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Song

Written by
Copyright date
March 16, 1927
Language
English
ISWC
T-070.010.119-4 ASCAP, GEMA
Comments
The song has long been associated with the great flood of the lower Mississippi River in 1927. This is historically problematical because that flood began two months after Smith recorded her song. Through an examination of Smith's touring itinerary, the testimony of fellow entertainers who toured with her, newspaper reports, and other documents, it could however be proven that the song was composed about a flood of the Cumberland River that struck Nashville, Tennessee, on Christmas morning, 1926.
Published by
FRANK MUSIC CORP ASCAP, GEMA
Licensing
Request a synchronization license

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Versions

written by English

Title Performer Release date Info
March 1927 First recording on February 17, 1927
First release
June 1927
1927
1946
listen on Internet Archive 1947
1954
1957
April 1958
April 1958
Back-Water Blues Becky Hall November 1958 Unverified
1959
Back Water Blues Dinah Washington 1959 Unverified
1960
1960
1961
1961
1961
1962 Live
1964
1966
March 1969
1969
Backwater Blues Jo-Ann Kelly 1969 Unverified
Back Water Blues Theis/Nyegaard Jazzband 1969 Unverified
1972
1973
1976
1979
1980
1982
1982
1984
1985
1991
1993 Live
1993
1993 Live
January 30, 1996
1996
June 1, 1997
1997
1997
1999
1999
Backwater Blues Jay McShann with Duke Robillard and Maria Muldaur 1999 Unverified
2001
May 30, 2003
June 17, 2003
2003 Released more than 10 years after its recording
December 6, 2005
Back-Water Blues James Blood Ulmer May 8, 2007 Unverified
June 27, 2007
October 8, 2007
2007 Released more than 10 years after its recording
March 18, 2008 Live
August 26, 2008
2010
2010
August 2, 2011
2011
2011
2011
2012
2013
September 30, 2014
September 30, 2014
2016
April 18, 2018
January 2019
June 30, 2019
September 20, 2019 Live
Back Water Blues John Lee Hooker Unverified

written by German

Title Performer Release date Info
August 29, 2008 First release