Cocaine Blues - guitar chords and comments

Lyrics without distraction HERE

This song is ONE branch growing out from the mother tree "Little Sadie", a murder ballad of unknown origin about an unfaithful woman shot dead by the betrayed lover. Another famous branch is “Take a Whiff on Me", mainly linked to Leadbelly. T.J. Arnall [Troy Junius Arnall; biography and lifeline not availible] gave it a shot of cocaine and a jug of whiskey to differ it from tamer versions, and recorded it western swing with W.A. Nichol’s Western Aces, also known as "Slumber Nichol’s Western Aces", himself on vocals as "Red" Arnall. Most probably this is the first recording of this "branch", B-side S&G label early 1947. In May same year Roy Hogsed and the Rainbow Riders recorded it A-side for Capitol, and it slowly entered the country charts the next year. In July Billy Hughes covered it, and then the song went to rest; so did Arnall, too: he's not credited anywhere for anything except this one - and a role as "guitar player" in the 1948 western film "Blazing Across the Pecos".

In 1960 the song was awakened. Johnny Cash called it "Transfusion Blues" on his album "Now, There Was a Song!"; more or less copying a Merle Travis' version from the late fifties, elevating it to cash beat style, and leaving the word "cocaine" because Columbia at that time banned drugs in titles and lyrics. Then, in '68, the live version went literally into Folsom Prison, substituting "San Quentin Pen" with "Folsom Pen" and turning "woman" into "bad bitch". Backed by a Tennessee Three on fire, Johnny made his best vocal performance ever.

The song may be used for both promoting and condemning drugs and booze; it's Your choise. I use the most salty and harsh words, and play it 4/4 bluesy instead of 2/4 swing, with a few twisted harmonies - the chords in brackets are only my suggestions. And to be polite and true to the history, I've put a tail on the lyrics: a more neutral version adapted by Woody Guthrie and Cisco Houston, first collected by folk enthusiast Alan Lomax.

A
early one mornin' while makin' the rounds
A                [A#dim]       [Esus4]       E7
I took a shot of cocaine and I shot my woman down
E         [E/F#]      [E/G]   E7
went right home and I went to bed
    A   --x--
I stuck that lovin' fortyfour beneath my head

A               A7          D   [Adim7]
come on you've gotta listen unto me
D6                       D                 A
lay off that whiskey and let that cocaine be