Monday, September 13, 2010

Signifying Mary Johnson: Muddy Creek Blues, 1929













This "cut" is as far from The Beatles' "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" as you can get, something closer to a hallucinatory Brothers Grimm fairy tale.   It was recorded in Chicago on May 7, 1929 -- less than three months after the Saint Valentine's Day Massacre.  Violence, as they say, may have been in the Chicago air.  Dear readers, I'd love to hear your take on it. My transcription:

"Muddy Creek Blues" by Mary Johnson

I’d rather be in a muddy creek
Floating like a log
I’d rather be in a muddy creek
Floating like a log
Than to be in St. Louis
Treated like a poor watchdog.

I went to the muddy creek this morning
With my razor swinging in my hand
I went to the muddy creek this morning
With my razor swinging in my hand
I said good morning Mister Tadpole
Have you seen any sign of my man?

Please Tadpole vow to me
Before I raise my hand
Please Tadpole vow to me
Before I raise my hand
“I’m telling you dear lady
I’m not keeping up with your man.”

I’m feeling black and evil
You sure don’t know my mind
I’m feeling black and evil
You sure don’t know my mind
I’ll cut your throat, Mister Tadpole
Drink your blood like cherry wine.









Today's Rune: Breakthrough.

4 comments:

jodi said...

Erik, Good grief, someone was pissed off at her man! Get the razor out of her hand and replace it with a double cocktail. It's just not worth it to kill the dude!

Charles Gramlich said...

Some darkness in her sould for sure! Very interesting.

the walking man said...

Hell hath no fury...but the tadpole was what she considered the woman cheating with her man. She was a big ol' bullfrog and gonna do that tadpole in for swimming in the wrong pond. Probably took the man back.

Erik Donald France said...

Hey thanks all for comments -- much appreciated. And right on~
cheers~