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 1-25 of 90 records)
| Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victor | BS-07631 | 10-in. | 5/4/1937 | New muddy water blues | Merline Johnson ; Eddie Miller | Female vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, composer | |
| Victor | BS-07632 | 10-in. | 5/4/1937 | He roars like a lion | Merline Johnson ; Eddie Miller ; Willie Bee | Female vocal solo, with guitar, piano, and string bass | vocalist, composer | |
| Victor | BS-07633 | 10-in. | 5/4/1937 | I'm leavin' you | Merline Johnson ; Eddie Miller | Female vocal solo, with guitar, piano, and string bass | vocalist, composer | |
| Victor | BS-07634 | 10-in. | 5/4/1937 | My baby left me | Merline Johnson ; Eddie Miller | Female vocal solo, with guitar, piano, and string bass | vocalist, composer | |
| Victor | BS-07635 | 10-in. | 5/4/1937 | Pallet on the floor | Merline Johnson | Female vocal solo, with guitar, piano, and string bass | vocalist, composer | |
| Victor | BS-07636 | 10-in. | 5/4/1937 | Mean mistreatin' Daddy | Merline Johnson | Female vocal solo, with guitar, piano, and string bass | vocalist, composer | |
| Columbia | C1922 | 10-in. | 6/9/1937 | Sold it to the devil | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | ||
| Columbia | C1924 | 10-in. | 6/9/1937 | I'd rather drink muddy muddy water no. 2 | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | ||
| Columbia | C1939 | 10-in. | 6/22/1937 | Blues everywhere | Memphis Minnie | Female vocal solo, with piano, guitar, and drums | ||
| Columbia | C1973 | 10-in. | 7/30/1937 | Working on the project | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | ||
| Columbia | C1974 | 10-in. | 7/30/1937 | I drink good whiskey | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | ||
| Columbia | C1975 | 10-in. | 7/30/1937 | Patrol wagon blues | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | ||
| Columbia | C1976 | 10-in. | 7/30/1937 | Got a man in the 'Bamma mine | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | ||
| Columbia | C2018 | 10-in. | 10/19/1937 | Jackass for sale | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | ||
| Columbia | C2019 | 10-in. | 10/19/1937 | You got to pay | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | ||
| Columbia | C2058 | 10-in. | 12/15/1937 | Please come back to me | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | ||
| Columbia | C2059 | 10-in. | 12/15/1937 | My independent man | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | ||
| Columbia | C2060 | 10-in. | 12/15/1937 | He may be your man | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | ||
| Columbia | C2061 | 10-in. | 12/15/1937 | Love shows weakness | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | ||
| Columbia | C2062 | 10-in. | 12/23/1937 | New drinking my blues away | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | ||
| Columbia | C2063 | 10-in. | 12/23/1937 | Crime don't pay | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | ||
| Columbia | C2169 | 10-in. | 4/7/1938 | About my time to check | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | ||
| Columbia | C2170 | 10-in. | 4/7/1938 | Squeeze me tight | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | ||
| Columbia | C2171 | 10-in. | 4/7/1938 | Jelly bean blues | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | ||
| Columbia | C2172 | 10-in. | 5/19/1838 | My man is gone | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Johnson, Merline," accessed December 24, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106737.
Johnson, Merline. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 24, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106737.
"Johnson, Merline." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 24 December 2025.
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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