1. Arthur "… Read Full Bio ↴There are at least two artists with the name Blind Blake
1. Arthur "Blind" Blake (c. 1893-c. 1933) was an influential blues singer and guitarist. There is only one photograph of him in existence.
Very little is known about his life. His birthplace was listed as Jacksonville, Florida by Paramount Records, but even that is in dispute. Nothing is known of his death. Even his name is not certain. During recordings he was asked about his real name and he answered that his name was Blind Arthur Blake which is also listed on some of the song credits, strengthening his case on his real name, although there is a suggestion that his real name was Arthur Phelps.
Blake recorded about eighty sides for Paramount Records in the late 1920s and early 1930s. He was one of the most accomplished guitarists of his genre, with a surprisingly diverse range of material. He is best known for his distinctive guitar sound, whose complex and intricate fingerpicking was comparable in sound and style to a ragtime piano.
His first recordings were made in 1926 and his records sold well. His first solo record was "Early Morning Blues", with "West Coast Blues" on the B-side. He made his last recordings in 1932, the end of his career being aided by Paramount's bankruptcy.
One would surmise, given Blake's importance, celebrity status, popularity and sizeable recorded output that we would know something about the man. And after more than five decades of searching conducted by experts on behalf of Blind Blake, we still don't know anything verifiable about Blake which he doesn't tell us on his records. Practically all of what is "known" about Blind Blake outside of that is a combination of conjecture, rumor, slander and nonsense. At one point a theory was advanced that Blind Blake's true name was "Arthur Phelps" and it is under this name that Blake's entry is filed in Sheldon Harris' Blues Who's Who. But the theory is easily debunked by Blake himself, who states on his 1929 recording "Blind Arthur's Breakdown" that his name is "Arthur Blake." He briefly breaks into Geechee dialect during the course of "Southern Rag," and this advanced a theory that Blake was really born in the Georgia Sea Islands and spoke Geechee as a first language, accounting for his "uncomfortable negro dialect" on records like "Early Morning Blues." But there is nothing wrong with Blake's "negro dialect," thus it was easy to disprove this ridiculous notion.
Blind Blake is known to have had family in the area of Jacksonville, Florida and was likely born there; Blake may have grown up in Georgia. Blake was first seen in Chicago in the mid-1920s. His birth date is assumed to be sometime between 1895-1897, as the only existing photo of Blind Blake, taken at his first Paramount session in August, 1926, shows a man of about thirty. Interviews with some of the musicians personally acquainted with Blake only reveal that he had a seemingly inexhaustible appetite for liquor. No one has discovered any reliable account of what happened to Blind Blake after his last Paramount session in June 1932. The story that has Blake murdered in Chicago shortly after his Paramount date did not hold up after an intensive search of local police files. The most reasonable notion about what might've happened to Blind Blake after 1932 is that he drifted back to Jacksonville and lived a few years more, with 1937 suggested as a possible date of death. In the summer of 1935, Mary Elizabeth Barnicle led an Archive of Folk Song expedition into the area where Blake is likely to have resettled and canvassed it for black musicians, yet never encountered him.
Many of the recordings made by Blind Blake are singled out as classic early blues performances, too many to be listed in detail here. But a few that stand out include "Early Morning Blues," "Too Tight," "Skeedle Loo Doo Blues," "That Will Never Happen No More," "Southern Rag," "Diddie Wa Diddie," "Police Dog Blues," "Playing Policy Blues" and "Righteous Blues." Several of Blind Blake's original tunes are by now country-blues standards, and judging from the further developments in Atlanta-based Piedmont blues, Blake's influence there must've been formidable, even if it came only by way of recordings. Anyone who hears Blind Blake can't help but be astonished by his sincerity, his gentle, off-the-cuff humor and the sheer effortlessness with which he plays some of the most treacherously complex finger-work on the face of creation.
Blind Blake is not to be confused, incidentally, with Blake Higgs, a Bahamian Calypso artist who also recorded as "Blind Blake."
