1. The Spasm - Daddy Stovepipe & Mississippi Sarah
2. Tanner's Boarding House - Gid Tanner & Riley Puckett
3. Don't Think I'm Santa Claus - Lil McClintock
4. Hokum Blues - Dallas String Band with Coley Jones
5. Jimbo Jambo Land - Shorty Godwin
6. Gonna Swing On The Golden Gate - Fiddlin' John Carson & His Virginia Reelers
7. Papa's 'Bout To Get Mad - Pink Anderson & Simmie Dooley
8. The Man Who Wrote Home Sweet Home Never Was A Married Man - Charlie Parker & Mack Woolbright
9. Bye, Bye, Policeman - Jim Jackson
10. The Bald-Headed End Of A Broom - Walter Smith
11. Bow Wow Blues - Allen Brothers
12. Beans - Beans Hambone & El Morrow
13. A Chicken Can Waltz The Gravy Around - Stovepipe # 1 and David Crockett
14. Tell It To Me - Grant Brothers & Their Music
15. Ain't No Use Working So Hard - Carolina Tar Heels
16. Mama Keep Your Yes Ma'am Clean - Walter Cole
17. C-H-I-C-K-E-N Spells Chicken - Kirk McGee & Blythe Poteet
18. My Money Never Runs Out - Banjo Joe
19. Railroadin' Some - Henry Thomas "Ragtime Texas"
20. Traveling Man - Prince Albert Hunt's Texas Ramblers
21. G. Burns Is Gonna Rise Again - Johnson-Nelson-Porkchop
22. Baby All Night Long - Blue Ridge Mountain Entertainers
23. Born In Hard Luck - Chris Bouchillon
24. He's In The Jailhouse Now - Memphis Sheiks

1. Gonna Tip Out Tonight - Pink Anderson & Simmie Dooley
2. Chevrolet Car - Sam McGee
3. It Ain't Gonna Rain No Mo' - Gid Tanner & His Skillet-Lickers
4. Bring It With You When You Come - Cannon's Jug Stompers
5. Atlanta Strut - Blind Sammie
6. Go Along Mule - Uncle Dave Macon & His Fruit Jar Drinkers
7. Casey Bill - Earl McDonald's Original Louisville Jug Band
8. I Got Mine - Frank Stokes
9. Hannah - Chris Bouchillon
10. Adam & Eve In The Garden - Bogus Ben Covington
11. Mysterious Coon - Alec Johnson & His Band
12. Her Name Was Hula Lou - Carolina Tar Heels
13. Reno Blues - Three Tobacco Tags
14. Scoodle Um Skoo - Papa Charlie Jackson
15. Stackalee - Frank Hutchison
16. The Cat's Got The Measles, The Dog's Got The Whooping Cough - Walter Smith
17. Shout You Cats - Hezekiah Jenkins
18. Nobody's Business If I Do - Tommie Bradley
19. Sweet Sixteen - Charlie Poole & The North Carolina Ramblers
20. Ticklish Reuben - Charlie Parker & Mack Woolbright
21. I Heard The Voice Of A Porkchop - Jim Jackson
22. Shine - Dallas String Band with Coley Jones
23. The Gypsy - Emmett Miller & His Georgia Crackers
24. Kiss Me Cindy - J.E. Mainer's Mountaineers

Five Stars. Groundbreaking. "Fans of Nick Tosches' Where Dead Voices Gather will lap up this extraordinary snapshot of an America that is still shrouded in shadow. Good For What Ails You supplants the Harry Smith collections by surveying the people's music of the day, some of which sounds like nothing you have heard before." Jon Savage - MOJO Dec 2005

Before motion pictures, before radio, before television, the traveling Medicine Shows brought entertainment to America! Flamboyant pitch doctors roamed the land, hawking their tonics, elixirs, and miracle cures, and with them came a host of singers, dancers, comedians, banjo pickers, blues shouters, jug blowers, string ticklers, and minstrel men. The shows died out by mid-20th century, but not before a handful of seasoned veterans left their musical legacy on phonograph records. Here are classic performances by such colorful names as Pink Anderson, Daddy Stovepipe, Gid Tanner, Blind Sammie, Bogus Ben Covington, Fiddlin' John Carson, Banjo Joe, Shorty Godwin, Beans Hambone, Emmett Miller & His Georgia Crackers, the Three Tobacco Tags, and many more!

Two-CD Set / 48 Songs Digitally Remastered / Over 2 Hours of Music / Six-Panel Digipak with 72-page Full Color Booklet

A Profusely Illustrated History of the Medicine Shows, many Rare Photographs and Firsthand Accounts never before published, plus full discography and song descriptions.

Customer Reviews Average rating - 5.0

Rating - 5 Date: 2007-08-14
Content: what a great compilation of pre-war old-timey music, including an informative booklet withlots of pictures. You will not find any of these recordings anywhere else so snatch this one up while it is still available. I don't want to get into the particulars of any one artist or song, 'cause they're all great and listened together in context makes it all that much greater.
Summary: like finding buried treasure

Rating - 5 Date: 2007-05-12
Content: This gave us 50 tracks of original music. Along with it you get a nice booklet that tells the history of the medicine shows and individual descriptions of each track and it's performers.
Summary: Old Time Music

Rating - 5 Date: 2007-01-25
Content: You just can't imagine what the life of a performer on the road in the 20, 30's (or earlier) must have been like. The ups of course was the freedom, and the fun at times. The downs include never knowing what was around the corner, the cold (or heat), some of the boarding houses I would imagine would have been dreadful amongst many others.

But at least we can listen to the music. I've only received this the other day and I've not taken it out of the player, it goes to work with me and takes me home again, it plays in the background when I'm busy about the house. Yes some of the sound quality is hissy, but they are old recordings and besides I would rather hear it like that, it adds to the feel. These are happy songs, even when they are talking about slashing someones throat. If you looking at this you obviously have an interest in this style of music and you would be doing yourself a favour by purchasing this wonderful collection. You get 2 CD's and a wonderful booklet that tells you a little history of the genre and pictures of some the the performers on the CD's as well as a little history on each of the songs.
Summary: You will feel so much better

Rating - 5 Date: 2006-10-23
Content: Step right up..ladies and gentlemen...Are you feeling blah listening to those same old CD's you've had for the last several years? Does today's music leave you cold? Well, you've come to the right place. Restore your enthusiasm...bring back the fun, with 50 recordings from the golden age of medicine shows. Guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Many of these fine artists are obscure names to most people of this generation...but alas...like an old ancient Indian cure...this box set will bring you back to life. Yes friends and neighbors...it also comes with a beautiful full-color booklet with all the songs, dates and stories of old. Uh..excuse me son, don't crowd the stage. IT'S A PANACEA FOR ALL BORING AILMENTS! Yes and considering how old these gems are (1925-36) they are all in remarkable shape...and your sense of humor will be too. So pick one up today. It;s more fun than a brand new Victrola!
Summary: The right medicine for the blahs! Outstanding fun!

Rating - 5 Date: 2006-08-28
Content: 'Good For What Ails You' is a great set of cd's with old songs that were sung at old medicine shows. I remember some of those songs from records and radio programs from my childhood - songs that I had totally forgotten!

I lent the cd's to my father, and they brought back fond memories of his childhood in western OK when the medicine shows would come to town and set up on the square. Everyone would attend the "show" and listen to the music, sales pitches, and go home with something! He truly enjoyed the cd's, also.

Even if medicine shows are new to you, the music is worth the time to listen. Lot's of fun, interesting lyrics, and you might even hear something that has come back again!?
Summary: Brings Back Memories to the Old (and Young)!