By Scott Yanow (allmusic.com)

One of the legendary unrelated Smith singers of the 1920s, Clara Smith was never on Bessie's level or as significant as Mamie but she had something of her own to offer. She began working on the theatre circuit and in vaudeville around 1910, learning her craft during the next 13 years while traveling throughout the South. In 1923 Clara Smith came to New York and she recorded steadily for Columbia through 1932, cutting 122 songs often with the backing of top musicians (especially after 1925) including Louis Armstrong, Charlie Green, Joe Smith, Freddy Jenkins and James P. Johnson (in 1929). Plus she recorded two vocal duets with Bessie Smith and four with Lonnie Johnson. She was billed as the "Queen of the Moaners" although Smith actually had a lighter and sweeter voice than her contemporaries and main competitors. She performed throughout the country (even appearing on the West Coast during 1924-25) and in Harlem revues during her prime years. Clara Smith was active until shortly before her death in 1935 from heart failure at the age of 40.

1. "I Got Everything a Woman Needs"
2. "Every Woman's Blues"
3. "Kind Lovin' Blues"
4. "Down South Blues"
5. "All Night Blues"
6. "Play It"
7. "I Want My Sweet Daddy"
8. "Irresistible Blues"
9. "I Never Miss the Sunshine (I'm So Used to the Rain)"
10. "Awful Moanin' Blues"
11. "Don't Never Tell Nobody"
12. "Waitin' for the Evenin' Mail"
13. "Kansas City Man Blues"
14. "Uncle Sam Blues"
15. "Far Away Blues"
16. "I'm Going Back to My Used to Be"
17. "It Won't Be Long Now"
18. "Hot Papa"
19. "I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down"
20. "I Don't Love Nobody (So I Have No Blues)"
21. "Good Looking Papa Blues"
22. "You Don't Know My Mind"

1. "My Doggone Lazy Man"
2. "Chicago Blues"
3. "31st Street Blues"
4. "War Horse Mama (Pig Meat Sweetie)"
5. "Cold Weather Papa"
6. "West Indies Blues"
7. "Mean Papa Turn You Key"
8. "The Clearing House Blues"
9. "Don't Advertise Your Man"
10. "Back Woods Blues"
11. "Deep Blue Sea Blues"
12. "Texas Moaner Blues"
13. "The Basement Blues"
14. "Momma's Gone, Goodbye"
15. "Freight Train Blues"
16. "Done Sold My Soul to the Devil (And My Heart's Done Turned to Stone)"
17. "San Francisco Blues"
18. "Death Letter Blues"
19. "Perscription for the Blues"
20. "Steel Drivin' Sam"
21. "He's Mine, All Mine"

1. "Nobody Knows the Way I Feel This Morning"
2. "Broken Busted Blues"
3. "If You Only Knowed"
4. "You Better Keep the Home Fires Burning (Cause Your Mamma's Getting Cold)"
5. "My Good-For-Nuthin' Man"
6. "When I Step Out"
7. "The L&N Blues"
8. "Shipwrecked Blues"
9. "Courthouse Blues"
10. "Courthouse Blues"
11. "My John Blues"
12. "Different Ways Blues"
13. "Down Home Bound Blues"
14. "My Two Timing Blues"
15. "Kitchen Mechanic Blues"
16. "My Man Blues"
17. "I'm Tired of Being Good"
18. "Onery Blues"
19. "You Get Mad"
20. "Alley Rat Blues"
21. "When My Sugar Walks Down the Street"
22. "Dissapointed Blues "
23. "The Market Street Blues"
24. "It Takes the Lawd (To Tell What's on My Mind) "

1. "Look Where the Sun Done Gone"
2. "Rock, Church, Rock"
3. "Jelly Bean Blues"
4. "How'm I Doin'"
5. "Whip It to a Jelly"
6. "Salty Dog"
7. "A Brand-New Papa"
8. "Ain't Nothin' Cookin' What You're Smellin'"
9. "Separation Blues"
10. "Percolatin' Blues"
11. "Ease It"
12. "Livin' Humble"
13. "Get on Board"
14. "Cheatin' Daddy"
15. "You Don't Know Who's Shakin' Your Tree"
16. "Race Track Blues"
17. "Troublesome Blues"
18. "You Can't Get It Now"
19. "That's Why the Undertakers are Busy Today"
20. "Black Woman's Blues"

1. "Black Cat Moan"
2. "Strugglin' Woman's Blues"
3. "Jelly Look What You Done Done"
4. "It's All Coming Home to You"
5. "Gin Mills Blues"
6. "Steamboat Man Blues"
7. "Sobbin' Sister Blues"
8. "Got My Mind on That Thing"
9. "Wanna Go Home"
10. "Ain't Got Nobody to Grind My Coffee"
11. "Tell Me When"
12. "Empty House Blues"
13. "Daddy Don't That Thing on Me Blues"
14. "It's Tight Like That"
15. "Papa I Don't Need You Now"
16. "Tired of the Way You Do"
17. "Oh! Mister Michelle"
18. "Where is My Man"
19. "You Can't Stay Here No More"
20. "Let's Get Loose"

1. "Don't Fool Around on Me"
2. "Down in the Mouf' Blues"
3. "Low Land Man"
4. "Woman to Woman"
5. "You're Getting Old on Your Job" (Duet with Lonnie Johnson)
6. "What Makes You Act Like That?" (Duet with Lonnie Johnson)
7. "You had Too Much" (Duet with Lonnie Johnson)
8. "Don't Wear It Out" (Duet with Lonnie Johnson)
9. "I Want a Two-Fisted Double Jointed Man"
10. "Good Times"
11. "Ol' Sam Tages"
12. "Unemployed Papa - Charity Working Mama"
13. "For Sale (Hannah Johnson's Jack Ass)"
14. "You Dirty Dog"
15. "Street Department Papa"
16. "Pictures on the Wall"
17. "(I'm Tired of) Flattenin' Frogs for Snakes"
18. "So Long Jim"
19. "Wandering Boy Blues"
20. "Sand Raisin' Blues"
21. "Clara Blues"
22. "After You've Gone Away"

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This page updated June 5, 2005 by Adrian Carter.