Sweet Tunes: Something Old, Something True, Something Down and Dirty Blue

Still think Rock and Roll began with Elvis Presley? It's time for some re-education on the origins of modern music. To truly explain these roots, I'm going to have to take you back to the early decades of the twentieth century, when a slide wasn't something you found on a playground and blues was deeper and blacker than a white kid with long hair from the 70s bending strings on a guitar.
I'm talking about the legends of the uncompromising Charlie Patton and Robert Johnson, the unforgettable and haunting voices of Blind Willie McTell and Son House, and the pure force of Bukka White.
These are the great grandpas of Rock and Roll, and the fathers of the blues as we know it. From creating and perfecting the turnaround, to writing some of the most covered lyrics and music in modern history, the blues musicians of the 1920s-30s Delta region set the stage for the blues rock revival of the 50s and 60s, of which mainly white rock and roll musicians would take advantage of, leading to the scenes of the late 60s and 70s with bands like Led Zeppelin, Cream, and the Rolling Stones. All of these bands covered songs of the old blues artists, Cream's "Crossroads" is a cover of the Robert Johnson tune, Led Zeppelin's "Traveling Riverside Blues" covers the same artist, and the Rolling Stones earlier music was almost completely composed of blues covers, including "Honest I Do" by Jimmy Reed, and "Love in Vain" by Robert Johnson.

This brings me to my album recommendation: "Robert Johnson: the Complete Recordings."
In his short life, Mr. Johnson recorded only twenty nine songs, all of legendary status. The two disc CD set from Columbia Music also includes a forty eight page booklet with extensive research for some terrific biographical information, and thirteen alternate takes, totaling forty-two tracks all together. The collection truly shows Johnson's ability as a blues guitarist and singer, which led many of his fellow players to believe he sold his soul to the devil. The blues seems to pour out onto the listener as he howls and croons over lost lovers and evil women and jealous men. His chord figurations and guitar tuning have baffled many guitarists for almost a century now, and are still being debated over today. One thing is for sure, the genius is clearly audible throughout all 42 songs and alternate takes. A listen through this collection and it is sure to go on any music fan's top shelf. For the true music enthusiast, one listen may not be enough to dissect through every bit of subtle, yet deliciously tasteful, licks and phrases that Johnson presents through his heartfelt pieces.

Here are ten of my favorite tunes off the album, although all of them emanate the heart and soul of the blues:

Crossroads Blues
Hell Hound On My Trail
Milkcow's Calf Blues
From Four 'Till Late
Preachin' Blues (Up Jumped The Devil)
If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day
They're Red Hot
Last Fair Deal Gone Down
Come On In My Kitchen
Kind Hearted Woman Blues

Enjoy this Gem like I did!
-Dave Theisen


"I have never found anything more deeply soulful than Robert Johnson. His music remains the most powerful cry that I think you can find in the human voice, really."
-Eric Clapton