This fascinating compendium explains the most unusual, obscure, and
curious words and expressions from vintage blues music. Utilizing both
documentary evidence and invaluable interviews with a number of
now-deceased musicians from the 1920s and '30s, blues scholar Stephen
Calt unravels the nuances of more than twelve hundred idioms and proper
or place names found on oft-overlooked "race records" recorded between
1923 and 1949. From "aggravatin' papa" to "yas-yas-yas" and everything
in between, this truly unique, racy, and compelling resource decodes a
neglected speech for general readers and researchers alike, offering
invaluable information about black language and American slang.