The Blues Line: A Collection of Blues Lyrics.

About this book

"... a many who makes a song has accomplished something of consequence." This as Eric Sackheim states in the first paragraph of his introduction is what The Blues Line is all about. It is an anthology of blues lyrics a body of American Negro song which has never had a broader or more thorough presentation in print. Though heavily weighted to the so-called "country blues " the collection covers the whole spectrum of blues from beginnings in Texas the Mississippi delta Alabama and Georgia as well as the female "city blues" singers of the mid-20s to later developments in such urban centers as Memphis St. Louis and Chicago. It is difficult to think of many major blues singers whose work is not included among these 270 songs: from Blind Lemon Jefferson to Leadbelly and Lightning Hopkins; from Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith to Chippie Hill; from Willie McTell to Gary Davis; from Charlie Patton Son House Robert Johnson Skip James Booker White Furry Lewis Robert Wilkins and Sleepy John Estes to Big Bill Broonzy Muddy Waters Howlin Wolf and John Lee Hooker...the greatest names in blues are represented by their best and most typical performances taken mostly from rare commercial recordings of the 1920s and 30s; for many of the major singers several songs are included enough to project a clear image of the singers artistic production as a whole.