Anthologies of African American Writing

Blues Line: A Collection of Blues Lyrics

"The Blues Line: A Collection of Blues Lyrics" . Comp. Eric Sackheim. New York: Grossman Publishers, 1969. 500 pp.

Preface / Eric Sackheim -- Somewhere to begin -- Some women -- Texas -- New Orleans to Jackson -- Mississippi: the delta -- Memphis -- Alabama -- Georgia -- North Carolina/Virginia -- St. Louis -- Some pianos -- Chicago -- The '40's and '50's -- Somewhere to end -- A survey of sorts: various voices.

• "An anthology of blues lyrics heavily weighted to the so-called "country blues" but covering the whole spectrum of blues, from beginnings in Texas, the Mississippi delta, Alabama, and Georgia, as well as the female "city blues" singers of the mid-'20's, to later developments in such urban centers as Memphis, St. Louis and Chicago" (WorldCat).

• Paul Oliver. "Blues Fell This Morning: The Meaning of the Blues". Intro. Richard Wright. London: Cassell, 1960. xx+355 pp.; 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1990. xxiv+348 pp. ("This is a new, thoroughly revised edition of Paul Oliver's classic study of the blues. First published in 1960, this remarkable book has not been superseded and its reappearance will be welcomed by all who wish to understand the complexity of meaning in the blues and the experiences which they expressed. The book examines the functions of the blues as black American folk music recorded during the 78 rpm era, from the 1920s to the 1950s. The lyrics are quoted extensively throughout the book, revealing their significance as a means of communication within black society. The author shows how the themes of labour and unemployment, migration and the Depression years, love, sex, and marriage, crime, violence and imprisonment, disasters, sickness, war and death are expressed in black idioms and he discusses their meaning on many levels" [publisher's description; WorldCat].)
• Samuel Charters. "The Poetry of the Blues". New York: Oak Publications, 1963. 111 pp.; repr. New York: Avon, 1970. 174 pp.
• "Woke Up This Mornin': Poetry of the Blues" (1973): see below.

• [not in Kinnamon 1997]

A0095