(1953) Sun ''Carry My Business On'' (Take 1) Houston Boines

STUDIO SESSION FOR HOUSTON BOINES AT THE MEMPHIS RECORDING SERVICE FOR SUN RECORDS 1953 SUN RECORDING STUDIO 706 UNION AVENUE, MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE SUN SESSION: WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 23, 1953 SESSION HOURS: UNKNOWN PRODUCER AND RECORDING ENGINEER - SAM C. PHILLIPS Houston Boines remains something of an enigma, as very little is known about him. Even Little Milton, who played on this session and was responsible for bringing Boines along to the studio, knew little about him - as he recalled in a 1982 interview: "I met him in Leland, Mississippi... he played harmonica. I don't know where he is now - nobody seems to. He was quite an old guy when we recorded... he would be at least 70 by now". Nonetheless, Boines achieved an interesting feat: he wrote and performed the song which may well be the most lyrically noteworthy in this entire collection. (This is an alternate take to the version which appeared on the original Sunbox). However, we will probably never know, because his diction and delivery are sufficiently inaccessible to tempt, but ultimately frustrate, the listener. Its clearly a backwoods story/song, and it contains some fascinating couplets that can be instilled with as much (or as little) significance as you like - e.g: "I rode a white horse called Silver Streak one day/I met Old Man Quiggle and Old Boston along the way". There again, he could merely have been at the juice. Undoubtedly, the song is rich in detail and rather obscure imagery - but you'd need an honours degree in deep South patois and backwoods mythology to get it all. Even Milton, from almost thirty years' distance, recalled during a Blues Unlimited interview: "We could never get the clarity on his recordings... we could never understand what he was saying. Sam Phillips didn't think it was good enough to release. We were supposed to go back into the studio and re-do the stuff because it was unfinished... but we never got back. We were in there all day long and part of the nights". Failing that, you can just sit back and marvel at the solid guitar work of Little Milton, or Ike Turner's fine piano - however, its Jesse Knight's simple slap bass which really propels this side along. You might also notice that the disc is a strange paradox: a tale with roots way back in the country, yet sung to a modern-sounding blues backing. (The take used here is different to that used on the original Sun Blues Box). The melody was replicated from Boines' 1952 recording of ''Relation Blues''. (CE) "CARRY MY BUSINESS ON" Composer: - Houston Boines Publisher: - B.M.I. - Delta Music Incorporated Matrix number: - None - Take 1 - Not Originally Issued (2:29) Recorded: - December 23, 1953 Released: - 1976 First appearance: - Charly Records (LP) 33rpm CR 30102-B-8 mono SUN: THE ROOTS OF ROCK - VOLUME 2 - SAM'S BLUES First appearance: - 1996 Charly Records (CD) 500/200rpm CDSUNBOX 7-6-23 mono SUN RECORDS - THE BLUES YEARS 1950 - 1958 Name (Or. No. Of Instruments) Houston Boines - Vocals Milton Campbell - Guitar Ike Turner - Piano Jesse Knight - Bass Lonnie Hayes - Drums © - 706 UNION AVENUE SESSIONS - ©

Added 7 Apr 2026