Poor Boy Blues


"Poor Boy Blues", or "Poor Boy, Long Ways From Home", is a traditional blues song of unknown origin. 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." The song is often associated with a slide guitar accompaniment. Gus Cannon recalled hearing a slide guitarist named Alec or Alex Lee in Coahoma County around 1900, playing a version of the song. Cannon himself, under the pseudonym Banjo Joe, later recorded the song.
The song is often cited as one of the oldest in the blues genre. Bo Weavil Jackson recorded the song in Chicago in 1926 for Vocalion Records.

Renditions

Many artists have recorded versions, including: