Topic: Brand and product names in country blues

[Rivers]

Finally got to hear Charlie Poole's Sweet Sixteen. It's definitely about chewing gum, not tobacco. I will correct.

[Rivers]

Added Arthur Crudup's Greyhound Bus

[Mr.OMuck]

Soapine, soapine you have always kept me clean,
Soapine, soapine you have always kept me clean,
Soap fo' the universal family,
You even wash my ol' blue jeans

Blind Charlie Hingemoan - 1915 Edison Cylinder recording*

<sub>*Total bullshit but I just couldn't resist!

Don't ask me what all the "Ks" mean. The universal family theme would seem to preclude a Klan endorsement.</sub>

www.myspace.com/mromuck

[Bunker Hill]

Added Arthur Crudup's Greyhound Bus

Whislt on the subject of Crudup folk might like to check out what else there is on WC about him by clicking his name in TAGS.

[Rivers]

Just when you thought you couldn't care less anymore about product references in American folksong:

Uncle Dave Macon, Hill Billie Blues, Been on the Southern, the Seaboard too, it takes a Henry Ford for to shake me and you

I've been exploring the wild & weird worlds of Uncle Dave lately. Not recommended for iPod-powered alarm clocks.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
In "Something's Gone Wrong", from Dan Pickett on August 23, 1949, he sings:
   Gwine uptown in the morning, call up the Frigidaire
   Ah hah, that's the reason why, ohh well, boy, to keep your ice boys away from here

all best,
Johnm
   

[Rivers]

Thanks folks. List is up to date with 150 entries. [edit: moved table to last post]

[Doug]

From our discussion elsewhere in the site, Buddy Moss' Chesterfield Blues, has a reference to Golden Grain, which Bunker mentioned was a cheap type of rolling tobacco.

http://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?amp;Itemid=114&topic=4507.msg32761#msg32761

[Rivers]

Another compound cathartic reference,

CC Pill, Mae Glover, Gas Man Blues - "But mister gas man this cold wind surely will give me a chill". "You'd better go to the doctor, get you a CC Pill." "I ain't got no money..." "That's funny..."

[Pan]

The Ford cars are mentioned in William Moores' "Ragtime Millionaire" from 1928: "Mr. Henry's going to send me a Ford, he must, everybody else are going to taste my dust." and "Some of the boys say I'm going to be late, no if you please I've got a '28. Some of them say they're going to catch me at last, but all I've got to do is step on the gas."

Pan

[Rivers]

Apparel, Stetson, John B, Clarence Green, Johnson City Blues, Down in Memphis on East Main Street, I was watchin' everybody that I chanced to meet // I saw my sweet daddy comin' 'round a flat. He was dressed in a tailor-made suit and a John B Stetson hat

I'm continuing to update these in a new weeniepedia version of the page which will go online this coming week.

[Rivers]

Beverages, Alcoholic, Boord, Tomcat Gin, Bobby Leecan & Robert Cooksey, Whiskey And Gin Blues, 1926, Gonna drink my whiskey, drink my Tomcat Gin, gonna mess around 'til the bulls break in
 

[dj]

Beverages, non-alcoholic:

Sonny Scott, "Try Me Man Blues" (July 1933):  "I've got a Buffalo Rock baby, and an Orange Crush in my hand"

Orange Crush should be well known, at least to North Americans.  For Buffalo Rock, see here

Scott was from Birmingham, Alabama, home of Buffalo Rock beverages.

[waxwing]

Hey, nice pick of an old bottle for you there, too, Riv.-G-

All for now.
John C.

[Rivers]

Good one. Two.

Weeniepedia is up-to-date: http://www.weeniecampbell.com/wiki/index.php?title=Brands%2C_Products_%26_Services_In_Country_Blues