Nehi Blues
by 
Blind Joe 
(Willie) Reynolds 
recording of November 1929, Grafton, Wisconsin 
from 
Complete Recorded Works of Son House & The Great Delta Blues Singers (Document DOCD 5002) 
Some girls wear short dresses, and these married women wears 'em too 
Some girls wear short dresses, and these married women wears 'em too 
That's the reason single men, Lord, don't know what we want to do 
When the proper judges make these women let these dresses down 
When the proper judges make these women let these dresses down 
Told that tremblin' soul, doggone, what you learnin' in town 
Women tarry too long, pullin' this short dress style 
Women tarry too long, pullin' the short dress style 
So we single men can't tell a married woman from a child 
Hmmm, Hmm, Hmmm, hmmm 
Let me tell you boys what these nehi 
dresses will do 
Let me tell you boys what these nehi dresses will do 
Get you broke, ragged, and hungry boy, then come down on you 
All of you women, you all oughta be ashamed 
All of you young women, the whole lot oughta be ashamed 
makin' these old men naughty, when they're walkin' on walking canes 
Hmmm, Hmmm, Hmmm, Hmmm 
An old man ain't nothin' but a young woman's slave 
These old mens ain't nothin' but a young woman's slave 
He works hard all the time tryin' to stay in a young man's ways 
Hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm 
__________ 
Notes: recorded under the performing name, Blind Joe Reynolds. This song reflects Blind Joe's moral commentary and criticism about women of the 1920's wearing their dresses too short, evidently exposing too much of their thighs, knee's and legs which was uncommon in earlier decades. This fad of wearing short dresses came into fashion during the roaring 1920's when morals loosened. One could consider this as moral hypocrisy for Blind Joe to have made such observations about women since he basically held women in low esteem and was such a womanizer himself.; 
Note 1: nehi, is slang for a knee-high.