St James Infirmary Blues

Music arranged and conducted by Rob Birdwell. Katie Smith (vocalist), with the Corvallis-OSU Symphony Orchestra
Score and parts now available on Sheet Music Plus: www.sheetmusic...
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St. James Infirmary Blues
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lyrics (author unknown) as performed/sung by Katie Smith
orchestral arrangement written and conducted by Rob Birdwell
Arrangement Copyright © Rob Birdwell / BirdwellMusic LLC
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It was down by old Joe's barroom,
at the corner by the square
they were serving drinks as usual
and the usual crowd was there
When up stood Big Joe McKennedy,
his eyes were bloodshot red
he looked at the crowd around him
and this is what he said
I went down to St. James infirmary,
I saw my baby there
She was stretched out on a long white table,
So cold, so fair, so pale
Oh, let her go, let her go, God bless her.
Wherever she may be
And you can tell her she can search
The whole wide world over
She'll never find another man like me
Seventeen coal black horses,
To pull that rubber tied hack
Well it's seventeen miles to the graveyard,
But my baby's never coming back!
When I die please bury me
in my high top Stetson hat
And place a twenty dollar gold piece on my watch chain
To let the Lord know I died standing pat
I want six crapshooters for my pallbearers
A chorus girl to sing me a song
And stick a jazz band on my hearse wagon
To Raise some hell as I stroll along
Now that you've heard my story,
I'll take another shot of booze.
If anybody here should ever ask you,
I got the St. James Infirmary Blues!
Yea, I've got St. James…
The St. James Infirmary Blues!

[@mylesjordan9970]

The guy who wrote this song knew a lot more than he let on. St. James’s Infirmary was demolished by Henry VIII, in the sixteenth century, to make way for St. James’s Palace. The bass line is ancient, called the Catabassis Duriusculus, used in the Renaissance for funerals. The composer must have been enough of a geek to know that-but cool enough to write one of the best songs ever.

[@kleinjahr]

The song is from New Orleans.

[@hanumanbearpig]

@@kleinjahr funnily enough the people of New Orleans made great music but they didn't invent the concept.

[@KC-lo5hq]

There's a st. James Infirmary in San Francisco, probably based upon St. James Palace. But that doesn't detract from one of my favorite songs!

[@peterflanagan7083]

Great to hear a convincing background to this fantastic song. Thanks.

[@gaysatan4565]

Do you mean the composer? This song is pretty old but this is my first time hearing it played this way. I’ve always stuck with Doc Watson’s version

[@Richard-me2pq]

That dashy dame has got a hypnotic voice like smooth Crown Royal and honey! Excellent rendition!

[@rickwilmot9127]

I keep coming back here, I can't help it, it's so moving.

[@A_Pa-Plainjane]

nothing to add here, this is a gem, to be sure. But I do remember my father had the Louis Armstrong version in his extensive jazz collection and that's where I first heard it so long ago. God bless you, Dad.

[@bedface007]

More than perfect. This is the deepest performance I have heard of this ballad. Sorry for my english. I am touched really.

[@raindog5378]

Holy shit this is the best version I’ve ever heard

[@BrianLayman]

This must have sounded so good in that concert hall. I wish they'd miked the whole orchestra so that the balance, especially that of the brass section, could have done Katie Smith's vocals justice on the recording. Still, this is an incredible arrangement. Well done Rob Birdwell!

[@censusgary]

This is one of my favorite songs. When I first saw the setup here, I thought, “This can’t be good. They’ve got a whole big orchestra here to overcook this rather simple, visceral song.” But in fact, this is quite a good version of the piece ... mainly due to this astonishing vocalist, Katie Smith. It’s the first time I’ve heard her sing, but it won’t be the last. Everybody else in the orchestra is good, too, but wow, she’s really something else!

[@fanboy7216]

look up trombone shorty and this song he played it for obama idk for me i loved his version with an amazing solo its way different i dont see how it correlates

[@RickarooCarew]

when I was a kid, my first high school band included a piano player who would play this song... all by himself mostly.. I needed a few more years to understand it... I thought the same thing... but... this may be one of the best renditions I've heard in 60 years of playing music and singing the blues 💙

[@johnostaszweski2189]

Yeah,she is awesome,Cab Calloway was the first time I heard this song.and in his video he does the moon walk,MJ musta sent the video ,check it out you’ll like it,I believe.

