Noirsville Tune Of The Week

David Kenneth Ritz "Dave" Van Ronk (June 30, 1936 – February 10, 2002) was an American folk singer. An important figure in the American folk music revival and New York City's Greenwich Village scene in the 1960s, he was nicknamed the "Mayor of MacDougal Street".

Cocaine Blues

Dave Van Ronk's version of Cocaine Blues is an amalgamation of Cocaine Blues, written by Piedmont blues guitarist and vocalist, Luke Jordan (1927) Based in Lynchburg, Virginia, Cocaine Habit Blues, by the Memphis Jug Band (1929) and Cocaine Blues written by blind Piedmont blues guitar whiz the Rev. Gary Davis (1935). Van Ronk also  had a habit of improvising lyrics, with slightly different versions on nearly every recording and live performance.

Cocaine Blues

(basic version)

Every time my baby and me we go uptown,

Police come in and knock me down.

Cocaine all around my brain.

Hey baby, better come here quick,

This old cocaine is 'bout to make me sick.

Cocaine all around my brain.

Yonder come my baby, she's dressed in red,

She's got a shot-gun,

Says she's gonna kill me dead.

Cocaine all around my brain.

Hey baby, better come here quick,

This old cocaine 'bout to make me sick.

Cocaine all around my brain.

You take Sally, an' I'll take Sue,

Ain't nah difference between the two.

Cocaine all around my brain.

Hey baby, you better come here quick,

This old cocaine 'bout to make me sick.

Cocaine all around my brain.

Cocaine's for horses and it's not for men,

Doctor said it kill you, but he didn't say when.

Cocaine all around my brain.

Hey baby, you better come here quick,

This old cocaine 'bout to make me sick.

Cocaine all around my brain.

Hey baby, you better come here quick,

This old cocaine 'bout to make me sick.

Cocaine all around my brain.

Version 1

Version 2