Clarence Williams' Blue Five were a series of recording sessions that featured some of the best Jazz musicians and Blues singers of the early 1920s. Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet, Coleman Hawkins and Bubber Miley all were featured as soloists, and Blues singers such as Sippie Wallace, Margaret Johnson, Virginia Liston and Williams' wife, Eva Taylor all contributed vocals. Louis Armstrong was playing in New York with Fletcher Henderson at the time these recordings were made. Clarence Williams obviously understood Louis' greatness more than Henderson and featured him on 21 of these songs.
Williams was born in Plaquemine, Louisiana, ran away from home at age 12 to join Billy Kersand's Traveling Minstrel Show, then moved to New Orleans. At first Williams worked shining shoes and doing odd jobs, but soon became known as a singer and master of ceremonies. By the early 1910s he was a well regarded local entertainer also playing piano, and was composing new tunes by 1913. Williams was a good businessman and worked arranging and managing entertainment at the local African-American vaudeville theater as well as at various saloons and dance halls around Rampart Street, and at clubs and houses in Storyville.
Williams started a music publishing business with violinist/bandleader Armand J. Piron in 1915, which by the 1920s was the leading African-American owned music publisher in the country. He toured briefly with W.C. Handy, set up a publishing office in Chicago, then settled in New York in the early 1920s. In 1921, he married blues singer and stage actress Eva Taylor with whom he would frequently perform.
He was one of the primary pianists on scores of blues records recorded in New York during the 1920s. He supervised African-American recordings (the 8000 Race Series) for the New York offices of Okeh phonograph company in the 1920s in the Gaiety Theatre office building in Times Square. He recruited many of the artists who performed on that label. He also recorded extensively, leading studio bands frequently for OKeh, Columbia and occasionally other record labels.
He mostly used "Clarence Williams' Jazz Kings" for his hot band sides and "Clarence Williams' Washboard Five" for his washboard sides. He also produced and participated in early recordings by Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet, Bessie Smith, Virginia Liston, Irene Scruggs, and many others. King Oliver played cornet on a number of Williams's late 1920s recordings. He was the recording director for the short-lived QRS Records label in 1928.
Most of his recordings were songs from his publishing house, which explains why he recorded tunes like "Baby Won't You Please Come Home", "Close Fit Blues" and "Papa De-Da-Da" numerous times. Among his own compositions was "Shout, Sister, Shout" (1929), which was recorded by him, and also covered by the Boswell Sisters, in 1931.
In 1933, he signed to the Vocalion label and recorded quite a number of popular recordings, mostly featuring washboard percussion, through 1935.
In 1943 Williams sold his extensive back-catalogue of tunes to Decca Records for $50,000 and retired, but then bought a bargain used-goods store. Williams died in Queens, New York City in 1965 and was interred in Saint Charles Cemetery in Farmingdale, Long Island, New York. On her death in 1977, his wife, Eva Taylor was interred next to him.
Clarence Williams is the grandfather of actor Clarence Williams III.
Clarence Williams' name appears as composer or co-composer on numerous tunes, including a number which by Williams' own admission were written by others but which Williams bought all rights to outright, as was a common practice in the music publishing business at the time. Clarence Williams hits include "I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate" (as publisher - not composer), "Baby Won't You Please Come Home", "Royal Garden Blues", "Tain't Nobody's Business If I Do", "Shout, Sister, Shout", You Rascal You, and many others. Clarence Williams also is the author of Hank William's 1949 hit My Bucket's Got A Hole In It, a song that was later recorded by Louis Armstrong. In 1970, Williams was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Nobody
Clarence Williams Lyrics
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That folks don't criticize me
But I'm goin' to do just as I want to anyway
And don't care if they all despise me
If I should take a notion
To jump into the ocean
'T ain't nobody's bizness if I do, do, do, do
If I go to church on Sunday
Ain't nobody's bizness if I do, if I do
If my friend ain't got no money
And I say, "take all mine, honey"
'T ain't nobody's bizness if I do, do, do, do
If I give him my last nickel
And it leaves me in a pickle
'T ain't nobody's bizness if I do, if I do
I'd rather my man would hit me
Than to jump up right and quit me
'T ain't nobody's bizness if I do, do, do, do
I swear I won't call no copper
If I'm beat up by my poppa
If I'm beat up by my poppa
'T ain't nobody's bizness if I do, if I do
The lyrics of Clarence Williams's song 'Tain't Nobody's Business If I Do' are a defiant statement of independence against the judgment of others. The singer is tired of living their life according to the expectations and opinions of those around them, and is determined to do as they please, regardless of how it may be perceived. The singer acknowledges that their actions may be criticized or despised by others, but asserts that it is nobody's business but their own.
