Deep Ellum

The assumption that all of the "Delta Blues" musicians actually came from the Mississippi Delta is, of course, not correct. There were "Country Blues" (I think that term is more accurate) players coming from all over the south. Most were rural, some were from big cities like Atlanta (Willie McTell).

Dallas had an especially lively blues culture in the 20's and 30's (and still does, actually). The very first male blues singer to be professionally recorded was the great Blind Lemon Jefferson (remember the band Blind Melon? That's an inside joke). Lemon played his songs (including my fave, Match Box Blues) in the bustling poverty of Deep Ellum (slang for Deep Elm Street), a Dallas slum that was described in a 1937 newspaper column as:

"...[the] one spot in the city that needs no daylight saving time because there is no bedtime...[It is] the only place recorded on earth where business, religion, hoodooism, gambling and stealing goes on at the same time without friction...Last Saturday a prophet held the best audience in this 'Madison Square Garden' in announcing that Jesus Christ would come to Dallas in person in 1939. At the same time a pickpocket was lifting a week's wages from another guy's pocket, who stood with open mouth to hear the prophecy."

Both Lemon and Leadbelly began playing Deep Ellum around WWI, and often mentioned it in their songs.

"Walked up Ellum an' I come down Main,
Tryin' to bum a nickel jes' to buy cocaine.
Ho, Ho, baby, take a whiff on me."

"Ella Speed"

Kiddy-corner from Lemon on many occasions played Blind Willie Johnson. Blind Willie was another early blues great, his songs being slanted towards God and religion. One of Willie's songs, "Dark Was The Night, Cold Was The Ground" was selected to represent blues on the Voyager's gold record in the 70's, so I guess he is the only blues singer to have his work sent into space.

I think there is a good metaphor in there somewhere, and maybe a good screenplay too. The two sides of morality, on opposite corners of a busy street. Each man trying to attract the crowds to his corner. Willie Johnson on one side, a man of God. The other side represented by a scoundrel who tempts street goers with his version of the truth. I guess blues has always been about a battle in one way or another. The slave or laborer against "The Man". Women vs. Men. God vs. the devil. Play the devil's music on Saturday nights in the juke joints, and sing the same songs with different words on Sunday morning in church. That's why blues has often been called "Gospel's evil twin".

So, if you know any Hollywood producers...