Devil Got My Woman

Skip James | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 26, 1991)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Vanguard Records
• ASIN: B000000EJX
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #70,021 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

From Grove Press Guide to Blues on CD

The 1968 Vanguard follow-up to Today! has another dozen semiautobiographical or entirely personalized traditional songs that attest to his almost unparalleled artistry. As is his wont, women figure prominently in his poetic piques. More mandatory listening: 50 Years: Mississippi Blues in Bentonia, 1931-1981 (Wolf import CD), James's eighteen existing sides from 1931 along with five songs by kindred spirit Jack Owens in 1981. -- © Frank John Hadley 1993

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A unique artist brilliantly captured near the end of life., June 7, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Devil Got My Woman (Audio CD)

Other Amazon reviews of this disc and "Skip James Today" suggest some kind of strongly held private agenda in favor of his early recordings reissued on Yazoo. While the rediscovered Skip was more contemplative, less fierce and more limited to falsetto singing than the young Skip, these recordings are still astonishing, among the few real glories of the blues rediscovery era, and indispensable. The Vanguard recordings are much more satisfying than most of the other rediscovery sessions, and some of them achieve real greatness. It's an eerie, otherworldly music, and definitely an acquired taste, but don't be swayed by those who would tell you to avoid these "rediscovery" recordings. Many of them will reward you for years to come. I've been listening to this disc and "Today" since they were issued as lps in the '60s.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Skip James mellowed like wine, November 24, 2003

By 

Stephen Taylor (Chapel Hill, North Carolina) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Devil Got My Woman (Audio CD)

Skip James was a Baptist preacher, not a professional musician, so aside from an incredible recording he made for Paramount Records in 1931, he wasn't widely sought out as a performer until the blues revival of the late '50s and early '60s. By that time, his voice and style had mellowed and aged (like most good musicians and all good wine) and while for some unkwown reason several Amazon.com reviewers think this is a fault, James made a very impressive appearance at the 1964 Newport Folk Festival, which is recorded on this disc. The CD features newer arrangements of several songs from James' 1931 Paramount recording, like the well-known title track "Devil Got My Woman". There are also some jazzier songs for piano here like the "22-20 Blues" and "Careless Love".

While I know this is "the blues" and there's a certain amount of mellowness going on, after listening to about five tracks of Skip James accompanying himself on the guitar, you'll probably be in the mood for something more upbeat -- which is exactly why the tracks of Skip James accompanying himself on the piano come in like a slippery kiss from your cute girlfriend. Great disc! Recommended. Five stars.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars not what you might expect., June 23, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Devil Got My Woman (Audio CD)

First time listeners might be a little thrown by James's vocals and low-key styling. In some ways it's closer to John Hurt. But he is well worth listening to. This album has distinctive jazz feeling not normally associated with acoustic blues. I defy anyone to find a creepier song than the title track.