Typography is the craft of endowing human language with a durable visual form, and thus with an independent existence. (...) Typography remains a source of true delight, true knowledge, true surprise.

Robert Bringhurst, The Elements of Typographic Style

Oldest blues: Charlie Patton, Green River Blues

October 10, 2007

delta blues, lyrics analysis

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Charlie Patton’s “Green River Blues” might be the oldest blues we have evidence of. Beside several Delta loci communi, it contains the very first blues verse we have knowledge about, the famous “I’m goin’ where the Southern cross the dog” WC Handy heard back in 1903. And even if it isn’t the actual oldest blues out there, we have reasons to suspect it appeared in the very hot magma which, once irrupting, originated the blues.

Charlie Patton recorded the song in october 1929 at Grafton, Winsconsin, for the Paramount label.
First, let us hear the song

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