Level: 3
Tuning: Standard

This blues has a long and popular history. The song was first recorded as "Don't Tear My Clothes" in January 1935 by the State Street Boys, a group that included Big Bill Broonzy and Jazz Gillum. In the same year Walter Coleman recorded it as "Mama Let Me Lay It On You". The next few years saw several more versions, including "Don't Tear My Clothes" by Washboard Sam in June 1936, "Baby Don't You Tear My Clothes" by the Harlem Hamfats in May 1937, "Let Your Linen Hang Low" by Rosetta Howard with the Harlem Hamfats in October 1937 and "Mama Let Me Lay It On You" by Blind Boy Fuller in April 1938. Fuller's version was so popular that he recorded it a second time as "Mama Let Me Lay It On You, Number Two".

During the 1960s folk revival Eric Von Schmidt, a well-known face in the East Coast folk scene, heard the song via the Blind Boy Fuller recording as well as performances by Rev. Gary Davis. Eric credits Rev. Gary Davis for writing three quarters of his version of the song. Eric taught his rendition to Bob Dylan he then recorded the song on his debut Columbia album.

The arrangement I teach is straight from the fingertips of Rev. Gary Davis. It is played in the key of G using the arsenal of tricks and licks that Rev. Davis used in playing a blues in G.