That Crawlin' Baby Blues - Blind Lemon Jefferson

[AllKindsaGirls]

nice pickin man, also, you've got a great voice for blues.

[frankie12string]

@AllKindsaGirls - thanks!

[rolyatl1]

Nice work. You really nailed it. What kind of fingerpick are you using?

[frankie12string]

@rolyatl1 - thanks! nothing fancy for a fingerpick - probably whatever was laying around... likely a large Dunlop.

[naicisumeht]

well done!

[frankie12string]

@naicisumeht - thanks!

[DouglasWatts]

frank, is it your intuition that a lot of Lemon's style is based on imitating the left and right hands of a piano player on guitar?

I think it's real important that you have done these versions (and done them so faithfully to the original arrangement) since the surviving 78s have such spotty audio quality. It brings them back to life in a very real sense.

[frankie12string]

@DouglasWatts - i don't know if they're important, but they're fun to do and kind of gratifying to learn, even if imperfectly. Lemon's on the top of my list of guys that I'd like to talk to about who impressed him as he was learning to play and developing his own sound. I agree that a lot of his playing sounds like it was derived from piano playing - not really in an imitative way, but something like an impression... I think he must really have loved a good piano player... and a little gin!

[DouglasWatts]

Great rendition on vocals and guitar. There's almost no rhythm guitar in this song, just constant riffs and leads. Excellent tempo as well. This is one of my favorite songs of Lemon Jefferson because it is a story song, and a very interesting story it is.

[frankie12string]

@DouglasWatts - the words just crack me up... "many a man rocks some other man's baby, and the fool thinks he's rocking his own" !!!!!

[mongoose707tt]

That was cool, thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[frankie12string]

@mongoose707tt - you're welcome!

[rob1927blues]

fuckin' excellent!

[FelixG9]

such a nice song : )

[HieronymousLex]

I can't watch this without laughing. You've got it 99.9% to scratch! I love the facial expression on the first "I tried to make her leave him 'lone"

Seriously, this is an inspiration! Especially the trademark Blind Lemon lick at the end!

[frankie12string]

@HieronymousLex - i was particularly happy to get a piece of the ending lick... it's kind of a pisser!

[inikokir]

so this is most certainly in the key of "G", kind of like "Got the Blues"..

man, you did a great job. Outstanding.

thanks for posting, im going to study this. I will be posting a lot of Blind Lemon tunes myself. Stuff in "C" take care

[frankie12string]

there's so much good stuff in lemon's bag that there's no getting to the end of it, really. this one is definitely in G - I think of Got The Blues, Crawlin' Baby, Rambler , Hangman's, and Deceitful Brownskin as belonging all the the same happy family. Rambler , Hangman's, and Deceitful Brownskin are all a little looser - not as hot, so to speak, but intense just the same. Lemon's tuned about a whole step flat on his record. I'm down a little further than that. have fun with it.

[inikokir]

Yeah, Hangman's blues , the slower version, is my favorite of his collection, but its so hard to match his timing, and the "I" chord drives me nuts cause of the real bad surface air. I cant hear what he is doing, then i lose the whole tempo of and feel of the song as a result. But nonetheless its fun to try to learn it. But your technique is solid. great progress. take care.

[RagtimeDorianHenry]

please, can you tell me what guitar have you on the video ?

[frankie12string]

dunno for sure... probably made in the teens... maybe made in jersey city (oscar schmidt). the most important thing about it is that it was restored/rebuilt by todd cambio. i'm sure it's twice the guitar it ever was before that.

[TheSecretmuseum]

Your playing made my teeth fall out. I am coming over to kneel in your backyard. -------Sahib.

[frankie12string]

I'm just barely qualified to carry your rollmonica case.

[hambonecharliejohnso]

hey,biln lemon my best music man-you play great

this tune-i like very lot all song of you-i maybe have this be favarit -betiful

[dcdanny135]

Thanks so much for posting this. I've been listening to those old recordings -- this is like watching one of 'em come to life.

[smokindog]

Thats just awesome!! I have not heard this one, but I love BLJ :-)

What tuning is this in?

[frankie12string]

standard tuning - down about three half steps.

[frankie12string]

thanks guys - sometimes I get lucky!

