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Uncensored History of the Blues A discussion of the best in early recorded blues.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
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Mike Rugel
Show 48 - Disease Blues
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Pneumonia -- it’s a disease of the lungs. Even by the first part of the twentieth century, medical developments had improved the prognosis for people with pneumonia, but it was still dangerous in the 1920s (as it is today). In 1929, Blind Lemon Jefferson sang about the aches and pains after catching pneumonia while running down alleys in a cold rain trying to catch his woman cheating. Pneumonia Blues:
2005 (10) 2006 (13) 2007 (8) 2008 (8) 2009 (5) t 2010 (8)
I'm aching all over, believe I got the pneumonia this time
January (1)
I'm aching all over, believe I got the pneumonia this time
March (1)
And it's all on account of that lowdown gal of mine
April (1) June (2)
Slinking around the corner, running up alleys too
t August (1)
I said slinking around corners, running up alleys too
t Aug 19 (1)
Watching my woman trying to see what she going to do
Show 48 - Disease Blues Stood out in the street one cold dark stormy night
October (1)
I stood out in the street one cold dark stormy night
November (1)
Trying to see if my good gal going to make it home alright
2011 (4) 2012 (5)
I believe she's found something that probably made her fall
2013 (5)
She must have found something that made her fall
2014 (2)
I stood out in the cold all night and she didn't come home at all
2015 (1) 2016 (2)
Wear BVDs in the winter, traveling around in the rain
2017 (1)
Wear BVDs in the winter, traveling around in the rain Last time my baby give me this pneumonia pain
Labels
abuse
Now when I die, bury me in a Stetson hat
Ace Johnson
I said when I die, bury me in a Stetson hat
Arthur Bell
Tell my good gal I'm going but I'm still standing pat
Barbecue Bob
Big Bill Broonzy talked about aches from pneumonia in Pneumonia Blues (I Keep on Aching) in 1936:
Barrelhouse Annie Beale Street Sheiks beating
I’m feeling sick and bad, my head is hurting too
Ben Curry
Go get the doctor so he can tell me just what to do
Bertha Henderson
Because I keep on aching, yes I ache both night and day
Bertha Lee
Yes, doctor, doctor please drive this old pneumonia away
Bessie Smith Big Bill Broonzy Big Joe Williams
I have got the pneumonia, I’ve got it in both my sides
Big John Davis
My friends treat me so bad, til I just cant keep from crying for me
Billie McKenzie
I keep aching, yes I ache both night and day
Billy Mitchell
Yes, doctor, doctor please drive this old pneumonia away
Black Ace Blind Blake I have used big fan(?), I used everything my friends say
Blind Boy Fuller
Now I believe I’ll drink a hot toddy and go to bed
Blind Joe Taggart
Because I keep aching, yes I ache both night and day
Blind Lemon Jefferson
Yes, doctor, doctor please drive this old pneumonia away
Blind Teddy Darby Blind Willie Johnson Blind Willie McTell
My friends told my wife they had did all they could They said put him in the hospital before he ruins the neighborhood
blues
I keep aching, yes I ache both night and day
Blues Birdhead
Yes, doctor, doctor please drive this old pneumonia away
Bo Carter Bob Robinson Bobby Grant
The doctor said my fever was 103
Bogus Ben Covington
The nurse said put him in crowded room, that’s where he ought to be
boll weevil
Because he keeps aching, yes I ache both night and day
Boweavil Jackson
Yes, doctor, doctor please drive this old pneumonia away
Brownie McGhee Bukka White
Influenza or the flu killed countless millions around the world in the twentieth century. One of the pandemics broke out in 1918. This was a few years before blues music was being recorded, but given the incredible virulence of what they called Spanish Flu, it’s surprising there aren’t more blues records about it. At east a couple recording artists did mention the flu including gospel great Blind Willie Johnson when he recorded Jesus is Coming Soon:
Bull City Red Bumble Bee Slim Buster Brown Buster Ezell Butterbeans and Susie Carl Martin
Well, we done told you, our God's done warned you, Jesus coming soon
cars
We done told you, our God's done warned you, Jesus coming soon
Carter Family Casey Bill Weldon Cedar Creek Sheik
In the year of 19 and 18, God sent a mighty disease
Champion Jack Dupree
It killed many a-thousand, on land and on the seas
Charles Ellis
We done told you, God's done warned you, Jesus coming soon
Charley Jordan
We done told you, God's done warned you, Jesus coming soon.
