It was down by old Joe’s barroom, on the corner of the square
They were serving drinks as usual, and the usual crowd was there
On my left stood Big Joe McKennedy, and his eyes were bloodshot red
And he turned his face to the people, these were the very words he said
I was down to St. James infirmary, I saw my baby there
She was stretched out on a long white table
So sweet, cool and so fair
Let her go, let her go, God bless her
Wherever she may be She may search this whole wide world over
Never find a sweeter man as me When I die please bury me in my high top Stetson hat
Put a twenty dollar gold piece on my watch chain
The gang’ll know I died standing pat
Let her go, let her go God bless her
Wherever she may be She may search this wide world over
Never find a sweeter man as me
I want six crapshooters to be my pallbearers
Three pretty women to sing a song
Stick a jazz band on my hearse wagon
Raise hell as I stroll along
Let her go Let her go God bless her
Wherever she may be She may search this whole wide
World over
She’ll never find a sweeter
Man as me
So nice for me, as a young trombonist having to come to the "Big Apple" from Omaha, Nebraska! What a great surprise to hear him at the famous Metropole Jazz Club on 7th Ave and 50th. He was incredible - played the "trick' with taking off the bell and playing in the water glass! Wow, it souinded wonderful. AND, at the break I got to talk with him - what a gentleman and he was genuine to me. I'll never forget it! A few months later, he passed - all I could think of was that the Lord had just picked up one of the greatest sidemen ever (and leader, artist, jazz performer, establisher of great trombone playing in America!)
As an old trombonist who bought his first trombone in 1951 Jack was my first influence in playing jazz, never got to his excellence level but over the years have played some great stuff with various local groups, still play today so thank you Jack.
My man has just passed away. He was a trombone player inspired by this man and j j Johnson. For him I play this letting a tear fall and remembering all the happy times together
The best St. James Infirmary rendition ever. Recorded live at the Roundtable in New York City, on July 1959.
Don Ewell (p), Don Goldie (tr), Henry Cuesta (cl), Stan Puls (b) , Ronnie Greb (dr), and Big T...of course
Thanks for sharing.
This and "After You've Gone" are two of my favorite Jackson tracks. Lifelong relationship with other fabulous musicians just as Satchmo cemented his place in the trombone pantheon. We are lucky to have so many films and recordings of his extraordinary talent.
well, he didn't die alone..I was there..my old man, the clarinetist, the school principal, stepped into my history class to break the sad news to me, knowing it would be the first hero I would lose..long before Jimi or Janis, whose departures wrecked me again later like Jack's..who always inspires me to keep playing 60 years later... until I drop
I worked at YOUR FATHER"S MUSTACHE in New Orleans in the 70's .We had a plaque outside the door that stated Jack Teagarden played his Last Stand at our location on Bourbon St. After the fire in '75 to the building a NOLA resident named Ed Tobin removed the plaque til construction of the building was complete,upon which Ed took the plaque back ! Hopefully its there today !
Jack Teagarden played at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester in the early 60s. I hitchhiker from the Midlands and I have never forgotten the experience. The memories!!
