by Larry Fyffe
As more and more people move from small towns to big cities, the particular style of “blues” music changes, but the melancholic sentiment oft-expressed therein remains:
Now, tell you, mama, now, I'm sure gonna leave this town Now, tell you, mama, now, I'm sure gonna leave this town 'Cause I been in trouble ever since I set my suitcase down (Ishman Bracey: Leaving Town Blues)
https://youtu.be/Hed-UnEpMJE
As demonstrated in the lyrics of the country-rock song beneath:
City's just a jungle, more games to play Trapped in the heart of it, trying to get away I was raised in the country, I been working in town I been in trouble ever since I set my suitcase down (Bob Dylan: Mississippi)
Melancholic lyrics are retained even with an upbeat country-style of music:
Well, I never felt more like running away But why should I go 'Cause I couldn't stay Without you You got me singing the blues
(Guy Mitchell: Singing The Blues ~ Melvin Endsley)
Brought down a peg is the sentiment expressed in the following lyrics with its country-sounding music:
If you'd see me this way You'd come back, and you'd stay Oh, how could you refuse I've been living the blues Every night without you (Bob Dylan: Living The Blues)
The upbeat country-style music accompanying the lyrics beneath creates a feeling of contentment; the singer too happy in his unhappiness.
Sometimes I think about leaving Doing a little bumming around Throw my bills out the window Catch me a train to another town But I go back to working I got to buy my kids a brand new pair of shoes I drink a little bit of beer that evening Sing a little bit of these workingman blues (Merle Haggard: Workingman Blues)
Melancholic the music, and somewhat desperate the sound be in the lyrics below:
Meet me at the bottom, don't lag behind Bring me my boots and shoes You can hang back or fight your best on the front line Sing a little bit of these workingman blues (Bob Dylan: Workingman's Blues, no. 2)
Next there’s fast-moving music with the dark humour of them “talking blues”:
Mama's in the pantry, preparing to eat Sister's in the kitchen, a-fixing for the feast Papa's in the cellar, a-mixing up the hops Brother's at the window a-watching for the cops (Chris Bouchillon: New Talking Blues)
That’s a-heared in the following song:
Johnny's in the basement, mixing up the medicine I'm on the pavement, thinking about the government The man in the trench coat, badge out, laid off Says he's got a bad cough, wants to get paid off (Bob Dylan: Subterranean Homesick Blues)