Take 5 - Going Down Slow - Songs of illness and death

Given the devastation and disruption caused by COVID-19, today's Take 5 presents five songs with the theme of disease and death. We start with Victora Spivey's classic recording about TB, "T.B. Blues." John Erby is on piano and Lonnie Johnson on this 1927 recording.

Josh White recorded "Silicosis is Killing Me," under the name of Pinewood Tom.

Memphis based bluesman Big Lucky Carter recorded "AIDS Is Killing Me," about a recent plague.

While some folks equate COVID-19 with the seasonal flu, COVID-19 is worse. But the Flu itself is a dangerous virus as Albert Collins sang  in "Dyin' Flu."

Next up to close out this Take 5 is the original recording of the classic blues about dying from a disease, "Going Down Slow," by St. Louis Jimmy.