'Weekend Blues...'
Having lived in the Mississippi Delta most of my Life, it's difficult to move around here and not run into some form or fashion of the Blues... When the British Invasion occurred in the mid-60's, a great deal of what we were hearing here in the States was actually American music... the blues music that was derived from the 'field chants' created by Southern Blacks working in the cotton fields...
Some of the blues music that was written involved a great deal of animal imagery...
One of my most favorite blues song with animal symbolism is "Crawlin' King Snake"...
"Crawlin' King Snake"
Buddy Guy
'Blues Singer' CD
Recorded in Oxford, MS
A maid that worked for Mom and Dad, Miss Mary, told me that she was deathly afraid of King Snakes... she told me about how they would steal your soul if you weren't careful...
You know you caught me crawlin' baby,
when the grass was very high
when the grass was very high
I'm gonna keep on crawlin' , girl
until the day I die,
because I'm a crawlin' kingsnake, baby
and I rules my den
I've heard stories about Blacks finding King Snakes in their cemeteries... and how they believed the snake to be the Devil... if one was found wrapped around a loved one's headstone... well, the news just wasn't good. That said a lot about what had happened to that person's soul.
The King Snake shares a characteristic with the King Cobra... in that they are both ophiophagous... this means that they are snake eaters... the King Snake is immune to the poison of the venomous snakes in its region... King Snakes here in the Mississippi Delta eat Cotton Mouth Moccasins, Copperheads, and Rattlesnakes...
'Speckled King Snake Making Dinner
Out Of A Garter Snake
Speakin' of CottonMouths...
Another favorite "snake" song is this one...
I have always been amazed by bands from California (Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Doobie Brothers, Little Feat) that SO wanted to sound like they were from the South... especially the Southern Louisiana area... there is something about Louisiana... interesting things seem to happen there...
Speaking of interesting things in Louisiana... have any of you ever visited the grave site of this person?
Entombment site of
Marie Laveau...
'The VooDoo Queen of New Orleans'
Saint Louis Cemetery #1
New Orleans
Read about her... it's quite interesting!
~shoes~
Yep, people laugh at Southerners but secretly want to be just like us!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree, Ryan!!
Delete:oD
~shoes~
Love the Blues... soul translated into music.
ReplyDeleteYes, Ana... it really is.
DeleteEverything the musicians had went into their music...
~shoes~
OHHH I can't wait to see Buddy Guy in a couple of months. It's going to be a great show with him and Jonny Lang playing.
ReplyDeleteLove it when you talk music history but gee thanks for the whole snake eating snake picture. YUKE! I can handle the snakes around here but I'm not sure I want to come across snakes where you live.
That should be a GREAT show!
ReplyDeleteI've never seen Johnny Lang, but I've seen Buddy Guy several times. Buddy is like that girl with the curl in the middle of her forehead...
When he's good, he's VERY good... and when not??
It can be bad.
I saw him at Jazz Fest some years ago... he got mad because he thought the fans weren't responding to his music the way they should be. He pulled the cable from his guitar and stormed off stage.
His band was very professional. They finished the song and then left the stage.
~shoes~
Wow really!! Hmm I hope that doesn't happen.
DeleteCan't say I've ever been there, Shoes. There are so many places on my list, I'd first have to become a millionaire Teach before I could fly around the globe and tick all of them. You know what I mean? I'm a fan of blues. It may not come as a surprise that I like THIS song too.
ReplyDeleteI read this when you posted it... I shuddered at the sight of the snake.
ReplyDeleteI'm still shuddering... but the stories are pretty cool...
*shudder*
Johnny Lang is a Minnesota boy who at 17 already sounded like an old Southern man. I haven't heard anything he's done in years, but we play his first few CDs all the time, right along with the classics blues artists.
ReplyDeleteI got to be honest Shoes ~ I closed my eyes and scrolled down .... snakes freak me out.
ReplyDeleteas for the grave of Marie Laveau - I went to the cemetery across from Commanders Palace, she isn't there is she? I will google her.
The photos of the king snakes are really freaky...and they don't have to be near my tombstone to scare me. ;) Interesting stories and superstitions you share about them. I've learned something new.
ReplyDeleteSnakes. Why'd it have to be snakes. I HATE snakes!
ReplyDeleteI made a point to visit Ms. Laveau's tomb when I was in NO. Gave her a tribute. The cemeteries there are fascinating.