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I'm goin' down to the pawnshop, see if I can pawn my guitar - Blind Boy Fuller, Three Ball Blues

Author Topic: Brand and product names in country blues  (Read 44454 times)

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Offline Richard

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Re: Brand and product names in country blues
« Reply #15 on: August 19, 2007, 01:20:58 AM »
BVD's.... thanks! 

And, I've corrected my earlier post below as well.
(That's enough of that. Ed)

Offline outfidel

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Re: Brand and product names in country blues
« Reply #16 on: August 19, 2007, 05:01:52 AM »
Stetson Hats are mentioned in the various versions of "Stagger Lee", and Jimmie Rodgers asks for a John B Stetson hat in "Muleskinner Blues".
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mississippijohnhurt1928

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Re: Brand and product names in country blues
« Reply #17 on: August 19, 2007, 04:03:30 PM »
"V-8 Ford Blues"- Cedar Creek Sheik

mississippijohnhurt1928

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Re: Brand and product names in country blues
« Reply #18 on: August 19, 2007, 04:10:01 PM »
And an interesting fact to mention would be the use of jug bands as advertisements for products:

The Old Grand-Dad Jug Band (whiskey)

The Schlitz Jug Band (beer)

Ballard Chefs Jug Band (Flour, among other products)

Offline frankie

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Re: Brand and product names in country blues
« Reply #19 on: August 19, 2007, 05:31:11 PM »
I only found a small handful from the Mississippi Sheiks:

She Ain't No Good:
"The country girl get a chew of Brown?s Mule but she?s getting drunk just the same"

Please Don't Wake It Up:
"Get you a bar of P&G and take a bath tonight"

The New Sitting On Top Of The World
"My baby got movements like a old Cadillac eight"

Don't Wake It Up (essentially a remake of Please Don't Wake It Up)
"Get a bar of P&G and take a bath tonight"

Brown's Mule: chewing tobacco
P&G: Proctor & Gamble soap

Offline Johnm

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Re: Brand and product names in country blues
« Reply #20 on: August 19, 2007, 08:40:32 PM »
Hi all,
Texas Alexander cites Battle Axe chewing tobacco in "Section Gang Blues".
All best,
Johnm

Offline dj

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Re: Brand and product names in country blues
« Reply #21 on: August 21, 2007, 01:21:52 PM »
Pet Cream, A product of the Helvetia Milk Condensing Company (from 1885) and later the PET Dairy Products Company (after 1929) is mentioned in numerous songs.  I just heard it in Walter Davis' "If You Only Understand".   

Offline Johnm

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Re: Brand and product names in country blues
« Reply #22 on: August 21, 2007, 03:48:39 PM »
Hi all,
Buddy Moss, and later John Jackson, both mentioned Chesterfield cigarettes.
All best,
Johnm

Offline onewent

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Re: Brand and product names in country blues
« Reply #23 on: August 21, 2007, 04:45:55 PM »
Willie McTell in Scary Day Blues: '.. rides me like a Cadillac car'  ..great image

Offline Rivers

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Re: Brand and product names in country blues
« Reply #24 on: August 21, 2007, 05:33:36 PM »
This thread has turned out to be much more interesting than I thought it would be...   :P

Here's a tabulated list to date, please post more as you stumble across them.
 
I'm thinking it might be fun to show period logos etc so please feel free to attach any old logos or ads you can find.

?? means more research needed (hint hint).

[edit: list updated and moved to end of thread]
« Last Edit: August 22, 2007, 05:09:38 AM by Rivers »

Offline frankie

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Re: Brand and product names in country blues
« Reply #25 on: August 21, 2007, 07:01:48 PM »
The Charlie Poole song is "Sweet Sixteen"

Blind Willie McTell - Warm It Up To Me:
Strut in a Cadillac, [sew] in a Ford,
do a little strutting on the running board

Offline banjochris

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Re: Brand and product names in country blues
« Reply #26 on: August 21, 2007, 07:40:34 PM »
The Packard gets a mention in Lemon's "DB Blues." Does anyone know what kind of car? that is?
Chris

Offline uncle bud

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Re: Brand and product names in country blues
« Reply #27 on: August 21, 2007, 08:00:07 PM »
Nehi (pronounced knee-high) was a brand of sodas, which according to Wikipedia changed its name to Royal Crown in 1955 after its RC Cola brand. Some may remember Radar O'Reilly on M*A*S*H* being fond of Grape Nehi.

A quote from Wikipedia: "In the early 20th century, the advertising logo of Nehi was a picture of a seated woman's legs, in which the skirt was high enough to show the stockings up to the knee, suggesting the phrase "knee-high"."  Which is what Frank Stokes was playing with...

"Chesterfield" was the name of the song John Jackson played about the cigarettes, which was a cover of the Buddy Moss tune of the same name, I believe (Buddy played it, anyway).

BTW, what's "bathtub!" ??
« Last Edit: August 21, 2007, 08:02:06 PM by uncle bud »

Offline uncle bud

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Re: Brand and product names in country blues
« Reply #28 on: August 21, 2007, 08:06:32 PM »
Doesn't Pink Anderson use "Grafonola" in Ain't Nobody Home But Me? I'll have to check...

Offline Stuart

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Re: Brand and product names in country blues
« Reply #29 on: August 21, 2007, 10:59:20 PM »
"Good Gulf Gas," along with "V-8 Ford" are in RJ's "They're Red Hot."

http://www.deltahaze.com/johnson/lyrics.html

I remember drinking Nehi soda when I was a kid. RC might have changed the cola name to Royal Crown Cola in 1955, but I think that they might also have continued to market other flavors under the Nehi label, probably owing to brand name identification, loyalty, less confusion, etc. Anybody else who grew up in the U.S. during the 50s/60s have any recollections?

 


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