Tommy Johnson - big fat mama blues

[wefi02]

@ valois89 fyi nobody in the afro american community listen to blues anymore. Only mid age white folks. And also the older generation of black folks. So wtf should I care about blues brotha? Dueces!

[NubzorK]

@wefi02 "Only", yeah, good way to generalize.

[bluelibra65]

YES - he sold his eternal soul to lucifer, - i did too, but i still suck at guitar,- fuck?!?

[Bobolishoes]

Yeah!

[lamiamano]

Tommy is one of the greatest singers of his time, the time of Charlie Patton, Robert Johnson, Son House, Bukka White, Leroy Carr & others.

Then came Skip James, Howlin' Wolf & Muddy Waters.

We can learn so much from these diamonds as they shine so much brighter than a lot of music around these days : I'm not noistalgic, I'm telling the truth.

[BlackMonk66]

@lamiamano Skip James predated Robert Johnson. I'm not sure about Bukka White, but Robert Johnson came after all the others except Wolf and Muddy.

[wefi02]

@ kindoflikedying yeah I read it in the 27s book.Its pretty interesting and creepy. Charles Patton is the first bluesman. Nobody talks about him though. Only bb king muddy waters and robert johnson.

[valois89]

@wefi02

the hell you talkin about? Anyone who knows jack shit about the blues knows who Charley Patton was

[wefi02]

Did he sell his sold to the devil just to play guitar also?

[TheSociologue]

Satan (Iblis) said: "O my Lord! because Thou hast put me in the wrong, I will make (wrong) fair-seeming to them on the earth, and I will put them all in the wrong, "Except Thy servants among them, sincere and purified (by Thy Grace).

(God) said: "This (way of My sincere servants) is indeed a way that leads straight to Me

"For over My servants no authority shalt thou have, except such as put themselves in the wrong and follow thee"

And verily, Hell is the promised abode for them all." (Coran)

[CSPlayerDamon]

@uspatriot3000 Both have.

[MultipleNerdgasms]

Never heard anything like it. 0__o and yet, it's unique. =)

[dengie75]

tommy can sing real blues, i never got robert johnsons voice, just dont feel it, tommy is the man

[ListenToBigFace]

But did you know that he sold his knees to the easter bunny?

[MyMoppet52]

Boy, this man can sing! I love his voice. What a great sound. He has his sound all together. I can believe he sold his soul for his sound more than Johnson. I feel Johnson sounds all 'tinny'. These mellow voices from the same time as Johnson are just unbelievable. Thank you for letting me find other 'Greats' from this time period. We owe them ALL for the music and history...and rock n roll in the future. NOT just one man! Thank you.

[stalkek]

@MyMoppet52 It's a bit confusing you're comparing this Johnson to another "Johnson" while just using the surname. "Johnson sounds all tinny." Which Johnson!?

[MyMoppet52]

@stalkek I am so sorry. I was just blown away by this man's voice, Tommy Johnson. Perhaps it has been altered by technology...I am not familiar with much in the music world. I have a huge collection of Robert Johnson's music. It says it is his total collection, or something like that. It is packed up right now. Robert Johnson sounds 'tinny' or 'whiny' to me. Please don't bring the wrath of Robert Johnson's fans down on me. I respect him and think he was a genius also. It is just that others...

[stalkek]

@MyMoppet52 Thanks for the responses, MM. Robert Johnson certainly does do it for me but it doesn't bother me if he doesn't for you. I've not listened enough to Tommy Johnson yet, from what I've heard I think his guitar playing is pretty basic, especially compared to Robert, but I love his unique voice. Thanks for the modern tip btw, looks worth checking out.

[kotze5]

@stalkek:

thats right. sone realy developed skill in guitare...but I got 120 blues cd arround 80 different names. I realy enjoyed every one no matter how basic or not...

[stalkek]

@kotze5 Yeah, however the person gets his soul out there with the music. . . some virtuosos, some by other means

[MyMoppet52]

@stalkek continued...of the same time have fantastic music skills & wonderful voices also. It seems that somehow Robert Johnson got all the 'good press'. I've seen other comments & others feels his voice is a bit 'tinny'. It is similar today with Eric Clapton. I love Eric Clapton but he is not the only current great blues man. I'm so tired of seeing that he is 'god'. Good grief, Ry Cooder & others can run rings around Clapton, but that is a subjective view. I know my opinions are mine & subj.

[MrPozzoz]

god ..... the blues is a universe in itself .... everyday you can discover another enchanting blues man or lady to savour .... wish i was around in the 20's and 30's ......

[JosephMalicke]

Tommy Johnson's voice would be worth 50 million dollars today. He is so insanely legendary. How the hell did he learn to sing and play like that? If there ever were a true crossroads story, surely Tommy provides the most evidence. This guys voice is unreal... unbelievable... hauntingly beautiful... SO powerful yet gentle. I love all his tunes... "Cool Water", "Big Road", "Maggie", "Canned Heat", "Alcohol and Jake", and of course the strange clarinet duet of Patton's Black Mare Blues.

[derdeder9]

Its not the devil its called desire and practice when you got nothin to do but pick on the guitfiddle youll be able to play proportionally to the amount of time you spend with the instrument and to these guys the guitar was their best and sometimes only friend, and when you live the harsh lives that these guys did all of that pain and sorrow will be expressed in your music and it will hit people in their soul like this music does to us. Please stop giving credit to the devil. Give it to Tommy.

[dannpenn]

the devil is the real angel!

[Saverio777]

This is a really good quality recording; really brings out Tommy's voice.

[rockin1953]

let's play some good down home  blues

[RinoMacEight]

i think RubDudeproductions has seen they movie "o brother where art though" right ^^

[Repulver]

sounds like he's had a few ;D

[lovitar]

He did not sell his soul the devil. He was at a crossroads, the transaction Papa Legba

[FootToTheThroat]

Daaaamn, I love this blues. The greatest blues is the dirtiest blues. This is strictly real, raw blues.

[ceepatton]

@FootToTheThroat

what's dirty about this?

[FootToTheThroat]

@ceepatton

It's unfiltered, the recording is crunchy and raw.

[bigtexaspendejo]

@FootToTheThroat his brother said he did

[TheFantasticMrFish]

and you know what that sounds like?

[dannpenn]

the devil was alive at this time! he was a big fan of blues.

[MrPisster]

@dannpenn cause they were taking the underlying music of the black churches in their communities and crafting from it popular tunes about secular life.

[RubDudeproductions]

didnt he sell his soul to the devil?

[l33thacksaw]

@RubDudeproductions that's what his brother LeDell claimed in one interview. This pre-dated the Robert Johnson story.

[rendofarend]

@RubDudeproductions dont be a dick it ur myths

[ceepatton]

@rendofarend

what?

[ceepatton]

@RubDudeproductions

you're a horse's ass

[MikePetroneHipHop]

@RubDudeproductions that was Robert Johnson

[JilaX]

@MikePetroneHipHop Actually, that was just a myth falsely accredited to him.

Tommy was the one it was really about.

[123paddymc]

@MikePetroneHipHop Both had that legend behind them but Tommy had it first.

[MrJaybozo]

@RubDudeproductions It was said that Robert Johnson went to the crossroads and sold his soul. It was also said about many others too. Many that sang the blues were superstious

[RebekkhaGiL]

@MrJaybozo that was only speculated because of robert johnsons song crossroads. but if you listen to crossroads you'll find its about hitch hiking.

[bluepez57]

@RubDudeproductions - No

[spootnik2000]

@RubDudeproductions

Yes he does:)

[crunkaholic81]

@RubDudeproductions so they say my friend

[HotRodHarley93]

@RubDudeproductions That was Robert Johnson. Midnight at the crossroads.

[nmbluegrass]

@HotRodHarley93 Both were said to have, but Tommy Johnson had professed to selling his soul to the devil first. I read about it in the book "Deep Blues" by Robert Palmer.

[Damez76]

@nmbluegrass Since Palmer seems to have had access to many rare resources, not least of which are the actual people who personally knew artists like Tommy Johnson and Robert Johnson, I'm inclined to readily believe what Palmer has to say on the subject. The fact that Tommy Johnson went 'on tour' with Charley Patton for several months and returned home to tell his older brother LeDell the 'sold soul' story by way of explaining his newfound talent lended credence to the story and thus, his rep.

[RcUniverseGuy]

@HotRodHarley93 no thats a myth it was actually tommy but robert could have attemped the same.

[CirqueDuFreaque92]

@RubDudeproductions

yes he did!

[DanFindling]

@RubDudeproductions robert johnson did... but i think im going to hunt down 2 people

[CSPlayerDamon]

@DanFindling Both Johnsons are considered to have done that.

[DanFindling]

@CSPlayerDamon i would really like to know his story if u could put a link

[CSPlayerDamon]

@DanFindling

nps.gov/history/delta/blues/pe­ople/tommy_johnson.htm

[DanFindling]

@CSPlayerDamon thanks man

[daddyof2bgs]

@RubDudeproductions no. that was Robert Johnson at the crossroads.