[@larrytischler570]

@@RickarooCarew There was an old black man who sang this and played the piano, in the the small clubs in Corpus Christi, in the early sixties. Lots of words were different as they were in all the places back then.

[@Baritone45]

Best arrangement of the verses I've seen. So many make no sense whatsoever. Very nice job, but much, much too slow for my taste.

[@steveokula5762]

What I like is that first verse, Joe's Barroom, too many people leave that out of their covers and it takes away from the narration.

[@paololargavagno8440]

It is first time I heard this track, it will be the singer, the orchestra or the worlds but hit me to my hearth.

[@paulnorcross5954]

Wow.....Kate Smith absolutely nailed this....what a voice.

[@d.b.624]

Beautiful. Brings a big sound right up and personal, where blues belong.

[@RobBirdwell]

Many thanks!

[@nsobol45]

Katie Smith - fantastic. Love it. Perfect articulations.

[@broskydoodle6697]

Never heard this version before! I've only ever heard Louis Armstrong and Cab Calloway's renditions of the song, but never this! I'm taken a back.

[@zekebernhardt4563]

Have a listen to Hugh Laurie’s version, it’s very good also

[@ingmo9]

Oh, I like this

[@miwi5530]

One of the damnedest performances I‘ve ever watched!

[@james-pierre7634]

This entire performance is brilliant and so is she!

[@johnmcgrane7829]

Terrific performance and rendition of this piece--love it .

[@alyoshakaramazov8469]

Great vocals, and watching her sing makes my old eyes happy.

[@Richard-me2pq]

Love the brass section; but, especially the mute on the trumpet 🎺.

[@A_Pa-Plainjane]

I know, that guy played it subdued but soulful.

[@ralphreal4039]

wow ! im almost in tears

[@gtahan]

Amazing performance ...

[@seabreeze2792]

Sorry everybody. You can't do this with an orchestra.This is hard core blues.

[@RobBirdwell]

Alas, it was done! :)

[@A_Pa-Plainjane]

@@RobBirdwell and very well done, sir.

[@Keys1955]

They can do what they want. If you don't like it, don't listen...it wasn't meant for you.

[@travellingbirder]

Gave me the chills!

[@mikegalvin9801]

Many years ago some friends and I rented an old stone house in Boulder with a sign over the door St James Infirmary. Had never heard the song but fell in love when I found an old recording (no Spotify or KZbin then, had to seek stuff out which made you appreciate it more)

[@A_Pa-Plainjane]

we are a bit spoiled and over-served, and under appreciative of all the riches KZbin serves up.

[@StealthySpace7]

Good lord this is amazing

[@IsaiAlexei]

this is quite a good version of the piece

[@WackyWadslow]

Oh my, I think I just fell in love..

[@ellarealestate]

Wow! I don't know what I was expecting, but this was outstanding! Katie is amazing here! 👍👍❤️❤️❤️🔥

[@zeportella1321]

Há um tempo atrás tive acesso a uma interpretação soberba de Saint James Infirmary na voz de Janis Joplin, então uma menina de 17 anos. A voz pujante e a alma na garganta já estavam lá! Esta magnífica releitura orquestral, na voz de cantora que eu nunca tinha ouvido e sequer sei o nome, tocou meu coração! Obrigado pelo enlevo!

[@primebeef3938]

That version was excellent. I liked it very much.

[@Primo489]

Beautifully done!

[@mhyde9583]

Fantastic. Great arrangement, great voice.

[@avalondreaming1433]

Perfection!

[@fideliusconcrete4871]

Wow - she's really good. I haven't heard of her before. But now I'll get informed, hopefully on a festival or some concert I can see her!

[@FierceStar56]

pure absolute talent of everyone is astounding and i'm up on that serotonin

[@Stevevannest]

I first heard this song in the early 70’s by a group named “Zephyr”. Well worth searching them out. Candy Givens sang her heart out, never been done better .

[@richardclements7223]

love this version

[@waynesmith3767]

Don’t usually like orchestral settings of blues- of course this is more a Bg Band- but this is marvelous! Katie Smith is marvelous and the lyrics shine in her singing.BTW - W H Auden included this blues as the title song of his classic Anthology of Light Verse.

