<Tr> <Th> Label </Th> <Td> Columbia (no . 14451) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Songwriter (s) </Th> <Td> Jimmy Cox </Td> </Tr> <P> "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out" is a blues standard written by Jimmy Cox in 1923 . Its lyric, told from the point of view of a one - time millionaire during the Prohibition era, reflects on the fleeting nature of material wealth and the friendships that come and go with it . As a vaudeville - style blues, it was popularized by Bessie Smith, the preeminent female blues singer of the 1920s and 1930s . Since her 1929 recording, it has been interpreted by numerous musicians in a variety of styles . </P> <P> When "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out" was composed in 1923 by Jimmy Cox, the "Roaring Twenties" were coming into full swing . After the post-World War I recession, a new era of prosperity was experienced in the U.S. and elsewhere . However, in the face of all the optimism, Cox wrote a cautionary tale about the fickle nature of fortune and its attendant relationships: </P>

Who wrote nobody knows you when you're down and out