Come On Mama
LP Yazoo L-1041
Thomas A. Dorsey, who got his nickname Georgia Tom by Paramount’s recording director Mayo Williams, wrote about two hundred blues songs between 1923 and 1932. After that, he became an important pioneer and influence in the Gospel music. He is even considered as the one who gave that genre its name.
What we hear on this, the chosen tune from 1930, is an example of city blues and a popular subgenre from the time called “Hokum Blues”. Georgia Tom on piano and guitarist Tampa Red, both coming from Georgia, made a big hit and started a fad for the hokum when they sang and recorded It’s Tight Like That. According to Dorsey himself, the originator of the style was Papa Charlie Jackson.
On the LP we get a couple of songs from 1932 that points to his future career, otherwise it’s the duet of piano and guitar that accompanies the vocals.
On this hokum number, the guitar is played by Big Bill Broonzy and the singer with Georgia Tom is Jane Lucas. Her real name was Mozelle Ardson, and she also recorded under the name Kansas City Kitty and Hannah May.