The mouse

[Wilson Gray]

Beats the shit outta me, Lar. I know it from a Blind Lemon Jefferson
recording. Actually, it's a line favored by several Texas bluesmen. But
I have no idea as to whether any of them proceeded or followed Jimmie
Rodgers. I restrict myself to the Texas-Louisiana-Mississippi axis,
with very few exceptions, just as a matter of preference. We Texans,
regardless of race, creed, color, or sexual orientation, are as
chauvinistic about our state as we're reputed to be. [Please don't
forget that Dubyuh is a native of *Connecticut* and NOT of Texas!]

"Well, I've been to Dallas and I've been to San Antone, but there's a
place called Marshall where I'm better known." - Floyd Dixon: Marshall,
Texas, Is My Home.

-Wilson

On Jul 25, 2004, at 12:07 AM, Laurence Horn wrote:

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Laurence Horn <laurence.horn at YALE.EDU>
> Subject:      Re: The mouse
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
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>
> At 1:23 PM -0400 7/24/04, Wilson Gray wrote:
>> On Jul 24, 2004, at 9:05 AM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
>>
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>>> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>>> Poster:       Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at YAHOO.COM>
>>> Subject:      Re: The mouse
>>> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
>>> --
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>>>
>>> East Tennesseans commonly talk about "picking up the room" meaning
>>> picking things up off the floor, mainly.
>>>
>>> JL
>>
>> Yes, it also means that in East Texas, too. "'T' for Texas and 'T' for
>> Tennessee," as the traditional blues line says.
>>
>> -Wilson Gray
>>
> Isn't that from Jimmie Rodgers (The Singin' Brakeman)?  ("...T for
> Thelma, the gal who made a wreck out of me")   Or did he borrow it
> from someone earlier?
>
> larry
>