You all have been wonderin',Wonderin' why I sing the blues (2x)
Yeah you just listen
And say you're me instead of you
Ah you won't to or you do get married
To someone for the rest of your life (2x)
Yes and there is always someone else
Whenever you out of sight
You get the affection of a servant
The kindness of a slave (2x)
Yeah you get the love of a dog
That can't even hear a word you say
I try to say something people
Something just to pacify (2x)
I might not have lived right all of my life
But people please believe me I've tried
-- BB King, Do The Boogie! (Ace Records 1956) - B.B. King's Early 50s Classics
Been havin with much personal woes lately … gotten sick, tough time to make a livin’, frickin’ oil rise, hustle and harassment from bankers, betrayals … many betrayals, and “trouble all the way I see”.
Having downloaded a 5-CD compilation by Martin Scorcese entitled “the Blues - A Musical Journey” and listening it repeatedly, got me the Bluesy mood. I decide to dedicate April to the music genre that was the root of the popular Rock and Roll.
The word the blues was traced by Musicologist to the phrase “for having a fit of the blue devils”, meaning low spirits, depression and sadness as found in George Colman’s farce Blues devils, a farce in one act (1798).
The Blues could be traced much earlier in African American music but the first recording was Memphis Blues in 1912 by WC handy, today honoured as Father of the Blues.
Blues music is a vocal and instrumental music evolved from spirituals, praise songs, field hollers, shouts, and chants in the communities of former African slaves in the US. Its an expression to life’s hardship and injustices - lost love, cruelty of police officers, oppression at the hands of white folk, hard times, etc.
Gut bucket blues have a more raunchier lyrics to describe man-woman relationships. The term gut bucket is derived from the metal bucket used to clean pig intestines for chitterlings, a soul food dish associated with slavery and deprivation.
The Blues earned an unsavory reputation amongst upstanding church goers for gut bucket blues and its rowdy juke-joint venues. Preachers rallied against it as sinful.
Ironically, bluesmen such as Joshus White, Son House, Skip James, or Reverend Gary Davis are expressing seminal messages through the Blues.
The Blues has evolved into mainstream music and attracted the white crowd. Much is attributed to white British “Bluesmen” like Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and John Mayall. Their foray into Blues made a major impact in contemporary Rock.
Lest not forget, Elvis Priestly and Bill Haley.
The Blues have been written and recorded not only by Rock musicians but also other genre - Folk, Country, Jazz, Classical and not forgeting … sambal belacan eating Malay musicians like Blues Gang.
Emulating the successful music-theme restaurant Hard Rock Café, there is a chain paying tribute to (or exploiting) the Blues, House of Blues. In fact, Norah Jones recorded a Live album there.
The late comedian George Carling had this cynical joke on the House of Blues - “White got no business singing the Blues. You are supposed to give people the Blues.”
Perhaps read this humourous observation of the Blues in this posting “How to sing the blues” on the blog Musical Perceptions.
And, the same message of “You gotta to suffer just to sing the blues …” could be found in the movie Crossroad.
I guess I’m ready to sing the Blues. And, I’ve got the Blues alright that I’ve bottled up stress symptoms in my feet and body muscle, so I was told by my recently turned reflexologist buddy.
My path have been a frustating journey. Yeah yeah I know … don’t think about it. Just keep goin’ and place yourself in the hands of the Lord.
But people please believe me I've tried.
A Voice
Kuala Lumpur
April 1st, 2006 10:00 a.m.
2 comments:
More Silly Things Women Say
Posted 12/06/06 12:07Email Print Save
We know our fairer friends often put their high-heeled feet in their mouths when talking about the football, but we didn't quite realise just how many of their little errors would wing their way to us from you.
If you hear any more silly female verbal offerings over the next five weeks, drop us a line at the usual address, theeditor@football365.com, preferably naming and shaming the young lady involved for maximum impact...
Upon drawing Japan in the work sweepstake a female colleague exclaimed, "Japan? why are they in the World Cup? I thought it was for European teams like Brazil"
She's got a geography degree.
Barry Baird
...My wife and I were watching the opening ceremony of the World Cup. Up walks Claudia Schiffer and Pele, the latter parading the trophy like he's just won it.
Says the wife - "Is he German, then?"
Ben Dixon
...I was watching the World Cup opening match with my friend, and she came out with the classic comment: "Do Costa Rica have any international players?"
Then, when Germany went 2-1 up, she said, "This game is boring, there are too many goals". Needless to say, she didn't stick around to watch the second half!
Nick in London
...While playing the new Fifa World Cup game on the Playstation an observing female friend of ours asked "How do you know which end you're shooting to?"
Niall
...I'm from Chesterfield, England but for the past year I've been living in San Diego California to study. I was speaking to my Texan girlfriend, bless her, about the World Cup and England's first match earlier today. Not being a big football fan she asked what England players she would know. I said, "probably only Beckham."
I was surprised at the quizzical look on her face before she answered, "but I thought he'd transferred?"
"What?" say I.
"Yeah, doesn't he play for Brazil now?"
Oh dear, the silly things Texas women say...
Ross Jarvis..
..I am one of those blokes in a relationship with a woman who detests football, but I managed to convince my lady a day out at OT to watch the England v Wales qualifier would be worth going to, and since she had never been to a football game she should appreciate why I like it.
Everything went well, she loved the atmosphere and was particularly tickled by our sheep-chants at the Welsh. I thought she was getting it and my relationship was going to a new level until, 10 minutes in, she said, "Which ones are England?".
Back to the drawing board.
Take a bow Shelly Priestley (and thanks for the junior blue on its way!)
Jon Mercer, Stockport
...As you printed 1-4 of Julie's comments already, I'm going to call this number 5 so I can keep track.
5. Whilst watching Mexico beat Iran on Sunday, she heard the crowd singing.
The comment was, "Are they singing that English chant in their own language?"
The Spanish speaking Mexican fans were chanting "Ole, ole, ole ole"
It just gets better.
John Smith, Handforth
...My mum started early this year in her pretending to be interested in football tomfoolery. After the Champions League final she asked me who had won. I informed her that Arsenal had lost and Barcelona had won, she replied "Does that mean England aren't in the World Cup now?"
Numpty!
Darren Curtis
...My girlfriend's brother and I were discussing the new ball being used at the World Cup, saying how bad it seemed especially for goalkeepers when up piped his wife Claire - "How are they supposed to play all those games with only one ball?"
Mmmmmmmm, I can see the ironing board calling!
Quinny - Tamworth (up the Villa)
...Watching the Portugal Angola game with my girlfriend, Faith Wilkinson (named and shamed).
Her: Why are all the players falling over, it really hot
Me: They water the pitch before the game so maybe that maybe playing a factor.
Her: That's a good idea; it allows them to cool down
Needless to say I have not stop laughing since.
Anon
You can check out the first batch of offerings from our ladyfriends right here.
And glory be, we've got weeks more of football for the fairer sex to come out with yet more of their scatterbrained nonsense. So as soon as they do, pop it in an email to theeditor@football365.com, putting 'The Silly Things Women Say' in the subject field.
Ansara is not taking u guys anywhere!!!!
Ha Ha
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