THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

781-Ram Jam-Black Betty.

1977-Number 7 single.

Best Bit-At 2.01. For many years I thought that ‘Headbanging’ was bad for you, in that it killed off brain cells, every time you partook, but after briefly reading up on the subject, it appears that it is a fairly safe activity, if done within reason.

‘Black Betty’ is a 20th Century Traditional African/American work song, whose author is unknown. The origin, and meaning of the lyrics are subject to debate, as ‘Black Betty’ could refer to several different things. Over the course of time a ‘Black Betty’ has been a nickname given to a number of objects, including a musket, a bottle of whiskey, a whip, or even a penitentiary transfer wagon. In their 1934 book ‘American Ballads and Folk Songs,’ the father and son, John A. Lomax, (1867-1948) and Alan Lomax, (1915-2002) who were authors of historical ‘Folk Music’ describe the origins of ‘Black Betty’ as thus.’Black Betty is not another ‘Frankie,’ (Frankie and Johnny is a traditional American Murder Ballad) nor yet a two-timing woman that a man can moan his blues about. She is the whip that was, and is used in some Southern prisons. A convict on the Darrington State Farm in Texas, where, by the way, whipping has been practically discontinued, laughed at Black Betty and mimicked her conversation in the song.’

The earliest known recording of ‘Black Betty’ was in 1933 by the African/American traditional Folk singer James ‘Iron Head’ Baker, (1884-1944) who performed the song acapella while he was incarcerated in ‘Huntsville Penitentiary,’ in Texas. In 1939 Huddie William Ledbetter, (1888-1949) who is better known by his stage name ‘Lead Belly,’ (see also best songs 431) incorporated ‘Black Betty’ in to a acapella medley with two other traditional work songs, and that is the version that ‘Ram Jam’ based their 1977 recording on.

The ‘Ram Jam’ version of ‘Black Betty’ was the brain child of Bill Bartlett who took Lead Belly’s 59 second long ‘Black Betty,’ and arranged, recorded and released it with his group ‘Starstruck.’ The song was heard by the music producers Jerry Kasenetz, and Jeffry Katz, who edited the song down, and quickly put together another group with Bartlett in it, calling them ‘Ram Jam,’ and re-releasing the song nationally. ‘Ram Jam’ were active between 1977-1978, with five official members. In that time they released two studio Albums, and a ‘Very Best of Ram Jam’ compilation in 1990, which was basically both of the studio Albums issued in one package, They also released four singles between 1977-1978, with only ‘Black Betty’ charting, when reaching Number 18 on Billboard in America, Number 7 in the UK, and Number 3 in Australia. In 1990 the Dutch music producer Ben Liebrand did a remix of ‘Black Betty,’ called the ‘Rough ‘n Ready’ remix, which made Number 13 in the UK. Other significant covers of ‘Black Betty’ are by the English Rock band Manfred Mann, who recorded the song as ‘Big Betty’ on their 1968 Album ‘Mighty Garvey!’ In 2004 the Australian Alternative Rock band ‘Spiderbait’ released their version of ‘Black Betty,’ which went all the way to Number 1 in Australia.

Bill Bartlett was born on February 28th, 1943, in South Harrow, Middlesex, England. Prior to joining ‘Ram Jam’ he had been a member of the mid 1960’s American Rock band ‘The Lemon Pipers,’ who are best remembered for their 1967 Billboard Number 1, and UK Number 7 song ‘Green Tambourine,’ making them ‘one hit wonders’ in America. It was after the demise of ‘The Lemon Pipers’ in 1969, that Bartlett went on to form ‘Starstruck.’

Jerry Kasenetz and Jeffry Katz who produced the Ram Jam version of ‘Black Betty,’ had previously developed, and had great success in the genre of ‘Bubblegum Pop,’ (see also best songs 1000) working together as the ‘Super K Productions’ company, manufacturing and producing bands such as ‘Kasenetz-Katz Singing Orchestral Circus,’ ‘The Music Explosion,’ ‘1910 Fruitgum Company,’ ‘Crazy Elephant,’ and ‘The Ohio Express.’

‘Whoa, Black Betty, bam-ba-lam. Whoa, Black Betty, bam-ba-lam.
Black Betty had a child, bam-ba-lam, the damn thing gone wild, bam-ba-lam. She said, I’m worryin’ outta mind, bam-ba-lam, the damn thing gone blind, bam-ba-lam.’