Le parole del blues: SUPERSTITIOUS

I significati delle parole, dei cognomi, dei nomi di posti etc etc mi hanno sempre interessato molto, questo vale anche per le parole e per lo slang che si trovano nei testi di vecchi blues. Sono sempre  alla ricerca di libri, testi, articoli che abbiano a che fare con queste cose, così ho deciso di proporre una rubrichetta a tal proposito. Si parte.

SUPERSTITIOUS – parola usata in centinaia di blues e di pezzi rock. La parola in sé significa naturalmente SUPERSTIZIOSO, ma l’uso che ne facevano i neri al tempo del blues era improprio: dicevano SUPERSTITIOUS ma intendevano SUSPICIOUS, sospettoso.

Luke Jordan

LUKE JORDAN If I Call You Mama (19 novembre 1929)

 If I call you, woman, doggone, you refuse to come
   If I call you, woman, doggone, you refuse to come
   Hot boilin’ water, I swear, won’t help you none

   You been hollerin’ ‘round here ‘bout you’re goin’, right now is your goin’ time
   (Guitar plays repetition of the line)
   If you haven’t got your train fare, woman, swear, I’ve got mine

   You’ve been braggin’ ‘bout your brickhouse woman, you ought to see my frame
   You’ve been braggin’ ‘bout your brickhouse woman, you ought to see my frame
   You been hollerin’ ‘round here ‘bout your high yella, you certainly ought to see my Jane

   She don’t use no tobacco, swear she don’t dip no snuff
   She don’t use no tobacco, (guitar finishes line)
   She ain’t no high yella, woman, she’s fair brown enough

   I called for whiskey, got the nerve to bring me gasoline
   Mama, I called for whiskey, had the nerve to bring me gasoline
   My home ain’t here, it’s down in New Orlean

   If you don’t b’lieve I’m leavin’, woman, count the days I’m gone
   If you don’t b’lieve I’m leavin’, woman, count the days I’m gone
   I’m from the South, I’m superstitious, and I know something’s goin’ on wrong