The lyrics give specific examples of situations in which the singer may face criticism, such as jumping into the ocean, singing the shimmy, or giving away money to a friend. The message is clear: the singer will not be deterred by the opinions or expectations of others, and will continue to live their life as they see fit. The final lines even go so far as to suggest that the singer would rather be hit by their partner than be abandoned by them, emphasizing the importance of personal independence and agency.
Overall, 'Tain't Nobody's Business If I Do' is a classic blues song with a message that remains relevant today. It speaks to the desire for freedom and autonomy in the face of societal pressure, and gives voice to those who refuse to conform to the expectations of others.
Line by Line Meaning
There ain't nothing I can do or nothing I can say
That folks don't criticize me
I am constantly criticized for everything I do or say.
But I'm goin' to do just as I want to anyway
And don't care if they all despise me
I will do what I want regardless of what others think or say about me.
If I should take a notion
To jump into the ocean
'T ain't nobody's bizness if I do, do, do, do
If I feel like jumping into the ocean, it's no one else's business but my own.
If I go to church on Sunday
Then just sing the shimmy down on Monday
Ain't nobody's bizness if I do, if I do
If I go to church on Sunday but dance the shimmy on Monday, it's nobody's business but my own.
If my friend ain't got no money
And I say, "take all mine, honey"
'T ain't nobody's bizness if I do, do, do, do
If my friend is broke and I give them my money, it's no one else's business but mine.
If I give him my last nickel
And it leaves me in a pickle
'T ain't nobody's bizness if I do, if I do
If I give my friend my last bit of money and it puts me in a tough spot, it's still nobody else's concern.
I'd rather my man would hit me
Than to jump up right and quit me
'T ain't nobody's bizness if I do, do, do, do
I would rather my partner physically abuse me than leave me, but it's not anyone else's business to judge my choices.
I swear I won't call no copper
If I'm beat up by my poppa
If I'm beat up by my poppa
'T ain't nobody's bizness if I do, if I do
Even if my own father beats me, I won't report it to the authorities because it's not anyone else's business to interfere.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: EVERETT ROBBINS, PORTER GRAINGER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
David Glowacki
Wow what a big sound from 4 people.The washboard is an underrated rhythm instrument
Daniel Weinstein
Clarence Williams is under-rated as a pianist. Not the greatest soloist, but a strong basic foundation player with a full sound.
Art Howard
WOW! Great Jazz.
Bayou Swing
Awsome!
MrJimmienoone
Compare Ed Allen with other trumpeters of the time. Do you understand why he is so unknown? I don't.
Andrew Barrett
Are you sure that's Benny Moten on clarinet? I thought he was a pianist and based in Kansas City.
Arno G
Hi Andrew ,and Lindy Hoppers. The clarinet player who play here is Mister "Buster Bailey" ;)
Benny Moten was a DoubleBass player (his real name was Clarence Lemont) he started to play Dbass in his first band with Hot Lips Page in 1941 , after that he played with Henry Red Allen from 1942 to 1949 ... etc...
lindyhoppers
How's the greatest melodist doing? Please all my best to Dan :-)
Andrew Barrett
lindyhoppers OK cool, thanks.
lindyhoppers
Bennie Moten, not, Benny, was the pianist