To be cold in hand is an expression from the 1930s that means to have no money, or be broke. In “Banker’s Blues,” Big Bill Broonzy complained:
Say you taken all my money give it to your no-good man
Said I have had money but now I’m cold in hand
In “District Attorney Blues,” Bukka White described a district attorney who was so tough “he will take a woman’s man and leave her cold in hand.” And in “Cold In Hand Blues,” Bessie Smith tells the story of a hard-working man who spends all his pay on everything (and everybody) but her…and leaves her with nothing.
“What a great resource, as fascinating as it is informative. Debra’s passion for the blues shines through.” – Bonnie Raitt
“Debra’s book will teach you what you really need to know about blues history and where the blues are coming from.” – Joe Bonamassa
“Finally one can understand the mechanics behind the overwhelming viscera of the Blues. Debra Devi’s work is a true guide book to the soul.” – Al Jourgensen (Ministry)
“This book is fascinating! Take it to the bathroom and don’t come out until you’re done reading it.” – Jimmy Vivino
“This is a beautiful book. Upon receiving The Language of the Blues I discovered my knowledge only scratched the surface. Debra Devi has written an invaluable reference book. And it’s also great fun to read.” – Hal Willner
“Don’t think that The Language of the Blues might read like a dictionary or reference book. There’s no plot, but you can open it up at random and fall into the world of your favorite blues songs, and find out more about the lyrics than you would be guessing from context. I learned a lot more about the blues music I already loved.” – Bob Margolin
