Tag: Dr. John

Etta James and Dr. John on the Classic Heartbreak Song Written in Prison: “I’d Rather Go Blind”

“I’d Rather Go Blind” originated out of a heartbreak in prison and a B-side to a single to become a classic Etta James song.

It is difficult to think of a more soulful sound than of Etta James singing “I’d Rather Go Blind.” Her original recording of the song is one of the great classic records. But she also sometimes welcomed someone to sing the song with her on stage. On more than one occasion she joined voices to sing “I’d Rather Go Blind” with the great New Orleans voice Dr. John.

Etta James, who was born on January 25, 1938 and passed away on January 20, 2012, reported in her autobiography that she first heard the song that would become so associated with her while visiting a friend named Ellington “Fugi” Jordan in Chino Prison in 1967. Fugi had written the song while developing his musical abilities in prison.

Fugi, who was born in 1940, passed away on June 18, 2020. There is not a lot on the Internet about him, which is odd for someone who wrote such a classic song as “I’d Rather Go Blind” and who was big in the Fresno music scene. His obituary in the Fresno Bee notes that among other accomplishments, he collaborated with Black Merda on a psychedelic funk track called “Mary Don’t Take Me on No Bad Trip” in 1968. His 1994 CD The Cold-Blooded City They Call the ‘No’  featured the rap song, “The City of Fresno.”

The songwriting credits for “I’d Rather Go Blind” often include Etta James and Billy Foster (of The Medallions) in addition to Fugi’s name. James reported that she helped Fugi finish the song but gave the co-songwriting credit to Foster, her boyfriend and songwriting partner at the time, for tax reasons.

At least one website, however, reports that Fugi denied ever meeting James in prison. Fugi, who spent time in prison for desertion and robbery, said that he had written the song by himself sitting at a piano in San Quentin Prison after a break up with his girlfriend.

Fugi’s original name for the song was “I’d Rather Be a Blind Man.” Below is him singing the song.

Despite the different stories, it is clear that Fugi wrote most or all of “I’d Rather Go Blind,” while in prison, and it is easy to hear the beautiful despair in the lyrics and music. Beyond that, we know James recorded “I’d Rather Go Blind” at the FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. The song appeared on James’s album Tell Mama (1968), having first been released as a B-side in 1967 to the album’s title track song, “Tell Mama.” That’s right, one of the most emotionally heartbreaking popular songs ever recorded originally was a B-side.

Although she is the original and most known singer of the song, it has been covered by many artists such as B.B. King, Marcia Ball, Rod Stewart, Little Milton and Beyoncé for the Cadillac Records film soundtrack. James also participated in an amazing performance of the song where she shared the stage with another person, singer-songwriter Dr. John. Below, Etta James and Dr. John sing “I’d Rather Go Blind” on the Midnight Special TV show in 1975.

I’m not sure who came up with the idea of creating a duet between Dr. John and Etta James on one of James’s classic songs. But the above duet from 1975 clearly made an impact, leading the two to reunite on the song more than a decade later.

Here, Dr. John and Etta James reunited on “I’d Rather Go Blind” in 1987 on the TV show A Blues Session: BB King And Friends.

What is your favorite version of “I’d Rather Go Blind”? Leave your two cents in the comments.

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    Don’t Forget Who’s Taking You Home

    You can dance every dance with the guy
    Who gives you the eye, let him hold you tight;
    . . .
    But don’t forget who’s taking you home,
    And in whose arms you’re gonna be;
    So darlin’, save the last dance for me.
    — Doc Pomus & Mort Shuman, “Save the Last Dance for Me”

    CBS Sunday Morning recently featured a story about divorce attorney Raoul Felder, which surprisingly revealed a touching story about the co-writer of the song, “Save the Last Dance for Me.” The song became a number one recording by The Drifters with Ben E. King on October 17, 1960.  Later, it would be covered by others, including Michael Bublé and Dolly Parton.

    Doc Pomus

    Doc Pomus

    Raoul Felder’s brother was Jerome Solon Felder, who became better known as a songwriter under the name Doc Pomus. Pomus, who was born in 1925, developed polio when he was 7 years old so had to walk on crutches and later rely on a wheelchair. Starting in the 1950s, Pomus wrote several hit songs with pianist Mort Shuman.

    Pomus’s Wedding

    Pomus wrote the lyrics to “Save the Last Dance for Me” as he looked back on the day he married Broadway actress and dancer Willi Burke in 1957.  The song recounts a memory from their wedding reception at the Waldorf Astoria.

    The wheelchair-bound Pomus wrote the from the bittersweet perspective of a man who cannot dance with his new bride, so he can only look on as she dances with other men. But he reminds her that they are going home together at the end of the night.

    Someone today may try to say the song sounds a little sexist.  But the story behind the song gives it a deeper context. Also, some different sources disagree slightly on whether Pomus wrote “Save the Last Dance” on the wedding day, looking back on that day, or after another dance. But the most reliable ones connect it to the wedding reception. And all agree that the song was influenced by a real event as Pomus watched other men dance with the woman he loved.

    Ben E. King’s Emotional Recording

    A related story may explain the great vocal by Ben E. King on the song. As The Drifters prepared to record “Save the Last Dance for Me,” Atlantic owner Ahmet Ertegun told King how Pomus came to write the song.

    After hearing the story, King fought back tears as he prepared to lay down his vocals on the song.  And then he gave one of his most moving performances that captures the joy and sadness in the lyrics. (Hear an interview with King about the song on WNYC.)

    Below is the wonderful recording of “Save the Last Dance for Me” by Ben E. King and The Drifters.

    Life After “Save the Last Dance for Me”

    Pomus and Shuman wrote several other classics, although it is hard to imagine one as personal as “Save the Last Dance for Me.” The team’s hits include “A Teenager in Love,” “This Magic Moment,” “Turn Me Loose,” “Little Sister,” “Surrender,” “Viva, Las Vegas,” and “(Marie’s the Name) His Latest Flame.”

    Pomus also wrote songs with Phil Spector, Dr. John, Willy DeVille, and others. Others, like Bob Dylan and Pomus’s friend Lou Reed, wanted to write with Pomus.

    I could not find any details, but it appears it was not true that the singer in the song “Never, never” let the dancer go.  Unfortunately, Pomus’s marriage to Burke did not last. Although it is too bad for them, the rest of us got a great song from the relationship.

    Pomus died of cancer in 1991. In 1992, Pomus was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

    And that is the story behind the song.

    What is your favorite Doc Pomus song? Leave your two cents in the comments.

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  • Etta James and Dr. John on the Classic Heartbreak Song Written in Prison: “I’d Rather Go Blind”
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