Bindlestiff Blues

March 2022 (for voice, violin, harmonica, and guitar)

lyrics by Jessi Kaufman & music by Yuri Lee

Written, performed, and produced for an 11th grade English assignment, Bindlestiff Blues narrates the story of John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men about two migrant workers who move from place to place in search of new job opportunities during the Great Depression.

The song explores the lives of Lennie, a burly but child-like migrant; George, a companion and care-taker of Lennie; Slim, a skilled worker and omniscient figure; Candy, an aging ranch handyman; Crooks, an African-American stable-hand; Curley, a confrontational, aggressive young man; and Curley’s wife, the only female character in the story, desperate for company.