Sweet Home Chicago

…“Hellhound on My Trail,” “Sweet Home Chicago,” “I Believe I’ll Dust My Broom,” “Ramblin’ on My Mind,” and “Love in Vain”—are his most compelling pieces. Unlike the songs of many of his contemporaries—which tended to unspool loosely, employing combinations of traditional and improvised lyrics—Johnson’s songs were tightly composed, and…

…of the blues song “Sweet Home Chicago” at both the beginning and end of each line. Other writers have suggested writing a golden shovel using newspaper headlines.