People who think threats of violence are something new in gangster rap don't know much about the blues, or even about Appalachian ballads like "Knoxville Girl," which I first heard as recorded by the Blue Sky Boys in 1937 but here done by the Wilburn Brothers:
I deplore any influence these songs have in encouraging violent behavior, but I suppose they can serve as warnings of how far out not to get. This one by Sonny Boy Williamson II has a catchy title, "Your Funeral And My Trial":
Original lyrics: "...go down, go down, you Knoxville girl....". Brings another dimension to that song.
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