'Black Betty': Folk, blues and punk perspectives required...

[Ian Townsend]

Interesting Facebook request for assistance:

"Hiya, so XXX has his radio documentary agreed and is on a trip to Leeds armoury today to interview some expert on the original 'Black Betty' but he was wondering if you have any contacts or ideas of people he could contact linked to how the song black Betty has changed, from a folk perspective, blues perspective and also a punk (ish) perspective. ?

I know I am being his intermediary at present but his direct email is xxxxxxxgmail.com. He is just basically calling any help going, he left his team to do work whilst he was away and only one person has done any work!"

Cheers Rxxxx ....

-----------------------------------------------------------
Please feel free to respond. Better still post up any folk, punk, or blues or private press versions of this 'Blam a Lam' classic. There must be Vocal harmony / barbershop versions too.....

[Carlitos]

One of my favourite versions is this one.

[Cacapo]

game over

[Carlitos]

This band's cover has more swing than any other I had listened to.

[babycart]

how the song black Betty has changed, from a folk perspective, blues perspective and also a punk (ish) perspective. ?

Speaking as an ex-school-disco DJ, I can confirm that the Ram Jam version is classed as "grebo disco."

It got grebos out on the floor dancing in a more social, courtship-related manner than heavier headbanger rock tracks. If you followed it up with Rhiaaaaaaannon, male grebos would often remain on the dancefloor with the girl grebos who were well into it.

However, it was ineffective as a "transitional" disco tune. Grebos would exit the dancefloor in a herd if you followed it up with Funkytown or Stomp.

[eine]

However, it was ineffective as a "transitional" disco tune. Grebos would exit the dancefloor in a herd if you followed it up with Funkytown or Stomp.

Is it possible to transition a grebo into a Funkytown situation babycart? It must take a lot of gradual step-by-step work.

[peretti]

One of my favourite versions is this one.

Yeah, I like the Spiderbait one partly because they dropped the terrible guitar solo that I always skip on the Ram Jam version.

[someblokecalledfuz]

Googling on this I found this, which is err different, but worth posting I think!

[someblokecalledfuz]

I like playing this one out...

[babycart]

Is it possible to transition a grebo into a Funkytown situation babycart? It must take a lot of gradual step-by-step work.

Transitioning is the wrong approach here, Eine. You can starve them off Whitesnake and Rainbow for so long that the Alpha grebs leave in search of cider with the Queen-Bee grebo chicks and those remaining desperately dance to anything in the hope of pulling mousier girls.
Occasionally they would dance to it "ironically" as well, usually when they returned after locating cider.