Down the Road a Piece

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"Down the Road a Piece"
Down the Road a Piece sheet music cover.jpg
Sheet music cover
Single by Will Bradley Trio
B-side "Celery Stalks at Midnight"
Released1940 (1940)
RecordedAugust 12, 1940
Genre Boogie-woogie
Length3:10
Label Columbia
Songwriter Don Raye

Down the Road a Piece is a boogie-woogie song written by Don Raye. In 1940, it was recorded by the Will Bradley Trio and became a top 10 hit in the closing months of the year. Called "a neat little amalgam of bluesy rhythm and vivid, catchy lyrics", the song was subsequently recorded by a variety of jazz, blues, and rock artists. [1]

Contents

Recording and lyrics

"Down the Road a Piece" was recorded on August 12, 1940, in New York City by members of the Will Bradley–Ray McKinley Orchestra, who were credited as the "Will Bradley Trio" (a misnomer, as Will Bradley himself did not perform on the session). [2] [3]

The personnel consisted of pianist/songwriter Don Raye, drummer/vocalist Ray McKinley, bassist Doc Goldberg, pianist Freddie Slack, and an uncredited vibraphonist (probably Lou Shoobe or Red Ballard). [4] [5]

Three musicians are mentioned in the lyrics:

The drummer man's a guy they call Eight Beat Mack
And you remember Doc and ol' Beat Me Daddy Slack

"Eight Beat Mack" refers to drummer Ray McKinley, "Doc" to bassist Doc Goldberg, and "Beat Me Daddy Slack" to pianist Freddie Slack—a nod to the earlier 1940 hit "Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar". [6] [7] [8]

Vocals were shared by Ray McKinley and Don Raye. [5] [9]

Amos Milburn's recording

"Down the Road Apiece"
Down the Road Apiece Label.png
Original 1947 Aladdin Records 78 label
Song by Amos Milburn and His Aladdin Chickenshackers
B-side "Don't Beg Me"
ReleasedMay 1947 (1947-05)
RecordedDecember 13, 1946 (1946-12-13)
Studio Radio Recorders, Los Angeles
Genre
Length3:01
Label Aladdin (cat. no. 161)
Songwriter Don Raye
Producer Eddie Mesner
Amos Milburn and His Aladdin Chickenshackers singles chronology
"Down the Road Apiece"
(1947)		"Chicken Shack Boogie"
(1948)

Amos Milburn and His Aladdin Chickenshackers recorded "Down the Road Apiece" on December 13, 1946, at Radio Recorders in Los Angeles. [10] [11] The single (Aladdin 161) was released in May 1947. [12]

The recording is regarded as a landmark of postwar West Coast jump blues. [10]

Personnel

Influence

In his autobiography, Henry Mancini recalled that "Down the Road a Piece" inspired his 1962 composition "Baby Elephant Walk" for the film Hatari! . [13]

The song has been recorded by numerous artists, including Chuck Berry, the Rolling Stones, and Foghat. [1]

References

  1. 1 2 Eder, Bruce. "Don Raye – Biography". AllMusic . Retrieved March 12, 2011.
  2. ↑ Abrams, Steven; Edwards, David. Will Bradley Discography. Jazz Discography Online. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  3. ↑ Bruyninckx, Walter (2003). 85 Years of Recorded Jazz 1917–2002 (Vol. B). Bruyninckx (self-published discography).
  4. ↑ Chilton, John (1985). Who's Who of Jazz: Storyville to Swing Street. Da Capo Press. p. 222. ISBN   0-306-80243-0.
  5. 1 2 Ruppli, Michel (1996). The Columbia 13/14000-D Series: A Numerical Listing. Greenwood Press. pp. 78–79. ISBN   0-313-29500-4.{{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: checksum (help)
  6. ↑ Shaw, Arnold (1971). The Street That Never Slept: New York's Fabled 52nd Street. Coward, McCann & Geoghegan. p. 198.
  7. ↑ "Ray McKinley, Big-Band Leader, Dies at 84". The New York Times. May 9, 1995.
  8. ↑ Lees, Gene (1995). Leader of the Band: The Life of Woody Herman. Oxford University Press. p. 67. ISBN   0-19-505671-X.
  9. ↑ "Will Bradley Trio – Down the Road a Piece (Columbia 35227)". Jazz Hot (2): 22. November 1940.
  10. 1 2 3 Dahl, Bill (2007). Amos Milburn – Down the Road Apiece: The Best of the Aladdin Years 1946–1958 (8-CD booklet). Bear Family Records. pp. 12–15.
  11. ↑ Ruppli, Michel (1991). The Aladdin/Imperial Labels: A Discography. Greenwood Press. p. 63. ISBN   0-313-27821-0.
  12. ↑ "Advance Record Releases" (PDF). Billboard. May 31, 1947. p. 32. Retrieved December 6, 2025.
  13. ↑ Mancini, Henry (2001). Did They Mention the Music? The Autobiography of Henry Mancini. Cooper Square Press. p. 109. ISBN   978-0-8154-1175-8.
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