Various Artists-Please Warm My Weiner: Old Time Hokum Blues (1974)
Artist: Various Artists (Whistling Bob Howe & Frankie Griggs, Tommie Bradley & James Cole, Buddie Burton, Georgia Tom & Tampa Red, Rufus & Ben Quillian, Hokum Boys, Papa Charlie Jackson, Butterbeans & Susie, Robert & Charlie Hicks, Yazoo All Stars, Memphis Minnie, Leola B Wilson & Kid Wesley Wilson, Bo Carter)
Title: Please Warm My Weiner: Old Time Hokum Blues
Format: LP
Cat: L 1043
Year of Release: 1974
Country and Year of Edition: US 1974
Date of Sale: 8/18/23
Sell Price: $26.26
Condition: VG+/VG corner clipped sleeve
Discogs Last Sold: 8/11/23 VG+/VG+ $20.00
Low: $19.50 2/16/20 VG+/VG+
Median: $30.00
Average: $33.75
High: $54.35 3/14/21 NM/NM
Current low price: $20.00 VG+/G+
Current Number on Sale at Discogs: 21
Have/Want: 307/280
Where Sold: Indianapolis, IN
Time It Took To Sell: 8 years
Where and When Bought: used $3.99 Worcester Al Bums mid 80's
Gwiz-gau Letter Grade: A
Sad To See It Go: No
Classic compilation of ribald blues covers dating from 1928-1935 complete with a cover by Robert Crumb. Robert Crumb inspires quite a bit of pearl clutching in the modern era for all sorts of reasons, but art is art and Crumb is one of the greatest underground comic artists of all-time. If you saw his documentary, you know he probably has these original 78's in his massive collection.
The liner notes take the scholarly angle tongue in cheek. Or is that tongue in ass? Esteemed Blues writer Sam Charters is referred to as Sam Farters.
For me, the best tracks are the double entendre ones. Papa Charlie Jackson (1885-1938, Chicago) has "You Put It In and I'll Take It Out" released by Okeh in 1935 after recording for Paramount most of his career in the 20's. Whistling Bob Howe & Frankie Griggs recorded for Decca in 1935 and did not have a long career, but they open the record with a good one, "The Coldest Stuff In Town." That coal man has quite a bit of selling to do! Butterbeans and Susie cranked out a bunch of 78's for Okeh in the 20's and 30's, and the duo have a bit of back n forth with "Elevator Papa, Switchboard Mama." Switchboard Mama is mostly ripping poor Elevator Papa.
The artist I was most familiar with, Bo Carter (I had Banana In Your Fruit Basket at some point). It closes here with the title track. Memphis Minnie is another "known" name, also has a Banana song here, "Banana Man Blues"
Many adults have lived and died since this was released. Nobody performing on this record could possibly be procreating or even living at this point. Yet, somewhere, somehow there will be someone who wants to ban it-artwork, contents, all of it.
And retroactively punish the living Crumb for ideological transgressions while they are at it.
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