Take a Whiff on Me

"Take a Whiff On Me"
Published	1934 by John Lomax and Alan Lomax
Language	English
Recorded by	Lead Belly, Cisco Houston, Woody Guthrie, Memphis Jug Band

"Take a Whiff on Me" (Roud 10062) is an American folk song, with references to the use of cocaine. It is also known as "Take a Whiff (on Me)", "Cocaine Habit", and "Cocaine Habit Blues".

History

This song was collected by John and Alan Lomax from Iron Head and Lead Belly, as well as other sources.

Recordings

• Woody Guthrie Muleskinner Blues: The Asch Recordings, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings SFW 40101 (1997)
• Lonnie Donegan's "Have a Drink on Me" on Puttin' On the Style (1978) is a sanitized version of the song.
• The Greenbriar Boys Ragged But Right! (1964)
• The Byrds (Untitled) (1970), There Is a Season (2006), and Live at Royal Albert Hall 1971 (2008)
• The Flying Burrito Brothers The Red Album (recorded c. 1975, released 2002)
• The White Stripes Under Blackpool Lights (2004)
• Mission Mountain Wood Band In Without Knocking (1977)
• Old Crow Medicine Show Big Iron World (2006)
• Jerry Garcia (with Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions) Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions (recorded 1964, released 1998)
• The Cowboy Killers Greatest Hits Vol. III: Cocaine Habit and Other Spirituals (2008)
• Lead Belly Leadbelly ARC and Library of Congress Recordings Vol. 1 (1934-1935)
• Memphis Jug Band The Best of the Memphis Jug Band
• Mungo Jerry (as “Have a Whiff on Me”, 1971 single)

Print versions

• American Ballads and Folk Songs, John Lomax and Alan Lomax, 1934 as "Honey, Take a Whiff on Me"
• Mission Mountain Wood Band "Take a Whiff on Me" 1970

In popular culture

The title of the song is quoted in the song "Dead Skunk" of Loudon Wainwright III, which contains the line: "take a whiff on me, that ain't no rose!"

The song is also the basis for the 1976 hit "Cokaine In My Brain" of reggae artist Dillinger.

Jack White of The White Stripes sang this song in the Under Blackpool Lights concert during the song "I Think I Smell a Rat".

References