What's your blues name?

Question

HiWhat does "blues" mean in "What's your blues name?"? I read it here. I have looked up the meaning of 'blues' in the dictionary but the meaning doesn't fit in this context. Could you please help me? Thank you.RegardsJackson

Enoon · Accepted Answer

Certain cultures have naming conventions that seem peculiar to us in the English-speaking world. People can jokingly have an Indian name, like "He Runs from Girls" or "Two Blowfish". I myself have a Viking name, "Lars the Nine-fingered". Don't ask. I mean it. Among vintage blues cats it is imagined there was a tendency to adopt a name with the following structure: adjective noun name. Blind Lemon Jefferson is probably the archetype.

"Blues" is a kind of music. Listen to B.B. King.

Jackson6612 · Answer

enoonCertain cultures have naming conventions that seem peculiar to us in the English-speaking world. People can jokingly have an Indian name, like "He Runs from Girls" or "Two Blowfish". I myself have a Viking name, "Lars the Nine-fingered". Don't ask. I mean it. Among vintage blues cats it is imagined there was a tendency to adopt a name with the following structure: adjective noun name. Blind Lemon Jefferson is probably the archetype."Blues" is a kind of music. Listen to B.B. King.

Thank you, enoon. I hope you won't mind helping me a little more.

Is this "He Runs from Girls" really an Indian name? Perhaps, it's literal translation of an Indian name.

What are "vintage blues cats"?

Yes, I understand 'blues' is a type of music but I don't think 'blues' in "blues name" has anything to do with music, does it?

Please help me. Thank you.

Best wishes
Jackson

Enoon · Answer

I guess my little joke fell flat. "He Runs from Girls" is not a real Indian name, as far as I know. I wouldn't be too surprised, though. We imagine that American Indians had names like that. Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, all their names mean something, often translating to a complete clause. "Ohio", for instance, supposedly means "it is beautiful".

vintage—valuable because it's old
blues—a three-chord music style
cat—slang for "musician"

The "blues" in "blues name" refers to the music style. The term "blues name" is constructed in the same way as "Indian name" or "Viking name"—a silly name that is supposedly typical of that culture.

Jackson6612 · Answer

enoonI guess my little joke fell flat. "He Runs from Girls" is not a real Indian name, as far as I know. I wouldn't be too surprised, though. We imagine that American Indians had names like that. Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, all their names mean something, often translating to a complete clause. "Ohio", for instance, supposedly means "it is beautiful".vintage—valuable because it's oldblues—a three-chord music stylecat—slang for "musician"The "blues" in "blues name" refers to the music style. The term "blues name" is constructed in the same way as "Indian name" or "Viking name"—a silly name that is supposedly typical of that culture.

Once again, my thanks, enoon.

Sorry, I thought you were talking of South Asian Indians. Yes, you are right in movies I have seen American Indians characters with names which sound funny to me!

Could you please tell me "blues name" is typical of what culture? If it's typical of 'blues culture' then how would you define such a culture? Thank you for the help.

Regards
Jackson

Enoon · Answer

Jackson6612Could you please tell me "blues name" is typical of what culture? If it's typical of 'blues culture' then how would you define such a culture?

It is a mostly imaginary culture. Grizzled old ragamuffin black men in the American South of the early twentieth century playing homemade guitars missing a string or two, using the neck of their whiskey bottle as a slide between swigs, whining practically unintelligible lyrics of hardship and loss—this has become a staple of comedy. Cheech and Chong had their Blind Melon Chitlin, for example. I say comedy, but these men are simultaneously ridiculed and revered. The early blues was crude and disorganized, but it developed into the perfect canvas for the electric guitar that was to come, and it became one of the twin pillars of rock and roll. Their music was seminal, if intellectually unsatisfying, haunting in its very primitiveness. It harked back to slave hollers and African music, yet it made its way into symphonies. All we have of the old days is a few bleary recordings and Blind Lemon Jefferson's colorful moniker.

Jackson6612 · Answer

Thanks a lot, enoon.

I think I understand it now. For example, 'Blind Lemon Jefferson' is a blues name. In general, in my opinion, blues name is the one which you would adopt if you were a blues singer in the old days of blues music because in those days it was customary to use such 'funny' monikers. Please correct me if I have it wrong.

Thank you for your help.

Best wishes
Jackson

Mister Micawber · Answer

Jackson6612I think I understand it now. For example, 'Blind Lemon Jefferson' is a blues name. In general, in my opinion, blues name is the one which you would adopt if you were a blues singer in the old days of blues music because in those days it was customary to use such 'funny' monikers. Please correct me if I have it wrong.

Absolutely right, and an excellent elucidation from enoon.

(My blues name is 'Chicago Charley'.)

Jackson6612 · Answer

Thank you for letting me know that I have it correct, Mr Micawber.

By the way, your blues name is a good one and a bit self-explanatory - a person named Charles from Chicago. But blues names such 'Blind Lemon Jefferson' sounds somewhat funny to me unless there is really a place called 'Blind Lemon'.

Best wishes
Jackson

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