Episode 868 is coming from Radio Free Amsterdam’s Detroit headquarters at 55 Peterboro St. where I’m featuring an hour of music from the vast archive of reefer songs I’ve just received from a listener called Paul Paul, from Australia I think, who attached the following text:

“I collect songs about marijuana and I have about 5000. I sent them to you on a USB stick. I have spent the last 4 years collecting them and they are from over 120 countries and territories and date from 1924 to 2020.

The 30’s was the golden age of reefer music and Cab Calloway was king.”

I’ll be featuring music from this collection for some months to come, and we’ll start today with a collection called Reefer Madness with contributions from Helen Ward with Gene Krupa, Frankie Newton, Chick Webb with Ella Fitzgerald, Julia Lee, Barney Bigard, Bessie Smith, Fats Waller, Victoria Spivey, Lil Green, Cab Calloway, Jack Teagarden with Benny Goodman, Lead Belly, Don Redman, Jerry Kruger with Cootie Williams, Trixie Smith, and Stuff Smith.

The John Sinclair Foundation Presents

DOPE HEAD BLUES

JOHN SINCLAIR RADIO SHOW 868

Cass Corridor, Detroit, June 16, 2020 [20405]

Yusef Lateef: Happyology

Helen Ward with Gene Krupa: I’m Feeling High & Happy

Frankie Newton: Onyx Hop

Chick Webb With Ella Fitzgerald: When I Get Low, I Get High

Julia Lee: Lotus Blossom (Sweet Marijuana)

Chick Webb With Ella Fitzgerald: Wacky Dust

Barney Bigard: Sweet Marijuana Brown

Bessie Smith: Gimme A Pigfoot (Gimme A Reefer)

Fats Waller: The Reefer Song (If You’re A Viper)

Victoria Spivey: Dope Head Blues

Lil Green: Knockin’ Myself Out

Cab Calloway: Minnie The Moocher

Jack Teagarden with Benny Goodman: Texas Tea Party

Lead Belly: Take A Whiff On Me

Don Redman: Reefer Man

Jerry Kruger with Cootie Williams: Ol’ Man River (Smoke A Little Tea)

Trixie Smith: Jack, I’m Mellow

Cab Calloway: Kickin’ The Gong Around

Stuff Smith: Here Comes The Man With The Jive

Charlie Parker: They Can’t Take That Away From Me

A JOINT PRODUCTION

Hosted by John Sinclair for Radio Free Amsterdam

Program produced, edited, assembled & annotated by John Sinclair

Executive Producer: Steve Pratt