Tracklist Hide Credits

The Origins Of The Blues
A1	–Fra-Fra Tribesmen	Yarum Praise Songs Vocals, Rattle, Fiddle – Fra-Fra TribesmenWritten-By – Traditional	2:56
A2	–Mississippi John Hurt	Stack O' Lee Blues Vocals, Guitar – Mississippi John HurtWritten-By – Traditional	2:45
A3	–Blind Willie McTell	Travelin' Blues Vocals, Guitar – Blind Willie McTellWritten-By – McTell*	3:18
A4	–Charley Patton	Stone Pony Blues Vocals, Guitar – Charley PattonWritten-By – Patton*	2:49
A5	–Blind Lemon Jefferson	Black Snake Moan Vocals, Guitar – Blind Lemon JeffersonWritten-By – Jefferson*	3:01
A6	–Leadbelly	Pig Meat Papa Vocals, Guitar – LeadbellyWritten-By – Ledbetter*	3:15
A7	–Texas Alexander	Broken Yo-Yo Guitar [Uncredited, Probably] – Lonnie Johnson Vocals – Texas AlexanderWritten-By – Alexander*	3:02
A8	–Peg Leg Howell	Broke And Hungry Blues Vocals, Guitar – Peg Leg HowellWritten-By – Howell*	3:19
Blues And Entertainment
B1	–Barbecue Bob And Laughing Charley	It Won't Be Long Now - (Part One) Vocals, Guitar – Barbecue Bob, Laughing CharleyWritten-By – Lincoln*, Hicks*	3:28
B2	–Henry Williams And Eddie Anthony	Georgia Crawl Vocals, Fiddle – Eddie AnthonyVocals, Guitar – Henry WilliamsWritten-By – Anthony*, Williams*	3:20
B3	–Mississippi Jook Band	Dangerous Woman Guitar – Roosevelt Graves*Piano – Cooney VaughnTambourine – Uaroy GravesWritten-By – Graves*	2:43
B4	–Memphis Jug Band	Gator Wobble Guitar – Charlie BurseLeader, Harmonica – Will ShadePiano, Jug – Jab JonesWashboard, Cowbell, Wood Block – Robert BurseWritten-By – Burse*, Shade*	2:39
B5	–Bessie Smith	In The House Blues Cornet – Louis BaconDrums – Floyd CaseyPiano – Clarence WilliamsTrombone – Charlie GreenVocals – Bessie SmithWritten-By – B. Smith*	3:00
B6	–Lillian Glinn	Shake It Down Bass – Unknown ArtistCornet – Unknown ArtistPiano – Unknown ArtistVocals – Lillian GlinnWritten By – Glinn*	3:12
B7	–Bertha "Chippie" Hill	Pratt City Blues Cornet – Louis ArmstrongPiano – Richard M. JonesVocals – Bertha "Chippie" HillWritten-By – Hill*, Jones*	2:53
B8	–Butterbeans And Susie*	What It Takes To Bring You Back (Mama Keeps It All The Time) Backing Band – Eddie Heywood And His Sons Of HarmonyHarmony Vocals [Duet] – Butterbeans And Susie*Piano – Eddie Heywood Written-By – Edwards*	3:24
The Thirties, Urban And Rural Blues
C1	–Leroy Carr / Scrapper Blackwell	Midnight Hour Blues Guitar – Scrapper BlackwellVocals, Piano – Leroy CarrWritten-By – L. Carr*	3:04
C2	–Faber Smith / Jimmy Yancey	East St. Louis Blues Piano – Jimmy YanceyVocals – Faber SmithWritten-By – J. Yancey*	2:48
C3	–Peetie Wheatstraw	Good Whiskey Blues Guitar – Casey Bill*Vocals, Piano – Peetie WheatstrawWritten-By – Bunch*	3:08
C4	–Casey Bill* / Black Bob	W.P.A. Blues Piano – Black BobVocals, Guitar – Casey Bill*Written-By – W. Weldon*, L. Melrose*	3:15
C5	–Bo Carter	Sorry Feeling Blues Vocals, Guitar – Bo CarterWritten By – Chapman	3:08
C6	–Robert Johnson	Little Queen Of Spades Vocals, Guitar – Robert JohnsonWritten-By – Johnson*	2:14
C7	–Bukka White	Parchman Farm Blues Vocals, Guitar – Bukka WhiteWashboard – Washboard SamWritten-By – White*	2:37
C8	–Memphis Minnie	Me And My Chauffeur Blues Guitar [2nd Guitar] – Little Son Joe Lawler*Vocals, Guitar – Memphis MinnieWritten-By – M. Lawlar*	2:45
World War Ⅱ And After
D1	–Blind Boy Fuller / Sonny Terry	I Want Some Of Your Pie Harmonica – Sonny TerryVocals, Guitar – Blind Boy FullerWritten By – F. Allan	2:40
D2	–Brownie McGhee	Million Lonesome Women Harmonica – Jordan WebbVocals, Guitar – Brownie McGheeWashboard – Washboard SlimWritten-By – B. McGhee*	2:34
D3	–Joe Williams* / Sonny Boy Williamson	Wild Cow Moan Bass – Ransom KnowlingDrums – Judge Riley*Harmonica – Sonny Boy WilliamsonVocals, Guitar – Joe Williams*Written-By – Williams*	2:51
D4	–Big Bill Broonzy	All By Myself Bass – Ransom KnowlingPiano – Memphis SlimVocals, Guitar – Big Bill BroonzyWashboard – Washboard SamWritten-By – W. Broonzy*	2:26
D5	–Joe Turner* / Pete Johnson	Roll 'Em Pete Piano – Pete JohnsonVocals – Joe Turner*Written-By – J. Turner*, P. Johnson*	2:50
D6	–Otis Spann	Bloody Murder Bass – Willie DixonDrums – Clifton JamesHarmonica – Walter "Shaky" Horton*Vocals, Piano – Otis SpannWritten-By – O. Spann*	3:34
D7	–Elmore James	Sunnyland Bass – Unknown ArtistBass Guitar – Unknown ArtistDrums – Unknown ArtistPiano – Unknown ArtistVocals, Guitar – Elmore JamesWritten-By – E. James*	2:20
D8	–Johnny Shines	I Don't Know Bass – Willie DixonDrums – Clifton JamesVocals, Guitar – Johnny ShinesWritten-By – J. Shines*	3:30

