Robert Johnson Challenge
Taking on the work of bluesman Robert Johnson
(originally posted on Tom Muck’s blog)
A couple weeks ago I decided to take on a Robert Johnson challenge -- learn and post one song per week until I get through all 29 songs. I know a few already, but it's an ambitious undertaking for me and not sure I'll be able to complete it, but I'm giving it an effort. The first two are Kind Hearted Woman and I Believe I'll Dust My Broom. Here is the complete list of Robert Johnson songs, along with the key, tuning, and master number. I'm doing them in order of master numbers, which may or may not be the order they were recorded. They will be posted in my Youtube channel
Update: This is the schedule I intend to follow:
Kind Hearted Woman Blues Sunday, Jul 03, 2022
I Believe I'll Dust My Broom Sunday, Jul 10, 2022
Sweet Home Chicago Sunday, Jul 17, 2022
Ramblin' on My Mind Sunday, Jul 24, 2022
When You Got a Good Friend Sunday, Jul 31, 2022
Come On in My Kitchen Sunday, Aug 07, 2022
Terraplane Blues Sunday, Aug 14, 2022
Phonograph Blues Sunday, Aug 21, 2022
32-20 Blues Sunday, Aug 28, 2022
They're Red Hot Sunday, Sep 04, 2022
Dead Shrimp Blues Sunday, Sep 11, 2022
Cross Road Blues Sunday, Sep 18, 2022
Walkin' Blues Sunday, Sep 25, 2022
Last Fair Deal Gone Down Sunday, Oct 02, 2022
Preaching Blues (Up Jumped the Devil) Sunday, Oct 09, 2022
If I Had Possession Over Judgment Day Sunday, Oct 16, 2022
Stones in My Passway Sunday, Oct 23, 2022
I'm a Steady Rollin' Man Sunday, Oct 30, 2022
From Four Till Late Sunday, Nov 06, 2022
Hellhound on My Trail Sunday, Nov 13, 2022
Little Queen of Spades Sunday, Nov 20, 2022
Malted Milk Sunday, Nov 27, 2022
Drunken Hearted Man Sunday, Dec 04, 2022
Me and the Devil Blues Sunday, Dec 11, 2022
Stop Breakin' Down Blues Sunday, Dec 18, 2022
Traveling Riverside Blues Sunday, Dec 25, 2022
Honeymoon Blues Sunday, Jan 01, 2023
Love in Vain Sunday, Jan 08, 2023
Milkcow's Calf Blues Sunday, Jan 15, 2023
A couple things that I want to clear up about Robert Johnson's playing.
The recordings are the correct speed. There are a bunch of "slowed down" versions out there, where people insist that they sound better and that they are more accurate. This is utter hogwash. "Sounding better" is pure opinion. Debunked here.
The myth that Johnson used his own "special" tunings. Several people have come up with various tunings (including an Aadd9 tuning) because they think that the songs are too hard to play if you tune to the regular "standard", "Spanish", or "Vestapol" tunings that Robert (and all blues singers) use. Also utter hogwash. All you have to do is look at the picture of Robert with his long fingers to know that he can reach all those 7ths and other notes that apparently some folks can't play easily. If someone wants to use their own tuning, that's one thing, but don't assert that Robert used the tuning without proof. Interesting to note that some of the people pushing the speed hoax also pushed the mysterious "third picture" hoax and push the tuning hoax.
This is like graduate level knowledge imparted. Thank you.
It will help novices ( not sure what the scope of your newsletter is, from the two newsletter) but feel free to explore and branch.
It's fascinating and deeply appreciated. It's bot important to have a regular schedule. In my own experience ( academic research- medical) quality and proper distilled context comes directly proportional spent on a topic.
If it's something I care and am intrigued, better my research was.
The more grant, institutional, supervisor or peer pressure- the shallower and contextually confusing I was.
Please keep doing it. At your pace.
Kudos