[@thomascraig6814]

Wow! One of the best covers I heard of one of my favorite songs! Alongside Cab Calloway’s and Preservation Hall Jazz Band’s, Ms. Smith’s version of this song is by far one of my favorites! Her vibrato brings to mind the Torch Songs of the 30s and 40s and her facial expressions and body language are so exquisitely expressive, sultry, and sexy. Does she ever do collaborations with other musicians here on KZbin?

[@Journeyman-pi5vx]

Correction. The song's a standard, not a cover.

[@BBQDad463]

Thank you for this video. Very well done. The lady can sing.

[@fepeerreview3150]

This is the first time I've listened to any version of this other than Cab Calloway's. It's fantastic, a great setting. For any of you who haven't heard Calloway's be sure to check it out too.

[@filgus497]

louis armstrongs version is the only one to rival cab calloways imo, although this and hugh lauries are still brilliant

[@egbertm.2380]

Yes, try Hugh Lauries and Eric Burdons versions.

[@Journeyman-pi5vx]

The song's a standard performed by several artists. To name just a few: Tab Calloway, Louis Armstrong, Eric Burdon, Joe Cocker, Eric Clapton & Dr. John, Hugh Laury and several others

[@diceman199]

@@egbertm.2380 another vote for hugh lauries version from me

[@jeanstjean3830]

Phenomenal

[@pamiam7511]

Excellent interpretation and arrangement.

[@RickarooCarew]

totally excellent 👍 I think I have them St James Infirmary Blues 💙 too thanks for sharing 🤠

[@RobBirdwell]

Thanks Richard - wishing you well and hoping your blues are of the musical shade! :)

[@brucejohnson6381]

I love Louis Armstrong's version best. Hugh Laurie's is also very good. I really like the smaller ensemble performing this masterpiece. This version doesn't move me as much. Would like to see her perform this with just a piano, bass, drums and a couple of horns.

[@JPhilipCoombs]

I could not agree more!!!

[@allenmorgan]

Great singer, great musicians, and yet......

[@philipgrier9376]

Brilliant

[@mord111111]

AMAZING !

[@kmccjoe1]

Excellent!

[@salo8923]

excelente versión

[@septimuswarrensmith879]

A classy, sassy lady with a voice and swinging hips!

[@lairddougal3833]

It has been credited variously. Some say Don Redman (Little Genius) who wrote and recorded for Louis Armstrong’s ‘Savoy Ballroom Five’ (It was Armstrong who is thought to have first recorded the song). Composer and publisher, Irving Mills is another candidate. Robert Harwood, author of the book ‘I went down to St James Infirmary’ speculated that the song was pieced together from fragments of lyrics that date back decades and more. ‘The Unfortunate Rake’ and ‘Gambler’s Blues’ are cited as sources. So, a very unclear provenance for a great song. For me, one of the great covers is by the late great, Joe Cocker.

[@A_Pa-Plainjane]

thanks for that backstory

[@94brooks]

she kills it

[@Ingliswat]

Love this !!

[@fallendown4640]

Thanks, great version.

[@modernmusicstudio303]

This is so great!

[@hajiwilliams6459]

❤❤❤❤❤

[@Fui26GuiMartin]

Beautiful

[@DougAlder]

That's certainly an interesting version - nice job

[@TeamGarlic]

Oh yes this is a nice interpretation of this song. It can be found in various interpretations depending on your taste of style. This is high quality and what a voice. Alongside the version of The Devil Makes Three this is highly recommended.

[@michaelsalisbury1477]

Josh White did the difonitive version of this Song.

[@clarencefernandez7093]

i love trombone shorty's too!

[@BoojumFed]

I'm just gonna add The Bridge City Sinners' version to the list.

[@esperancacosta5905]

Cab Calloway Legend!!!

[@strangefeline2799]

Irving Mills 1928, actually, but Cab Calloway made it famous.

[@leonardobuitrago7161]

I am in love!

[@memyselfandi5206]

I absolutely agree, Mr. Cooper.

[@blues3708]

Bravo!)

[@kartikpathak7385]

Now that was beautiful

[@brettlambert7859]

Very very good, classy vibe !!

[@lawrencemarkowsky4461]

wonderful

[@MikeBanks2003]

Wow!!

[@elib1937]

I've listened to this 10 times. Is it on Spotify?