Companies, etc.

• Made By – Compañia Del Gramofono-Odeon, S.A.E.

Credits

• Producer, Compiled By, Liner Notes – Paul Oliver

Notes

Subtitled:
"A documentary history of the blues on record compiled by Paul Oliver"

Cover ilustrator, Wilson McLean.

(This release supports the eponymous book by Oliver, containing over 500 images to accompany the text: Originally published by Barrie and Rockliff, The Crescent Press). [Paperback cover in images].

Tracks info - [orig 78 rpm issues in parenthesis]:
The Origin Of The Blues. ℗ 1927-1964
A1: Nangodi, Northern Territory, Ghana, June 1964. [Previously unissued]. (Public Domain)
A2: New York City. Dec 28 1928 [Okeh 8654] 401481-B (Public Domain)
A3: Atlanta, Georgia, Oct 30 1929 [Columbia 14484] 149300-1 (Public Domain)
A4: New York City. Jan 30 1934 [Vocalion 02680] 14727-1 (Cop. Con.)
A5: Chicago, Illinois. Mar 14 1927 [Okeh 8455] 80523-B (Cop. Con.)
A6: New York City. Mar 25 1935 [ARC 6-04-55] 17181 (Cop. Con.)
A7: San Antonio, Texas. Nov 27 1929 [Okeh 8764] 403357-A (Cop. Con.)
A8: Atlanta, Georgia. Apr 10 1929 [Columbia 14438] 148236-1 (Cop. Con.)

