Worried Man Blues - comments @ The HMHB Lyrics Project

26 May 2009

Twenty nine links of chain around my feet

Worried Man Blues is that rarest of things, an HMHB cover on record (although there’s a cover in most live shows). It’s an American folk song popularised by The Carter Family in 1930, although the lyrics seem to vary a little between versions (notably “Rocky Mountain Line”/”RC Mountain Line” and shackles being on either “legs” or “feet”). I’ve no idea where or what the “RC Mountain Line” is, as the only reference I can find is in the lyrics to this song! Anyway, hear the George Jones version here or watch this bluegrass version by the Stanley Brothers here:

Thanks to Fifi, gNick and EskimoEric

See lyrics to Worried Man Blues

2 Letters Sent:

Charles Exford

RC may just be Railroad Company.

I would love to know more about the origins of the song way back before the Carter Family. The numerical pattern of the verses hints that maybe it was a much longer slave labour & then convict labour song, with a lot more verses counting down through numbers. If anyone finds anything to expand upon the hint at the bottom of this page, for example, that it has ‘born from the African experience in America’, please post :
http://www.oldtownschool.org/resourcecenter/songnotes_W.html

Meanwhile Chris you’ll be delighted to know I just added 2 much-needed apostrophes to the brief Biscuit reference on the “Worried Man Blues” Wikipedia page.

May 28th, 2009
R Wenner

This song, entitled “It takes a worried man” was covered and popularized by the Kingston Trio in the 1950’s or early 60’s. Look them up and see if their lyrics to this song are posted, and you can perhaps demystify the line you find puzzling.

Jul 18th, 2009