[@blueckaym]

Hey guys, could someone give me the full lyrics of this version? I'm not a native English speaker (and apparently half-deaf) so I would like some help with this, to avoid stupid mistakes :) Seems like this song's lyrics are slightly (or very) different in each of its versions. But by far this is the best one I've heard so far - in both lyrics and composition. And about Katie performance ... I'm blown away!!! I don't know if I'll be able to (or if I'll have the time to learn it well) but I'd like to try to sing it on my living-funeral

[@RobBirdwell]

I added the lyrics (as performed by Katie Smith) in the description. The original authorship of these lyrics are unknown to me although I did a good deal of research into it while arranging the music. I prepared a lead sheet for Katie of course with the lyrics and as I recall we had conversations about them. So the performed lyrics here are likely a combination of my own initial research and (mostly) Katie's refinements (based on her research) and the words that come out live on stage in front of an audience. For example, there are "seventeen" coal black horses in the performed lyric whereas my lyric sheet referenced sixteen. Also, the ending of the song extends to lyrics slightly to fit the arrangement. There may be other lyrical variations/liberties taken here too - we did our best! Such is the nature of a dynamic and ever-changing song that has a story.

[@blueckaym]

​@@RobBirdwell , Thank you so much Rob! That's amazing! The lyrical liberties taken are indeed the best! Everything about this song is brilliant! And indeed I've never heard another song that has grown in so many different ways as the St.James Inf. Amazing work of art !!!

[@A_Pa-Plainjane]

@@RobBirdwell superb- of course "an ever changing song" which is the same old story for all of us when it is our time to go. you can rest assured you added value and excellence, and what's more, you were humble enough to provide the backnotes to explain some of the finer points. some people are just never happy.

[@fredflintstone1485]

F'ing A Miss Smith and Company. Great Job !

[@elisavieira737]

❤️

[@rosscarrick3661]

Lyrics crystal clear. Intake of breath a bit intrusive

[@bcgillespieeng]

Is this Katie Smith from the X factor. ?????

[@wuchi51]

ANY more from this concert?

[@RobBirdwell]

Yes - I arranged and conducted two pops concerts with Katie Smith and the OSU Symphony. Here's a playlist with all those tunes along with a few others either from that concert or similar: kzbin.info/aero/PLMpdJM01an_b2v761ePz247eOiIjHUrhZ

[@keithwachter8983]

Eric Burden and the Animals is my favorite

[@thegalacticmeowfilm1781]

Can somebody explain me what does it means when she says "I want six crapshooters for my pallbearers", what is meant by "crapshooters"? I look up the definition and 'craps' it's like dice and shooters it's 'someone or something that shoots'. English isn't my fisrt language so this doesn't make sense to me, why would McKennedy want his pallbearers to wear something that shoots dice? Like... a gun? XD Was he a gambler? 🤔 maybe, if it's like this it make sense to me. Anyway help me, please

[@dair2656]

As far as I know, 'Crapshooters' means people who throw dice, but it's also used to mean 'gambler' in general. In the context of the song it could mean 'being carried by my gambling buddies'.

[@A_Pa-Plainjane]

@@dair2656 you took the words right out of my mouth. He wants Six Tough Men who were his peers and fellow roughnecks and also threw dice with him to carry him to his final resting place. A classy last wish of a gambler who lived life on the edge.

[@tigerscriber]

But who is Katie Smith? There’s an English Katie Smith who appeared on X Factor, there’s an American Katie Holmes-Smith, but I don’t think this is either.

[@franciscogonzalezayerdi6196]

¿Es posible encontrar una versión grabada del concierto?

[@RobBirdwell]

Here's a playlist of most of the two concerts featuring Katie Smith on vocals. I do not have audio only tracks for streaming available at this time. Enjoy! *** Aquí hay una lista de reproducción de la mayoría de los dos conciertos con Katie Smith en la voz. No tengo pistas de audio solo para transmisión disponibles en este momento. ¡Disfrutar! *** kzbin.info/www/bejne/bqWsk4RpitythaM

[@Lerikou33]

Ça fait un peu générique de James Bond, à la fin. Mais sympa quand même

[@chly1953]

Auuuuuuuu

[@andreasrutz7204]

Eine Kritik kann muss ich hier anbringen: dass ihr Katie am Schluss, an diesem fantastischen Schluss, mit den Buttons nachfolgender Songs verdeckt habt! Unverzeihlich! Bitte macht das rückgängig! Sie muss bis zuletzt zu sehen sein!

