Help: Falling Down Blues (Furry Lewis)

19 Jul 99 - 09:25 AM (#96811)
Subject: Furry Lewis--'Falling Down Blues'
From: tomtom

I was curious if anyone had any idea what the last verse of this song refers to:

She caught the rumblin'
I caught the falling down
She caught the rumblin'
I caught the falling down
I didn't see her, I never turned around

Any ideas?

thanks, tomtom

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19 Jul 99 - 07:53 PM (#97082)
Subject: RE: Furry Lewis--'Falling Down Blues'
From: Roger in Baltimore

tom tom,

To Hell if I know.

However, since you encouraged guesses, let me try this.

"She caught the rumblin'" means "She took the train (out of town)."

"I caught the fallin' down" means, "I got drunk" (in response to her leavin' town).

"I didn't see her, I never turned around" means "To Hell with her, I hardly even noticed she left" (false machismo).

After listening to black idiom on nearly a daily basis for twelve years and after listening to more than my share of blues lyrics, I think these definitions will stand the test of time. All three interpretations are a part of standard blues idiom.

If I'm wrong, well, it still makes a good blues song.

Roger in Baltimore

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