Cocaine Blues

"Cocaine Blues" is a song written by TJ Arnall, a reworking of the traditional song "Little Sadie". This song was originally recorded by Roy Hogsed around the time Johnny Cash was born as well as by Woody Guthrie, but Cash popularized the song.

The song is the tale of a man who shoots his wife to death while under the influence of whiskey and cocaine.

Cash famously performed the song at his Folsom Prison concert, an event also portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix in the Cash biographical film Walk the Line. The film version, edited down to make it shorter, fades into the next scene before the line "I can't forget the day I shot that bad bitch down" is sung. The DVD specials include an extended version of the song with the bitter lyric, and the full, unedited version (apparently a different "take") is found on the soundtrack CD.

The song is also featured on Johnny Cash's Columbia album, "Now, There Was a Song!" under the title "Transfusion Blues" substituting the line "took a shot of cocaine" with "took a tranfusion" along with some other minor lyrical changes.

Aside from Johnny Cash, other artists have recorded "Cocaine Blues", including Uncle Tupelo, Merle Travis, Hank Thompson, Hank III, Electric Frankenstein, and George Thorogood.

Another song of the same title (sometimes called simply "Cocaine") was written and recorded by Luke Jordan during the late 1920s. This song was also recorded by white bluesman Dick Justice - lyrics are here: http://www.cocaine.org/cocaine.htm.

Yet another song named "Cocaine Blues" exists -- arguably the most recorded -- that is recognizable for the refrain "Cocaine run all 'round my brain" and the lyric "Cocaine's for horses Lord it ain't men/They tell me it'll kill me but they won't say when." This is referred to the "traditional version" of Cocaine Blues by many people in the music business. It originates from The Rev. Gary Davis, from whom Dave Van Ronk and others learnt it. Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Bob Dylan,Hoyt Axton, David Bromberg, Nick Drake, Jackson Browne, Keith Richards and many others have recorded this song. Found on his Live at the Old Quarter album, Townes Van Zandt's version features a slightly different refrain, but still has the "horses" line.

Hank Thompson's version of the TJ Arnall song appears on the soundtrack to the 2006 video game, Scarface: The World is Yours.

External links

• Covers and Permutations

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