Deep Elem Blues

[Railroad Bum]

I have had some time off work lately, so that's plenty of time to play guitar and make videos. This is an old traditional that I got from Jerry Garcia. It's a fun blues in 1-4-5 in E, and I don't like to play blues because I do not feel that I bring the right feel to it. I am more of a folky, bluegrassy singer and picker. This tune kind of has more of a folky, jug band sort of feel, so it works for me, I guess. Anyway, this is my fun, very sloppy take on the good, old Deep Elem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvVoUEHB0ws

[raysachs]

Originally Posted by Railroad Bum

I have had some time off work lately, so that's plenty of time to play guitar and make videos. This is an old traditional that I got from Jerry Garcia. It's a fun blues in 1-4-5 in E, and I don't like to play blues because I do not feel that I bring the right feel to it. I am more of a folky, bluegrassy singer and picker. This tune kind of has more of a folky, jug band sort of feel, so it works for me, I guess. Anyway, this is my fun, very sloppy take on the good, old Deep Elem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvVoUEHB0ws

It's funny, with Dead related tunes, I almost never think of them based on what album they appeared on, but when I first heard them (subject to the limitations of my memory, which are significant!). I first heard this one the first time I took my then girlfriend (now wife) to a Dead show, in Seattle in the summer of 1984. They played this with its bouncy intro and I've loved it ever since. You do it pretty faithfully to their version and quite well. It's interesting to me that you have a really strong vocal signature / style and on a lot of songs, it takes me a minute to get used to it and hear how well it fits the song. On this one, you sing it pretty much straight in line with how Jerry sang it. It didn't take me any time at all to fall right in with it.

As you'd expect, I play this one a lot too. I've never recorded it as I just do it as kind of a straight blues, because I never got all that comfortable playing the bouncy riff that they do. I'm not crazy about my version, but I enjoy doing it, so I keep playing it. BTW, my wife never got into the Dead. I took her to one other show, 10 years later in 94 (which is really hard to believe is 30 years ago). She didn't much care for either of the two I took her to, but she was a good sport both times.

-Ray

[kego]

What's really cool about Deep Elum Blues is that it was first recorded in something like 1923!

[started with 1]

Great job on this one Tim. I play this one too. And the beauty of it is I make up half of the lyrics because I can never keep track of the original. I’ve looked it up and there are tons of versions with multiple verse variations. I just love the fact that Jerry wanted to do it and it became part of their cannon. Really enjoyed your version. You had me playing it here just a few minutes ago. Music is life.

[Railroad Bum]

Originally Posted by raysachs

It's funny, with Dead related tunes, I almost never think of them based on what album they appeared on, but when I first heard them (subject to the limitations of my memory, which are significant!). I first heard this one the first time I took my then girlfriend (now wife) to a Dead show, in Seattle in the summer of 1984. They played this with its bouncy intro and I've loved it ever since. You do it pretty faithfully to their version and quite well. It's interesting to me that you have a really strong vocal signature / style and on a lot of songs, it takes me a minute to get used to it and hear how well it fits the song. On this one, you sing it pretty much straight in line with how Jerry sang it. It didn't take me any time at all to fall right in with it.

As you'd expect, I play this one a lot too. I've never recorded it as I just do it as kind of a straight blues, because I never got all that comfortable playing the bouncy riff that they do. I'm not crazy about my version, but I enjoy doing it, so I keep playing it. BTW, my wife never got into the Dead. I took her to one other show, 10 years later in 94 (which is really hard to believe is 30 years ago). She didn't much care for either of the two I took her to, but she was a good sport both times.

-Ray

That's too far out that you got to see Jerry do it live. I unfortunately never had that pleasure. I have tried to turn people onto The Dead as well. Most of them didn't get it, and that's fine.

As far as my vocal approach, I don't really have one. I am completely self-taught. I honestly just sit down and record myself doing something, and if it doesn't make me cringe, I just go with it. I have sung a lot in front of audiences, and that helped me learn what works and what doesn't. I also learned not to push my voice too much. If a key's not comfortable, I will lower it. And I learned that having a decent singer is not so easy, especially in jam-related circles. So being not so terrible often means, "Aw, that guy is real singer." Uh, okay, we'll go with that, lol.

Hey, I am glad you dug my version and thanks for checking it out. This one I specifically recorded for my son so that he could learn my version that we can play together. I even did a break section where I kind of keep playing rhythm so he can practice his soloing.

[Railroad Bum]

Originally Posted by kego

What's really cool about Deep Elum Blues is that it was first recorded in something like 1923!

That's right! From what I read, Elem, or "Elum," refers to the Elm Street district in Houston, TX, which was a notorious red-light district back in the day.

[Railroad Bum]

Originally Posted by started with 1

Great job on this one Tim. I play this one too. And the beauty of it is I make up half of the lyrics because I can never keep track of the original. I’ve looked it up and there are tons of versions with multiple verse variations. I just love the fact that Jerry wanted to do it and it became part of their cannon. Really enjoyed your version. You had me playing it here just a few minutes ago. Music is life.

Everybody should jam on some Deep Elem, my friend. It makes life a little better. I am glad that my version was all right, and thank you for checking it out and the encouraging words. That's too cool that you picked along. I left an instrumental section for my son to practice soloing where I do some rhythm stuff, so you can get your Steve Kimmock on right there, hahaha.

I believe I heard Doc Watson do this once, and he had some completely different lyrics. But that guy knew 5,000 verses to Shady Grove and more old songs that anybody else I ever met. He really knew a ton of old blues tunes, and I have no clue where he came across some of that stuff. He knew all those black blues guys who showed up in NYC in the early 60s during the folk boom, and I bet he soaked up as much as he could from John Hurt, Skip James, Son House, etc.

