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"Take a Whiff on Me" (Roud 10062) is an American folk song, with references to the use of cocaine. It is also known as "Take a Whiff (on Me)", "Cocaine Habit", and "Cocaine Habit Blues".
History
This song was collected by John and Alan Lomax from Iron Head and Lead Belly, as well as other sources.
The first recording appears to be the 1930 recording by Memphis Jug Band titled "Cocaine Habit Blues."
Recordings
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- Memphis Jug Band The Best of the Memphis Jug Band (titled Cocaine Habit Blues) 1930
- Lead Belly Leadbelly ARC and Library of Congress Recordings Vol. 1 (1934–1935)
- The Greenbriar Boys Ragged But Right! (1964)
- Jerry Garcia (with Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions) Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions (recorded 1964, released 1998)
- The Byrds (Untitled) (1970), There Is a Season (2006), and Live at Royal Albert Hall 1971 (2008)
- Mungo Jerry (as “Have a Whiff on Me”, 1971 single)
- The New Kentucky Colonels Live in Sweden (recorded 1973, released 1976)
- The Flying Burrito Brothers The Red Album (recorded c. 1975, released 2002)
- Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band (1975 Album, "Australia")
- Mission Mountain Wood Band In Without Knocking (1977)
- Lonnie Donegan's "Have a Drink on Me" on Puttin' On the Style (1978) is a sanitized version of the song.
- Woody Guthrie Muleskinner Blues: The Asch Recordings, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings SFW 40101 (1997)
- The White Stripes Under Blackpool Lights (2004)
- Old Crow Medicine Show: Two versions: As "Tell It to Me" on Old Crow Medicine Show (2004) and with substantially reworked lyrics as "Cocaine Habit" on Big Iron World (2006)
Print versions
- American Ballads and Folk Songs, John Lomax and Alan Lomax, 1934 as "Honey, Take a Whiff on Me"
- Mission Mountain Wood Band, "Take a Whiff on Me", 1970
References
- Aaron Parrett (25 July 2016). Montana Americana Music: Boot Stomping in Big Sky Country. Arcadia Publishing Incorporated. pp. 64–. ISBN 978-1-62585-785-9.
- Rupert Till (2 December 2010). Pop Cult: Religion and Popular Music. A&C Black. pp. 39–. ISBN 978-0-8264-4592-6.
Cocaine use was common among black labourers in the Mississippi delta where blues first emerged, and was sold in various ... 'Cocaine Habit Blues (Take a Whiff on Me)', also known as 'Tell it to Me', is usually associated with Leadbelly, ...
- Diane Holloway (2001). American History in Song: Lyrics from 1900 to 1945. Authors Choice Press. pp. 329–. ISBN 978-0-595-19331-8.
Porter wasn't the only composer writing about cocaine in 1934. Huddie Ledbetter wrote a drug song called Take a Whiff On Me. "I'se got a nickel, you'se got a dime. You buy the coke and I'll buy the wine. Cocaine's for horses and not for men.
- ^ "That Cocaine Has Got All Around My Brain: 5 Classic Cocaine Blues Tunes". Alternet.org. 2015-09-20. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
- "Grateful Dead Lyric And Song Finder". www.whitegum.com. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
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