[xTheWarlordx]

@daddyof2bgs actually it was tommy xD

[MsKeepinItReal]

wow you seriously have some issues

[dgk990]

now this one of the guys that started it all... this is the really old stuff, and it's the best stuff

[shinotora1X]

Tommy Johnson (1896 - 1956). Never be forgotten

[KL253]

I believe those are the dates he recorded the songs on the album...

[MorningShot4]

I think those were the recording dates

[freddiegrossetete]

man your dumb.

[aarongptown]

the truth is that neither one sold their soul to the devil. robert johnson came back to the delta after being gone to arkansas for 6 months or so with excellent guitar playing skills and tommy johnson made the rumor that he must have sold his soul to the devil to play like that. also the devil isnt real so it would be impossible to your soul to him. be logical people.

[bluegsp]

Lighten up Francis, If everyone were like you with no imagination and creativity because of a ridgid denial of any possibility of a supernatural, we wouldn't have art of any kind. I suppose you don't believe in love either, just a instinct to reproduce. You must be a joy to be around. Mystery and wonder are some of the great pleasures in life. Good luck with that "killing time until you become worm food" philosophy

[kirkslastbid]

Excellent response, never heard it put so well !!!

[quekazoo]

allthough i am against any beliefs in a so called 'god' or that there is any supernatural entities out there i do really life the way you phrased that

[nugget147]

Bullshit, you ignorant prick.

If you need to believe in fairies to have any meaning in your life, then that's your problem. No need to project your own shallow concept of 'purpose' on others.

Religions commisioned art because religions had money. Have you never seen a secular painting?

Mystery and wonder does not equate to believing in things for which there is no evidence.

Anyway - good music! And I can appreciate it without believing is was the result of a supernatural pact.

[bluegsp]

Your absolute knowledge that in a few short years you will cease to exist hasn't broght you much peace has it? (I'll bet you're alot of fun around the kids). You obviously don't have the ability to appreciate anything with all of your anger. Of course we really didn't need these great bluesmen did we, evolution teaches us that these songs would have evolved naturally over time anyway. Aint Life Great?

[nugget147]

That made no sense.

When you're consistently being met with so much anger, haven't you ever thought that you might be the source of it?

I replied in the way I did because you're an ignorant prick. I could have offered a hug, but that wouldn't have gotten my point across. Once again, my point was that you're an ignorant prick.

[bluegsp]

The fact that you could not make sense of my post seems to indicate that you are ignorant.

The fact that you become angry and start calling people names over things that do not concern you indicates that you are a prick.

A psychologist would tell you that this is "self reporting" I suggest that you see one and work on your low self esteem

[HeadshotsSe7en]

yeah u definitely won that one. bluegsp was an overzealous prick who made way too many assumptions

[Rufio1775]

This song is pretty much Maggie Campbell blues.

[henryfire]

COOL SONG !!

[ILLUMANOV]

robert sold his soul too

all rock stars that sing about the devil are

robert most certainly did

[kc768]

It's kind of sad that he never got to record after 1929, and he lived until the 1950's. I find him a tragic figure due to his drinking.

[parosite]

he sold his soul not robert .......thats the truth

[AbbeyNO]

Was Robert Johnson a much better guitar player than Tommy?

[FaustyFob]

what do you think??

[AbbeyNO]

probably, but tommy was impressive

[FaustyFob]

personally i feel that tommy is more blues that robert... now i'm sure i'll get alot of people that will hate that comment, but when tommy sings its REAL RAW blues, something you only get from experience.. now not to say that robert aint, because they are BOTH great blues musicians, but... for some reason... tommy soothes my soul in such a way that robert can not.

[toy1machine]

I think that is personal taste cause Robert speaks right to my soul.

[FaustyFob]

agreed

[Eddiespageddie]

I heard this man drunk himself some paintstripper to get by.

the great respect to this most important part of history...

[csokito64]

awsome! yes the delta-blues...greatings from Hungary

[mistermitchey]

Thanks, great posting! Great Delta sound!

[bigtallcubsfan]

Love the staccato riff and the bass line. Makes the song hop and dance.

[slloyd1452]

Lovely. He must've really loved her. Such a sweet guitar line. Dainty. Got shake on the bone. Bom bom - what a bass riff. What a talent.

[Hum0ng0us]

He was so drunk when he signed his recording contract in the '20's that he always thought he accidently signed away his recording rights and couldn't record after the '20's.

[bornonafarm]

i have the cd and have loved it for years, he made as an alcoholic into 1950s but did not record after 1920s. lovely music

[animatus7]

Thanks for posting. Great song.