Let's get on down to the crossroads...
You had to hang around a bit to get to what we're on about, in the video above. It shouldn't have been too much trouble, as "Walkin' Blues" is worth a listen, too. But we're on about the crossroads, which is a Robert Johnson tune that's been covered by just about everyone who's anyone. The most famous cover might could be this one:
Yessir, Buddy... that most certainly COOKS. And, keepin' with our tradition where blues tunes are concerned, the Robert Johnson original:
Some nice visuals in that video, eh? I may have mentioned this before, but I was largely oblivious to Blues roots music until I was assigned to London in the early '80s and fell in with a buncha Brits who'd forgotten more about the Blues than I'll ever know. I got schooled in the best possible way and life hasn't been the same since. These days you'll as likely find me listenin' to Mr. Johnson, Howlin' Wolf, and Willie Dixon... among others... as opposed to those who learned at their knees, so to speak. Want a not-so-quick primer on the blues? Click here. That's some great good stuff there.
You had to hang around a bit to get to what we're on about, in the video above. It shouldn't have been too much trouble, as "Walkin' Blues" is worth a listen, too. But we're on about the crossroads, which is a Robert Johnson tune that's been covered by just about everyone who's anyone. The most famous cover might could be this one:
Yessir, Buddy... that most certainly COOKS. And, keepin' with our tradition where blues tunes are concerned, the Robert Johnson original:
Some nice visuals in that video, eh? I may have mentioned this before, but I was largely oblivious to Blues roots music until I was assigned to London in the early '80s and fell in with a buncha Brits who'd forgotten more about the Blues than I'll ever know. I got schooled in the best possible way and life hasn't been the same since. These days you'll as likely find me listenin' to Mr. Johnson, Howlin' Wolf, and Willie Dixon... among others... as opposed to those who learned at their knees, so to speak. Want a not-so-quick primer on the blues? Click here. That's some great good stuff there.
I remember a story about Janis Joplin, who did a bitchin version of an old Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton's Ball and Chain, where she said she used to go to Louisiana from Port Arthur because the drinking age was 18 there, and the first place they arrived at across the border was usually some old taverns for blacks. Being kids they were welcomed in, and she even started to get enough guts to sing on stage once in awhile. I'm sure she found her drug habit in these places as well.
ReplyDeleteBut the real story was, Big Mama was still alive, and got zero royalties from anything she ever did. Janis singing her song directed a lot of money to her, and she died with a smile on her face.
That's a great story, BMS. I like Janis' version o' "Ball and Chain" but had no ideer about the royalties.
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