Predatory Lending, Contract House Sales, and the Blues in Chicago: Eddie Boyd's “Five Long Years” and Muddy Waters’ “You Can't Lose What You Ain't Never Had”

What is it about?

The essay details the history of the segregated housing market in Chicago, including redlining, that led to the use of house contract sales for African Americans, a predatory form of lending. Detailed readings of two blues songs from artists from Chicago, Eddie Boyd and Muddy Waters, reveal a critique of these practices. The songs address the feelings of isolation and victimization associated with racialized practices of exploitation.

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Why is it important?

Applying analytical methodology associated with cultural history changes the perception of the blues, often considered as not having a political message. The article combines cultural history with musicological analysis.