"Tornado Groan" by Luella Miller (1927)
Tornado swept out this little town today
Tornado swept out this little town today
And taken away everything I had.
The lightning flashed, wind rattled around my door
Lightning flashed, wind rattled around my door
Ever since that time, I haven’t seen my house no more.
It ruined my clothes and blowed my bed away
It ruined my clothes, blowed my bed away
I ain’t got no place to lay my heavy head.
The storm come back and blowed my man away
Storm come back and blowed my man away
That’s the reason why I ain’t got a good man today.
I’m lonesome now, I have to walk the street
Lonesome now, I have to walk the street
A flat stranger to everyone I meet.
Mmmmmhhh, tornado ruined my home
Mmmmmhhh, tornado ruined my home
And left me standing with the tornado groan.
This was recorded on October 11, 1927, less than two weeks after a tornado ripped through St. Louis (on September 29). See “High Water Everywhere: Blues and Gospel Commentary on the 1927 Mississippi River Flood,” pp. 49-50, in Nobody Knows Where the Blues Come From: Lyrics and History, ed. Robert Springer, 2005, 2006. I'm not sure about one word each in lines 9 ("heavy") and 15 ("flat").
Photo source: Scott K. Williams, Florissant, Mo.: www.stlouistimeportal.org
Today's Rune: Strength.
3 comments:
October 11th a few years back a tornado swept over me. It was my wedding day to Lana. I'm glad of it in that case.
Erik, I guess I won't complain about the snow so much. As always, things could be worse. And woo hoo for Charles!
The tornado was following flooding of the Mississippi River, is not it? I'm not well remembered, something must have studied at school. Unfortunately the worst moments inspire music and other arts. It seems that last year also launched a collection of blues on this period. Erik, you connected to Google Friend but did not link to your blog. Do not remember who asked why he liked your comment. People come here, link to let go! :) Beijus,
Post a Comment