[@plod9645]

Kate Smith +1

[@ron42nm]

The orchestra and arrangement are inconsistent with the mood of the song. But somehow it's oddly effective.

[@minaelgendy9156]

who else thinks that Hugh Laurie's version is the best?!

[@brucejohnson6381]

Louis Armstrong is my favorite but Laurie's is very good.

[@Firebrand55]

Nicely sung.....but indifferent interpretation .

[@Ivan.D.Davydov]

great arrangement. it's a shame that recording is not that good. I mean it's nice to hear the singer, but...

[@RobBirdwell]

Thank you! The mic'ing for the entire orchestra were (I believe) just two overhead microphones. Vocalist was on separate track. When we performed with Halie Loren there were multiple recording engineers and each section of the orchestra was mic'd and then there was a mixing/mastering process. That's expensive to pull off, but sort of what it takes to get the kind of audio quality the world really wants. Thanks for your comment! The arranger is often overlooked! ;) kzbin.info/www/bejne/eJvMi4uchNmFfq8

[@Ivan.D.Davydov]

@@RobBirdwell It's fun to see conductor performing solo on a trumpet. //Now that's a mastered recording, yes (and It's surprising, how much better Spanish articulation fits this music. Never thought of it that way)

[@johnostaszweski2189]

No one really knows who pinned this song.

[@smakkacowtherealone]

4/15/24

[@泉統俊]

素晴らしい。歌詞全部教えて。

[@泉統俊]

歌詞教えて。日本語と英語で。

[@RobBirdwell]

www.lyrics.com/lyric/4581444/Louis+Armstrong/St.+James%27+Infirmary

[@palleeghort3302]

Van Morrison - van the man - have made a wild good version of this theme/song/music.... its always a touching song .. ... .

[@deividluklok236]

34

[@caduceus33]

That gal is daid, and yet that bad boy sings about how great he is! Is this narcissism or what?

[@shepherdbook2643]

Wow. But I don't quite buy the hoity-toity trumpet solo, which cries out for the rubber from a toilet plunger. :)

[@RobBirdwell]

They were playing exactly what I wrote. Thanks for listening - I respect your opinion, but we'll just need to disagree. Yours Truly, "Hoity-Toity Trumpet Solo Arranger" aka Rob Birdwell

[@A_Pa-Plainjane]

@@RobBirdwell I like the faraway feeling and the way he made it forlorn and distant, a hollow hello and goodbye, which was what the storyteller must have been feeling.

[@biafrancitizen7003]

Love Louis Armstrong but this is better than the original :).

[@thomaskline]

Biafra history should have told you that the song is from the 1800’s. Its older than Louis. Listen to Rhiannon Giddens version. She doesn’t go shrill on the high notes!

[@johnpeter4184]

This is just cosmetic surgery. This song and its music lives in the past. Even the b&w cartoon is better imo.

[@Charlie-fx9dp]

Problem... With that sort of symphonic orchestra, only two sort of female singers are possible :gospel or lyric classic singer... Not her... From France.

[@RobBirdwell]

You're entitled to your opinion Charlie, but there's no problem at all with the singer. You can think you're on a high horse and declare there to be some sort of artificial problem, but look no further than yourself. Go out and write your own music. Go sing your own songs. I would never in a million years tell you you are wrong for your creative choices on that front. But reveal yourself as a shallow and pompous ass by making a stupid, mean-spirited comment (without any knowledge of this concert, the singer, etc.), and I will be in your face about it, rest assured. Il n'y a pas de problème.

[@jerrylyons9279]

same, from new orleans.

[@RobBirdwell]

So before you or anyone else chimes in on this "not the right singer" B.S., I challenge you: buy my arrangement, hire your own singer, hire an orchestra, and perform it just the way you want to. Alternatively, write your own arrangement and hire the supposed "right" singer for it. But DO NOT pontificate here about this singer being "wrong" for this song. This particular song/arrangement was one of many that showcased her versatility. So again, put your money and talents where your mouth is: www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/st-james-infirmary-blues-digital-sheet-music/21316408 and let's see what you come up with!

[@kscvb]

What are you talking about? She's fantastic!

[@busterhyman103]

Charlie, that you indeed suffer a chronic case of Cranial-Rectal Inversion is evident with your thoughtless remark. Take two aspirin and do not call me in the morning. ( south Florida).

[@allanbastard1905]

First saw this on one of Betty Boops cartoons. Defo try to get it 👍🏻