Blues And Entertainment. ℗ 1926-1936
B1: Atlanta, Georgia. Nov 09 1927 [Columbia 14268] 145192-2 (Cop. Con.)
B2: Atlanta, Georgia. Apr 19 1928 [Columbia 14328] 146148-2 (Cop. Con.)
B3: Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Jul 1936 [ARC 6-12-71] HAT 141 (Cop. Con.)
B4: Chicago, Illinois. Nov 06 1934 [Okeh 8958] C-78-3-2 (Cop. Con.)
B5: New York City. Jun 11 1931 [Columbia 14611] 151594-1 (Cop. Con.)
B6: New Orleans, Louisiana. Apr 24 1928 [Columbia 14315] 146180-1 (Cop. Con.)
B7: Chicago, Illinois. Nov 23 1926 [Okeh 8420] 9950-A (Cop. Con.)
B8: New York City. Feb 01 1930 [Okeh 8950] 403711-B (Cop. Con.)

The Thirties, Urban & Rural Blues. ℗ 1931-1941
C1: New York City. Mar 16 1932 [Vocalion 1693] 11499-A (Leeds Music Ltd.)
C2: Chicago, Illinois. Feb 23 1940 [Vocalion 05464] WC-2956-A (Leeds Music Ltd.)
C3: Chicago, Illinois. Mar 25 1935 [Vocalion 02978] C-924-A (Cop. Con.)
C4: Chicago, Illinois. Feb 12 1936 [Vocalion 03186] C-1256-1 (Leeds Music Ltd.) ["W.P.A." acronym = Works Progress Administration]
C5: New York City. Jun 04 1931 [Okeh 8889] 404930-A (Cop. Con.)
C6: Dallas, Texas. Jun 20 1937 [Vocalion 04108] DAL-395-2 (Cop. Con.)
C7: Chicago, Illinois. Mar 07 1940 [Okeh 05683] WC-2981-A (Leeds Music Ltd.)
C8: Chicago, Illinois. May 21 1941 [Okeh 06288] C-3765-1 (Cop. Con.)

World War II And After. ℗ 1938-1963. ℗ 1968 D8
D1: Memphis, Tennessee. Jul 12 1939 [Vocalion 05030] MEM-110-1 (Cop. Con.)
D2: Chicago, Illinois. May 23 1941 [Okeh 06329] C-3791-1 (Cop. Con.)
D3: Chicago, Illinois. Jul 22 1947 [Columbia 37945] CCO 4836-1 (Cop. Con.)
D4: Chicago, Illinois. Jul 17 1941 [Okeh 06427] C-3908-1 (Leeds Music Ltd.)
D5: New York City. Dec 30 1938 [Vocalion 4607] 23892-1 (Leeds Music Ltd.)
D6: Chicago, Illinois. May 1968 Blue Horizon 57-3142 (Goodie Two Shoes)
D7: Chicago, Illinois. c.1963 [Previously unissued] (Uncle Doris Music)
D8: Chicago, Illinois. May 1968 Blue Horizon 7-63212 (Goodie Two Shoes)

Other versions

Category	Artist	Title (Format)	Label	Category	Country	Year
66218, M 63572, M 63573	Various / Paul Oliver	Various / Paul Oliver - The Story Of The Blues ‎(2xLP, Comp, Mono)	CBS, CBS, CBS	66218, M 63572, M 63573	UK	1969
SOPI 20-21	Various / Paul Oliver	Various / Paul Oliver - The Story Of The Blues ‎(2xLP, Comp, Mono, Gat)	CBS/Sony Inc.	SOPI 20-21	Japan	Unknown
CG 30008	Various	The Story Of The Blues ‎(2xLP, Comp, Mono, RP)	Columbia	CG 30008	US	Unknown
510728 2	Various	The Story Of The Blues ‎(2xCD, Comp)	Legacy	510728 2	Europe	2003
0 15 2031-32	Various / Paul Oliver	Various / Paul Oliver - Antologie Blues ‎(2xLP, Comp, Mono, RE)	Supraphon	0 15 2031-32	Czechoslovakia	1976