Merline Johnson
Merline Johnson (born c. 1912 or 1918, date of death unknown) was an American blues singer in the 1930s and 1940s, billed as The Yas Yas Girl. "Yas yas" was a euphemism for buttocks in hokum blues songs such as Blind Boy Fuller's "Get Yer Yas Yas Out" and James "Stump" Johnson's "The Duck's Yas-Yas-Yas". Little is known of her life. It is generally believed that she was born in Mississippi, though the researchers Bob Eagle and Eric LeBlanc suggest she may have been born Merline Baker in Callaway County, Missouri. She was the aunt of singer LaVern Baker. Johnson first recorded in Chicago in 1937. One early song was "Sold It to the Devil". Over the next four years she recorded over 90 songs, including "Don't You Make Me High", "I'd Rather Be Drunk", and "Love with a Feeling". She recorded a few risqué songs. Her speciality was a variety of juke joint blues, with songs such as "Drinking My Blues Away" and "I Just Keep on Drinking", delivered in a tough, unlovable voice. She was accompanied by Big Bill Broonzy, Lonnie Johnson, Blind John Davis, Buster Bennett, and Punch Miller. Her final recordings, not issued at the time, were cut in 1947. |
Birth and Death Data: Born Mississippi (state of the United States of America)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1838 - 1947
Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist, composer
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 51-75 of 90 records)
| Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia | WC2678 | 10-in. | 8/31/1939 | I'd rather be drunk | Jazz Boys ; Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | ||
| Columbia | WC2679 | 10-in. | 8/31/1939 | I just keep on drinking | Jazz Boys ; Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | ||
| Columbia | WC2832 | 10-in. | 12/7/1939 | Front door blues | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with piano and drums | ||
| Columbia | WC2833 | 10-in. | 12/7/1939 | I'll try to forget | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with piano and drums | ||
| Columbia | WC2834 | 10-in. | 12/7/1939 | Rock and rollin' daddy | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with piano and drums | ||
| Columbia | WC2835 | 10-in. | 12/7/1939 | Want to woogie some more | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with piano and drums | ||
| Columbia | WC2836 | 10-in. | 12/7/1939 | You don't know my mind | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with piano and drums | ||
| Columbia | WC2837 | 10-in. | 12/7/1939 | Mama's bad luck child | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with piano and drums | ||
| Columbia | WC3040 | 10-in. | 5/2/1940 | Black gypsy blues | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with piano and drums | ||
| Columbia | WC3041 | 10-in. | 5/2/1940 | Screaming the blues | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with piano and drums | ||
| Columbia | WC3042 | 10-in. | 5/2/1940 | Yellow basket blues | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with piano and drums | ||
| Columbia | WC3043 | 10-in. | 5/2/1940 | I'm not your fool | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with piano and drums | ||
| Columbia | WC3044 | 10-in. | 5/2/1940 | Don't you want to ride | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with piano and drums | ||
| Columbia | WC3045 | 10-in. | 5/2/1940 | I won't sell my love | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with piano and drums | ||
| Columbia | WC3046 | 10-in. | 5/2/1940 | Don't forget it | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with piano and drums | ||
| Columbia | WC3047 | 10-in. | 5/2/1940 | Stop and listen | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with piano and drums | ||
| Columbia | C3385 | 10-in. | 10/7/1940 | You know it ain't right | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with piano and drums | ||
| Columbia | C3386 | 10-in. | 10/7/1940 | Man to man | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with piano and drums | ||
| Columbia | C3387 | 10-in. | 10/7/1940 | Evil old nightmare | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with piano and drums | ||
| Columbia | C3388 | 10-in. | 10/7/1940 | See saw blues | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with piano and drums | ||
| Columbia | C3389 | 10-in. | 10/7/1940 | Black ghost blues | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with piano and drums | ||
| Columbia | C3390 | 10-in. | 10/7/1940 | Worried heart blues | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with piano and drums | ||
| Columbia | C3391 | 10-in. | 10/7/1940 | Milk man blues | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with piano and drums | ||
| Columbia | C3392 | 10-in. | 10/7/1940 | Got the blues for my baby | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with piano and drums | ||
| Columbia | C3883 | 10-in. | 6/10/1941 | Froggy bottom | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with piano and string bass |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Johnson, Merline," accessed January 6, 2026, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106737.
Johnson, Merline. (2026). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved January 6, 2026, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106737.
"Johnson, Merline." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2026. Web. 6 January 2026.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Johnson, Merline - https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n93005470
Wikidata: Merline Johnson - https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q3306564
VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/121785813
MusicBrainz: Merline Johnson - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/cfe025f6-cf5b-4ec5-8c32-192adc21c00d
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