Basin Street Blues

"Basin Street Blues" is a song often performed by Dixieland jazz bands, written by Spencer Williams in 1928 and recorded that year by Louis Armstrong. The famous verse with the lyric "Won't you come along with me/To the Mississippi..." was later added by Glenn Miller and Jack Teagarden.

The Basin Street of the title refers to the main street of Storyville, the notorious red-light district of the early 20th-century New Orleans, just north of the French Quarter. It became a red light district in 1897.

Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys also recorded a version during the group's heyday with Tommy Duncan. Louis Prima also recorded the song on his 1957 album The Wildest! as did Dr. John on his 1992 album Goin' Back to New Orleans. Bob Wills' official version contains slightly different lyrics than those heard on Bob Wills' Anthology. Instead of Basin Street being the place where the "dark and light folks" meet, as sung on the recording, the printed lyrics state that Basin Street is the place where the "young and old folks" meet.

Bing Crosby and Connee Boswell recorded the song for Decca Records on September 25, 1937 and it charted at the No. 12 position.

A rendition of this song by Ella Fitzgerald with the Sy Oliver Orchestra can be found on the Decca release Lullabies of Birdland.

...
Wikipedia