MINGLEWOOD BLUES

Created on 02/02/2002
Latest update on 09/03/2024

Artist: Gus Cannon's Jug Stompers
Author: Noah Lewis
Label: Victor
Year: 1928

His jug was an empty can of kerosine and the other members of his trio were Ashley Thompson (guitar) and author Noah Lewis (harmonica), Minglewood is a corruption of Noah's birthplace Mengelwood near Dyersburg, TN. There's always been a huge levee camp there, big enough for itinerant musicians to earn a few bucks, especially with a song about the place. The Jug Stompers were the oldest jug band from Memphis, older than the Memphis Jug Band. Gus Cannon was 44 when he cut this. (See also: Walk Right In and Prison Wall Blues)

Covers:

1929:

Hambone Willie Newbern [as Roll And Tumble Blues]

1929:

Charley Patton [as It Won't Be Long and as Banty Rooster Blues]

1929:

Sleepy John Estes [as The Girl I Love She Got Long Curly Hair (see there)]

1930:

Noah Lewis's Jug Band [author as New Minglewood Blues]

1935:

Little Brother Montgomery [as Vicksburg Blues #2]

1936:

Robert Johnson [as If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day and in '37 as Traveling Riverside Blues]

1938:

Sonny Boy Williamson [John Lee; same melody as Lord Oh Lord Blues]

1950:

John Lee Hooker [as Decoration Day Blues and as Rollin' Blues]

1950:

Muddy Waters [as Rollin' And Tumblin'; first under alias Baby Face Lewis Trio with Little Walter and Leroy Foster, much against the Chess brothers' taste, who ordered a version of their own; used the melody again in Louisiana Blues (see there)]

1953:

Rufus Thomas [foundation Tiger Man]

1954:

Sunnyland Slim [as Going Back To Memphis]

1954:

Howlin' Wolf [as Forty Four (see: 44 Blues) and as New Minglewood Blues in '68]

1959:

Rose Hemphill

1960:

Elmore James [as Rollin' And Tumblin']

1962:

Mississippi Fred McDowell [as I Rolled And I Tumbled]

1966:

Cream [als Rollin' And Tumblin']

1966:

Big Joe Williams [idem]

1966:

Johnny Shines [idem]

1966:

Yardbirds [as Drinking Muddy Water]

1967:

Capt. Beefheart [as Sure 'Nuff 'N Yes I Do (see also: 44 Blues)]

1967:

Canned Heat [as Rollin' And Tumblin']

1967:

Grateful Dead [as New, New Minglewood Blues]

1967:

Fleetwood Mac [as Rambling Pony]

1968:

Tony McPhee [idem]

1969:

Johnny Winter [idem]

1970:

Gentrys [idem]

1970:

Napoleon Strickland & Othar Turner [idem]

1971:

Mississippi Fred McDowell [idem]

1972:

Memphis Slim [idem]

1972:

Neil Young [in Are You Ready For The Country]

1975:

Dr. Feelgood [as Rolling And Tumbling]

1976:

Waylon Jennings [in Are You Ready For The Country]

1982:

Blackfoot [idem]

1986:

Rainer & Das Combo [as If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day]

1989:

Slagerij Van Kampen [as Mosi Oa Tunya]

1992:

Jack You're Dead [as Rollin' And Tumblin]

1993:

Jim Suhler & Monkey Beat [in If I Could See The Future]

1994:

Doug MacLeod

1994:

Lonnie Pitchford [as If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day]

1996:

Asylum Street Spankers [idem]

1997:

R.L. Burnside [as Rollin' And Tumblin']

1998:

Rory Block [as If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day]

1998:

David Lindley

1998:

John Sebastian & The J-Band [with Paul Rishell, Annie Raines and Geoff Muldaur on The Harry Smith Connection]

2000:

Gov't Mule [as If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day, hidden track on Life Before Insanity]

2001:

Jeff Beck feat. Imogen Heap [as Rolling And Tumbling]

2002:

Arno [as Rollin' And Tumblin']

2004:

Eric Clapton [as If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day]

2006:

Bob Dylan [as Rollin' And Thumblin' with own lyrics]

2007:

Dion [as If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day]

2008:

Joe Louis Walker [as Rollin' And Tumblin']

2013:

North Mississippi Allstars [idem]

2018:

Billy Gibbons [idem]

2018:

Rod Stewart [idem]

Some song cluster; this melody family migrated from the Delta through Memphis to Chicago and from there to everywhere.

Contact


If you noticed blunt omissions, mis-interpretations or even out-and-out errors,
please let me know:

Arnold Rypens
Rozenlaan 65
B-2840 Reet (Rumst)

info@originals.be

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