Charley Patton Charlie Hicks Great disease was mighty and the people were sick everywhere
Charlie McCoy
It was an epidemic, it floated through the air
Charlie Nelson
We done told you, God's done warned you, Jesus coming soon
Charlie Pickett
We done told you, God's done warned you, Jesus coming soon
Charlie Spand Charlie Turner Clara Herring
The doctors they got troubled and they didn't know what to do They gathered themselves together, they called it the Spanish influ
Clara Smith
We done told you, God's done warned you, Jesus coming soon
Cleo Gibson
We done told you, God's done warned you, Jesus coming soon
Clifford Gibson Coley Jones Cow Cow Davemport
Soldiers died on the battlefield, died in the count too
cows
Well the Captain said to the lieutenant, "I don't know what to do"
Cripple Clarence Lofton
We done told you, God's done warned you, Jesus coming soon
Curley Weaver
We done told you, God's done warned you, Jesus coming soon
Curtis Jones Darby and Tarlton
Well, God is warning the nation, He's a-warning them every way
Dave Macon. Henry Thomas
To turn away from evil and seek the Lord and pray
Deford Bailey
We done told you, God's done warned you, Jesus coming soon.
Dick Justice
We done told you, God's done warned you, Jesus coming soon.
Dirty Dozens Dixon Brothers Dock Boggs
Well, the nobles said to the people, "You better close your public schools"
drought
"Until the events of death has ending, you better close your churches too"
drugs
We done told you, God's done warned you, Jesus coming soon
Earl Johnson
We done told God's done warned you, Jesus coming soon
Ed Bell Read the book of Zacharias, bible plainly says
Elizabeth Johnson
Said the people in the cities dying, account of they're wicked ways
Elvie Thomas Elzadie Robinson
Ace Johnson was recorded for the Library of Congress by John Lomax at Clemens State Farm, Brazoria, Brazoria County, Texas. Influenza:
Finious Rockmore Ford Fort Valley
In nineteen hundred and twenty-nine, men and women sure was dying
Frank Edwards
From the disease, what the doctors called the flu
Frank Hutchison
People was dying everywhere, death went creeping through the air
Frank Stokes
For the groans of the sick sure was sad
Frankie Jaxon Freddie Spruell
It was God's almighty hand, he was judging this old land
Funny Paper Smith
North and South, East and West can be seen
Furry Lewis
Yes, he killed the rich and poor, and he's going to kill more
gambling
If you don't turn away from your sins
Gay and Tarter Geeshie Wiley Gene Campbell
It was Memphis, Tennessee, doctors said it soon would be
George Hannah
In a few days, influenza we’ll control
George Willams and Bessie Brown
But God showed that He was head, and He put the doctor to bed
Georgia Crackers
And the nurse they broke down with the same
Georgia Tom Georgia White
It was God's almighty hand, he was judging this old land
Gladys Bentley
North and South, East and West can be seen
Gus Cannon
Yes, he killed the rich and poor, and he's going to kill more
Gus Gibson
If you don't turn away from your sins
Hambone Willie Newbern Harlem Hamfats heifers
Influenza is a disease, that makes you weak all in your knees
Henry Brown
Tis a fever everybody sure does dread Puts a pain in every bone, a few days and you are gone
Henry Townsend
To a place in the ground called the grave
Hi Henry Brown Hoodoo Houston Stackhouse
It was God's almighty hand, he was judging this old land
Ida Cox
North and South, East and West can be seen
illness
Yes, he killed the rich and poor, and he's going to kill more
Ishmon Bracey
If you don't turn away from your sins
Jabo Williams Jack Kelly
Silicosis, is a lung disease caused by inhalation of crystalline silica dust. It’s common to tunnel diggers and mine workers. Josh White sang something of a labor protest song called Silicosis is Killing Me:
James Stump Johnson Jane Lucas Jaybird Coleman Jazz Gillum
I said silicosis, you made a mighty bad break of me Awww, silicosis made a mighty bad break of me
Jesse James
You robbed me of my youth and health
Jewell Nelson
All you brought poor me was mis..
