Sykes had a long career spanning the pre-war and postwar eras. His pounding piano boogies and risqué lyrics characterize his contributions to the blues. He was responsible for influential blues songs such as "44 Blues", "Driving Wheel", and "Night Time Is the Right Time".
He was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Gennett Records Walk of Fame in 2011.
Born in Elmar, Arkansas, Sykes grew up near Helena but at age 15, went on the road playing piano with a barrelhouse style of blues. Like many bluesmen of his time, he travelled around playing to all-male audiences in sawmill, turpentine and levee camps along the Mississippi River, gathering a repertoire of raw, sexually explicit material. His wanderings eventually brought him to St. Louis, Missouri, where he met St. Louis Jimmy Oden.
In 1929 he was spotted by a talent scout and sent to New York to record for Okeh Records. His first release was "'44' Blues" which became a blues standard and his trademark. He quickly began recording for multiple labels under various names including 'Easy Papa Johnson', 'Dobby Bragg' and 'Willie Kelly'. After he and Oden moved to Chicago he found his first period of fame when he signed with Decca Records in 1934. In 1943, he signed with Bluebird Records and recorded with 'The Honeydrippers'.
In Chicago, Sykes began to display an increasing urbanity in his lyric-writing, using an eight-bar blues pop gospel structure instead of the traditional twelve-bar blues. However, despite the growing urbanity of his outlook, he gradually became less competitive in the post-World War II music scene. After his RCA Victor contract expired, he continued to record for smaller labels, such as United, until his opportunities ran out in the mid 1950s.
Roosevelt left Chicago in 1954 for New Orleans as electric blues was taking over the Chicago blues clubs. When he returned to recording in the 1960s it was for labels such as Delmark, Bluesville, Storyville and Folkways that were documenting the quickly passing blues history. He lived out his final years in New Orleans, where he died from a heart attack on July 17, 1983.
Blues
Roosevelt Sykes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To the Mississippi
We'll take a boat to the land of dreams
Steam down the river, down to New Orleans
The band's there to meet us
Old friends there to greet us
Where all the proud and elite folks meet
Basin Street is the street
Where the best folks always meet
In New Orleans, land of dreams
You'll never know how nice it seems,
Or just how much it really means
Glad to be, oh yes-sirree
Where welcome's free and dear to me
Where I can lose, lose my Basin Street Blues
Basin Street, oh Basin Street
Is the street, mama
New Orleans, land of dreams
The lyrics of Roosevelt Sykes's song, "Blues in 2-3," tell the story of the singer inviting someone to join him on a journey down the Mississippi River to New Orleans, where they will experience the beauty and joy of the city's famous Basin Street. The opening lines, "Won't you come along with me/ To the Mississippi," suggest a sense of adventure and excitement for what is to come. The lyrics then describe what the singer and his companion will find when they arrive in New Orleans - a city filled with old friends and a band ready to welcome them. The mention of Basin Street in the chorus highlights the significance of this location, as it is where the best and most prosperous people of New Orleans gather.
The use of repetition throughout the song emphasizes the central message of finding solace and welcome in a new place. The lyrics reinforce the idea that Basin Street is a place of great significance for the singer, serving as a reminder of everything he loves about New Orleans. The final lines of the song, "Where welcome's free and dear to me/ Where I can lose, lose my Basin Street Blues," suggest that the singer feels a sense of belonging on this street - a place where he can forget his troubles and enjoy the company of others.
Overall, "Blues in 2-3" reflects the joy and excitement of exploring a new place, while also conveying a sense of nostalgia for a cherished location. The lyrics capture the magic of New Orleans, and the important role Basin Street played in its history and culture.
Line by Line Meaning
Won't you come along with me
Roosevelt Sykes is inviting someone to join him
To the Mississippi
He is going to take them to the Mississippi river
We'll take a boat to the land of dreams
They will use a boat to get to New Orleans, which Sykes calls the 'land of dreams'
Steam down the river, down to New Orleans
They plan to take a steamboat down the Mississippi river, all the way to New Orleans
The band's there to meet us
When they get to New Orleans, there will already be a band waiting for them
Old friends there to greet us
Sykes knows some old friends in New Orleans who will welcome them
Where all the proud and elite folks meet
New Orleans is a place where wealthy and influential people gather
Heaven on earth, they call it Basin Street
Sykes describes Basin Street as a place that is almost like heaven on earth
Basin Street is the street
Sykes reiterates that Basin Street is the name of the street where they will be going
Where the best folks always meet
The most successful and respected people always gather on Basin Street
In New Orleans, land of dreams
New Orleans is a place that is full of opportunity and excitement
You'll never know how nice it seems,
Sykes tells his companion that they won't believe how wonderful Basin Street is until they experience it
Or just how much it really means
They won't fully understand the significance of Basin Street until they visit
Glad to be, oh yes-sirree
Sykes is happy to be going to Basin Street
Where welcome's free and dear to me
Basin Street is a place where everyone feels welcome and appreciated
Where I can lose, lose my Basin Street Blues
Sykes is looking forward to enjoying himself so much that he forgets all his troubles
Basin Street, oh Basin Street
Sykes repeats the name of the street, emphasizing its importance to him
Is the street, mama
He is telling someone (perhaps a female companion) that Basin Street is the place to be
New Orleans, land of dreams
Again, Sykes describes New Orleans as a place of great opportunity and excitement
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bedeyah Emmanuel
Oh my goodness my mom had this album when I was a child and she would wear this & Blues After Hours by Elmore James out!
fred michaels
@Don Deering wild side is at 2:22 totally different song than 5:06
Don Deering
@fred michaels It's called "Wild Side"
Lukas Ethan
@Lincoln Griffin I watch on Flixzone. You can find it by googling :)
Lincoln Griffin
I realize it is pretty randomly asking but do anyone know of a good website to stream new movies online?
fred michaels
What is the song that starts at 5:06 . Sorry to bother , you but THAT is a Jam !
Gianni Donato Russo
It was a favorite when I was in high school. I discovered it in my girlfriend's mother's collection, went out a bought my own copy.
Ran Blake
Thank you ,for posting . This is remarkable !
Steve Dawson
Bought this album in a record store because it cost 3 bucks. I've stopped going to that shop for fear they actually listened to the album and accuse me of stealing ;) The Honeydripper was really something else!
oscar tejeda
solo genios crean armonias orgasmicas auditivas este moustro es uno de ellos