Blog: SqueezeMyLemon

Love oh love my careless love

Mae Mercer's "Careless Love"
Careless Love is one of the most easily recognized blues. Listen to this 1925 version by Bessie Smith. The melody betrays itself in a couple notes. Here's a lovely version by Odetta, with a nice gentle swing. It isn't just women who sing this one, though. Here's Pete Seeger, Doc Watson, Clint Howard and Fred Price doing an old tym-ee version. Here's Mae Mercer. Notable here are her backup players, Sonny Boy Williamson (II), Willie Dixon and Memphis Slim.