ELLA SPEED
Created on 23/01/2023Latest update on 17/10/2023
Artist: Lead Belly
Author: traditional
Label: Capitol
Year: 1944
Roud #4175. The real Ella was a Storyville whore murdered by bartender Louis 'Bull' Martin in 1894. Her ballad was noted as Alice B. in Carl Sandburg's American Songbag (1927) and as Bill Martin And Ella Speed in John A. & Alan Lomax's American Ballads And Folk Songs (1934). Their version was collected from a series of inmates in Texas and from Lead Belly at Angola State Prison in '33. His Capitol recording was made in '44, released in '63.
Covers:
- 1951:
Dr. Edmond Souchon [who called it a story of old Storyville around 1890 similar to Frankie & Johnny]
- 1957:
- 1957:
- 1957:
- 1958:
- 1960:
Mance Lipscomb [credited by Chris Strachwitz]
- 1963:
- 1964:
- 1967:
- 1971:
Related items
Other originals by artist:
- 1933
- IRENE
- 1935
- PIG MEAT PAPA
- 1935
- ROBERTA
- 1935
- SHORTY GEORGE
- 1935
- THIRTY DAYS IN THE WORKHOUSE
- 1935
- WHOA, BACK, BUCK
- 1936
- BRING A LITTLE WATER, SILVY
- 1936
- I AIN'T GOIN' DOWN TO THE WELL NO MORE
- 1937
- IF IT WASN'T FOR DICKY
- 1939
- BOURGEOIS BLUES, THE
- 1940
- LITTLE SALLY WALKER
- 1940
- STEWBALL
- 1941
- MEETING AT THE BUILDING
- 1943
- ON A MONDAY
- 1944
- JEAN HARLOW
- 1944
- WESTERN PLAIN
- 1947
- BORROW LOVE AND GO
- 1947
- COTTON FIELDS
- 1947
- SWEET MARY BLUES
- 1948
- AIN'T IT A SHAME TO GO FISHIN' ON A SUNDAY
Covers from artist:
- 1930s
- YOU MUST HAVE THAT TRUE RELIGION
- 1933
- TAKE A DRINK ON ME
- 1934
- BALLAD OF THE BOLL WEEVIL
- 1934
- MATCHBOX BLUES
- 1934
- SPIKE DRIVER BLUES
- 1934
- NOBODY KNOWS THE TROUBLE I SEE
- 1934
- ON THE MIDNIGHT SPECIAL
- 1935
- I'M ALABAMA BOUND
- 1935
- SWEET ALBERTA
- 1935
- BLACK BETTY
- 1935
- FRANKIE AND ALBERT / FRANKIE AND JOHNNY
- 1935
- GRAY GOOSE
- 1935
- PICK A BALE OF COTTON
- 1935
- RED CROSS BLUES
- 1935
- SEE SEE RIDER BLUES
- 1935
- T.B. BLUES
- 1935
- HESITATING BLUES
- 1935
- MAID FREED FROM THE GALLOWS, THE
- 1935
- O MARY DON'T YOU WEEP (DON'T YOU MOURN)
- 1935
- HALLELU
- 1935
- POOR BOY BLUES
- 1937
- ROCK ISLAND LINE
- 1938
- MAID FREED FROM THE GALLOWS, THE
- 1938
- JOHN HENRY BLUES
- 1939
- MAID FREED FROM THE GALLOWS, THE
- 1939
- JOHN HARDY
- 1939
- OLD TIME RELIGION, THE
- 1940
- BLOOD DONE SIGN MY NAME
- 1940
- BOTTLE IT UP AND GO
- 1940
- GOOD MORNING BLUES
- 1940
- SAIL ON, LITTLE GIRL, SAIL ON
- 1940
- DOWN BY THE RIVERSIDE
- 1940
- AMAZING GRACE
- 1940
- DOWN IN THE RIVER TO PRAY
- 1940
- WHEN THE TRAIN COMES ALONG
- 1940
- SHINE ON ME
- 1940s
- AIN'T NO MORE CANE ON THIS BRAZOS
- 1940s
- ROSIE
- 1940s
- GO DOWN OLD HANNAH
- 1940s
- HAUL AWAY, JOE
- 1941
- HIDE ME IN THY BOSOM
- 1942
- SKIP TO MA LOU MY DARLING
- 1942
- ROCK ISLAND LINE
- 1943
- HOW LONG, DADDY, HOW LONG
- 1944
- KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF MY MOJO
- 1944
- IN THE PINES
- 1944
- GOING AROUND THE WORLD
- 1944
- ROCK ISLAND LINE
- 1945
- CRUCIFIXION, THE
- 1946
- DANCE ALL NIGHT WITH A BOTTLE IN YOUR HAND
- 1947
- NOBODY KNOWS YOU WHEN YOU'RE DOWN AND OUT
- 1947
- DUNCAN AND BRADY
- 1948
- BACK WATER BLUES
- 1948
- JIM CRACK CORN
- 1948
- BIRMINGHAM JAIL
- 1948
- SALTY DOG BLUES
- 1948
- DIGGING MY POTATOES
- 1948
- WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN
- 1948
- ALCOHOLIC BLUES, THE
- 1948
- HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN, THE
- 1953
- WHEN IT'S SPRINGTIME IN THE ROCKIES
- 1954
- BULLY OF THE TOWN
