"The Poetry of the Blues" song list

The Poetry of the Blues is a classic book written by Samuel Charters, in 1963. Its topic is …the blues and their lyrics. It was first printed in Greek in 1982 by Apopeira editions and I have purchased the 1990 edition. It was sitting on my bookshelf for another 19 years before I finally read it. So, I’ve decided to do a list of the songs mentioned, referenced or implied within the book. This has not been an easy task as, in the majority of cases, only some verses are mentioned from each song, without title and sometimes even without the singer’s name.

So, we had to search through several lyrics websites and / or specialized blues websites before we could pinpoint the actual song referenced in the book. In a few cases, this was not possible. As you will learn by reading the book, lyrics are often intermingled, altered and re-used in different blues songs. So, one verse may be found altered, in various degrees, in different variations of the same song or even in completely different songs. Among many sources, the most valuable ones have been the Harry’s Blues Lyrics Online website, Michael Taft’s Pre-war Blues lyrics and the Oxford University’s Blues lyric poetry (an anthology / Michael Taft) files. The first column represents the page of the Greek edition of the book where verses of each song are first mentioned. It should serve as a good indication for any other language edition, I guess. The second column is the title of the song or songs where said verses are found. Here’s the list:

Page - Song
20 Roll & Tumble Blues (Hambone Willie Newbern)
When Your Dough Roller is Gone (Memphis Slim) [both are variations]
21 Here, Rattler, Here [classic prison song – variation]
28 [Folklorist Frederick Oster recorded "Angola Prison Worksongs" for his Folklyric Records in 1959, now re-released on Arhoolie Records.]

28 Touch Me Light Mama (Bullet Williams)
30 ?
31 Shotgun Blues (Lightning Hopkins)
32 Turpentine Blues (Will Weldon aka Casey Bill Weldon) / (Will Shade)
32 Fixin’ to die blues (Bukka White aka Booker T. Washington White) / [covered by Bob Dylan on his debut LP (1962)]
33 Hell Hound on My Trail (Robert Johnson)
34 High Sheriff Blues (Charlie Patton aka Charley Patton)
35 Shelby County Workhouse Blues (Hambone Willie Newbern)
36 Floating Bridge (Sleepy John Estes)
36 Penitentiary (Bessie Tucker)
40 My Black Woman (Son House)
43 New Come Back Baby (Walter Davis) [variation]
43 Stealin' Stealin' (Poor Jab (Memphis Jug Band)) [variation]
Stealin’ Stealin’ (Will Shade (Memphis Jug Band)) [variation]
Bus Rider Blues (Blind Boy Fuller)
Interurban Blues (Billiken Johnson)
43 Long Lastin' Lovin' (Blind Lemon Jefferson)
44 Please Don’t Go (Big Joe Williams as ‘Joe Williams’) (1941) [variation]
Baby Please Don’t Go (Big Joe Williams) (1935) [different variation]
44 ??????????(Lonnie Johnson)
44 If You Want a Good Woman-+-Get One Long and Tall (Wiley Barner) (1927) [different variation]
Suitcase Full of Blues (Ishman Bracey) (1930) [variation]
My Black Gal Blues (Sleepy John Estes) (1930) [variation]
Got The Blues (Blind Lemon Jefferson) (1926) [variation]
45 Mama, 'Tain't Long Fo' Day (Blind Willie McTell) (1927)
45 Yonder Comes the Blues (Ma Rainey) (19xx)
45 Go Down Old Hannah (Leadbelly)
45-47 ???Go Down Sunshine??? (Hociel Thomas)
47 L and N Blues (Walter Davis) (1933) [variation]
47 Milk Cow Blues (Sleepy John Estes) (1930)
47-48 Ninety-Eight Degree Blues (Texas Alexander) (1929) [variation]
Bed Springs Blues (Blind Lemon Jefferson)(1929)[variation]
Got Your Water On (Charley JORDAN) (1936) [variation]
48 I Will Turn Your Money Green (Furry LEWIS) (1928) [variation]
48 New Highway No. 51 (Tommy McCLENNAN) (1940)
48 ??? (Gertrude PERKINS)
48 Mr. Furry's Blues (Furry LEWIS) (1927)
48 Black Ace (Back TURNER) (1937)
49 Careless Love / Kelly’s Love / Loveless Love (Bessie SMITH (1925) / / W.C. Handy)
49-50 Long Old Road (Bessie SMITH) (1931)
Way Down That Lonesome Road(Lonnie JOHNSON) (1928) [variation]
52 Stone in My Passway (Robert JOHNSON) (1937)
57 Turtle Dove Blues (Simmie DOOLEY & Pink ANDERSON) (1928)
58 Little Woman You’re So Sweet (Blind Boy FULLER)
58 Thousand Woman Blues (Blind Boy FULLER)
60 Little Lean Woman (Blind Boy FULLER)
60 Mean Mistreater ??? (Henry TOWNSEND) (1929 ?)
Poor Man Blues (Henry TOWNSEND) (1929) [same recording set variation]
Stocking Feet Blues (Blind Lemon JEFFERSON) (1926) [variation]
61 Blues Before Sunrise (Leroy CARR)(1934)
61 My Man Blues (Alice MOORE)
61 ????????? (Pink ANDERSON)
Bedroom Blues (Sippie WALLACE) (1926) [variation]
61 ???
