Search - Juke Boy Bonner :: Life Gave Me a Dirty Deal

Life Gave Me A Dirty Deal

Stuart Jefferson | San Diego,Ca | 05/28/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Approximately 70 min. The sound is very good for the late 60's. As always the folks at Arhoolie have included an informative booklet detailing Bonner's life. And what a life! Never finding satisfaction in his life,his songs reflected the trials and tribulations he endured. Eventually he drank himself to death in the late 70's. Known primarily as a one-man band,Bonner sang about the life he saw around him. This album also includes a drummer on some of the cuts. This is a compilation of several Arhoolie albums and an unissued cut. The titles of some of the songs will tell you where he was coming from-Hard Luck,Life is a Nightmare,and the title track. A good companion to this release is the album Ghetto Poet,also on Arhoolie. This album and the other mentioned are made up of all original songs. Being a poet since childhood Bonner wrote about the things around him. Judging from his recordings,things were not very good."