Melancholie

Robert Johnson, Mississippi Delta blues legend, krijgt een eervolle vermelding in The British Journal of Psychiatry.

I got stones in my pathway/And my road seems dark at night/I have pains in my heart/They have taken my appetite.

Melancholia – 100 words, Stewart, The British Journal of Psychiatry.2011; 199: 48 [fulltext (inloggen verplicht)]

De rest van de 100 woorden hier:

Robert Johnson, known as the King of the Delta blues singers, distilled into these lines the essence of severe depressive illness – somatic ills, fear and suspicion, emotional and physical pain, nocturnal troubles and struggle against obstacles. The words are one with the powerful, haunting music. ICD-10 and DSM-IV have their place, but poets have often been there before us, and done a better job. We can all learn from Robert Johnson, born just 100 years ago.

Melancholie betekent overigens letterlijk zwartgalligheid.

volledige text:

I got stones in my passway, and my road seem dark as night
I got stones in my passway, and my road seem dark as night
I have pains in my heart, they have taken my appetite
I have a bird to whistle, and I have a bird to sing
Have a bird to whistle, and I have a bird to sing
I got a woman that I’m lovin’, boy, but she don’t mean a thing
My enemies have betrayed me, have overtaken poor Bob at last
My enemies have betrayed me, have overtaken poor Bob at last
And there’s one thing certainly, they have stones all in my pass
Now you tryin’ to take my life, and all my lovin’ too
You laid a passway for me, now what are you trying to do?
I’m cryin’ please, please let us be friends
And when you hear me howlin’ in my passway, rider, please open your door and let me in
I got three lane’s to truck home, boys, please don’t block my road
I got three lane’s to truck home, boys, please don’t block my road
I’ve been feelin’ ashamed ‘bout my rider, babe, I’m booked and I got to go