Mem Shannon has mastered the tongue-in-cheek blues song.

Been seeing these new vehicles running round

Ain't got no trunk and standing way up off the ground.

Now I know they was made for climbing mountains
and driving in the snow,

But every one I see tryin' to run over me

When I'm driving to the grocery store.

I'm sick of these S.O.B.'S driving these S.U.V.'S

Tryin' to run over me when I'm in my beat-up car.

Tryin' to run over me when I'm in my beat-up car.

Hear "SUV" here.

Or listen to any album by Portland bluesman Lloyd Jones, one of the most clever songwriters and versatile guitarists I'm aware of. His career has been built on on a grasp of the variety inherent in the blues. "Trouble Monkey" is a good example.

Trouble monkey, trouble monkey that's what I got.

Trouble monkey, trouble monkey that's what I got.

I know she's trouble.

I know she's trouble, but I can't stop.

She give me the eye, then she wiggle her hip,

That's all it takes now — I'm right back in her grip.

Trouble monkey, trouble monkey that's what I got.

I know she's trouble, but I can't stop.

(Voice) I got it bad now!

Trouble monkey, trouble monkey about to get me killed.

Trouble monkey, trouble monkey about to get me killed.

I know she's trouble, but I got to have my trouble still.

You can't go wrong visiting the masters either, whether original or covered by contemporary blues singers. Sometimes, I like to listen to "Drop Down Mama" by Sleepy John Estes, Lloyd Jones and Curtis Salgado back to back. They all do the song differently, but each does it well.

A couple of other unfounded myths are that the blues are for black people and old people only. In reality, most modern blues fans are white. The music has very strong followings in many European countries as well as in the United States. I believe it takes a mature mind to truly grasp the subleties of blues and jazz. But, by mature I don't mean old. By the time people who like music reach their late 20s or early 30s many are looking for something more meaningful than the Top 40 and discover blues and jazz.

Like I said, it's blues time. If you haven't been listening to the blues perhaps it is time to start.

Note: Some of the material in this entry is from the World Book Encyclopedia for Mac OS X.