Draggingtree Posted July 1, 2016 Share Posted July 1, 2016 Songs of Prohibition’s Poison Hillbilly artists diagnosed Jamaica Ginger Paralysis before the professionals did. By CLARK STOOKSBURY • July 1, 2016 The song begins with a litany of complaints: “I can’t eat, I can’t talk, been drinkin’ mean jake, Lord, now I can’t walk.” “Jake” refers to Jamaica Ginger, a patent medicine that was legally available during Prohibition in spite of its high alcohol content. When patients started showing up with a frightening new constellation of symptoms—the most prominent being an exaggerated gait caused by pain and weakness in the legs—medical professionals struggled to identify the cause. But several recording artists, largely confined to the “race” and “hillbilly” genres, accurately diagnosed the source of the affliction. The tale of woe quoted above was put to wax by the Allen Brothers (Austin and Lee) in a Memphis recording session for the Victor label in June 1930. Though “Jake Walk Blues” tells of personal loss and failure, it is an upbeat number, accompanied by a banjo, kazoo, and guitar. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9UZct0EEH4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqbC9ygwne8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayltwUwpW04 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swhEa8vuP6U http://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/songs-of-prohibitions-poison/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draggingtree Posted November 24, 2016 Author Share Posted November 24, 2016 http://www.lifezette.com/video/day-nov-23-1936 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now