Beedle Um Bum
Composer: Traditional/Thomas Dorsey
Related
Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions, Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions, 1998
Others
The Hokum Boys, 1928
McKinney's Cotton Pickers, 1929
Last Session, Blind Willie McTell, 1960
The Jug Band, Jim Kweskin and His Jug Band, 1963
Georgia Tom and Friends, 1965
Greatest Hits, Jim Kweskin and His Jug Band, 1970
Down The Road Apiece, Bob Hall and Dave Peabody, 1981
Laughter from the Hip: 24 Jazz Comedy Classics, Various Artists (McKinney's Cotton Pickers), 1989
Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 1 (1927-1932), Big Bill Broonzy, 1991
Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 1 (1928-1929), Tampa Red, 1991
Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 1 (1928-1930), Georgia Tom, 1992
Paramount Piano Blues, Vol. 3, Various Artists (Tampa Red / Georgia Tom), 1994
The Southern Blues, Big Bill Broonzy, 1995
McKinney's Cotton Pickers (1928-1930), McKinney's Cotton Pickers, 1996
1930-32, Vol. 4, Big Bill Broonzy, 1996
Acoustic Swing and Jug, Jim Kweskin and His Jug Band, 1998
Put It There: 1928-1929, McKinney's Cotton Pickers, 1999
Bawdy Blues, Memphis Slim / Lonnie Johnson / Tampa Red, 19??
Last Session, Blind Willie McTell, 19??
Black Swan Presents the Paramount Piano Blues, Vol 3, Various Artists (Tampa Red / Georgia Tom), 19??
Complete McKinney's Cotton Pickers, Vol. 1-2, McKinney's Cotton Pickers, 19??
Notes
Thomas Dorsey (Georgia Tom) is usually credited with writing this song but it may have it's origins in earlier songs.
On the Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions CD the writing credits are Booker T Bradshaw. The online BMI database also lists a song called Beedle Um Bum with the writer given as Booker Talmadge Bradshaw Jr.
Beedle Um Bum is a sexual euphemism. In Screening The Blues Paul Oliver quotes blues singer GeorgiaTom Dorsey ;
Beedle-um-bum was an expression they used in the dance joints and creepy slip-in places, smutty dives in the red light district. The gals sings those kinds of suggestive words while dancing around with their fellows.Hence;
Oh my Beedle-um-bum, come and see if you ain't had none,Another reference to the phrase in a song is given in Crying For The Carolines by Bruce Bastin. He quotes lyrics from She's Totin' Something Good a recording made by Philip McCutcheon (as Cedar Creek Sheik) in Charlotte in 1936;
Make a dumb man speak, make a lame man run,
Sure miss somethin' if you son't get some,
Of my Beedle-um-bum, oh-boy, my Beedle-um-bum,
It's the best Beedle-um-bum that's made in Tennessee
I got a girl in Kalamazoo, she don't wear no... yes she do!
She's totin' something good,
She's totin' something good,
Beedle um bum, don't know what it was, but I know it was good.
July 2001