A new, revised edition of Paul Oliver's classic study of the blues, first published in 1960.

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 First published in 1960, this remarkable book has not been superseded and its reappearance will be welcomed by all who wish to understand the complexity of meaning in the blues and the experiences which they expressed.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.

List of illustrations
Author's note and acknowledgements to the first edition
Foreword by Richard Wright
Preface to the revised edition
Introduction
1. Got to work or leave
2. Railroad for my pillow
3. Pains in my heart
4. I'm a rooster, baby
5. The jinx is on me
6. Let the deal go down
7. Evil and mean and funny
8. Goin' to take a rap
9. World black as midnight
10. Going down slow
11. Blues like showers of rain
Bibliographical references
Discography of quoted blues
Acknowledgements to discography
Index of quoted blues singers
General index.