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Blues on My Mind
Blues on My Mind episodes
- Blues as Meditation on Death: Skip James's "Cypress Grove Blues"
Is death really preferable to some toxic relationships? How does a meditation on death become a moral reckoning of life? Explore these questions in Skip James's "Cypress Grove Blues."
22 min - Blues and Alcohol: Robert Johnson's "Malted Milk"
What happens when you try to drive the blues away with alcohol? Does drinking help things or make things worse? Explore these questions in Robert Johnson's "Malted Milk."
23 min - Blues as Abandonment: Ma Rainey's "Memphis Bound Blues"
How do people respond to abandonment? Does gender matter in songs about abandonment? Is someone's leaving always negative? Explore these questions in Ma Rainey's "Memphis Bound Blues."
21 min - Blues as Betrayal: Eddie Boyd's "Five Long Years"What forms of betrayal are expressed in the blues? What's the link between personal, romantic and economic betrayal? Explore these questions in Eddie Boyd's "Five Long Years."22 min
- Blues as Anger in Muddy Waters's "Southbound Train"When do the blues signal anger and frustration more than sadness and hurt? How do anger and frustration get expressed in the blues? Explore these topics in Muddy Waters's "Southbound Train."24 min
- Blues Personified: Jimmy Rogers's "Blues Leave Me Alone"What does it mean to personify the blues? How does it change our understanding of the blues when they are portrayed as an exterior force? Explore the blues as an outside force in Jimmy Rogers's "Blues Leave Me Alone."22 min
- Everyday Blues: B. B. King's "Everyday I Have the Blues"What does having the blues or feeling blue mean in blues songs? Explore the meaning of the feeling of the blues in relation to the music in B. B. King's "Everyday I Have the Blues."21 min
- Carpe Diem: T-Bone Walker's "T-Bone Shuffle"Why would blues songs encourage you to seize the day? Take advantage of opportunities for fun when you can? What happens to time when you stop worrying about the future? Explore these issues in T-Bone Walker's "T-Bone Shuffle."21 min
- The Time of Tradition: The Nick Moss Band's "The High Cost of Low Living"How do blues songs invoke the tradition of the blues? How do references to songs from the past affect the way we hear songs? Explore these questions in The Nick Moss Band's "The High Cost of Low Living" in relation to Robert Johnson's "I Believe I'll Dust My Broom" and Elmore James's "Dust My Broom."22 min
- The Time of Story-Telling: Son House's "Death Letter"How do singers make the past seem present? What kinds of story-telling techniques do blues singers employ to make the past come alive? Explore these questions in Son House's "Death Letter."24 min
About Blues on My Mind
From the publisher's feed
Discussion of blues music. Each episode analyzes one or two blues songs. Topics cover lyrics, musical structure, history and meaning of songs.