NOBODY KNOWS YOU WHEN YOU'RE DOWN AND OUT
Created on 28/05/2007Latest update on 25/02/2026
Artist: Blind Bobby Baker
Author: Jimmie Cox
Label: Perfect
Year: 1927
As Nobody Needs You When You're Down And Out and crediting himself (Bobbie Leecan, his real name). Nobody Knows You... was written in '23 by Jimmie Cox, alias 'the Black Charlie Chaplin'. Was part of Jhis vaudeville act but he died in '25 before he could record it. Not related to Ida Cox.
Covers:
- 1928:
- 1929:
Pinetop Smith [with different words and taking credits]
- 1929:
Bessie Smith [toured with the author, knew it first-handed; top 20 US just days before the Wall Street Crash]
- 1929:
Aunt Jemima Novelty Four [for Brunswick]
- 1929:
Scrapper Blackwell [as Down And Out Blues]
- 1943:
- 1945:
- 1947:
- 1954:
- 1960:
- 1960:
Nina Simone [top 30 R&B]
- 1961:
- 1962:
- 1964:
- 1964:
- 1964:
- 1965:
- 1966:
- 1967:
- 1969:
- 1970:
- 1971:
Derek & The Dominos [with Duane Allman on Layla]
- 1972:
- 1973:
- 1975:
- 1981:
- 1981:
- 1988:
- 1988:
- 1989:
- 1989:
Alberta Hunter [a late tip of the hat to Bessie Smith for covering her Down Hearted Blues (see there)]
- 1989:
- 1991:
Big Bill [as Nico's Blues]
- 1992:
- 1997:
- 1999:
- 2001:
- 2003:
- 2007:
Bas de Haan [as Blut Blauw Gebroken]
- 2009:
- 2010:
Preservation Hall Jazz Band [vocal: Jason Isbell]
- 2012:
- 2021:
Tedeschi Trucks Band [with Trey Anastasio]
- 2025:
John Lennon's Nobody Loves You When You're Down And Out is another song.
