Barrelhouse Words
Author | : Stephen Calt |
Publisher | : University of Illinois Press |
Total Pages | : 322 |
Release | : 2010-10-01 |
ISBN-10 | : 9780252090714 |
ISBN-13 | : 0252090713 |
Rating | : 4/5 (14 Downloads) |
Book excerpt: This fascinating compendium explains the most unusual, obscure, and curious words and expressions from vintage blues music. Utilizing both documentary evidence and invaluable interviews with a number of now-deceased musicians from the 1920s and '30s, blues scholar Stephen Calt unravels the nuances of more than twelve hundred idioms and proper or place names found on oft-overlooked "race records" recorded between 1923 and 1949. From "aggravatin' papa" to "yas-yas-yas" and everything in between, this truly unique, racy, and compelling resource decodes a neglected speech for general readers and researchers alike, offering invaluable information about black language and American slang.