Sweet Jelly Roll

Posted by Clare on July 20, 2001

In Reply to: Sweet Jelly Roll posted by R. Berg on July 18, 2001

: : : : I have come across this line in many blues songs. What does it mean and where does it come from?

: : : : 'I make the best jelly roll in town baby'

: : : : 'Sweet jelly roll'

: : : It refers to female sexuality. The "jelly roll" metaphor goes back before 1900, according to the Dictionary of American Slang.

: : For further discussion, search the archives under "jelly roll." From that earlier discussion: The Ken Burns series on jazz (previously, "jass") is on PBS (public TV) now in the U.S. One of the jazz fathers is Jelly Roll Morton. A person interviewed for the series said "jelly roll" (in addition to sex in general) refers to a particular sexual move, a flourish so to speak. But no further details were given.

: Fortunately for us all.

Indeed! Thank you both for your help. TTFN