Poor Boy Blues

For the song "Poor Boy Blues" by Poison, seeFlesh and Blood (Poison album).

"Poor Boy Blues"
SinglebyGus Cannonas "Banjo Joe"
B-side	"Can You Blame the Colored Man"
Released	1927(1927)
Recorded	1927
Genre	Blues
Label	Paramount
Songwriter(s)	Traditional

"Poor Boy Blues",or"Poor Boy, Long Ways From Home",is a traditionalbluessong that has been cited as one of the oldest in the genre.As with most traditional blues songs, there is great variation in the melody and lyrical content as performed by different artists. However, there is often a core verse containing some variation of the line "I'm a poor boy a long way from home."

Blues historianGérard Herzhaftdescribed it as:

much a part of black folklore as it is of white folklore, and its origin is quite questionable. It is probably anold English piecerevised byAppalachianmusicians. Strangely enough, "Poor Boy", after decades of being a standard refrain, especially in country music, resurfaced among postwar bluesmen.

The song is often associated with aslide guitaraccompaniment.Gus Cannonrecalled hearing a slide guitarist named Alec or Alex Lee inCoahoma Countyaround 1900, playing a version of the song.In 1927, Cannon recorded the song under the pseudonym Banjo JoeforParamount Records.He performed the piece using a slide on a five string banjo, with guitar accompaniment byBlind Blake.

A version recorded byHowlin' Wolfin 1957 is described by Herzhaft as "a sensational rendering".Chess Recordsissued it as a single, with another traditional song, "Sitting on Top of the World"as the second side.