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 />
from horse racing. A two-<br />
d a three-<br />
<br />
For club dates, musicians are typically paid from whatever is left over after <strong>the</strong> club takes<br />
its share <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> door proceeds. Just like a club date, a gig might or might not pay <strong>of</strong>f.<br />
Some gigs were so well known that <strong>the</strong>y had <strong>the</strong>ir own names, such as "<strong>the</strong><br />
washerwoman's gig" (4, 11, 44) and "<strong>the</strong> dirty gig" (3, 6, 9). Of course, as Dr. John noted,<br />
185<br />
<br />
G O O F E R B A G, G O O F E R DUST<br />
The word go<strong>of</strong>er comes from <strong>the</strong> Bantu kufua and <strong>the</strong> Ki-Kongo kufa<br />
<br />
<br />
hoodoo to kill or harm someone.<br />
186 <br />
Go<strong>of</strong>er dust can be administered as foot track magic by placing it in <strong>the</strong> path <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
<br />
his or her clo<strong>the</strong>s. A go<strong>of</strong>er bag is a bag <strong>of</strong> charms that protects <strong>the</strong> wearer from such<br />
deadly spells. Romeo Nelson sang about how to use go<strong>of</strong>e<br />
<br />
Spread <strong>the</strong> go<strong>of</strong>er dust around your bed<br />
In <strong>the</strong> morning, find your own self dead<br />
<br />
Hoodoo-Conjuration-<br />
Witchcraft-Rootwork, suggest that although some go<strong>of</strong>er dust was just ground-up bones<br />
and dirt, some was indeed made from poisonous substances. An interview subject from<br />
<br />
haid- listen, snake haid dust, sc<br />
<br />
187<br />
<br />
Ano<strong>the</strong>r interviewee, from Waycross, <br />
- <br />
-<br />
<br />
188<br />
<br />
According to hoodoo expert Ca<strong>the</strong>rine Yronwode, go<strong>of</strong>er dust almost always includes<br />
graveyard dirt, powdered sulphur, and salt. O<strong>the</strong>r ingredients may include powdered<br />
black cat bones, powdered snakeheads or snakeskin, powdered lizard or scorpion,<br />
cayenne or black pepper, powdered insects or snails, and dried powdered herbs. 189<br />
<br />
- <strong>the</strong> fine, oily black<br />
<br />
sang that after having quarreled with a woman who accused Rainey <strong>of</strong> stealing her man,<br />
95