I am trying to find out if St. James Infirmary (aka Gamber’s Blues) was
really written by Joe Primrose (1929) OR: if the song actually comes from
the 19th century as is suggested by Carl Sandburg in “American Songbag”
back in 1927.
Robert Ross
Welcome, Robert!
I am going to hop in and be pessimistic right off the bat–I don’t think a definitive answer to this is to be had, really. Songs like Frankie and Johnny, St.James’ Infirmary, etc., often began as folk songs or ballads–sung over and over by itinerant performers and gulped down by well-funded songwriters or publishers who usurped rights to them.
Plus, I don’t trust Sandburg as far as I could throw 'im . . .
Well thanks for your pessimistic views right off the bat, your dark side is very illuminating.
I am aware of the problem of old folk songs getting gobbled up in those days.
What’s wrong with Sandburg? First you say the song was probably one of those getting gobbled up and then you discredit Sandburg, who merely suggested exactly what you are saying.
RR
So I have been told . . .
I just am not a huge Sandburg fan, mostly after trying to struggle through his Lincoln bio. I kept thinking of what some reviewer said: “What Sandburg did to Lincoln is second only to what Booth did to him.”
But it sounds like you know a lot more about this song than I do, so I will politely bow out and see if anyone else has some more definitive answer . . .
(Great song, by the way)
That reviewer quote about Sandburg’s Lincoln book is priceless. I chuckled.
Thanks for the sunshine.
I remember reading or hearing somewhere that St. James Infirmary (which is performed in fantastic fashion by Cab Calloway in the brilliant Betty Boop cartoon **Snow-White**) might have been inspired by the 19th century folk song The Streets of Laredo (lyrics here).
In light of this morning’s news…
“So, beat the drum slowly and play the fife lowly
Play the Death March as you carry me along
Take me to the green valley, there lay the sod o’er me”
I can believe that. The Streets of Laredo has long been a favorite of mine too. It could be that they were both inspired by Danny Boy. No doubt one or the other could have inspired the rest. Al Jolson’s “Sonny Boy” also falls into that category. Songs about loved ones dying. Tragic and heartbreaking love songs. Thanks.
My dad used to sing Sonny Boy to me when I was little, but it wasn’t until years later that I realized how depressing a song it is.
Oh, and welcome, robertrossband. 
A look at Google suggests that “Joe Primrose” may be a pseudonym for Irving Mills:
http://www.richmond.edu/~ganderso/repertoire.html
Mills was record industry bigshot and manager for both Duke Ellington and Cab Calloway. If true, that suggests St. James Infirmary was in fact a “traditional” song Mills revamped a bit so he could claim publishing credit–Mills was a much better businessman than a songwriter, and there’s no way he could have written it himself. (As part of his business dealing, however, Mills did end up with his name plastered all over all sorts of songs, including many of Ellington’s.)
Thanks for those wonderful websites. They are loaded with good info on early jazz history.
Thanks for those wonderful websites. They are loaded with good info on early jazz history.