62 Country Girl Blues (Memphis Willie B)
65 Wrong Woman Blues (Ki Ki JOHNSON) (1928) [variation]
Back Door Blues (Francis Scrapper BLACKWELL) (1931) [variation]
66 Pneumonia Blues (Blind Lemon JEFFERSON)
67 'Blues About a Man the Worst I've Ever Had' (Gertrude Pridgett aka “Ma Rainy”)
68 44 Blues (aka Forty-Four Blues) (Roosevelt SYKES)
Forty-Four Blues (James WIGGINS)
69 P-38 Blues (Memphis Willie B.)
69 ??? (Clara Smith)
71 [I’m a hard working man…] ???
71 My Man Blues (Alice MOORE)
71 My Wife Drove Me From My Door (Charlie LINCOLN aka Charley LINCOLN)
71 Nickle’s Worth of Liver (Edith JOHNSON)
71 Good Chib Blues (Edith JOHNSON)
74 Wild Women Don’t Have The Blues (Ida COX)
75 Poor Me (Charlie PATTON, aka Charley PATTON)
Poor Me (Son HOUSE)
It takes a lot to laugh, it takes a train to cry (Bob DYLAN)
I know you rider (Janis JOPLIN) (1966 – alternate version)
75 Mama, T’ain’t Long Fo’Day (Blind Willie McTELL)
76 Mean Jumper Blues (Blind Lemon JOHNSON)
77 ‘Fo Day Creep (Black ACE)
78 When you fall for someone that’s not your own (Lonnie JOHNSON)
79 Milk Cow Blues (Sleepy John ESTES)
79 Married Woman Blues (Sleepy John ESTES) [variation]
Diving Duck Blues (Sleepy John ESTES) [variation]
80 Greyhound Blues (Bill WILBER)
80-81 That Crawlin' Baby Blues (Blind Lemon JEFFERSON)
81 ? (Billy PIERCE)
Gettin’ Ready For Trial [unknown artist – Birmingham Jug Band] [variation]
Black Minnie (Tommy McCLENNAN) [variation]
I’m Going Back Home (Joe JOHNSON)(Memphis Minnie) [variation]
81 Drop Down Mama (Sleepy John ESTES)
82 (Clara SMITH)
82 Devil Got My Woman (Skip JAMES) – (1931)
82 Blue Rockin’ Chair (Eric ANDERSEN) – (2003)
84 Freight Train Blues (Clara SMITH)- (1924)
85 Tin Cup Blues (Blind Lemon JEFERSON) – (1929)
86 Lonesome Atlanta Blues (Bobby GRANT)
87 Victim of the blues (Ma Rainey)
88 Highway 61 (Memphis Willie B.)
89 Highway 49 (Big Joe WILLIAMS)
89 New Highway 51 (Tommy McCLENNAN)
New Highway No. 51 (Tommy McCLENNAN)
New Highway No. 51 Blues (Tommy McCLENNAN)
89 Down the highway (Charlie PICKETT)
89 Me and the devil (Robert JOHNSON)
90 That Lonesome Train Took My Baby Away (Charlie McCOY)
91 Ticket Agent Blues (Noah LEWIS, John ESTES, Yank REACHEL)
92 ???(Billie PIERCE)
92 Bull Doze Blues (Henry THOMAS)
93 My Baby Left Me This Morning (Pink ANDERSON)
93 Santa Fe Blues (Black ACE)
93 The Train Is Coming (Henry TOWNSEND) – (1962)
93 Delta Blues??? / Classic Delta Blues (Big Joe WILLIAMS)
94 Hobo Jungle (Sleepy John ESTES)
95-96 Special Agent (aka Railroad Police Blues) (Sleepy John ESTES)
96 Aunt Caroline Dyer Blues (The Memphis Jug Band)
97 Overseas Blues (Memphis Willie B.)
100 That Black Snake Moan (Blind Lemon JEFFERSON) – (1926)
101 My Daddy Rocks Me (With One Steady Roll) (Trixie SMITH)
101 She moves it just right (Barbecue Bob, aka Robert HICKS) – (1927-30)
101 I’m Wild About That Thing (Bessie SMITH)
101 I’m Going To Have It Now (Ora ALEXANDER)
101 Warm It Up To Me (Blind Willie McTELL) – (1933)
102 Rag. Mama, Rag (Blind Boy FULLER) – (1935) or
Play It A Long Time Mama (Clara SMITH) – (1923)
102 Slow Driving Moan (Ma Gertrude RAINEY, aka Ma RAINEY) – (1927)
102 ??? Drive It Down???
102 It Hurts So Good (Ike Rogers)
102 My Banana In Your Fruit Basket (Bo CARTER)
102 My Pin In Your Cushion (Bo CARTER)
102 I Want Some Of Your Pie (Blind Boy FULLER)
102 Ram Rod Daddy (Bo Carter)
I’m a Ram Rod Daddy (Ian BUCHANAN) – (1962) [variation]
102 Hard Pushing Papa (Blind BLAKE)
102 ???Let Me Be Your Stem Winder???
