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The Mythological Blues

Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2018 12:21 pm
by Roaring20s
I posted this in 2011 on the defunct ATM Forum. I though I'd revive it.

When it was first posted, Youtube did not have this song available. There's a link now...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxYicXYi8q8

The first radio station in the South was WSB in Atlanta, Georgia. It went on the air in March 1922. Ernest Rogers was one of the first announcers and regular performers. He was a journalist too, and wrote for the Atlanta Journal. He landed a recording contract in 1927 with Victor and cut a few records. This is one of them.

The Mythological Blues
words and music by Ernest Rogers 1919
singing with guitar performed by Ernest Rogers
on Victor Scroll 21361 recorded 1928
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In this day and time when were on the go
Perhaps we think that the ancients were slow
But just jump back ten-thousand years and it beats anything the modern man has

To think the sights of the modern day
Ought to carry all the latest news
But believe me boy, they had a time when they played the mythological blues.

Old Hercules pulling all his cave-man stuff
Treating all the women powerful rough.

And when it came to speed
That Mercury boy was way out in the lead

Cyclops with that one big eye
Vamped all the women till they thought they'd die

Of all the sights, old Jupiter'd spot'em
Seeing sweet Venus doing Black Bottom
Oh take me back, ten-thousand years, when they played the mythological blues

They say the ladies fashions then
Pleased the most exacting men
They were snappy then as now
There wasn't much of them and how.

Argus was a lucky bird
As the folks do they surmise
Think of what he must have seen looking though a hundred eyes

Hercules pulling all his cave-man stuff
Treating all the women powerful rough.

And when it came to speed
That Mercury boy was way out in the lead

Old Cyclops with that one big eye
Vamped all the women till they thought they'd die

Of all those sports, just give me Hector
He gave fare Helen wine and nectar
N...E...C...T...A...R, nectar

Oh take me back, ten-thousand years, when they played the mythological blues
Played the mythological blues

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Here is a mythological primer for the song...

Hercules was a strong man and son of Zeus.
Mercury was the wing-footed messenger god.
Cyclops, have one round eye in the center of their foreheads, consider humans as food.
Jupiter is the king of the Roman gods.
Venus was the Roman goddess of love and beauty.
Argus was a giant with 100 eyes guarded one of Hera's husband's lovers.
Hector was the best warrior of the Trojans in the Trojan War.
Helen was the most beautiful woman in Greece and the cause of the Trojan War.
Nectar was the drink of the gods.

and just because Ernest Rogers was based out of Atlanta...
Atlanta was a renowned huntress that had the skills of a wild animal.

Jazz-Age'isms...

Vamped: aggressive flirtations.
Black Bottom: #1 dance after the Charleston
Snappy: elegant.
And how!: I strongly agree!
Bird: a man or woman, sometimes meaning "odd".
Sports: as in good sports, those behaving well under stress.


Does anyone else find it funny that the ladies were vamped by the one eyed monster?
James.

Re: The Mythological Blues

Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2018 2:22 pm
by alang
Great song! Doesn’t sound like 90 years old. Thanks for sharing.

Andreas

Re: The Mythological Blues

Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2018 12:03 am
by Lucius1958
Just a little disappointed that the Centaurs didn't get a shout-out... :P

Bill

Re: The Mythological Blues

Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2018 12:20 am
by Roaring20s
The rhyme to Centaur many have been too blue. :oops: