Son House "Death Letter Blues"

[MrJoseZerr]

one man one guitar and his foot !!!! greatest ever no gimic just love for what he does

[biancasp]

This is amazing. How can someone listen to this and not be blown away? He is a legend. I feel blessed to hear this, and that his music is still living on.

[PeterandGabriel]

12 people do not know what good music is

[MrXxiii]

i remember seeing this on pbs a couple years ago. blue my fucking mind. god bless son house.

[rocktenniscats]

Quite the debt Led Zeppelin owes these men. I hope they built a big retirement home for them, took care of all the medical and dental bills too. (They can afford it!)

[Dippides]

Definitely the best blues song ever!

[againsthesky]

@nintendosincebirth not sure about this one although I wouldn't doubt if it were a true story. There's a song called Mississippi County Farm Blues that was written about his time in prison and how he got there for killing a man in self defense.

[DERNIEB1]

love this...

[leaddrop]

4 douchebags dont know good music...

[LKENT1001]

Man, this is music! This is talent! If Robert Johnson, Lemon Jefferson and Son House are all in hell I know where the good music is going to be!

[walterneff]

Ah feel like Ahcid

[TomThumbsBlues1965]

badass.

[JimBowie1133]

the realest music ever created on Earth

[NintendoSinceBirth1]

i feel like all of son house's songs are true stories, and that hurts my heart

[ZeppelinFloydRoses]

My nipples hurt. This gave me some mega goosebumps.

[Axel604]

I like this, nice to hear some older, good music.

[Ganwarable]

The song's better when Son House plays it alone.

[IdleDylan]

Best song of all time

[Bassist10288]

Now that's music. I say that's the blues

[triplexxxsatyr]

The man's music is ownage.

[cjohn21]

Born March 21, 1902(1902-03-21) (?) [1][2]

Riverton, Mississippi, United States

Died October 19, 1988(1988-10-19) (aged 86)

Detroit, Michigan, United States

Genres Delta blues, country blues, gospel blues

Instruments Guitar

Years active 1930–1974

[Davideokingofdaworld]

Man, That was just raw blues, brilliant

I've never seen one man who could command so much power and emotion from his voice. I suppose you could say that Son really did have and know the blues. No wonder it rubbed off on and inspired guys like Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters,

Eddie Son House, The world of blues and modern music owes you one

[xXx13cornholio13xXx]

pure orgasm right there. Who ever has said to themselves, "I wish I could just command orgasms whenever I wanted them!..." There it fuckin is man.. right there. Pure beauty. The man doesnt even need to get up, he can rock your mind sitting down. Talent, ladies and gentlemen.

[Ashykins07]

I'd sell my soul for that guitar...Just need to find me a crossroads

[jameskirkajfa]

@Ashykins07 house never sold his soul... robert did lol...

[TruckTurner74]

@jameskirkajfa son house actually invented that rumour ^_^

[jonahtran1]

@Ashykins07 There's a auto repair shot here in TN called "Crossroads" about a mile from my house.

[2gdilullo]

Son House, from the soul of the soul

[SuperJewbot]

i didnt know i loved her until they began to let her down............... im gonna cry

[jahl12345]

they reckon his booking agent in the 60's hired out a shiney new National for his gigs and take it back to the store after the gig, then hire it again for the next gig. On his birthday he hired it out for him to play for the day. "when the Hound dogs start to barkin', sounds like ol' Son House sings the Blues" You'd be surprised how often and where his name comes up.

[toomanyangryidiots]

hes got an awesome guitar !

[se7ered]

that guitar is like liquid in his fingers

[Thewestcoastshooter]

Great song! these boys really make me crazy!

[luckyhorsecinema]

this sounds f*ckin great ! - def got some additional sounds in there , but wow son house , that man really knew how to hold down a groove & sing with the most amazing feedom at the same time. PsZsssblooz 

[nzephier]

i love how this songs lyrics change every time. they never stick to the same old song and dance, it morphs and forms to the mood, it changes like the seasons, its got depth. can the musicians of today remember this? take a note not on the playing, but on the philosophy and theory behind this music?

[bluescountryfolk]

hey Stefan how come you got all the best videos? Cheers.

[lillebjorn]

Check out my son house tribute on my page. Long live the delta blues.

[mzim144659]

The panning camera adds drama.

[hampusheh]

I love how he spasmes and twitches like he's scared of his own power.

[walkhumbly]

Son House -- Death Letter Blues -- Only the Best ....

[chungazrevenge]

Thank Skip James to the later years Of Son House .

[usblueflyer]

I wish this AWESOME musician was still around for me to see 'live'!! SO AMAZING!! I'm looking forward to finding everything I can by this incredible man!!!!

This song says SO MUCH about loss: "I didn't know I loved her 'til they damn laid her down". I LOVE THIS MAN!!!

[boxingin]

You can hear alot of the great Charlie Patton in his style.

[jurgenmanfred]

if u ever played u know this is real

[humanbeing122112]

@jurgenmanfred dONT NEED TO EVER PLAY A CHORD TO APPRECIATE THIS LEGOND.. GET OVER YOURSELF YOU POMPOUS NAIVE MAN

[boogaludo]

awesome

[tontokurt]

It ain't Son House!

[boogaludo]

@tontokurt  he is Son House

[humanbeing122112]

@tontokurt OH OK , THEN WHO?

[blackmiroz]

its hurts!!!

[bcganja]

Come on now, don't be too hard on the 2 dislikes. They couldn't have given this thumbs up, the idiots had 'em both up their asses.

[jblackmd1]

@bcganja hahaha

[OmiBass]

The two people who voted thumbs down, know nothing about great music.

[davidkzoo]

@OmiBass i wish i could give you 2 thumbs up to nullify those idiots.

[abluecow9110]

"I didnt feel so bad until the good old sun went down, i didnt have a soul to throw my arms around, i didnt feel so bad until the good old sun went down, i said i didnt have a soul to throw my arms around" ...............

............

............

"The blues is a low-down, aching chill; If you ain't never had 'em, I hope you never will."

-Robert Johnson

[Hacker506]

Is funny how this song is pretty related to walkin' blues in Robert Johnson hands.

[mf1932]

"So hard to love someone who don't love you. You know, it don't look like satisfaction. Don't care what you do..." Awesome line.

[OldScuff]

That's a resonator or national resonator.

[awsell]

Also, what kind of guitar is he playing? I notice that him, Bukka and the whole lot play a similar one...gotta get my fingers pluckin' one

[digan2303]

@awsell

it is a resonator guitar, in fact the only guitar which was loud enough to making shows with it. Remember, first electric guitar was made in 1937

[OldScuff]

It's my understanding that Son stopped playing about 1952 after the death of his long time friend and music partner Willie Brown. He nearly always played with Willie, several of the 1941 or 1942 recordings by Son posted here on youtube include Willie. Jefferson and Johnson had both been dead for many years by that time. Son House was the very best in my personal opinion.

[bossanovaboy]

This is the real blues...

[Polde1243]

Happy birthday Son House!

[addictedtotoads]

i was born 90 years after him, hes an amazing musician, and happy 1 week late birthday XD

[RushmoreGerleve]

xXpaul1131Xx

I don't think Son House would want to be called a God, because he was a preacher and he strongly belived in Jesus Christ. He renounced Robert Johnson as being demon posessed. As blues men they were two of the greatest of ALL time ! ! !

[DoctorSess]

is that true?

[awsell]

He also struggled heavily with an alcohol addiction..one that Howlin' Wolf had to call out when he was being to raucous at one of his shows. Yet, he was certainly a believer. However, he was abandoned by the Pentecostal Church for playin' the "devil's music"

[xXpaul1131Xx]

he's a god

[brugsezotjes]

I could listen to this all day...

[gpsolis]

That's cool! Anyone know discographical info for this video? Where, when, etc.?

[MrDixonOrmous]

wicked ....pisses me off at myself that ill never get close to that thrr lol...but glad sumone did

[jurgenmanfred]

now thats *uckuing real....yah

[rsl84416]

thats the real deal

[MrGeorgiePeorgie]

Hey kids...this IS the best of Son House, he has a limited catalogue because he quit playing music at his peak when his good friends Robert Johnson and Lemon Jefferson died suddenly and very near in time to each other, he thought he was next.If you're too young to know of original blues artists it's very worthwhile to educate yourself in the subject and you may discover that much of the music in many genres that followed including what you may listen to,owes a lot to these blues pioneers.

[thereagauze]

@MrGeorgiePeorgie you thinking of someone else cause blind lemon jefferson died in 1929 and robert johnson died in 1938.

[music4ever550]

he got me into blues, its cuz of him i got into Howling Wolf

[JDizzle785]

@MrGeorgiePeorgie Who are some other good blues singers?

[MrGeorgiePeorgie]

@JDizzle785 Hi,I'm no expert,just love this music,collected since vinyl days 78s even.Check out PBS DVD Martin Scorsese's "The Blues".You'll like.

Check out:Skip James,Robert Johnson,Blind Willie Johnson,Leadbelly,Howlin Wolf,JB Lenoir,Muddy Waters,Willie Dixon,Bessie Smith,Hound Dog Taylor,Charlie Patton,Professor Longhair,John Lee Hooker,Roosevelt Sykes,Sister Rosetta Tharpe,Sonny Boy,Honey Boy,Gatemouth,Smokehouse,Etta James,Koko Taylor...the list goes on and on.Hope this helps you out some.

[JDizzle785]

@MrGeorgiePeorgie thanks mate

[robertson1857]

@MrGeorgiePeorgie i agree im finally gettin a chance to do a reasearch paper in my humanities class on these great artists that never got the recognition they deserve

[jamz69202]

i cant really understand him but it still a good song

[boritomc]

oh god, that song i touchy, man! but also check out the white-stripes-cover if you are into rock also - which it does definitely!

[tallboytiny]

His emotion is just intense!

[dcarr84]

Well kiss my ass, that song really rocks my socks off. This has got to be the best of Son House.

[GravityBoy72]

Brilliant.

[lewars1912]

Thanks for posting this. Ricks died in December 2007, Son House in October 1988, and I think this is from 1965. Very powerful. Incredible depth of emotion.

[drumthunderdrum]

this is real.

[paintitpurdy]

pure talent!!! blows me away!!!

[morphinlounge101]

Hey Son, if we meet at the Pearly gates teach me your unique style.

[ocallahan2]

cant get enough of this song.

[Orchideeful]

Absolutely fantastic Blues, thanks

[derin111]

But there is someone else is playing over the top of that at the sametime! Watch and listen carefully. Was this how it was originally recorded? With two guitars or has someone overdubbed on to it? Why would someone do that?

[GtrWorkShp]

That's Jerry Ricks (R.I.P) playing second guitar.

[derin111]

Oh, Thank you very much for that. Somehow I just didn't notice someone else sitting there opposite Son House at the beginning of the film until I watched it again just now.Many thanks.

[ziadelgamal]

@GtrWorkShp hahahah right in front of him

[BagofDnuts]

@derin111 i noticed that too! it sounds like someones chiming in with the descending bass notes as kind of a rythym section. It's really noticable at some points but really subtle at others, i don't think it was recorded that way but it should've been haha! these two guys really compliment each other with they're playing. GENIUS SOUND

[mrbthebarber]

@derin111

Look at the opening shot - another guitarist is sat right there on mike. AWESOME clip

[mmmhmmmmmmhmmm]

@derin111 sun house was too old to stay in his prime, old and sick.

[shawzie1916]

@mmmhmmmmmmhmmm Your name made me think of waffles... mmmhmmmmmmhmmm waffles... Also i'd like to see a "cool story" teller such as yourself be that good considering he was an old fart who stomped the ground and clapped his hands to make music :)

[mmmhmmmmmmhmmm]

@derin111 son house was just too old man.he needed help. 

[Sixtoo62]

@derin111 Cause you want more accent to the chords and your doing something that doesnt allow you to do it yourself...its called a loop staion now adays and many of the mainstream artists use it instead of paying someong else

[Barjack99]

"Preach the blues!"

[rosesredvioletsblue]

Oh, yea. Sing the blues!!!!

Love this!!

Great video.

[oneescalante]

26000 views

only

a dog grabbing his as 26 million views/!?

[iamtheeggman100]

lol yea thats pretty frustrating. im doing my part though i think ive watched every version of this song on youtube. cant get enough of this song.

[saftelskeren]

its a shame

[Gschnok]

Thats the blues.

[Marctyne75]

Mighty "FINE" pickin' n a singin....

[ProjectaVellum]

God what a voice

[BrotherLonghaul]

That's guitar playing sounds TOUGH. Awesome stuff.

[inkum08080]

The amazing thing and also sad thing is that this man like many American Blues Men had to be rediscovered by the 1960 British blues men i.e. John Mayall, Clapton, Beck, Page etc. While we in American where listening to Pat Boone and Elvis rip offs. Maybe a few in the south like the Allmans were into it but racist American radio would not play it. How many of you were shocked to find out that Prodigal Son, I'm So Glad, I't Hurts Me Too, Stop Breaking Down, etc. were covers of great black musicans

[delterbluesman]

this is real BLUES 4 REAL !!!!!!!

[Galacticplane]

This is the Blues! Wow! The Blues....

[warpigcat]

Einfach nur geil.

[slashguitar123]

Oh My fuckin God!

THis is the fuckin blues! oh yeah!

[unholyimage]

He was a pussy gettin' machine with that guitar.

[SirFrancisBurton]

Best version on youtube (or anywhere else)!!!!

[Drumshanbohustle]

Awesome! Just awesome. This is 1965, available on the "Legends of Country Blues Guitar" DVD.

[brobobh]

No one did like Son house,no wonder Muddy Waters loved him so much.

[oltt]

I watch this every every morning, some people eat breakfast,I watch Son House

[jimako6666]

doing them together is not an option??

[quomanuk]

Thanks for post! Love this delta music.

[earlofelim]

Classic "real deal" bluesman. Thanks for posting.

[jurgenmanfred]

sweet

[iloverockandroll15]

you know whats funny he looks like hes slappin the hell out of his gutiar but i still lovee this song

[BluesmanCV]

he was! it's called the delta slap. If you like this you should look up John-Alex Mason on here. I saw him while in Telluride and took some lessons from him a few years back, he's brilliant.

[balchoth]

It's amazing. I totally can't listen to this song without singing or tapping with my feet.

[Gleam16]

it feels like son house is reaching into my soul in this song i love it

[quialman666]

what year was this performance?

[stratocastermojo]

who's the guy to the left at the start of this clip?

[GreekFire25]

the other guitarist

[Flote666]

it doesnt look like hes playing though

[kreesu]

the man's existence in this world, and the music he left behind, is nothing short of a blessing. a man among men. its damn rare see people with this kind of guts anymore. it takes a hell of a lotta experience and guts to do something this purely honest.

[resoblues]

God I just love Son House. If they would play more of this on Sirius radio 74 instead of the crap they play most times I keep my subscription.

[organizedblues]

as good as blues can get:) o yeah

[COMMANDERCHI]

TOTALY FN AWESOME!!! THE REAL DEAL!!!

[buckelastard]

Thanks Bluespower for sending me this and the others...GtrWorkShp has got some great classic video! Man when you cut into the blues through the years...you cant get no closer to the bone than this! Its the birth of the blues! Anyone who loves the blues has so much respect for these great artist! I know I do!

[kickingmule]

Son House, what to say ?

Just one of the great Delta-performers around Charlie Patton, Charlie Brown and so on. He just did 8 recordings ( 2 are not to be found )in 1930. Only 6 were issued for Paramount. He gave up the Blues for his religion, but were rediscovered and he picked up his guitar !

Thanks Brother for sharing this ! 5 Stars !!!