The song of the day for Friday, May 6, 2016 is “Undecided Blues.”
About This Song
“Undecided Blues” was written in 1941 by blues shouter Jimmy Rushing (also known as Five-by-Five, due to his stature). Rushing was born in Oklahoma City into to a musical family; his father was trumpet player and his mother a singer. He started his career as an itinerant blues singer in the early 1920s. He sang with Jelly Roll Morton and other early jazz orchestras before joining the Bennie Moten band in 1929. When Moten died in 1935, he joined the Count Basie Orchestra, which was his home for many years. Rushing, with the Count Basie Orchestra, first recorded “Undecided Blues” in 1941. Jimmy Rushing died from leukemia in 1972.
About This Version
Tony Bennett recorded “Undecided Blues” in 2001 for his album Playin’ With My Friends: Bennett Sings The Blues. While this album may not be one of Bennett’s better known albums, it’s definitely worth your time to listen. The album is a nice mix of duets with various artists (such as Diana Krall, Ray Charles, Bonnie Raitt and Kay Starr) and Bennett solos as well. It’s a lot of fun to listen to. And believe me, Bennett can sing the blues.
“Undecided Blues,” as well as Playin’ With My Friends: Bennett Sings The Blues, is available from iTunes.