2. Blind Blake was a Bahamian singer active in the 1930s and 1940s, often entertained rich visitors to the island. One of these was the former Edward VIII, who became governor general of the islands. Blind Blake's best known song, "Love, Love Alone", was written in praise of the things the former monarch gave up for love
Georgia
Blind Blake Lyrics
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Packing up my duffel, gonna leave this town
And I'm gonna hustle to catch that train southbound
Got the Georgia blues for the plow and hoe
Got the Georgia blues for the plow and hoe
Walked out my shoes over this ice and snow
Tune up the fiddle, dust off the bow
Put on the griddle, and open up the cabin door
I thought I was going to the north land to stay
I thought I was going to the north land to stay
South is on my mind, my blues won't go away
Potatoes in the ashes, possum on the stove
Potatoes in the ashes, possum on the stove
You can have the hash, but leave it on the clove
Chicken on the roof, babe, watermelons on the vine
Chicken on the roof, babe, watermelons on the vine
I'll be glad to get back, to that Georgia gal of mine
The song "Georgia" by Blind Blake is a blues song that talks about the singer's restless state of mind and his yearning to go back to Georgia. The first verse of the song sees Blake packing his bags, with the intent to leave town and head southbound. He sings of hustling to catch that train, which shows that he is eagerly waiting to leave and appears to be in a state of urgency.
The second verse sees the singer expressing his longing for Georgia. He has the "Georgia blues" for the plow and hoe, which suggests that he misses working hard on the land. He sings of having walked out his shoes over the ice and snow, which could indicate that he is in a cold northern region far from Georgia. The lyrics show that Blake wants to go back to the simple life he had in Georgia, and perhaps wishes to escape the hustle and bustle of the northern city.
In the third verse, Blake suggests that he wants to make music with his fiddle and open the cabin door. This shows that he wants to go back to his simpler life, where he can play music and relax in his cabin. The song's chorus confirms the singer's desire to return to Georgia, despite having thought he was going to stay in the north. Perhaps it is the memories of his past life in Georgia that keep pulling him back.
Overall, the song "Georgia" expresses the feelings of longing and nostalgia for a place and a way of life that the singer has left behind. The lyrics showcase the singer's desire for a simpler life and his willingness to leave the fast-paced city for the quiet town in Georgia where he can relax and play music.
Line by Line Meaning
Packing up my duffel, gonna leave this town
I'm leaving this place and heading towards a different location.
And I'm gonna hustle to catch that train southbound
I'll do whatever it takes to catch the train heading towards the South.
Got the Georgia blues for the plow and hoe
I'm feeling sad and nostalgic about the agricultural work I did in Georgia.
Walked out my shoes over this ice and snow
I've walked so much during this winter that I've worn out my shoes.
Tune up the fiddle, dust off the bow
I'm preparing my musical instruments for playing some tunes.
Put on the griddle, and open up the cabin door
I'm ready to cook and open up the house for visitors.
I thought I was going to the north land to stay
I initially planned on living in the North permanently.
South is on my mind, my blues won't go away
I can't stop thinking about the South and I'm feeling blue because of it.
Potatoes in the ashes, possum on the stove
I'm cooking my meals over an open fire on a stove.
You can have the hash, but leave it on the clove
You can take the meat and vegetables, but leave the spices and herbs for me.
Chicken on the roof, babe, watermelons on the vine
There is a chicken on the roof and fresh watermelons growing on the vine.
I'll be glad to get back, to that Georgia gal of mine
I'm excited to return to my loved one who lives in Georgia.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., CARLIN AMERICA INC
Written by: BILL NAPIER, CHARLIE MOORE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
John Hedger Guitar Studio
Notice how the guitar never actually repeats itself throughout the entire song. His ideas flow endlessly!
Valley of the Rogue
He was unreal. He inspires awe.
JohnR88
I mean come on...playing so fluently like it's never thing. NOBODY can play like Blind Blake. An American Treasure. This song reminds me of summertime in the South :)
Valley of the Rogue
Greatest guitarist to ever record. Don't ever let any of these "guitar god" people tell you otherwise. This is THE guitar god who inspired thousands, and none could ever be in his league.
Tom Vaughan
Incredibly smooth and lively picking by one the greats. The slide show is extremely well done and very enjoyable. Bravismo!
Pam Malott
I never heard 9f him before watching Reacher, but had to look him I because I loved the music at the beginning and knew it had to be Blind Blake. So good
Tom Cooper
I think we all are. I’ve always enjoyed blues from his era (20s - 40s) but I never knew Blind Blake. Amazing guitarist and good vocals.
dumpster joe
One of the greatest songs I’ve ever heard
Messiah’s Gate
Humble and charismatic rolled into one, this is wonderful!!!
Bjorn's Records
Totally unique style, so inspiring to listen to the way he played the guitar. How did he do it?