I Believe I'll Dust My Broom [Remastered] ROBERT JOHNSON (1936) Delta Blues Guitar Legend

[FriedChickenofDeath6]

His fingers... they creep the hell out of me...

[Eazedroppin]

This is the true godfather

[dukeandchloe]

if all takes to become a kick ass guitar player like RJ is to sell your soul to Satan, you'd think the world would have a lot more kick ass guitar players, myself included.

[ericwongkc]

His finger...that's y he is a legend!

[monkeytown1000]

If you want to hear the influences for this song they are Leroy Carr's 'I Believe I'll Make A Change' & Kokomo Arnold's ' Sagefield Woman Blues' (both up on YT) which uses the phrase 'dust my broom'. What made RJ's song different was the driving guitar and the 'chunka-chunka' bass line, this boogie is commonplace now but was revolutionary at the time. Funny thing is the song was not included on 1961s' 'King of the Delta Blues' release. Most people got to know it via Elmore James 1951 version.

[bucktheusa]

You can only determine speed if you know the actual tuning used or a test tone on the recording.

Some people tune to their own head. I guess if you hear the open E for example way too damn high, then it would be safe to assume it has been sped up.

In my experience, record with low power causes higher speed playback and vice versa.

Maybe they had trouble getting recording studios and player manufacturers getting the speeds synced right. ?

[Ellie6836]

Hey Y'all!! Please check out my version of this song and Finest Lovin' Man by Bonnie Raitt and lemme know what ya think!! :D Thankyou!! Ellie Rose Welsby xxxx

[fclayc]

He didn't sell his soul to the devil....he traded his southern Baptist position for music though.

[failWhalie]

do any of you guys know any other good jazz/blues artists like julie london and such?

[VanF1990]

@failWhalie Wes Montgomery

[chasdffdf]

@failWhalie George Benson

[duderoo1975]

No wonder he sold his soul.

[TheThroney]

@deathpill100 i see what you mean.. i guess the tuning makes it easyer too.. wonder what tuning he uses.. thanks

[TheThroney]

how does he play rhythm and lead at the same time?or is it lead added in? it has to be.. i play and record.. and i know what he's playing.. i guess i have alot to learn yet :)

[deathpill100]

@TheThroney he's playing sort of like a classical guitarist... he's playing lead on the higher strings and basslines on the lower ones. he plays a 12-bar blues chord progression and sings and then plays some fills in between. think B.B King.

[deathpill100]

@deathpill100 fingerstyle I mean

[jnlabrk6]

@deathpill100 BB King? C'mon man. That guy is a mere modern shadow of the the past greats like Mr. Johnson here. 

[deathpill100]

@jnlabrk6 so? just because there are better bluesmen than him doesn't mean he's not awesome. I never said he's better than Johnson anyway. I was just explaining Johnson's style and using B.B. King as an example of someone who, influenced by Johnson, uses a similar technique.

[jnlabrk6]

@deathpill100 I don't believe they do use a similar technique at all.  In fact, RJ used different tunings, especially open tunings for songs like Crossroads, etc. King is a bit of a one trick pony doing vibratos on the high e. Frankly, I'm kinda sick of that Disneyland version of the Chicago sound. Muddy is rolling over in his grave every time they play that Blues Brothers style crapola.

[deathpill100]

@deathpill100 I meant the singing then guitar fill thing, and I simply used BB King because he was the first who came to mind and most everyone on blues/blues-rock videos knows him.

[jnlabrk6]

@TheThroney Look up Woody Mann's lesson on Black Dog Blues by Blind Blake here on the Tube. It's not RJ, and it's Piedmont Blues instead of Delta Blues, but it shows how the lead and bass are played like RJ is doing here.

[WhiteThrash89]

Jimmy Hendrix's first guitar was a broom!

[Easyandy100]

It's rumoured that the songs are played back too fast.

[jnlabrk6]

@Easyandy100 I'm not very good, but I can get up to that speed. I think I have to disagree. There are cover videos and lesson videos that show people played this as fast or faster. It's not "voodoo" like people try to say it is. I think the fact that he used open tunings makes people think he's spreading his hand all wide, when in fact is more of a bar---like Muddy does.

