Tom Muck's Blog: Robert Johnson challenge
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Robert Johnson challenge
Monday, July 11, 2022 10:18:02 AM
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.
Update: This is the schedule I intend to follow:
Kind Hearted Woman Blues | 1 | Sunday, Jul 03, 2022 |
I Believe I'll Dust My Broom | 2 | Sunday, Jul 10, 2022 |
Sweet Home Chicago | 3 | Sunday, Jul 17, 2022 |
Ramblin' on My Mind | 4 | Sunday, Jul 24, 2022 |
When You Got a Good Friend | 5 | Sunday, Jul 31, 2022 |
Come On in My Kitchen | 6 | Sunday, Aug 07, 2022 |
Terraplane Blues | 7 | Sunday, Aug 14, 2022 |
Phonograph Blues | 8 | Sunday, Aug 21, 2022 |
32-20 Blues | 9 | Sunday, Aug 28, 2022 |
They're Red Hot | 10 | Sunday, Sep 04, 2022 |
Dead Shrimp Blues | 11 | Sunday, Sep 11, 2022 |
Cross Road Blues | 12 | Sunday, Sep 18, 2022 |
Walkin' Blues | 13 | Sunday, Sep 25, 2022 |
Last Fair Deal Gone Down | 14 | Sunday, Oct 02, 2022 |
Preaching Blues (Up Jumped the Devil) | 15 | Sunday, Oct 09, 2022 |
If I Had Possession Over Judgment Day | 16 | Sunday, Oct 16, 2022 |
Stones in My Passway | 17 | Sunday, Oct 23, 2022 |
I'm a Steady Rollin' Man | 18 | Sunday, Oct 30, 2022 |
From Four Till Late | 19 | Sunday, Nov 06, 2022 |
Hellhound on My Trail | 20 | Sunday, Nov 13, 2022 |
Little Queen of Spades | 21 | Sunday, Nov 20, 2022 |
Malted Milk | 22 | Sunday, Nov 27, 2022 |
Drunken Hearted Man | 23 | Sunday, Dec 04, 2022 |
Me and the Devil Blues | 24 | Sunday, Dec 11, 2022 |
Stop Breakin' Down Blues | 25 | Sunday, Dec 18, 2022 |
Traveling Riverside Blues | 26 | Sunday, Dec 25, 2022 |
Honeymoon Blues | 27 | Sunday, Jan 01, 2023 |
Love in Vain | 28 | Sunday, Jan 08, 2023 |
Milkcow's Calf Blues | 29 | Sunday, Jan 15, 2023 |
Update: A few things that I want to clear up about Robert Johnson's playing. 1) 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. 2) 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.
Update: cross-posted at Substack.
Update 8/18/22: Currently up to 7 songs. Full list is on Youtube
Category tags: Music, Blues, Robert Johnson
Posted by Tom Muck
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