Breadline Blues was written by Bernard ‘Slim’ Smith in 1931. He was from Pope, Mississippi and was born in 1899. At the time he wrote the song he was living in New York City and was observing a breadline from his hotel window. The song has been called an “authentic hillbilly” observation of the Depression. He recorded the song with the great Hawaiian Guitarist King Bennie Nawahi.

Smith at one time owned a small farm in Mississippi, was a stock broker pushing shares for the Piggly Wiggly food chain in the 20’s, and became an inventor with numerous patents. His most notable invention was a lock for car doors. While in a recording session his brand new Hudson Roadster was stolen. That prompted him to invent the locking system. Eventually he moved back to the south and died in 1991. This is the version that he sung and which gained some popularity.