Jim Crow Jim Jackson Jimmie Rodgers
Now silicosis, you're a dirty robber and a thief
Jimmy Oden
Awww silicosis, dirty robber and a thief
Jimmy Owens
Robbed me of my right to live and all you brought poor me was grief
Joe McCoy Joe Pullum
I was there digging that tunnel for six bits a day
Joe Stone
I was there digging that tunnel for six bits a day
John Henry
Didn't know I was digging my own grave, silicosis eating my lungs away
John Henry Howard John Lee Hooker Johnnie Temple
I says mama, mama, mama, cool my fevered head
Josh White
I says mama, mama, come and cool my fevered head
Julius Daniels
I’m going to meet my Jesus, God knows I'll soon be dead
Kansas Joe Kid Bailey
Six bits I got for digging, digging that tunnel hole
Kid Prince Moore
Six bits I got for digging, digging that tunnel hole
Kid Stormy Weather
Takes me away from my baby, it sure done wrecked my soul
King Solomon Hill Kingfish Bill Tomlin Kokomo Arnold
Now tell all my buddies, tell all my friends you see
labor
Now tell all my buddies, tell all my friends you see
Lead Belly
I'm going way up yonder, please don't grieve for me
Lee Brown Lee Green
Blind Blake used the parasitic hookworm as a metaphor for that man you don’t want hanging around:
Leonard Baby Doo Caston Leroy Carr levees
Hookworm in your body and your food don't do you no good
Lil McLintock
Hookworm in your body, your food don't do you no good
Lizzie Miles
Same way with a rounder come in a nice neighborhood
Lonnie Johnson Lucille Bogan
Dirty old hookworm got into my room, causes me to walk, groan and moan
Luke Jordan
Man like a hookworm got a hold to my baby
Ma Rainey
He got to point it fast people and I don't mean maybe
Madlyn Davis Maggie Jones Memphis Jug Band
Never can tell what a hookworm man will do
Memphis Minnie
You never can tell what a hookworm man will do
Memphis Slim
Take your baby and make her stop loving you
Merline Johnson Minnie Wallace
I'm going to leave my baby and let her have her way
Mississippi John Hurt
I'm going to leave my baby and let her have her way
Mississippi Moaner
She’ll want me back some day when he throws her down
Mississippi Sheiks Monkey Joe Mose Andrews
Mmmmm, mmmm, mmmm, mmmm
news
Her man like a hookworm taking a hold to my babe
nicknames Nugrape Twins
Bumble Bee Slim used or a cold or tonsilitis to address a fear of pain and death in I Done Caught My Death of Cold:
Papa Charlie Jackson Peck Curtis Peetie Wheatstraw
Doctor, please give me something just to ease these awful pains Doctor, please give me something just to ease these awful pains
Peg Leg Howell
I done caught my death of cold and it’s settling on my brain
policy ponies prison
I can’t hardly breathe, I got a wheezing in my chest
Rabbit Brown
I can’t hardly breathe, I got a wheezing in my chest
racism
Well, I’m having tonsilitis, doctor you should know the rest
railroads rain Ralph Willis
Give me Oil of ninety-nine, three-sixty , anything I done caught my death of cold
Ramblin' Thomas
Lord have mercy
Red Nelson Reese Crenshaw Rev. J.M. Gates
Ay doctor, is there any cure for me?
Robert Hicks
Ay doctor, is there any cure for me?
Robert Johnson
Well I’m in so much misery, I’m in so much misery
Robert Lockwood jr. Robert Wilkins Roosevelt Sykes
I done caught my death of cold, now my friends cannot be found I done caught my death of cold, well my friends cannot be found
sales tax
Well I been wading deep water and I been sleeping on the ground
Sam Collins Scrapper Blackwell
It’s great to see how these different musicians use diseases. Blind Lemon Jefferson sees the aches and pains of pneumonia as yest another consequence of being with a no-good woman. Big Bill sees the aches and pains as a blues situation themselves and Bumble Bee Slim does something similar singing about his tonsilitis. Blind Blake uses the hookworm as a metaphor for a man showing up where’s he’s not wanted. The common thread is the abandonment of friends, family, or lovers with the disease. The fear of sickness and death was all to real, but the fear of the blues that comes from being truly alone never leaves.
sick Sippie Wallace Skip James Sleepy John Estes Sloppy Henry Smith Band snow Son Bonds Son House
Songs: Pneumonia Blues - Blind Lemon Jefferson Pneumonia Blues (I Keep on Achin') - Big Bill Jesus is Coming - Blind Willie Johnson Influenza - Ace Johnson Silicosis is Killing Me - Josh White Hookworm Blues - Blind Blake I Done Caught My Death of Cold - Bumble Bee Slim
songs Sonny Boy Nelson Sonny Boy Williamson Sonny Chestain Speckled Red Spider Carter Sylvester Weaver Tampa Red Tangle Eye
at August 19, 2010 Labels: Ace Johnson, Big Bill Broonzy, Blind Blake, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Blind Willie Johnson, Bumble Bee Slim, Josh White
taxes Texas Alexander Thomas Dorsey Tommy Griffin Tommy Johnson
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