The song must be considered to have been at least partially plucked from the public domain world of folk songs in all its recorded versions, no matter who winds up taking a publishing credit. There is a recording of the song by Leadbelly and another by the Mississippi Sheiks, but perhaps the best take on "Alberta Blues" came from vocalist and harmonica ace Jazz Gillum. He rather than Hancock tends to get the songwriting nod on this side, originally cut for the Bluebird label in the late '30s.

Elsewhere in the same company's vaults there is supposed to be a Cajun-style version by Lawrence Walker -- it would certainly be easy enough to get the blues if one made the mistake of eating Cajun food in Alberta. In this case, the Hancock name shows up, inspiring daydreams of a long-lost source for this ditty in the bayous. The reality is typical of the publishing world circa 1935 and the sort of malpractice that went on. No one named James Hancock actually existed in reference to this song; it was yet another pseudonym fabricated by publisher and record label owner Joe Davis as he cast a net for whatever public domain material he could get his hands, or rather John Hancock on -- or should that be James Hancock? ~ Eugene Chadbourne