RAGGED BUT RIGHT
Created on 24/06/2007Latest update on 12/04/2024
Artist: Blue Harmony Boys
Author: traditional
Label: Paramount
Year: 1929
Alias Rufus & Ben Quillian. Reissued on Document cd Hokum: Blues & Rags. Also the title of a book: Ragged But Right - Black Traveling Shows, Coon Songs And The Dark Pathway To Blues And Jazz (U.P. Of Mississippi) written by Lynn Abbott & Doug Seroff, about the success of ragtime in the early 20th century. The tone of this song was originally out and out racist.
Covers:
- 1934:
Riley Puckett [the oldest recording?]
- 1937:
- 1938:
Bob Howard [black swing variation as Raggedy But Right]
- 1951:
Ruby Wright [white swing variation on King]
- 1956:
George Jones [influential Starday single; crediting himself]
- 1957:
- 1957:
- 1959:
Shel Silverstein & The Red Onions [on folk lp Hairy Jazz]
- 1960:
- 1961:
Moon Mullican [also on Starday; this time a hit]
- 1964:
- 1966:
- 1970:
- 1979:
- 1980:
- 1983:
- 1987:
- 1991:
- 1996:
- 2002:
Lightnin' Wells [using the original lyrics]
