Traditional turn of phrase

[Jonathan Lighter]

Back in 1941 the Library of Congress issued set of 78s called _The Ballad Hunter_. These were radio shows hosted by John A. Lomax that were meant to introduce audiences to American folk songs.

  The portentous style of Lomax's narration is now amusing. But never mind that. On "Part II: Blues and Hollers" (reissued on L. of C. LP AFS L49 in 1958 acc. to http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/wwghtml/wwgdisc.html), Woody Guthrie is heard to say,

  "Well, the blues is [...] just plain old bein' lonesome....Thinkin' maybe that you - you know, down and out and disgusted and busted and can't be trusted, why, gives you a lonesome feeling."

  A search reveals a mere dozen or so Googlits of "disgusted, busted, (and) can't be trusted." Sometimes "busted" comes first, sometimes "broke" is added initially.

  An American phrase that deserves preservation.

  JL




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