Same Old Song

1930. This once-ubiquitous classic was written in 1930.

We're back there again.

Most often associated with the Great Depression, when just about everyone had to ask this question of someone, this story is told from the point of view of the forgotten veterans of World War I, reduced to poverty when the jobs they'd been promised didn't materialize upon their homecoming; brought down further by the Depression itself.

As I said, we're back. But, when it comes to the way we treat our returning veterans, we never left.

The rich get richer, and the rest of us have to ask, "Brother, Can You Spare A Dime?"

Here's the extraordinary Judy Roderick.

Judy Roderick: The Original

Since The Seldom Scene recorded a screamin’ hot bluegrass version of this song, based somewhat on The Grateful Dead’s version, I guess you could call Judy Roderick’s recording a pre-bluegrass, post-rock take on it.

I’ll let the uploader explain:

“Judy Roderick played this song before the Dead or Hot Tuna. She followed the original version of the song, found by the Lomaxes in 1934 from an 18 year old girl in prison for murder. It was called ‘Woman Blue’ or ‘Woman Blues’ and [it was] sung by women. This is from her 1965 album Woman Blue.”

Whatever you call it, it’s absolutely bone-chilling.