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This Rough Guide presents classic recordings from the heyday of the hokum craze - collection of humorous songs which show a fun and racy side to the blues. Featuring many legendary country bluesmen including Blind Lemon Jefferson, Big Bill Broonzy, Blind Willie McTell and Charley Patton, plus by blues divas Bessie Smith, Ma Rainey and Memphis Minnie.

With its early minstrel show origins, hokum was a novelty style that showed a completely different side to the blues that was upbeat, salacious and light hearted. Its spicy style often made repeated and continual sexual references by using clever and subtle (but not always) innuendo. Its popularity would last through the 1930s and its influence has remained part of the blues ever since