Blues-L Terms
These are terms perculiar to Blues-L or to mailing lists:
ADMIN:
A subject header reserved for the
use of the listowners to announce messages of importance to the listmembers
in general. Listmembers should read ALL ADMIN: posts.
Attachment
An attachment is a file that is sent
in conjunction with an email. They may be almost any kind of file but email
was never intended to transmit large files. Not all attachments can be
viewed by all email recipients and are therefore a waste of bandwidth.
Some email programs generate attachments automatically when emails are
forwarded or as part of a "Virtual Card File". Please make sure these are
turned off in your email program, they are not acceptable on Blues-L.
Bandwidth
While somewhat a misnomer, the term
bandwidth as used in reference to Blues-L refers to the volume of the email
or the size of the email. Technically, bandwidth means the amount of data
that can be transmitted in a fixed amount of time usually expressed in
bits per second(bps), bytes per second or cycles per second, Hertz (Hz).
Bandwidth is a limited resource and in the case of mailing lists can be
wasted by attachments, long signatures, quoting more than is needed when
making a response, HTML, off-topic posts, "Me too" posts, and long winded
posts. Keep it short and sweet, say what needs to be said and only what
needs to be said. Say it simply in text only.
Flame
A derogatory or insulting post aimed at humiliating another
listmember. Flames are not tolerated on Blues-L.
GEAR:
A subject header to indicate that the post contains content
about the physical equipment, techniques, stage equipment, etc. used in
making music. It is possible to set your account settings to filter out
these posts at the listserver. See the "How To" section of this web site
to learn how. The header must be at the start of the subject line and must
have a colon placed directly after the lettering with a space after the
colon.
HTML
Hypertext Markup Language, the code that makes up the basis
of web pages. Some email programs can send messages as HTML documents.
This has the advantage of allowing the sender to format text, include artwork
and pictures, and use special backgrounds. As nice as that sounds, HTML
email wastes bandwidth and is not readable as intended by all listmembers.
It is not acceptable on Blues-L, save it for your web pages. Please make
sure to send your emails in plain text only.
ITEN:
A subject header to indicate that the post contains an
itinerary of appearence dates for a muscian, tour, festival, etc. It is
possible to set your account settings to filter out these posts at the
listserver. See the "How To" section of this web site to learn how. The
header must be at the start of the subject line and must have a colon placed
directly after the lettering with a space after the colon.
Listowner
This is a bit of a misnomer. The Listowners do not "own"
the mailing list, they are more like caretakers of the mailing list. They
deal with the technical administration of the list and as of 6/23/99 they
were empowered by a vote of listmembers to take whatever actions are necessary
to maintain a civil atmosphere on the list.
Listserv 1.8B
The software program that runs on the listserver and receives and distributes
email.
Lurker
A person who only reads the mailing list or a newgroup
without joining in.
NBC:
No Blues Content. This is an official Blues-L sanctioned
subject header that indicates that the post has no Blues content. Usually
these are used for posts that may be of interest to the Blues community
even though they do not relate directly to the Blues. It is possible to
set your account settings to filter out these posts at the listserver.
See the "How To" section of this web site to learn how. The header must
be at the start of the subject line and must have a colon placed directly
after the lettering with a space after the colon.
NOMAIL
An account setting available to listmembers that
suspends email from the listserver until such time as the listmember chooses
to resume email service.
Off-topic
Any post or part of a post that does not relate
to the intended subject matter of the mailing list. On Blues-L it refers
to any post or part of a post that does not relate to the blues. A certain
amount of occasional, off-topic posts are acceptable but continued off-topic
posting is not.
POB
Specific to Blues-L, this is our internationally famous
periodic list-members jam hosted by Leonard Watkins, a fellow blue-zeller
from Birmingham, AL. With apologies to the “House of Blues” (code named
HOB on Blues-L), POB stand for “Porch of Blues”—Leonard’s front porch.
Check your local listings (Blues-L) for future dates and times.
Post(s)
Another word for email sent to the listserver for distribution
or email that has been distributed.
Signal-to-Noise ratio
On Blues-L this refers to the ratio of relevant, interesting
posts to off-topic posts, flames, posts on previously well covered subjects,
etc.
Signature or .sig file
A signature is exactly what you would think it would be,
it is a way of signing an email just as one would sign a letter. Most email
programs allow a user to create a special file (.sig file) that will automatically
be added to the bottom each outgoing email. Some are simply the user's
name but many people use them to advertise, send famous quotes, include
ASCII art, or links to web pages. A signature of over six line is considered
a breech of netiquette. Excessively long signatures add to the volume of
emails and in turn the Blues-L digest. They are considered a waste of bandwith
and usually get a different reaction than the sender intended. Long signatures
are considered unacceptable on Blues-L.
Thread
A string of posts on a subject.
Zeller
A Blues-L listmember in good standing
Lyrical Definitions
What is the Blues?
Without going into a great deal of technical musical definitions,
the Blues is a form of music that grew out of a remembered African tradition
merged with European musical formats during the slavery experience of Blacks
in America. Its specific antecedents are the field hollers and work songs
of the slavery and subsequent Jim Crow South, particularly the Mississippi
Delta region. It developed through the work songs, entertainments, social
commentaries, and releases of black sharecroppers, prison inmates, levee
workers, etc. throughout the South.
The Blues became a separately identifiable form in the
late 19th century, spread by aural tradition. W. C. Handy appears to have
been the first to “compose” blues songs (“Memphis Blue” in 1912, etc.).
Although basic 12-bar blues is the most common form, with a construction
of I-I-I-I-IV-IV-I-I-V-V-I-I, blues often are constructed in eight, ten,
or sixteen bar formats.
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Many
of these definitions are by way of Blues-L contributor John Wells, who
uses Juba To Jive: A Dictionary Of African-American Slang (Clarence Major)
as a source. Many blues words that cause problems for modern listeners
are derived from voodoo (or hoodoo) expressions, such as the following:
MOJO
a charm for luck, or for conjuring, particularly in
gambling or love. Most commonly, the “power” is in a MOJO BAG, a cloth
bag with secret contents having magical powers. “Got my mojo working, but
it just won’t work on you”—Muddy Waters.
HOOCHIE COOCHIE
MAN
a “doctor” who preaches voodoo, the term seems
to have taken on more sexual overtones over time.
BLACK CAT BONE
a good luck charm.
JOHN THE CONQUEROR
ROOT (sometimes slurred as John the Conqueroo)
the root of a certain plant (I have seen various
suggestions as to which one on Blues-L) that has magical or healingpowers.
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Other terms include:
KILLING FLOOR
particularly in the Chicago Stockyards area, where
many black newcomers from the South found jobs during the twenties, thirties,
and forties, this was the slaughtering room, where animals were brought
to be killed. Symbolically being on the “Killing Floor”, then, meant being
in trouble with little way out, or being so depressed (primarily by the
loss of a lover) that he (generally) feels like he is going to die.
BACK DOOR MAN
The man who sneaks in the back door when the “man
of the house” is out, sneaking back out again when he comes home: that
is, the illicit lover.
C C RIDER
a “significant other” who is doing you wrong.
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