[Easyandy100]

@jnlabrk6 Sorry, haven't been very clear. What I meant was that it is rumoured that we are not hearing the songs as they should be. The recordings are played back at the wrong speed (too fast) account for the 'unearthly' quality of his voice. On closer listening I would say I agree. I don't believe all that voodoo shit.

[jnlabrk6]

@Easyandy100 Have you listened to the versions on BoobTube here that test this theory out? I getting into the same question about RJ' recordings, I have to say that I am skeptical of the theory. I think they are more or less at normal speed, the odd sound being the poor quality of recording equipment in the 30's. Look up other old recordings like Skip James, etc. They are TERRIBLE sounding (not his playing)...very tinny.

[Easyandy100]

@jnlabrk6 I haven't listened to any slowed down versions but it was not unusual for some tracks to be sped up either accidentally or purposely eg. 'Ticket to Ride' by The Beatles has two versions where one is sped up presumably to make it more 'exciting'. I do think RJ voice sound unusually high but will check out alternatives. Thanks.

[Easyandy100]

@jnlabrk6 OK listened to the slower versions and I have to they in my opinion the RJ we have been listening to is definitely too fast. I read that a box set is available at 90% of the speed we have usually been listening to. It's weird as people talk about the voodoo and unearthliness of RJ voice and the fact is we all been listening at the wrong speed for years!

[egurzi]

because they (everyone-practically!!) have no where to go quickly and know theyll never be stuck hanging around here forever to linger in the face of guilt while we are in the eternity of sadness and personal disbelief. . all you laughing scheming plotting money grubbing "winner" people know who you are-wherever you are

[egurzi]

after many long lifet times of docmenting recording trying to make it all correct and accountable guess who everyone is screwing! The records the music the slaves to the world and justice- not that i ever believed in the woirld or justice(r and certainly not writing to this singer in particular-just posting-) but this i s the world record screw job is it in sync or does everyones neck and body and soul hurt so badly they are too embarrased to vomit they just laugh

[lilataubenei]

@egurzi WHAT?

[JJoneEIGHTY]

There really is a GOD!

[astero7777]

this + other songs were recorded with one bullet mike

[TheThroney]

@herng328 for some reason i think youve already got an idea of what you think i'll say.. lol

[makalavena]

what's a no good doney?

[MrSmiley1964]

@makalavena A doney is a woman of low moral character.

[lilataubenei]

@MrSmiley1964 aren´t they all?



[Wiltonibanez]

robert has long fingers etc because he suffered from marfans syndrome

[soloboy1991]

2 people didn't dust they're broom

[soloboy1991]

@chanceramone you stfu you fucken idiot.

[vDRAGONSLAYERv]

No joke, I thought it was an old blues tale that he sold his souls to a devil for his guitar skills, which is why he had songs like "hellhound on my trail" and "crossroads"

I know it was a supernatural episode, but still, I thought it had a real life basis?

[sabu5950]

OM KARA

[pawellosquelto]

That's not matter of long fingers moron.... its simply music genius, even with short fingers he would compose it

[alejandrosuckmy]

Robert s voice and guitar sounds bigger than an orchestra

[voodoochild53]

The devil played the bass parts on this song..

[Cransistor]

@voodoochild53 Technically, he played the guitar parts, as well.

[sirbbot]

this song sucks after 2.59

[7thvenom]

@sirbbot LOLOLL NICE ONE  CHEERS

[novembernights1]

THE MASTER---they reckon someone who was insanely jealous of Robert becoming famous,making money etc......lassed his whiskey with stricknen....whot killed him....jealousey--work of the devil....sad..

[Bananaman2nd]

@novembernights1 I thought that he didn't achieve recognition or make any money until after he was dead? He was an itinerant afterall and apparently couldn't even afford a grave

[worotan]

@Bananaman2nd He worked the entertainment circuit in Mississippi and could always get a big crowd for his gigs, was known as one of the best on that circuit, which proved pretty influential (eg Muddy Waters "started out on harmonica but by age seventeen he was playing the guitar at parties emulating two blues artists who were extremely popular in the south, Son House and Robert Johnson.") Relatively, he had fame, but yes, his record came out after he was dead, so his worldwide fame came after...