[inikokir]

wow,

ive been obsessed with playing BLJ my whole life, i didnt think anyone could match his genius, but right there was outstanding, amazing how close you stuck to his technique, bravo!! amazing!!

thank you, i bow to you. incredible!!!!

[beethovenbix]

You Have more Soul and Spirit in your Blues than the 'Manufactured' pop blues we hear from the likes of Keb Mo, Robert Cray, Eric Clapton and many other World famous 'SO CALLED' - BLUESMEN !

Man You are so Spooky, I know an Authentic Bluesman when I hear One and

I'm so glad to be Spooked !

Thanks so Much ! AWESOME !!!!!!!!!!

[necklord007]

I have never heard anyone sing and play lemon like this.outstanding.thanks so much.

[frankie12string]

thanks - i'm glad you like it. it's funny... for as much work as it was to work it out (the cumulative result of years of listening and getting it wrong), i haven't played it since recording this!

[Brummie1954]

Thank you very much indeed for this. You really have the BLJ feel and the guitar sound is as close as you can get. More please!

[Bayrum78]

That must be one BLJ's most complex accompaniments and you play it flawlessly. What boggles my mind is tha someone can actually sing with so much counterpoint going on. Simply amazing Frank!

[gitfiddlejoe]

This is awesome Frankie. I love it man...I know you heard this before, but I am sure I am not the only one to want to see you play that12 string! Maybe some Blind Willie McTell?

[frankie12string]

I did record one tune on 12-string - I Decided To Go Down from Reverend Gary Davis. Probably not the best choice, but it felt good at the time. I'll probably do more once I get my own 12-string back. Playing telecaster (badly) these days.

[PeteHowlett]

I am awe struck!

[blueskyearth]

Fantastic rendition!!!

Blind Lemon is there in your playing and singing!!!

[strawberrywineaazz]

Great stuff.

[frankie12string]

glad you like it - thanks!

[frankie12string]

Thanks, everybody!

[bordertownbrown]

That sure is nice! I've worked up a number of Lemon's pieces in the past but you really do this one true justice. Thanks RB

[paddlecaster]

This is absolutely great. Blind Lemon Jefferson is one of my greatest inspirations and your rendition of this song is fabulous. It is also helping me figure the song out. Thank you very much

[deltaslim]

I agree with kpasa111 -- that's very close to BLJ. But what's more impt is you made it sound like it was YOUR blues. Excellent stuff.

[blindbluesguy]

Terrific guitar!!!

Great voice too!!!

You found a really nice balance of the guitar and voice on this one. I enjoy the roughness of some of your videos and the polish of this one. The important thing to me is that you are trying to stay as close to original source as you can without much "interpretation" or "updating".

Bart

[frankie12string]

Thanks, Bart. The old stuff is the best stuff.

[lastfirstface]

Nice playing.

[davefrombrighton]

Congrats on your playing and the high standards you set youself - this is as close to BL as anything I've heard. How would you describe the "Chicago" and "Jersey City" guitar characteristics?

[frankie12string]

I'm certainly no expert, but the bracing is Chicago-like and the headstock & tuners are more typical of a Jersey City instrument - neither is particularly definitive. Great sounding guitars came from both places... if I had to commit, I'd guess that it was built in Chicago.

[fngrpckr]

Your an inspiration! One of the best around this site! Keep the good stuff coming!

Darryl Chafe

[kpasa111]

That's about as close as I have ever seen anyone come to the orignal Blind Lemon Jefferson guitar style. You should really be proud of that one.

[frankie12string]

Thanks! I'm still on the fence about it, personally - it's easier for me to like the stuff where I'm playing with other folks!

[12stringguy]

Great stuff! Hey - is that an old Stella?

[frankie12string]

It's kind of a mystery guitar - some characteristics that are Chicago-like and some that are Jersey City-like - no label. It's a sweetie, though.

[donluke578]

Frankie.....love the sound. Some more Blind Lemon please. How bout Matchbox Blues?

[frankie12string]

Thanks for checking it out. I love Blind Lemon, but I've never been all that interested in Matchbox Blues, at least not from the standpoint of doing it myself - it is a great song. This one may get re-posted at some point as there's stuff that I just don't like - some (most) related to the performance and some to the nature of the video.

[daddystovepipe]

Impressive take!

[frankie12string]

Thanks - actually, I was *this* close to taking it down, having just unfortunately done a reality check against the original... maybe I'll give it a day or so.