Language of the Blues - Edmonton Blues Society
Language of the Blues - Edmonton Blues Society
Language of the Blues - Edmonton Blues Society
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`<br />
Well, I never believed in that stuff but a lot <strong>of</strong> people do, and <strong>the</strong>y would go over <strong>the</strong>re<br />
239<br />
and get something to get a [mojo] hand <br />
<br />
Smith described taking a<br />
similar journey to get a curse removed:<br />
They tell me Seven Sisters in New Orleans that can really fix a man up right<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
knowed people that believed in it, when I was growing up. But I never believed in that. I<br />
<br />
<br />
t believe it. But a lot <strong>of</strong> people do. A lot <strong>of</strong> people<br />
<br />
<br />
Gray also played piano with Muddy Waters in Chicago and recalled how transplanted<br />
Sou<br />
<br />
<br />
sic<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Songs:<br />
- Muddy Waters (McKinley Morganfield)<br />
- Memphis Minnie (Lizzie Douglas)<br />
- Junior Wells (Amos Blackmore)<br />
- <br />
H O OSE G O W<br />
A hoosegow is a jail. Hoosegow is derived from <strong>the</strong> Mexican Spanish juzgado, or<br />
courtroom, which comes from juzgar, to judge.<br />
Juzgado was usually painted on courtroom doors in Mexico and elsewhere in Latin<br />
America in <strong>the</strong> 19th Century. Many an unfortunate gold-seeking Yankee who fell into <strong>the</strong><br />
hands <strong>of</strong> local law-enforcement went straight from <strong>the</strong> courtroom to <strong>the</strong> jail- which was<br />
<br />
<br />
Given that <strong>the</strong>re were some 5,000 African American cowboys in Texas alone after <strong>the</strong><br />
Civil Wa<br />
111