Overview

This fascinating compendium explains the most unusual, obscure, and curious words and expressions from vintage blues music. Utilizing both documentary evidence and invaluable interviews with a number of now-deceased musicians from the 1920s and '30s, blues scholar Stephen Calt unravels the nuances of more than twelve hundred idioms and proper or place names found on oft-overlooked ""race records"" recorded between 1923 and 1949. From ""aggravatin' papa"" to ""yas-yas-yas"" and everything in between, this truly unique, racy, and compelling resource decodes a neglected speech for general readers and researchers alike, offering invaluable information about black language and American slang.

Full Product Details

9780252076602

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Reviews

A valuable, unique work. No other book explains as many new, often subtle aspects of the blues language that Stephen Calt has lived with for over forty years. Kip Lornell, author of The NPR Curious Listener's Guide To American Folk Music

""A valuable, unique work. No other book explains as many new, often subtle aspects of the blues language that Stephen Calt has lived with for over forty years."" Kip Lornell, author of The NPR Curious Listener's Guide To American Folk Music

A very useful and mamlishly good book. --Juke Blues A fascinating and entertaining read. --All About Jazz A treat for anyone who loves language, and who sees it as a living, breathing entity. --PopMatters An impeccably scholarly, irresistibly readable guide to the language heard on the recordings of the great blues singers who were active in the first half of the 20th century. --Wall Street Journal

Author Information

Stephen Calt is the author or coauthor of the blues biographies I'd Rather Be The Devil: Skip James and the Blues and King Of The Delta Blues: The Life and Music of Charlie Patton.

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