Many many years ago, I wrote a slightly post called Joshuaphile, based on the fact that I had quite a few versions of Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho (by any number of names) – and how they were mostly quite wildly different from each other. I’ve often wondered about playing a set where I stuck to different versions of exactly same song… so I put together an 8track of eight different versions.
Anyway – 8track has long gone, and now I have a whole lot more versions of Joshua. So here’s Joshuaphile take 2 (or times 2) – with double the number of Joshuas, and using MixCloud, which doesn’t look like going anywhere any time soon. I’m sure everyone has long been harbouring a burning desire to listen to sixteen different versions of Joshua in one stretch – so finally, after the fold you can do exactly that!
| Joshua (Straycat Edit) | Ralph Flanagan | Ralph Flanagan seemed to like recording versions of this track, and many different speeds, all ruined by a horrible fanfare. Here’s one of the faster ones, with the fanfare (as usual) surgically removed. |
| Jericho | Ben Webster (Cozy Cole Allstars) | Probably the closest of these in style to proper swing. |
| Joshua | Bobby McFerrin | Modern, weird, wonderful – performed as only Bobby McFerrin can perform it. |
| Joshua Fit De Battle of Jericho | Jan Savitt | A wonderful vocal-based take from the forties |
| Joshua Fit De Battle of Jericho | Gospel Classics Singers | A more modern, full-on gospel take. Of what is, after all, a gospel tune. |
| Joshua Fit De Battle of Jericho | Spike Hughes and His Dance Orchestra | A great version for Balboa…. right up until the point it turns into a drag blues track for the ending. Which, to be fair, probably still works for Balboa |
| Joshua Fit De Battle Of Jericho | Kid Ory | If there’s just two versions that a swing dancer is familiar with, here’s one of them. |
| Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho | Big Maybelle | A dramatic bluesy gospel version from the always-amazing Big Maybelle |
| Joshua Fit The Battle | Gordon Webster | One of my favourite Gordon Webster tracks – a wonderful live performance back in the days when he was really aiming to play proper swing. |
| Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho | The Kenny Davern Trio | Another more modern take – long, but keeps ringing the changes and evolving throughout. |
| Joshua Fit The Battle Of Jericho | Earl Thomas | For a complete change of pace – Earl Thomas with a slow bluesy take. |
| Joshua Fit The Battle Of Jericho | Kid Ory & His Creole Jazz Band | The less-well-known of Kid Ory’s versions (probably because of the sound quality) – but my favourite of his. |
| Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho | Sidney Bechet | If there’s just one version that a swing dancer knows, it’s going to be Sidney Bechet’s |
| Joshua Fit The Battle of Jerico | Mahalia Jackson | Another of the slow bluesy entries – fire and brimstone, with maybe a teensy touch of tango. |
| Jericho | Clarence Williams | I do have a soft spot for many of Clarence Williams’ gospel offerings – there’s a sound, energy and rhythmic style that’s incredibly hard to beat. |
| Joshua | Dick Wellstood | A slow-building take – also one of the more modern ones – but one of the first I ever collected. Love this one. |
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