Miss Blues
Bad Prospects
Bad Prospects, the latest CD by Dorothy “Miss Blues” Ellis is NOT one you’ll be wanting to put on as the soundtrack to a romantic Valentine’s Day with your Sweetie. Unless of course, your “Sweetie” turned out to be a no-good, lying, two timing monster who took all your money and your best friend, and ran over your trust as they sped away in the car you bought them. If THAT’S how you’re spending your Valentine’s Day - alone with a box of chocolates and a fifth of whiskey, thinking of the horrible, painful ways karma might catch up with your “Sweetie” – well, in that case Bad Prospects would make a perfect musical accompaniment to your day.
There are no love songs here. And no pity songs either. Ellis doesn’t write any whining “He’s left me, I think I might die” kind of wussy lyrics. No, not Miss Blues. The songs are more in line with the track “Trapped”: after 50 years together, her man tells her she’s “getting fat and she moves too slow”. Putting up with his verbal abuse has turned her love to hate. So, after considering her fate, she tells that man “I’m gonna fix myself up. I’m gonna buy me a car, I’m going out cruising down at the Blue Note Bar…I’m gonna find me a damned good man if he’s dumb, cripple or blind”. And takes back control of her life in the process. There is strength and determination in this and all of her lyrics. Even when she’s telling us how bad it is, you know she’ll find her way. We all get the blues. The difference is, Miss Blues doesn’t let them stop her.
Ellis penned seven of the nine tunes on the disc. Most deal with love gone tragically wrong. The other two are “It’s Gonna Rain,” by bassist Don Skinner (also sharing vocal duties with Dorothy on the tune) and the instrumental “Midnight City,” written by guitarist Chris Henson. There is one other instrumental on the CD, “Rub Board Boogie”. Her hearty laugh and Miss Blues percussive washboard playing drive the rollicking tune.
What Dorothy’s voice may lack in range, it makes up in abundance with depth and emotion. There is never a moment of doubt that she means what she’s singing – the raw emotions forged from a lifetime of bad luck and lessons learned the hard way. What optimism shines peaks through, supported by her backbone of steel, is tempered by a heavy sigh of life’s realities.
Miss Blues ain’t no fool. She’s not about to smile sweetly and say everything’s all right when she can see the Bad Prospects all around. But they’re not taking her down without a fight. And my money’s on Miss Blues for the knock out win.
- Blue Lisa -
Southwest Blues CD Review - February 2009
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