Mary Johnson Blues

The destiny that society traditionally offers women is marriage. Even today, most women are, were, or plan to be married, or they suffer for not being so. Marriage is the reference by which the single woman is defined, whether she is frustrated by, disgusted at, or even indifferent to this institution. . . Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex.*

Mary Williams Smith Johnson (b. ca. 1900-1905, Eden Station, Mississippi, d. ca. 1970 or early 1980s, St. Louis?) was married to Lonnie Johnson (b. 1889 or 1894, 1899 or ca. 1900?-d. 1970) from 1925 to 1932; at one point they apparently traveled to New York City together, but overall were apart much of the time. They had five kids or so. Lonnie traveled extensively, and seems to have hooked up with Bessie Smith in the late 1920s when he accompanied her on tour as musician. It must have been one crazy marriage. "Mary Johnson Blues" was recorded on September 22, 1932, in Richmond, Indiana, with Roosevelt Sykes on piano and Artie Mosby on violin. This was the same day and place Sykes recorded "Highway 61 Blues." 

“Mary Johnson Blues” by Mary Johnson

I once was a married woman
Saddest day I ever was
I once was a married woman
Saddest day I ever was
I was a young girl at home
And I did not know the world

I’d rather to be an old maid
Than to be worried and blue each and every day
I’d rather to be an old maid
Than to be worried and blue each and every day
‘Cause these worrisome old men
Can cause your head to turn white and gray

Ah, play your thing for Miss Johnson

Baby you caused me to leave my happy home
And you cause me to weep and moan
You caused me to leave my happy home
And you cause me to weep and moan
That is why baby
This band will take your place today

Ah, play it for me, ‘cause I got the blues

I’m just sittin’ here thinkin’
Baby just a minute ago
I’m just sittin’ here thinkin’
Baby just a minute ago
I once was a married woman
And I rue the day I ever was

Today's Rune: Partnership.

*The Second Sex, translated by Constance Borde and Sheila Malovany Chevallier (Alfred A. Knopf, 2010; orginally published by Gallimard as Le deuxième sexe in two volumes, 1949), p. 439.  N.B.: I transcribed this en route to Greensboro, North Carolina, in a regional jet plane at an altitude of about 37,000 feet -- in case you were wondering.