Hi,
I've been playing tracks from Tom Doughty's new album "Have A Taste Of This!" on my show and for my last show of the year was going to play the track 'Delia'.
In his notes to the album, Tom says "The tune for Delia is partly home grown but I've been hooked on this song since I heard Woody Mann's version of this Gary Davis masterpiece."
Now, as far as I knew, 'Delia' was a Blind Willie McTell song and certainly Tom's lyrics are close to McTell's. Dixon, Godrich & Rye list McTell's version as being recorded on 5 November 1940, but interestingly, they list a version recorded by 'unknown convicts' as 'Prob. 1933-1937' which would pre-date McTell's.
So, is the convicts' song the same Delia as McTell's? Does anyone know of a Gary Davis version? I've been unable to trace one.
Your advice would be much appreciated.
Cliff
I've been playing tracks from Tom Doughty's new album "Have A Taste Of This!" on my show and for my last show of the year was going to play the track 'Delia'.
In his notes to the album, Tom says "The tune for Delia is partly home grown but I've been hooked on this song since I heard Woody Mann's version of this Gary Davis masterpiece."
Now, as far as I knew, 'Delia' was a Blind Willie McTell song and certainly Tom's lyrics are close to McTell's. Dixon, Godrich & Rye list McTell's version as being recorded on 5 November 1940, but interestingly, they list a version recorded by 'unknown convicts' as 'Prob. 1933-1937' which would pre-date McTell's.
So, is the convicts' song the same Delia as McTell's? Does anyone know of a Gary Davis version? I've been unable to trace one.
Your advice would be much appreciated.
Cliff
