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Language of the Blues - Edmonton Blues Society

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`<br />

Songs:<br />

e McTell<br />

<br />

<br />

<br />

C R EPE<br />

<br />

<br />

When I leave this <br />

<br />

In <strong>the</strong> blues, black crepe is sometimes used as a metaphor to declare <strong>the</strong> death <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

<br />

<br />

<br />

Songs:<br />

Excuse me woman, I won't say that no more<br />

I'm fixing to leave town and hang crepe on your door<br />

- <br />

<br />

- Jennie Clayton<br />

C R OSS<br />

In hoodoo, to cross someone means to jinx or curse him or her. African crossing methods<br />

that persisted after slavery involve drawing cross-marks on <strong>the</strong> ground and spitting on<br />

<strong>the</strong>m while verbally cursing <strong>the</strong> person. 135 The cross-mark poisons <strong>the</strong> person who walks<br />

through it.<br />

Cross-marks typically involve a crossroads sign, such as an X in a circle, but <strong>the</strong>re are<br />

many variations, such as three wavy lines, or three arrows. A cross is only supposed to<br />

affect only <strong>the</strong> person who is being cursed, but if you see something like this scrawled on<br />

<br />

Songs:<br />

<br />

- unknown, recorded by Ma Rainey<br />

- Sleepy John Estes (John Adam Estes)<br />

71

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