far more civilized place to live, than the then race-torn South.

...
Now one and one is two, two and two is four
I’m heavy loaded baby, I’m booked I gotta go
Cryin baby, honey don’t you want to go
back to the land of California to my sweet home Chicago

Now two and two is four, four and two is six
You gon’ keep monkeyin’ ‘round here friend-boy
you gon’ get your business all in a trick
But I’m cryin baby, honey don’t you wanna go
Back to the land of California to my sweet home Chicago
...

Robert Johnson – Sweet Home Chicago

Eleven Light City Blues

In 1937, Texas pianist Big Boy Knox recorded a version entitled "Eleven Light City Blues". Blues musician’s all borrowed lyrics, melodies and techniques from each other, a musical exchange greatly facilitated by records and radio.

Big Boy Knox – Eleven Light City Blues

Kokomo

The meaning behind Kokomo Blues revolves around the struggles and hardships faced by African Americans in the early 20th century. The title “Kokomo Blues” refers to the fictional town of Kokomo, which often symbolizes a place of hardship and struggle in blues music. It serves as a metaphor for the challenges faced by African Americans during a time of racial inequality.

Kokomo City, Indiana

Originally home to a community of Miami Indians, an Indian village was reportedly located near the intersection of West Harrison Street and South Main Street. The town was named after the then village leader Kokomo (signifies 'chief of bears').
Kokomo is known for industrial and technical achievements, Kokomo is officially known as the "City of Firsts." Among other achievements, Kokomo was a pioneer of the United States automobile manufacturing, with Elwood Haynes test-driving his early internal combustion engine auto there on July 4, 1894 (The Pioneer).

Eleven Light City

There has been much writing and disagreement about the line “eleven light city." It has been interpreted as “level light city," “lemon light city," “little nice city" and so on. It seems that Kokomo, Indiana in the 1920’s was famous for having 11 stoplights, but some say it refers to the 11 speakeasies you could find there.
..."And the women in Kokomo, baby, they drinkin' liquor from rail 'cross the bar
" (Freddie Spuell).

Speakeasy = also called blind pig or gin joint, place where alcoholic beverages are illegally sold, especially such establishments in the United States during Prohibition (1920–33). In more recent years the term has also applied to legal bars that are modeled on historical speakeasies.
The word speakeasy came from “speak-softly shops,” illegal drinking establishments in England and Ireland in the 19th century. The name referenced the need for secrecy; customers were asked to speak quietly while inside to avoid detection. By the end of the century, speakeasy had come into usage in the United States.

Speakeasy in San Francisco in 1931, In front of the bar is the rail where you can put your foot on.

Bright Light Big City

A Commonwealth Edison advertisement for Chicago lighting. Roosevelt Sykes referred to Chicago as that “bright light city.”