Driving around running errands yesterday, listening to a bumper music soundtrack from the Sopranos. One of my favorites is R. L. Burnside doing "It's Bad You Know." I can't say he sings this song; it's more like he intones the words--more statement than singing. He has the basso voice of a solemn black preacher delivering bad news. The music accompanying his words has a hard beat, with a harmonica and echoey sound, as if the music reverberates from an empty building.

"He says: It's bad you know
It's bad you know

She asked me why- I just went on and tole her
She asked me why- I just went on and tole her
She asked me why- I just went on and tole her
She asked me why- I just went on and tole her

Then in the hard beat comes an alarm sound like five notes of a police whistle, and some background singers whose words I can't decipher, then:

It's bad you know
It's bad you know

She asked me why- I just went on and tole her
She asked me why- I just went on and tole her

(Then more of the background singers and the alarm sound again and he finishes with)

It's bad you know
It's bad you know.


I like that song a lot...I wish I knew what he was telling her..susil