[Glennwillow]

Hi Tim,

Good job! Your rhythm playing moves along really well! Sounds good!

- Glenn

[Railroad Bum]

Originally Posted by Glennwillow

Hi Tim,

Good job! Your rhythm playing moves along really well! Sounds good!

- Glenn

Thanks, Glenn. I have had a little time off work (yay, PTO!), so I have been recording some tunes that I just never got around to. I have always mostly been a rhythm player in a four-piece band. I started playing lead more around 7-8 years ago, mostly to keep myself entertained.

[12FanMan]

Originally Posted by Railroad Bum

I have had some time off work lately, so that's plenty of time to play guitar and make videos. This is an old traditional that I got from Jerry Garcia. It's a fun blues in 1-4-5 in E, and I don't like to play blues because I do not feel that I bring the right feel to it. I am more of a folky, bluegrassy singer and picker. This tune kind of has more of a folky, jug band sort of feel, so it works for me, I guess. Anyway, this is my fun, very sloppy take on the good, old Deep Elem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvVoUEHB0ws

==================================
Not bad. Way better than I could do. Would that be a Yammie you're playing? I have a Yammie 12 that I enjoy a lot.

I often wonder if I could sing if I could get my voice amped back to my lousy ears so I could discern whether or not I'm singing on key. Not sure how to go about that, but it would be interesting to know.

[Railroad Bum]

Originally Posted by 12FanMan

==================================
Not bad. Way better than I could do. Would that be a Yammie you're playing? I have a Yammie 12 that I enjoy a lot.

I often wonder if I could sing if I could get my voice amped back to my lousy ears so I could discern whether or not I'm singing on key. Not sure how to go about that, but it would be interesting to know.

Hey, thank you for checking it out. It's not very difficult to be better than I am, lol. But I have fun.

Yes, that is a Yamaha FG830, really good guitar.

Well, I would say to record yourself singing, even if it's just with your phone. You will easily figure out what notes are bad, and you can start to recognize and correct that. I am by no means any sort of trained singer or player, just some dude, but I just kept singing and playing until I didn't suck as bad as I did the day before, and everyday I get a little better--persistence and repetition.

[SCVJ]

Originally Posted by Railroad Bum

That's right! From what I read, Elem, or "Elum," refers to the Elm Street district in Houston, TX, which was a notorious red-light district back in the day.

Deep Ellum is a now-gentrified n'hood near downtown Dallas. Blind Lemon Jefferson and Leadbelly were known to hang out there, and probably played on the streets. I read that in his youth T Bone Walker would lead Blind Lemon around the neighborhood.

Houston had the Fifth Ward, where Lightnin' Hopkins lived for most of his life. i lived in Houston for about 15 years, and heard on the radio driving to work that Lightnin' had died, and was able to find out about the funeral and memorial service being held that day, and was able to go.

[12FanMan]

Originally Posted by Railroad Bum

Hey, thank you for checking it out. It's not very difficult to be better than I am, lol. But I have fun.

Yes, that is a Yamaha FG830, really good guitar.

Well, I would say to record yourself singing, even if it's just with your phone. You will easily figure out what notes are bad, and you can start to recognize and correct that. I am by no means any sort of trained singer or player, just some dude, but I just kept singing and playing until I didn't suck as bad as I did the day before, and everyday I get a little better--persistence and repetition.

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Don't know how to record with my (Android Samsung) phone..but will check into it. I do have a digital voice recorder, tho. Years ago, when I recorded myself with it, I contemplated improving my voice with duct tape.

My problem is....due to my hearing impairment, I can't hear myself well enough WHILE SINGING to know if I'm on key or not. I'm trying to find a device that will pipe my voice to me in vivo to see if I can actually sing...or (for the good of humanity) should order more duct tape.

[Railroad Bum]

Originally Posted by 12FanMan

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Don't know how to record with my (Android Samsung) phone..but will check into it. I do have a digital voice recorder, tho. Years ago, when I recorded myself with it, I contemplated improving my voice with duct tape.

My problem is....due to my hearing impairment, I can't hear myself well enough WHILE SINGING to know if I'm on key or not. I'm trying to find a device that will pipe my voice to me in vivo to see if I can actually sing...or (for the good of humanity) should order more duct tape.

You can record yourself using the video option on your camera app, and you should have a voice recorder app on your smart-phone. Of course, this will not help with your hearing loss. What you probably need is some sort of setup in which you can hear yourself singing while wearing headphones. I am not too savvy on that level of recording, but there are plenty of folks on the forum who could help you out, I am sure.

As far as singing, I can only say that the more you do it, the better you will be. It's just like playing an instrument. There are rare people born with perfect pitch and beautiful singing voices, but that is quite rare. Most of us make the best with what we have.

[Railroad Bum]

Originally Posted by SCVJ

Deep Ellum is a now-gentrified n'hood near downtown Dallas. Blind Lemon Jefferson and Leadbelly were known to hang out there, and probably played on the streets. I read that in his youth T Bone Walker would lead Blind Lemon around the neighborhood.

Houston had the Fifth Ward, where Lightnin' Hopkins lived for most of his life. i lived in Houston for about 15 years, and heard on the radio driving to work that Lightnin' had died, and was able to find out about the funeral and memorial service being held that day, and was able to go.

Whoa, I appreciate the history lesson, and that's remarkable that you got to attend Lightnin's funeral. I don't think there are many people who can say that.

So Deep Elem refers to Dallas, not Houston?