This week’s tune has been recorded under several titles. In addition to Samson and Delilah, it’s also been called That’s Another Witness For My Soul,  If I Had My Way I’d Tear The Building Down, and If I Had My Way. There is, however, only one movie with Victor Mature and Hedy Lamar as Samson and Delilah. Too bad it was directed by the dread Cecil B DeMille but that’s how the building crumbles.

Samson and Delilah is a traditional gospel blues song credited to Blind Willie Johnson. The lyrics were adapted from a bible verse. Bet you didn’t expect that from your friendly neighborhood atheist.

We begin with the songwriter/adaptor:

More gospel blues from Rev. Gary Davis:

The previous version inspired the Grateful Dead to record and perform this week’s tune. As with everything else Grateful Dead, live Dead is the best Dead:

The Staple Singers get all gospelly and bluesy:

What would the Friday Cocktail Hour be without instrumental versions of the week’s tune? This time, the David Murray Octet followed by David West:

That’s it for this week. It’s been foggy in New Orleans. Let’s drink to it clearing up before the drunks hit the road on New Year’s Eve. It’s what Billy Wilder, Gloria Swanson, and Cecil B DeMille would want. Never argue with them.