Lil Green was one of the leading female American blues and R&B singers and songwriters of the 1940s. With a sensuous soprano voice, and a fine sense of both phrasing and timing, she was one of the most distinctive blues song stylists of her day.
Originally named Lillian Green or Lillie May Johnson, she was born in Mississippi and was brought up with the music of the Delta. After the early deaths of her parents, she began performing in her teens and, having honed her craft in the church performing gospel, she sang in Mississippi jukes, before heading to Chicago, Illinois, in 1929, where she would make all of her recordings. She was reportedly 18 when she recorded her first session for the 35-cent Bluebird subsidiary of RCA. In the 1930s she and Big Bill Broonzy had a nightclub act together.
This 51-track collection comprises just about all the A & B sides of her career releases on Bluebird, Victor, Aladdin and Atlantic labels. It includes her Top 10 R&B hit Let’s Be Friends and her classic songs Romance In The Dark and Why Don’t You Do Right. With compositions from notable writers such as Broonzy and Joe McCoy, as well as her self-penned material and her versions of many popular standards, this compilation features performances with Champion Jack Dupree, Big Bill Broonzy, Ransom Knowling, Simeon Henry, Budd Johnson and other noted musicians from the Chicago scene.
While not being an absolutely complete or definitive anthology, this collection offers a substantial proportion of her career recordings, and is a fine showcase for her highly individual style. In April 1954, Green died of pneumonia in Chicago, and left behind a legacy which, it is hoped, is highlighted and celebrated in this two-disc collection.
TRACKS
Disc 1 |
|
|
Track |
Title |
Artist |
1 |
Cherry Tree Blues |
Lil Green |
2
|
Just Rocking |
Lil Green |
3 |
What Have I Done |
Lil Green |
4 |
Romance In The Dark |
Lil Green |
5 |
My Mellow Man |
Lil Green |
6 |
Give Your Mama One Big Smile |
Lil Green |
7 |
Knockin' Myself Out |
Lil Green |
8 |
I Won't Sell My Love |
Lil Green |
9 |
Love Me |
Lil Green |
10 |
Why Don't You Do Right ? |
Lil Green |
11 |
Country Boy Blues |
Lil Green |
12 |
What's The Matter With Love? |
Lil Green |
13 |
How Can I Go On |
Lil Green |
14 |
I'm Going To Copyright Your Kisses |
Lil Green |
15 |
You're Just Full Of Jive |
Lil Green |
16 |
If I Didn't Love You |
Lil Green |
17 |
Hello Babe |
Lil Green |
18 |
I'm Going To Start A Racket |
Lil Green |
19 |
Let's Be Friends |
Lil Green |
20 |
I Don't Know What I Will Do |
Lil Green |
21 |
If I'm A Fool |
Lil Green |
22 |
I Have A Place To Go |
Lil Green |
23 |
You Got Me To The Place |
Lil Green |
24 |
I'm Wasting My Time On You |
Lil Green |
25 |
99 Blues |
Lil Green |
Disc 2 |
|
|
Track |
Title |
Artist |
1 |
If You Want To Share Your Love |
Lil Green |
2 |
No, Baby, Nobody But You |
Lil Green |
3 |
Boy Friend |
Lil Green |
4 |
Mr. Jackson From Jacksonville |
Lil Green |
5 |
Now What Do You Think? |
Lil Green |
6 |
It's Bad With My Man And Me |
Lil Green & Her Trio |
7 |
Blowtop Blues |
Lil Green & Her Orchestra |
8 |
Last Go Round Blues |
Lil Green & Her Orchestra |
9 |
That Old Feeling |
Lil Green & Her Orchestra |
10 |
How Come You Do Me Like You Do |
Lil Green & Her Orchestra |
11 |
No Good Man |
Lil Green & Her Orchestra |
12 |
Take Me Back To Little Rock |
Lil Green & Her Orchestra |
13 |
You've Been A Good Ole Wagon |
Lil Green & Her Orchestra |
14 |
I Want A Good Man Bad |
Lil Green & Her Orchestra |
15 |
Outside Of That |
Lil Green & Her Orchestra |
16 |
Lonely Woman |
Lil Green & Her Orchestra |
17 |
Aggravatin' Papa |
Lil Green & Her Orchestra |
18 |
Them There Eyes |
Lil Green & Her Orchestra |
19 |
Daddy, Daddy Blues |
Lil Green & Her Orchestra |
20 |
Rock Me Baby |
Lil Green & Her Orchestra |
21 |
I Want A Man |
Lil Green & Her Orchestra |
22 |
Walkin' And Talkin' (And Cryin' My Blues Away) |
Lil Green & Her Orchestra |
23 |
My Be Bop Daddy |
Lil Green & Her Band |
24 |
Running Around In Circles |
Lil Green & Her Band |
25 |
Every Time |
Lil Green With Howard Biggs Orchestra |
26 |
I've Got That Feeling |
Lil Green |