Send Me to the 'Lectric Chair

About Send Me to the 'Lectric Chair

"Send Me to the 'Lectric Chair" is a late-1920s blues song written by composer George Brooks and made famous by Bessie Smith. In the song, a female narrator confesses the murder of a deceitful lover and expresses her willingness to accept her punishment. The song is notable for being among the selections officially banned from being played on radio by the British Broadcasting Corporation. The song, both in its original rendition and in cover versions, has been included in numerous albums as well as live performances. Profiling a new volume of Smith's recordings, a reviewer comments, "Some of her most deservedly famous records are here ... as well as some that ought to be, like 'Send Me to the 'Lectric Chair"; another reviewer also singled out that as one of two particularly "terrific numbers" that made Bessie Smith: The Complete Recordings, Vol. 3 an improvement over the previous volumes. more »