TB Blues

Jimmie Rodgers, born 1897, was a country singer whose influence is probably best indicated by the three names by which he is often known: The Singing Brakeman, The Blues Yodeler, and The Father of Country Music. He died from Tuberculosis in 1933.

He sang two songs explicitly about TB: "T.B. Blues" in 1931 and “Whippin’ That Old T.B.” in 1932. He died from T.B. (from a lung hemorrhage) just two days after his last recording session. During the session he was so weak from T.B that he needed to rest on a cot between songs.

All those death metal bands can have scary names (Anthrax, Ebola, Cholera etc) but it takes real cojones to sing about about the disease that is killing you

I've been fightin' like a lion looks like I'm going to lose
I've been fightin' like a lion looks like I'm going to lose
Cause there ain't nobody ever whipped the TB blues
I've got the TB blues


Gee but that graveyard is a lonesome place
Lord but that graveyard is a lonesome place
They put you on your back throw that mud down in your face
I've got the TB blues