449 Bessie Smith (1894-1937) “Empty Bed Blues” 1928

“A tour de force of blatant double-entendres, the record was allegedly banned in Boston, but that was probably just a promotional ploy…perhaps in order to heighten curiosity and, thus, sales… ‘Empty Bed Blues’ was one of Bessie’s biggest on-stage hits and a major factor in the success of the early 1928 theater tour” (Chris Albertson, Bessie, 2003).

Bessie Smith “Empty Bed Blues (part 1)”
Bessie Smith “Empty Bed Blues (part 2)”