102 Mama, Let Me Scoop For You (Blind Willie McTELL)
102 Let Me In Your Saddle (Walter DAVIS)
102 You’ve Had Too Much (John HAMMOND, later version)
102 That Stuff You Sell Ain’t No Good (Walter DAVIS)
102 My Pencil Won’t Write No More (Bo ‘CARTER’ CHATMAN)
102 Sweet Honey Hole (Blind Boy FULLER)
102 ??? (Jim JACKSON)
102 Freakish Man Blues (George Hannah)
103 ??? (Blind Willie B.)
104 ???
104 My Handy Man (Victoria SPIVEY) – (1928)
104 Kitchen Man (Sarah Martin) – (1928)
Kitchen Man (Bessie SMITH) – (1928)
105 Easy Rider Blues (Blind Lemon JEFFERSON)
Easy Rider Blues (Texas ALEXANDER) – (1934)
Easy Rider Don’t Deny My Name (Robert HICKS) – (1927)
Sobbin’ Woman Blues (Elizabeth JOHNSON) – (1928)
No Easy Rider Blues (Gertrude PERKINS) – (1927)
105 It’s Tight Like That (Tampa RED) – (1928)
Papa Wants to Knock a Jug (Leroy CARR)- (1931)
Yo-Yo Blues No. 2 (Robert HICKS) – 1930)
Good Gal (Charlie SPAND) – (1929)
Do It Right – (Kid Wesley WILSON, aka Leola B. WILSON)-(1929)
106 My Wife Drove Me From My Door (Charlie LINCOLN aka Charley LINCOLN) – (1927)
107 He Likes It Slow (Trixie SMITH) – (1925)
107 Hot Jelly Roll Blues (George CARTER) – (1929)
Jelly Roll Mill (Eithel SMITH) – (1932)
He’s A Jelly Roll Baker (Lonnie JOHNSON) – ()
She Rolls It Slow (Clifford GIBSON) – (1931)
Your Biscuits Are Big Enough for Me (Bo CHATMAN) – (1936)
Who’s Been Here (Bo CHATMAN) – (1938)
Boodle-De-Bum Bum (Blind Bogus Ben COVINGTON) – (1928)
Ham Bone Blues (Ed BELL) – (1927)
Nut Factory Blues (Hi Henry BROWN) – (1932)
108 Bakershop Blues (Blind Lemon JEFFERSON) – (1929)
109 New Black Snake Blues-+-Part 1(Victoria SPIVEY) – (1928)
110 Sweet Potato Blues (Texas ALEXANDER)
Sweet Potato Blues (Lonnie JOHNSON)
110 Hard Times Blues (Ida COX) – (1939)
Sundown Blues (Daddy STOVEPIPE) – (1924) [variation]
110 Let Me Squeeze Your Lemon (Charlie PICKET)
111 Milk Cow Blues (Kokomo ARNOLD)
111 Milkcow's Calf Blues (Robert JOHNSON) – (1937)
111 Groundhog Blues (Lil' Son JACKSON aka Melvin JACKSON)
111 (Eddie ‘One-String’ JONES)
111 (Cat-Iron)
113 (Texas ALEXANDER)
113 (Right String But) The Wrong Yo-Yo (Piano RED)
113 Terraplane Blues (Robert JOHNSON) – (1936)
113 T-Model Ford Blues (Sleepy John ESTES)
113 I’ll Be Your Chauffeur (Eddie ‘One-String’ Jones)
117 Oil Well Blues (Blind Lemon JEFFERSON) – (1929)
118 I’m An Old Bumble Bee (Bo CARTER aka Bo CHATMAN) – (1930)
123 Bottle It Up And Go (Tommy McCLENNAN) – (1939)
123 ?
123 Country Farm Blues (Eddie James "Son" HOUSE, Jr.)
123 (Eddie ‘One-String’ Jones)
124 Got A Girl In Ferriday, One In Greenwood Town (Cat-Iron)
124 ?
124 James Alley Blues (Richard Rabbit BROWN)
124 (Furry LEWIS)
125 Go Back To The Country (Bill ‘Jazz’ GILLUM)
125 Southern Woman’s Blues (Ida COX)
125-126 ????? (Furry LEWIS)
[variation: Pistol Snapper Blues (Blind Boy Fuller)]
126 So Much Wine (J.D. SHORT)
126 Drink On Little Girl (Black ACE)
127 Jailhouse Blues (Sleepy John ESTES)
127 Electric Chair Blues (Guitar WELCH)
127 Black Night Is Fallin’ (Hogman MAXEY)
127 Some Got Six Months (Robert Peter WILLIAMS)
127 Washerwoman Blues (Bessie SMITH)
129 Kitchen Mechanic (Clara SMITH)
129 [WPA song]
129 I've Got the Whole World in My Hand (Bo “Carter” Chatman)
130 Poor Man’s Blues (Bessie SMITH)
132 Crossroads Blues (Robert JOHNSON)