Robert Johnson (Official Thread)

[Mr Ace]

This Thread Is Dedicated To Legendary Bluesman Robert Johnson. Johnson Made 29 Songs In The 30's But Died In 1938 From Poisoning (Someone Laced His Whiskey With Either Poison Or Lye). There Was A Movie Called 'Crossroads' About Robert Johnson's 30th Song, But There Was No 30th Song. Robert Johnson's Career Was Cut Short Before He Even Had A Chance To Record More Songs.....RIP



Come In And Show Your Appreciation!!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Johnson

[Riordan]

Hes great!

im just gonna put on Contracted to The Deval!

[Martha Washington]

Good Music.
My only gripe is they way they double up the tracks on the 'complete Robert Johnson' which I listen to a LOT.

I guess I'm too lazy to go through and take 'em out.
guess I'll get around to that one of these days.
regardless, 'the complete robert johnson' is one of the biggest, pinkest Cadillac's in my music collection!

[Wyldchild]

I Love Robert Johnson, I Love the Blues Period

[newdawnfades]

It looks like an old blues mystery has been solved. We still don't know where Robert Johnson was buried, and the location of where he recorded his 1937 landmark songs. It seems the location of where he recorded his best known songs has been revealed.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/htm...johnson18.html

[Music Wench]

Cool article. It would be a shame if the room where he recorded would be torn down for condos. I'm a huge believer in preserving history and this building should definitely be considered historic.

[newdawnfades]

The style of it seems to fit into the entire 'sold his soul to the devil' mythology too. It looks like a pretty dark, gothic spot.

[algernon]

Lord knows I tried...but I just never "got" Robert Johnson.

[newdawnfades]

I think I get Robert Johnson, but the antiquated recording of his music means you have to do a little more work than usual. It's really important to judge him in the context of his time, and what other musicians were doing to figure out why his work was important. I still have to read up a bit more on it all, but there is a definite earthy, raw appeal to his music, at least for me.

[India_Blue]

I am heavily into the blues. Robert Johnson is my alltime favorite bluesman. I get chills when I hear his original recording of Love in Vain, recorded in the 1930s. Its a song the Rolling Stones later covered.
There is indeed a mystery surrounding him in regards to the song Crossroads. Its is legend that he supposedly sold his soul to the devil. That is what the song claims.
Also, he was quite a womanizer. It is said that he died when he left an open beer and some woman's husband put poison in it. Regardless of the urban legends about him, he is undoubtedly one of the greatest bluesman in history!

[Gearjammer]

Originally Posted by newdawnfades I think I get Robert Johnson, but the antiquated recording of his music means you have to do a little more work than usual. It's really important to judge him in the context of his time, and what other musicians were doing to figure out why his work was important. I still have to read up a bit more on it all, but there is a definite earthy, raw appeal to his music, at least for me.

I think you hit the nail square on the head there. It is the antiquated recordings that make his music inaccesable to most folks. But if you can get past the limitations of the reocrdiong, and imagine yourslf right there, having it played in front of you, then you are in for a treat.

Originally Posted by Riordan Hes great! im just gonna put on Contracted to The Deval!

i don't know if we should, i mean i hate that he was taken so early, but his deal with the devil is suppose to be how he became so great and he was great

[Spike]

I love Johnson's music. And all of the mysteries of the Johnson Myth make a helluva story. But the Johnson Myth should not obscure the genius of other bluesmen. For example, Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters were almost exact contemporaries of Johnson. And IMHO, their musical legacies are every bit as compelling. In fact, they changed the world when took the music of the Delta and electrified it in post-War Chicago. But because they lived long lives without the shroud of mystery, their story doesn't hold the same magic as the man who supposedly sold his soul to the devil. Johnson rightfully deserves a position in the pantheon, but it's a position he shares with several other giants of the blues.

Spike

[algernon]

Originally Posted by Spike I love Johnson's music. And all of the mysteries of the Johnson Myth make a helluva story. But the Johnson Myth should not obscure the genius of other bluesmen. For example, Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters were almost exact contemporaries of Johnson. And IMHO, their musical legacies are every bit as compelling. In fact, they changed the world when took the music of the Delta and electrified it in post-War Chicago. But because they lived long lives without the shroud of mystery, their story doesn't hold the same magic as the man who supposedly sold his soul to the devil. Johnson rightfully deserves a position in the pantheon, but it's a position he shares with several other giants of the blues. Spike

Tell it bother...TELL it :cool:

[Music Wench]

Originally Posted by Spike I love Johnson's music. And all of the mysteries of the Johnson Myth make a helluva story. But the Johnson Myth should not obscure the genius of other bluesmen. For example, Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters were almost exact contemporaries of Johnson. And IMHO, their musical legacies are every bit as compelling. In fact, they changed the world when took the music of the Delta and electrified it in post-War Chicago. But because they lived long lives without the shroud of mystery, their story doesn't hold the same magic as the man who supposedly sold his soul to the devil. Johnson rightfully deserves a position in the pantheon, but it's a position he shares with several other giants of the blues. Spike

True. It's funny how premature death and myth tend to deify and elevate certain people over and above their contemporaries. Not saying Robert Johson didn't deserve the accolades but as Spike points out so well, his story seems to stand out above that of his long-lived contemporaries.

It has all the makings of a great story, though.