The Luke Jordan is my favorite, for the information about its time contained in its lyrics. But all of them jibe with certain moods....

Looking forward to it.

Here is a link to lyrics of the Luke Jordan piece, which may help you following along....

http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/folk-song-lyrics/Cocaine_Blues(4).htm

Cocaine Blues (4)
(Luke Jordan)

Oh go on, gal, don't you take me for no fool
I'm not gonna quit you, pretty mama, while the weather's cool
Around your back door, oh honey, I'm gonna creep
As long as you make those two and a half a week

Now I got a girl, she works in the white folk's yard
She brings me meal, I can swear she brings me lard
She brings me meat, she brings me lard
She brings me everything, I swear, that she can steal

Now Barn and Beale's (?) circus came to town,
They had an elephant looking good and brown
They did not know it was against the law
For the monk(ey) to stop at a five drugstore
Just around the corner, just a minute too late,
Another one's standin' at the big back gate
I'm simply wild about my good cocaine

I called my Cora, hey hey
She come on sniffin' with her nose all sore,
The doctor swore (she's) gonna smell no more
Sayin', run doctor, ring the bell - the women in the alley
I'm simply wild about my good cocaine

Now the furniture man came to my house, it was last Sunday morn
He asked me was my wife at home and I told him she had long gone
He backed his wagon up to my door, took everything I had
He carried it back to the furniture store and I swear I did feel sad

What in the world has anyone got for dealing with the furniture man
If you got no dough, you stand no show, it's certain he'll back you back
He'll take everything from an earthly plant, from a skillet to a frying pan
If ever there was a devil born without any horns,
It must have been a furniture man

I called my Cora, hey hey
She come on sniffin' with her nose all sore,
Doctor swore (she's) gonna smell no more
Sayin' coke's for horses, not women nor men
The doctor said it will kill you, but he didn't say when
I'm simply wild about my good cocaine

Now the baby's in the cradle in New Orleans, it kept a-whippin' till it got so
mean
It kept a-whippin had to fix it so (indecipherable)
Saying, run doctor, ring the bell - the women in the alley
I'm simply wild about my good cocaine

I called my Cora, hey hey
She come on sniffin' with her nose all sore,
The doctor swore (she's) gonna smell no more
Sayin', run doctor, ring the bell - the women in the alley
I'm simply wild about my good cocaine

SOURCE: Luke Jordan 'Cocaine Blues' Vi 20176. Recorded Tuesday 16 August
1927 in Charlotte NC. Reissued on Various Artists 'The Roots of Rap' Yazoo CD
20218. Dick Justice recorded 'Cocaine Blues' on 20 May 1930 in Chicago Ill. It
is
reissued on 'Old-time Music from West Virginia' Document DOCD-8004.

I should have done a preview, I suppose. I simply copied the address bar and assumed it would work.

I’ve enjoyed this exercise in music appreciation!

Proof positive that cocaine is indeed “a hell of a drug!”

I have been looking about among the old 'race record' blues off and on all day....

So glad we have such easy access to such things these days.

And heaven knows there is an awful lot out there....

I put up Mr. van Ronk's version because it was the form I first heard the song in, many years ago, and so I am particularly fond of it. I do enjoy Rev. Davis, in this and other songs. A marvelous performer.

I would tend to agree, especially the live version.

But the Luke Jordan effort holds a fascination for me, because so many ephemeral details of the time emerge from the lyrics.

The song done by Johnny Cash is the happiest murder ballad I have ever encountered. It really leaves you feeling good, and so requires a particular devil may care mood to enjoy, but when in the right mood, it is rum fun.

by listening to that version. Music has a way of never aging. It stays in the same time.