Rodgers waited fruitlessly for Peer to call him again to have him record. He traveled to
New York City and called Peer to let him know he was there and that he had time to record a few songs; Peer set up an appointment for November 30, 1927. The session took place at the Victor Talking Machine Company's Studio 1 in a repurposed building that had been the former Camden Trinity Baptist Church, favored for its
acoustics. The first few numbers Rodgers sang did not appeal to Peer because they were songs by other artists, as Peer intended to record material he could copyright. Rodgers then sang a new composition, which Peer named "Blue Yodel" because of Rodgers's use of
yodeling during its breaks. The series of songs, later known as "
Blue Yodels", often featured the story of a man who exaggerated his qualities as a lover, faced the threat of other men taking his woman, and then used violence against them when they did. Meanwhile, the character boasted of promiscuity with the use of
double entendres. Rodgers either developed the usage of yodeling in his act over the years, or was inspired by
Emmet Miller's recordings and live appearances. Jimmie Rodgers's wife Carrie suggested that her husband chose not to record one of his Blue Yodels during the first session so as not to distract Peer from his vocal and guitar abilities. Rodgers also had doubts about the reception the song's storyline would receive. "Blue Yodel" was used to tell the story of Thelma, who leaves the narrator for another man. While the narrator assures his love interest that he can replace her easily, he plans to seek vengeance on her and the lover. The narrator declares "I can get more women than a passenger train can haul", and he says he is going to shoot Thelma "just to see her jump and fall". He adds that he is going to kill the man with a shotgun, and then leave the state of Georgia. The writing of "Blue Yodel" was credited to Rodgers. Like other
blues performers at the time, Rodgers composed his songs by mixing original lines with those of traditional and roadshow songs.
Jim Jackson first recorded the opening line, "T for Texas, T for Tennessee" on his song "
Jim Jackson's Kansas City Blues", a month before the "Blue Yodel" recording session took place. Around the same time as Rodgers's recording, the line appeared in
Lonnie Johnson's rendition of Jackson's song, and later in
Frank Stokes's "Nehi Mamma Blues".
Bessie Smith's 1924 recording of the
Spencer Williams-penned "Ticket Agent, Ease Your Window Down" features the line, "I can get more men than a passenger train can haul." In
Papa Charlie Jackson's 1925 ""The Faking Blues", the line is changed to, "I can get more women than a passenger train can haul." Meanwhile, a line similar to "shooting Thelma" appeared in
Ma Rainey's 1924 "
See See Rider Blues". Contemporary to Rodgers's recording, the line "just to see her fall" is echoed in Lonnie Johnson's "Low Land Moan". The tune for "Blue Yodel" follows the traditional blues
AAB pattern, which consists of singing a line twice and closing with a third one. The end of each stanza features a yodeling break, as its
turnarounds emulate the conventional blues
licks of the time. "Blue Yodel" features a slowed down
ragtime rhythm. The syllables used for the yodel are the traditional yo-de-lay-ee, in a short-long-short form. Its
modal frame features
flatted seventh and
third chords, characteristic of
African American music and suggesting a "grinding, sexual movement". Rodgers played the guitar in the style of a
walking bass. He thumbed certain strings, while he brushed the high strings of the chords with his fingers. "Blue Yodel" was recorded in two takes, with the second one picked as the master. The session produced four songs. ==Release and reception==