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 | C2484 | 10-in. | 2/10/1939 | Some day I'll be gone away | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | ||
| Columbia | C2485 | 10-in. | 2/10/1939 | Easy towing mama | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | ||
| Columbia | C2486 | 10-in. | 2/10/1939 | Grieving heart blues | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | ||
| Columbia | C2487 | 10-in. | 2/10/1939 | Reckless life blues | Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | ||
| Columbia | C2488 | 10-in. | 2/10/1939 | Breakin' 'em down tonight | Rhythm Rascals ; Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | ||
| Columbia | C2489 | 10-in. | 2/10/1939 | Someone to take your place | Rhythm Rascals ; Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | ||
| Columbia | C2490 | 10-in. | 2/10/1939 | Got a mind to ramble | Rhythm Rascals ; Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | ||
| Columbia | C2491 | 10-in. | 2/10/1939 | True love | Rhythm Rascals ; Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | ||
| Columbia | WC2671 | 10-in. | 8/31/1939 | Fine and mellow | Jazz Boys ; Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | ||
| Columbia | WC2672 | 10-in. | 8/31/1939 | Nobody knows how I feel | Jazz Boys ; Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | ||
| Columbia | WC2673 | 10-in. | 8/31/1939 | I need you by my side | Jazz Boys ; Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | ||
| Columbia | WC2674 | 10-in. | 8/31/1939 | You can't have none of that | Jazz Boys ; Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | ||
| Columbia | WC2675 | 10-in. | 8/31/1939 | I got to have it daddy | Jazz Boys ; Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | ||
| Columbia | WC2676 | 10-in. | 8/31/1939 | Don't have to sing the blues | Jazz Boys ; Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | ||
| Columbia | WC2677 | 10-in. | 8/31/1939 | You're a pain in the neck to me | Jazz Boys ; Yas Yas Girl | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | ||
| 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 |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Johnson, Merline," accessed January 21, 2026, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106737.
Johnson, Merline. (2026). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved January 21, 2026, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106737.
"Johnson, Merline." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2026. Web. 21 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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