Customer Reviews

Praise God I'm Satisfied

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"Blind" Willie Johnson has a voice which will reach through the decades, grab you by the shirt and shake you, and most insistently dictate your rapt attention. The strong and gravelly voice of Johnson is comparable probably only to Son House's early Paramount recordings. And while some of the songs on this album can definitely be categorized in the blues genre, many fall much more into the gospel genre, if that is even of importance when discussing one of the great early names in pre-war blues and American music history.

Willie Johnson is not a well known name of a Robert Johnson....not even close. To his credit, Eric Clapton and others have brought new people into the blues genre because of their accolades of Robert Johnson; the downside of course, is that some great pre-war blues musicians are often overlooked......and Willie Johnson definitely falls into this category. I picked Willie Johnson up by chance at the store to add to my growing collection of prewar blues artists.....and was I ever surprised when I listened to it for the first time.

Johnson was blinded at an early age by his stepmother. His father had caught his stepmother cheating and gave her a beating, and instead of throwing lye at the young Willie's father, she threw it in the eyes of young Johnson, permanently blinding him. His story reads like a Shakespearean tragedy; being blinded at a young age by his stepmother, living most of his life penniless, and dying of pneumonia on a wet mattress after his house burned down because he was refused admittance at a hospital. And despite all of this, he remained steadfast to his religious beliefs, and would often travel to Houston to sing at gospel revivals. This man knew the blues all too well, and also had a deeper understanding of life through his experiences, and all of this comes through in his songs.

Many of Johnson's songs were performed and made famous by others, the most notable being "Nobody's Fault But Mine" by Led Zeppelin. Also, the traditional song of "John the Revelator" was magnificently performed a capella by Son House during his 1960's Columbia Sessions(although it should be noted that neither of the aforementioned songs are on this particular CD). The song "Mother's Children Have A Hard Time" is most likely autobiographical in nature and displays the great love he had for his mother. But every song will grab the listener.....be forewarned.

Very few singers have made the interplanetary trip on NASA Voyager's Golden Record (other musicians and singers who are on it include Beethoven and Chuck Berry), and I think it could be said that sadly, Johnson is probably the least well known of any of them. The song "Dark Was the Night" is now traveling through space, a song which has only his plaintive moans coupled with a guitar, and which wordlessly evokes the pain of the crucifixion of Jesus (and perhaps all of us in this life).

The only shortcoming of this Yazoo CD is the price, nearly 3 times the price of "Dark Was the Night". In many instances, Yazoo release recordings are the only version of early blues, but in this instance, this particular CD can not only be found for less than half the price, but it will contain more than these 14 songs.

An indispensible CD for lover's of Blues music, though as elsewhere noted, no Blues songs per se are in evidence. This is playing and singing like no other; extraordinary coaxing of bent notes from the bottleneck, a voice that seems to have been on the otherside and returned to intone all that's been witnessed. If bullfrog's spoke English! Wife, Angeline who he married just before these recordings, compliments his gravelly voice with her pure high pitch.Steve Calt pens a loving picture on the jacket noting the 'jarring contrast between the vividness of his musical landscape and the aridity of his intellectual horizon, as presented in his lyrics.'Which is to say, this is pretty much the work of a fundamentalist passion. Calt walks us through the technical prowess and variety displayed in the songs, then leaves off writing to let Johnson complete the experience.

Blind Willie Johnson's prowess on Bottleneck slide guitar ironically placed him where he would least like to be; among the sinners in the Blues aisle. The Gospel-Singing "bluesman" possessed slide skills second to none. No other traditional practitioner of the slide guitar style, including Robert Johnson, could coax near as many notes out of a single plucked string, lending his tunes an intense, esoteric feel. No doubt also lending to this feel, was his powerful and exciting "false bass" vocal style, contrasted with the spirited, backup tenor "hollering" of his wife Angeline.

Johnson recorded thirty sides for Columbia between 1927 and 1930. The fourteen cuts on this album are a great introduction, and many of his legendary songs are represented here, however, If raw "country blues" is truly your thing, skip this Yazoo release and go straight for Columbia's two-disc "The Complete Blind Willie Johnson". The 4 star rating given here is due solely to the fact that it is an incomplete collection. I highly recommend this album to discriminating bottleneck slide fans.

Blind Willie Johnson, 1900 ? - 1949 ?
According to blues guitarist Tom Shaw (1908-1977),who met Johnson at the end of the twenties,he was much older,probably born between 1880 and 1890.Blind Willie Johnson is a master of slide guitar, very reminiscent of the way Fred McDowell used to play.This wonderful Yazoo record includes many great tunes of sacred music by this extraordinary player and singer : "you're gonna need somebody on your bond","Jesus make up my dying bed","God moves on the water","I know his blood can make me whole","motherless children have a hard time" and the incredible "dark was the night,cold was the ground",maybe the strongest and strangest piece ever recorded.Played in pure F,this very emotional tune seems to have some strong african roots,and Johnson's slide work is absolutely out of this world.
Johnson may not be a blues musician,because he never recorded a blues,only sacred songs, but the stamp of the blues is everywhere in his music.He sure had a great influence on many blues guitar players,beginning with Mississippi Fred McDowell.
Blind Willie Johnson's music is as essential as Robert Johnson's,or Mississippi John Hurt's,or Son House's.I bought this record on LP many years ago, and it has allways been one of my favorites.You'll rarely hear a stronger music,and a more furious guitar playing.And the sound quality is very good,all the tunes beeing recorded between 1927 and 1930.An essential record in the history of Great Black Music .

There are moments on this cd that are absolutely chilling. Johnson's voice is a powerful, intense growl that is accompanied by his ethereal slide guitar. This disc's highpoint is, "Dark Was the Night-Cold Was the Ground". Johnson's haunting slide coupled with his mournful moaning make this one of the blues' most beautiful instrumental ballads. An evangelist, all of Johnson's songs have a strong gospel message. His fire and brimstone lyrics combined with his chilling performing style must have made for quite a sight at revivals! Joined by his wife on a couple cuts, her small high pitched voice offers a sharp contrast to Johnson's coarse gutteral croaking. "Jesus Make Up My Dying Bed", "God Don't Never Change", "God Moves on the Water", an autobiographical tinged "Mother's Children Have a Hard Time", and "Nobody's Fault But Mine", which was adapted and covered by Led Zepplin on "Presence", are definate highlights. The sound quality suffers slightly from the popping and hissing typical of music from this era, as the source material is often worn 78's or fragile metal cylinders, but this does little to dilute this music's power. All fans of classic blues need to check out this intense cd.