In Tupelo, Mississippi
The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927, collapsed the levee system along the Mississippi and Arkansas Rivers. Rain and flooding caused the catastrophic failure of thirteen levees. Thousands of acres of land were swamped, encompassing 26,000 square miles of three states. There were more than a thousand deaths and almost a million people became homeless. The rain and floods which lasted from April until June ruined more than five million acres of farmland. Some believe that the Great Mississippi Flood changed America forever.

John Lee Hooper recounts the story in “Tupelo Blues“, 1959. spk 4.7mb MP3

Did ya read about the flood? Happened long time ago, In Tupelo, Mississippi. There were thou’and o’ lives, Destroyed.

It rained, it rained, Both night and day. The poor people was worried. Had no place to go. Could hear many people, tryin’ “Lord! Have mercy! ‘Cause you’re the only one, That we can turn to” Happened a long time ago. A little town, Way back in Mississippi, In Tupelo

There was women, and there was chillun, They were screamin’ an’ cryin’, Cryin’, “Lord, have mercy! You’re the only one now, that we can turn to.”

Way back down in Mississippi, a little country town. I know ya read about it, ‘Cause I’ll never forget it. The mighty flood in Tupelo, Mississippi. Been years ago. Oh-hmm, Lord, have mercy! Wasn’t that a mighty time? Tupelo’s gone.

~~John Lee Hooker, from the album “The Country Blues Of John Lee Hooker”, Riverside 1959

Linked at Mudville Gazette’s Open Post.