Artist: Madlyn Davis
Author: Scrapper Blackwell
Label: Paramount
Year: 1928
On the label spelled as Kokola Blues, but it's Kokomo, Indiana where it's all about.
Covers:
Scrapper Blackwell [as Kokomo Blues, even on the label]
Jabo Williams [as Ko Ko Mo Blues]
Lucille Bogan [as Red Cross Man, including the Baby don't you want to go line]
Kokomo Arnold [as Old Original Kokomo Blues]
Freddie Spruell [as Mr. Freddie's Kokomo Blues]
Robert Johnson [as Sweet Home Chicago; no more Kokomo as final destination and the Eleven Light City was changed in the land of California; but the biggest innovation is the boogie rhythm underneath; it's as if there's two guitar players involved while it's just Robert solo; how did he manage? Cause that's a real economic trick to master; learn to play that way means you can do with no partner]
Big Boy Knox [as Eleven Light City Blues]
Frank Busby [as 'Leven Light City; according to Kokomo Arnold Eleven Light City was the name of a Chicago drugstore on 35th & State selling coffee by the name of Koko; the same drugstore was already mentioned in the original lyrics of Madlyn Davis' Kokola Blues]
Tommy McClennan [as Baby Don't You Want To Go]
Walter Davis [as Don't You Want To Go]
Big Bill Broonzy [idem]
Robert Jr. Lockwood [as Take A Little Walk With Me; first cover of a Robert Johnson song, even if it's someone else's]
Jimmy McCracklin [as Baby Don't You Want To Go]
Roosevelt Sykes [as Sweet Old Chicago]
Little Junior Parker [as Sweet Home Chicago; top 20 R&B for Duke]
Fred McDowell [as Kokomo Blues]
Johnny Shines [as Sweet Home Chicago]
Magic Sam [idem]
Honeyboy Edwards [idem]
Earl Hooker [idem]
John Renbourn [as Kokomo Blues]
Taj Mahal [as Sweet Home Chicago]
Homesick James [idem]
Lonnie Brooks [idem]
Roy Buchanan [idem]
Blues Brothers [idem]
Foghat [idem]
Hans Theessink [idem]
Alexis Korner [idem]
Duke Tumatoe [idem]
Terry Garland [as Kokomo]
Blues Band [as Sweet Home Chicago]
Peter Green [idem]
Status Quo [idem]
Billy Branch & The Sons Of Blues [idem; born educator Billy Branch works his ass off every forthnite teaching this bloody blues classic to a bunch of problem kids from the projects which he all hands an harmonica, their first musical instrument ever; at the end of a two week training session he promises they will all make a staged appearance before a live audience (their parents and school mates) playing Sweet Home Chicago along with a self composed blues song and backed up by The Sons Of The Blues; no kidding; it's called Blues In Schools and it works! Both home in Chicago and abroad; he even teached in the outskirts of Antwerp, Belgium]
Luther Allison [idem]
Eric Clapton [idem]
Ronnie Earl [idem]
Steve Miller Band [idem]
Rory Block [as Kokomo Blues]
Günther Neefs [idem]
For the rhythm of Sweet Home Chicago, see also: Lead Pencil Blues.
If you noticed blunt omissions, mis-interpretations or even out-and-out errors,
please let me know:
Arnold Rypens
Rozenlaan 65
B-2840 Reet (Rumst)