Booze and Blues

Algunas de las canciones citadas en el artículo de Cruz (1988):

Ma Rainey's "Booze and Blues" (1924)

Went to bed last night, and boy I was in my sleep, sleep
I went to bed last night, and I was in my sleep
Woke up this mornin', the police was shakin' me

I went to the jailhouse, drunk and blues as I could be (2x)
But that cruel old judge sent my man away from me

They carried me to the courthouse, Lordy, how I was cryin' (2x)
They jailed me sixty days in jail, and money couldn't pay my fine

Sixty days ain't long if you can spend them as you choose (2x)
But this seems like jail than a cell where there ain't no booze

My life is all a misery when I cannot get my booze (2x)
I spend every dime on liquor, 
                                                                                                                got to have the booze to go with these blues

Tommy Johnson's "Canned Heat" (1928)

"...una de sus mejores canciones, que también es una de sus más perturbadoras.... La expresión "calor enlatado" es el nombre que recibía comúnmente el Sterno, un combustible para cocinar que los alcohólicos a veces empleaban como sustituto del licor. La llegada de la Ley Seca llevó a muchos bebedores a consumir esta case de productos semilegales, a pesar de los riesgos que conllevaba (...)

si uno escuchara la música sin prestar atención a la letra, quedaría impactado por la alegría y la calidez de la canción. Tal vez se podría pensar que Johnson canta sobre nuevos proyectos o sobre un nuevo amor, pero la letra expresa la noche oscura del alma de la manera más cruda (...) Pocas canciones han logrado transmitir la realidad de una adicción en unos términos tan poderosos" (Gioia 2010:146-147)

Cryin', canned, canned heat, mama
Cryin', Dear Lord, killin' me
Cryin', canned heat, mama
Sho', Lord, killin' me
Take alcorub to
Take these canned heat blues

Cryin' mama, mama mama
Know canned heat killin' me
Cryin' mama, mama, mama
Cryin' canned heat is killin' me
Canned heat don't kill me
Cryin', babe I never would die

I woked up a-this mo'nin
With canned heat on my mind
Woke just this mo'nin'
Canned heat was on my mind
Woke up this mo'nin
With the canned heat, Lord
On my mind

Cried, Lord
Lord, I wonder
Canned heat, Lord, killing me
Think alcorub is
Tearing apart my soul
Because brown-skin woman
Don't do the easy roll

I woke up, a-this mo'nin'
Cryin', canned heat 'round my bed
Run in here, somebody
Take these canned heat blues
Run here, somebody
An take these canned heat blue-ooos.

Cryin', mama, mama, mama
Cryin', canned heat killin' me
Plead to my soul, Lord
They gon' kill me dead.

Blind Blake's "Fighting the Jug" (1929)

Went home last night : my baby won't let me in

She made me mad : and I've got in my gin

I been drunk so long : dizzy all the time
And I found out : whiskey ain't no friend of me

When I die : folks without a doubt
You won't have to do nothing : but pour me out

I can't sleep : and I can't eat a thing
The woman I love : has driven me to drink

I'm deep down in a hole : somebody else is up
Getting sick and tired : of fighting that jug