Skip James
Nehemiah Curtis "Skip" James (June 9, 1902 – October 3, 1969) was an Americ… Read Full Bio ↴Nehemiah Curtis "Skip" James (June 9, 1902 – October 3, 1969) was an American Delta blues singer, guitarist, pianist and songwriter.

His guitar playing is noted for its dark, minor-key sound, played in an open D-minor tuning with an intricate finger picking technique. James first recorded for Paramount Records in 1931, but these recordings sold poorly, having been released during the Great Depression, and he drifted into obscurity.

After a long absence from the public eye, James was "rediscovered" in 1964 by blues enthusiasts, helping further the blues and folk music revival of the 1950s and early 1960s. During this period, James appeared at folk and blues festivals, gave concerts around the country and recorded several albums for various record labels. His songs have influenced generations of musicians and have been adapted by numerous artists. He has been hailed as "one of the seminal figures of the blues.

James was described as aloof and moody. The musicologist Dick Spottswood commented, "Skip James, you never knew. Skip could be sunshine, or thunder and lightning depending on his whim of the moment".

James is sometimes associated with the Bentonia School, which is either a subgenre of blues music or a style of playing it. Calt, in his 1994 biography of James, I'd Rather Be the Devil: Skip James and the Blues, maintained that no style of blues originated in Bentonia and that the "Bentonia School" is simply a notion of later blues writers who overestimated the provinciality of Mississippi during the early 20th century, when railways linked small towns, and who failed to see that in the case of Jack Owens, "the 'tradition' he bore primarily consisted of musical scraps from James' table". Owens and other musicians who may have been contemporaries of James were not recorded until the revival of interest in blues music in the 1960s. Whether the work of these musicians constituted a "school" and whether James originated it or was a member of it remain open questions.
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Skip James Lyrics


03. Cypress Grove Blues I would rather be buried in some cypress grove I would…
07 hard time killin Hard time here and everywhere you go Times is harder than…
15. Little Cow And Calf Is Gonna Die Blues Hey, hey-hey-hey-hey, hey-hey-hey-hey-hey Hey, hey-hey-hey-…
22 Oh, Mr. Crest, Mr. Crest How in the world you Expect for…
22-20 Blues Oh, Mr. Crest, Mr. Crest How in the world you Expect for…
All Night Long If it's all night long, mama, if it's all night…
Careless Love Oh love, oh love Oh, careless love Yes, oh love, oh love Oh,…
Catfish I would rather, be a little catfish So I could swim…
Cherry Ball I love my cherry ball better than I love myself I…
Cherryball I love my little cherry ball Better than I love myself I…
Crow Jane Crow Janie, Crow Janie, Crow Jane, don't you hold you…
Cypress Groove Blues I would rather be buried in some cypress grove I would…
Cypress Grove Blues I would rather be buried in some cypress grove I would…



Devil Get My Woman I'd rather be the devil, to be that woman's man I'd…
Devil Got My Woman (Live at Newport Folk Festival I'd rather be the devil, to be that woman man I'd…
Devil's Got My Woman I'd rather be the devil, to be that woman's man I'd…
devilgotmywoman I'd rather be the devil, to be that woman's man I'd…
Drunken Spree I pawned my watch, pawned my chain Pawned my diamond ring If…
Everybody Leaving Here Everybody Leaving Here 2:40 Trk 19 Nehemiah Curtis 'Skip' Ja…
Four O' Clock Blues I woke up this morning, clock was striking four I woke…
Four O'clock Blues Woke up this morning, clock was striking four I woke up…
Good Road Camp Blues Good Road Camp Blues 3:49 Trk 20 Nehemiah Curtis 'Skip' Jame…
Hard Luck Child I've been to the Indian nation, and I've been to…
Hard Time Killin' Floor Hard times is here and everywhere you go Times are harder…
Hard Time Killin' Floor Blues* Hard time here and everywhere you go Times is harder than…
Hard Time Killin? Floor Blues Hard times is here and everywhere you go Times are harder…
Hard-Luck Child I've been to the Indian nation, and I've been to…
Hardtime Killing Floor Blues Hard times is here and everywhere you go Times are harder…
How Long How long Baby, how long That evenin' train been gone? So …
How Long Blues How long Baby, how long That evenin' train been gone? So lon…
How Long Buck How long Baby, how long That evenin' train been gone? So …
How Long Buck? How long Baby, how long That evenin' train been gone? So lon…
I I'm so glad, and I am glad I am glad, I…
I'm So Glad I'm so glad, and I am glad I am glad, I…
If You Haven If you haven't got any hay get on down the…
Illinois Blues You go to Banglin', tell my boys You go to Banglin',…
Im so Glad I'm so glad, and I am glad I am glad, I…
Jesus Is a Mighty Good Leader Let Jesus lead you, let Jesus lead you Let Jesus lead…
Little Clow And Calf Is Gonna Die Blues Hey, hey-hey-hey-hey, hey-hey-hey-hey-hey Hey, hey-hey-hey-h…
Little Cow And Calf Hey, hey-hey-hey-hey, hey-hey-hey-hey-hey Hey, hey-hey-hey-…
Little Cow and Calf Is Gonna Die Blues Hey, hey-hey-hey-hey, hey-hey-hey-hey-hey Hey, hey-hey-hey-h…
Little Cow Little Calf Blues Hey, hey-hey-hey-hey, hey-hey-hey-hey-hey Hey, hey-hey-hey-…
Little Cow, Little Calf Blues Note: hyphen = unsung words Hi-hi Hi-hi-hi-i Hi-hi-hi-i Hi-…
Look At the People Standing At the Judgement Note: hyphen=word unsung I sit up all the last night I don…
Look Down the Road Look Down The Road 3:16 Trk 17 Nehemiah Curtis 'Skip' James …
Lorenzo Blues I wonder has anybody here Seen my lovin' Lorenzo, today? I w…
Loretta Blues Lorenzo Blues 4: 19 Trk 9 Nehemiah Curtis 'Skip' J…
Mistreating Child Abuse Note: hyphen=word unsung I sit up all the last night I d…
Omaha Blues Dosh mas dosh din dhore Gorve dharon Koster tibrotay koreche…
Roots blues. Cypress Grove Blues I would rather be buried in some cypress grove I would…
Sick Bed Blues Layin' sick, honey, on my bed I'm layin' sick, honey,…
Skip's Worried Blues I'm so worried now I'm worried now but I hope…
Special Lover Blues I ain't got no, special rider here I ain't got no,…
Walkin' Blues I woke up this mornin', feelin' round for my shoes Know…
Washington D. C. Hospital Center Blues Yes, I was a good man But I'm's a po' man You…
Washington D.C Hospital Center Blues Yes, I was a good man But I'm's a po' man You…


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