It struck me a lot recently listening to a lot of old blues songs that their subject matter is increasingly relevant again. Songs about flooding in particular, given the recent problems afflicting Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, and of course New Orleans over the last couple of years.

Listening to Sleepy John Estes the other day, i noticed he had quite a few songs which - whether literally or metaphorically - spoke to me in these days of impending ecological catastrophe (if you're a paranoid, George Monbiot-reading greenie like me). Songs like:

Floating Bridge
Clean up at Home
Working Man Blues
Everybody Oughta Make a Change
Time is drawing Near

All have very powerful no-nonsense lyrics (even if they are a bit raggedy and confused: Sleepy John did like his drink...)

Three Feet High and Rising is another obvious one of course.

Cool Drink of Water ("i asked for water, she gave me gasoline") has a certain resonance for me these days.

I'm starting to think about maybe putting a set of these sort of songs together. I think I draw the line at Dolly Parton's "I'll Oil Wells love You".

Any suggestions?