Ella Mae Morse

Blacksmith Blues

Here is Ella Mae Morse's Blacksmith Blues, written for her by Jack Holmes. This song was originally the flipside to Love Me or Leave Me, issued in 1952 by Capitol Records, and it became her biggest hit. The chart was scored by Nelson Riddle whilst he was staff arranger at Capitol, and is probably the only big band chart which includes an anvil in the rhythm section. Whilst the original recording has a fade out at the end, we have written a definite ending, because fadeouts just don't work outside of a studio. The vocal key is Bb and there are no sax doubles.