| Reefer Songs | ||
|---|---|---|
 Cover for the Vinyl edition. | ||
| Compilation album by various | ||
| Released | 1975 | |
| Recorded | 1930s - 1940s | |
| Genre(s) | Jazz, Blues, Big Band, Swing | |
| Length | 47:45 (Vinyl) 68:54 (CD) | |
| Label | Stash Records | |
| Alternative Cover | ||
 The cover for the CD edition. | ||
Reefer Songs, also known as Reefer Songs: 16 Original Jazz Classics, is a collection of marijuana-themed big band, swing, blues and jazz songs spanning from the 1920s to the 1940s. The original version of this compilation saw release in 1975 via Stash Records. In regards to the label this was the first release by the label formed by Bernie Brightman, a struggling real estate agent who was a jazz aficionado and record collector. The original run of the record would sell out in six months, regarded as a success and establishing the label which would go on to release more novelty jazz compilations (and later proper jazz albums) until the label's closure in the early 1990s.[1] The liner notes describe the compilation as the following: "There is a lot of good music here in considerable variety covering a substantial piece of the Swing era historically and stylistically. The sacred subject matter is delightful sweetening, but this album is a collector's plum from any point of view."
The compilation was also released via Konsa Records as Marijuana Jazz Classics Sixteen Weed Smokers Dream Songs, with twenty-five cents of each sale going towards NORML. A CD version would come via Milan and Jass Records in 1989 with seven additional tracks, the same CD version seeing a reissue via Mojo Records in 1996.
Tracklist[]
1975 Stash Records Vinyl[]
- A1. Harlen Lattimore And His Connie's Inn Orchestra - Reefer Man (Andy Razaf, J. Russell Robinson) (3:30)
- A2. Cab Calloway Orchestra - The Man From Harlem (Will Hudson) (3:05)
- A3. Stuff Smith And His Onyx Club Boys - Here Comes The Man With The Jive (Jack Palmer, Stuff Smith) (2:59)
- A4. Bob Howard And His Boys - If You're A Viper (Rosetta Howard) (2:24)
- A5. Benny Goodman And His Orchestra - Texas Tea Party (Benny Goodman, Jack Teagarden) (3:20)
- A6. Buster Bailey's Rhythm Busters - Light Up (Buster Bailey) (2:43)
- A7. Trixie Smith - Jack, I'm Mellow (Gundy, House) (2:43)
- A8. Barney Bigard Sextet - Sweet Marijuana Brown (Leonard Feather) (2:56)
- B1. Sidney Bechet With Noble Sissle's Swingers - Viper Mad (Mayer Williams, Sidney Bechet) (3:01)
- B2. The Harlem Hamfats - Weed Smoker's Dream (Herb Morand, Joe McCoy) (3:17)
- B3. C.P. Johnson And Band - The "G" Man Got The "T" Man (Cee Pee Johnson) (3:04)
- B4. A. Kirk And His Twelve Clouds Of Joy - All The Jive Is Gone (Thompson) (2:37)
- B5. Georgia White - The Stuff Is Here (Hill) (2:54)
- B6. Chick Webb And His Orchestra - Wackey Dust (Oscar Levant, Stanley Adams) (3:02)
- B7. Harry "The Hipster" Gibson - Who Put The Benzedrine In Mrs. Murphy's Ovaltine (Harry Gibson) (3:03)
- B8. Clarence Williams And His Orchestra - Jerry The Junker (Clarence Williams) (3:07)
1989 Milan/Jass Records CD[]
- 1. Don Redman And His Orchestra - Reefer Man (3:34)
- 2. Cab Calloway And His Orchestra - The Man From Harlem (3:09)
- 3. Stuff Smith And His Onyx Club Boys - Here Comes The Man With The Jive (3:02)
- 4. Bob Howard And His Boys - If You're A Viper (2:27)
- 5. Benny Goodman And His Orchestra - Texas Tea Party (3:24)
- 6. Buster Bailey's Rhythm Busters - Light Up (2:46)
- 7. Trixie Smith - Jack, I'm Mellow (2:47)
- 8. Barney Bigard Sextet - Sweet Marijuana Brown (3:00)
- 9. Sidney Bechet With Noble Sissle's Swingsters - Viper Mad (3:03)
- 10. The Harlem Hamfats - The Weed Smoker's Dream (Why Don't You Do Right?) (3:21)
- 11. Cee Pee Johnson - The "G" Man Got The "T" Man (3:08)
- 12. Andy Kirk And His Twelve Clouds Of Joy - All The Jive Is Gone (2:39)
- 13. Georgia White - The Stuff Is Here (2:56)
- 14. Chick Webb & Ella Fitzgerald - Wacky Dust (3:05)
- 15. Harry "The Hipster" Gibson - Who Put The Benzedrine In Mrs. Murphy's Ovaltine? (3:05)
- 16. Clarence Williams And His Washboard Band - Jerry The Junker (3:09)
- 17. Fats Waller - Reefer Song (2:53)
- 18. Julia Lee & Her Boy Friends - Lotus Blossom (Sweet Marijuana) (3:19)
- 19. Ernest Rodgers - Willie The Chimney Sweeper (2:53)
- 20. Bea Foote - Weed (3:02)
- 21. Buck Washington - Save The Roach For Me (1:38)
- 22. Lil Green - Knockin' Myself Out (3:00)
- 23. Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra - Minnie The Moocher (3:34)
Recording Dates (Vinyl)[]
- A1. 17 June 1932
- A2. 30 November 1932
- A3. 21 August 1936
- A4. 7 February 1938
- A5. 27 October 1933
- A6. 7 December 1938
- A7. Unknown
- A8. 5 January 1945
- B1. 10 February 1938
- B2. 18 April 1936
- B3. 2 November 1945
- B4. 3 March 1936
- B5. 5 October 1937
- B6. 17 August 1938
- B7. 21 August 1944
- B8. 6 July 1934