[cursethesemetalhans]

I would sell my soul to the devil for these guitar skills

[GONZOGONZO927]

how the fuck does he play this? I think he got 2 extra hands from Satan, EUREKA!

[ianwalkerdownland]

Its easy to see/hear where Chuck Berry got his style from.

[fossie32]

Nice - very

[killerzofsoul]

@TheThroney maybe because he has the devil's fingers :p

[UFCfanboy7898]

much respected, but Elmore James does a SMOKIN!!! version of this song.

[515742617000027]

@UFCfanboy7898 i like Robert's version better but im not gonna lie Elmore James version is pretty KICK ASS too

[zero9313]

@515742617000027 i think they just have a different feel to em. elmore rocks it with the slide tho thats for damn sure. i love em both haha

[515742617000027]

@zero9313 yep. after all he IS the king of slide guitar!

[Popstarr23]

check out Tina Turner's version of this one!

[youtubbs67]

Imagine if what he could do with an electric...

[soloboy1991]

@youtubbs67 the day hell come back to earth and play an electric guitar will be 21.12.2012

[youtubbs67]

@soloboy1991 So he'll have possession over Judgement Day after all?

[soloboy1991]

@youtubbs67 yeah maybe :))

[TheInboil]

@soloboy1991 u just may be right.

[ThomasPaine63]

Love RJ and all the blues greats. Ever notice how all of RJ's music starts with the same rifts? Soooo damn cool.

[louiseduvee]

Definitely the original 78 RPM recording. (I still have the record.)

[waltzingpeter]

look at his pinky damnnn

[MrAdrenalineX]

1 dislike? wft?



[yamigakure1972]

thank you very much for uploading my favorit blues singer..

[rodhnc]

There is NO speeding up or slowing down of this track. How could you even tell, as his meter is all over the place...no this is just the RJ version, and it was recorded this way, at this speed, and at this pitch (440A).

[louiseduvee]

Been lovin Mr. Johnson since I was 7 years old. Thanks!

[jeribaileyedge]

I luv da blues

[over18]

the limelight never shined on johnson in his lifetime, and he never would have imagined exactly how historically significant he actually was/is. maybe you have to be a guitarist yourself to truly understand the astonishing influence he's had on about ninety nine percent of every great rock/blues guitarist from the last fifty years..

[wojtekmetal]

Is it speeded up a bit, or it's just me? It just sounds unnatural

[bmacphee1]

@wojtekmetal Musicologists do think it's speeded up, but they don't agree on whether it was done accidentally or on purpose.

[TnTKid54]

@bmacphee1 musicologists didn't said it was speeded up ! no they said it was slowed down , because we used to listen those records slower than they were supposed to . I read that somewhere don't remember where . If I am wrong please correct me

[sjslaten]

@TnTKid54 mr. johnson kicks ass the best ever saID FROM GIDEON MO

[EuphorbusBTB]

Voooooooodooooooooooo

[bigwillhenk]

just wondetfull  blueslovers

[MUSICNATURE6]

he has the fingers of the devil,a master he is,damn the slides like my biggest enemy haha

[louiseduvee]

Oh, yeah, this is a favourite. I love Elmore James' cover, too. Thanks!

[RastafariPoet]

The 1930's had it. As far as Delta Blues music.

[TheThroney]

he has got very long fingers..no wonder he plays so well

[slitheringinterstate]

The Throney,

It's thought Johnson likely had a disorder called Marfan's Syndrome.

People with it normally are well above average height, with long skinny fingers, weak chins, and arms and legs disproportionately long. While lots of people have 1 or 2 of these traits, Johnson had them all.

Marfan's Syndrome often elongates the aorta causing heart attacks in the 20's or 30's. While today surgery can correct this, it's thought Johnson's "poisoning" at 27, may have been a heart attack.

[gospower]

@TheThroney that's a bullshit, even with very short fingers you could be great, he had this one thing, we'll never know what

[TheThroney]

@gospower easy fella

[Cransistor]

@TheThroney They were given to him by Satan. People around him said that they grew overnight.

[herng328]

@TheThroney What explains the wonderful voice then? =D

[515742617000027]

@TheThroney yeah they he may have had Marfan's syndrome. that explains his long slender alien like fingers

[skdrulz]

AWESOME blues dude!

[rubin3364]

I like it. A lot.