Thanks for posting those examples. They make for interesting reading.

**

Check out these lyrics to Howlin Wolf's song "Forty Four Blues " that I found on http://www.harptab.com/lyrics/ly3549.shtml

"Chester Burnett a.k.a. Howlin' Wolf
recording of 19??
from The Chess Box - Disc 2 1952-54 (Chess),

I wore my .44 so long, I've made my shoulder sore
I wore my .44 so long, I done made my shoulder sore
Well, I'm wondrin' everybody, where'd my baby go
Well, I'm so mad this mornin', I don't know where in the world to go
Well, I'm so mad this mornin', I don't know where in the world to go
Well, I'm lookin' for me some money, pawned gun to have some gold"

-snip-

That "I wore my .44 so long, I've made my shoulder sore" line is the same as that 12-stringer posted on 27 Jan 07 - 02:50 AM as being from "James Wiggins, "44 Blues," Paramount 12860, recorded 12 October 1929, accompanied on piano by Blind Leroy Garnett and ...a cover of Roosevelt Sykes' song of the same title."

So I guess Howlin Wolf's song is a cover of Roosevelt Sykes' song too. Is that right? If so, does that mean that you can change some of the words of a "cover"?

Or instead of a 'cover' of that Roosevelt Sykes' song, is it more accurate to say that this "I wore my .44 so long, I've made my shoulder sore" line is a floater?

I'm asking cause I don't know, and want to be correct in how I use this music terminology.