'Let Your Light Shine On Me' BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON (1929) Gospel Blues Guitar Legend

[515742617000027]

This is amazing. Just a guitar, a voice and three simple chords, G, C, and D and one POWERFUL message.

[MoeDonuts]

I can't even imagine how many men and women Blind Willie Johnson inspired in music. I bet people draw from his music and don't even realize it...

[usabbott48g]

This video went viral on Latvia

[kuski73]

Im early 70´s baby-boy, and heard all kind of music from 70´s disco to todays heavy. But still im drawn to blues. Dont know much about religion, it´s still music and when it´s played like this, it takes away.

[BeebopConnard]

I'm atheist , but I love this music :D

[ItsYourBlood]

@BeebopConnard It's not about the message.. it's more about how the message is conveyed when it comes to blues.. that's why I love it.. Blues has soul and emotion put into it and it is incomparable to music today..

[ryking2]

Just amazing !

[aemalonskey]

tuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuune, hes sitting at my table up stairs if its all real like

[streetsidenomad]

everyone needs to just shut the hell up on here

[xxpeeblesxx]

I am not a Christian, but this song makes me feel near to some sort of divinity. This only happens when you sing with your soul and heart.

[1952banjo]

love it!!!

[samalyy]

its pretty!

[SlideQtar]

Hot dogs in a blanket! This is perfect (unlike the first five words of this post)!

[shackel11]

amazng grace anyone???

[EyeShotFirst1]

It's the people that won't allow others to believe as they wish that are the break in the foundation of society.

[JobberBud]

One of the most beautiful performances of a song to God ever captured on record. It's unrefined, yet soulful and true, songs like this that make man's disbelief and double-mindedness, the hatred and scorn of this world, melt away. It reminds me of God's everlasting preservation. And I ain't ashamed. "For You will light my lamp; the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness." -Psalm 18:28

[BenjaminKuruga]

@dodgedavid67 I'm searching for love of a woman; not of god ^-^

[BenjaminKuruga]

@dodgedavid67 weak* and putting your trust in someone like god isn't strengthening you. Thats putting your faith into him, I could sit here and pray for a cure for cancer all I want, but the scientists are the ones who are going to make it happen.

[182fooz]

I can barely comprehend how good this is, it effects the higher reaches of your mind, which i need to evolve in order to understand. Only if BWJ knew how many people he has affected to this day. He was singing and playing from a higher place.

Alex.A

19 years old

South london

[ItsYourBlood]

@theblanktonee Oh.. and Churches have ALWAYS been in it for the money...

[BenjaminKuruga]

@ItsYourBlood Yup. People who beleive in God/Gods etc., Reincarnation, Heaven. all that is cool. but when I think about what people say to me ...its just ...Lets say. Why would there be a devil? Why isn't it just God and heaven? did they need something to say? "Give this church your money anf bread or you'll go to hell and burn forever" or tell their kids to do well always or they'll burn in the fires od hades? I like the faith part of Religion, not the twisted fantasies of Eternal damnation.

[ItsYourBlood]

@BenjaminKuruga In the Bible, The Devil kills no more than 10 people.. *god* (the almighty being who loves everyone) kills more than 2 million.. including setting a bear onto 42 kids for calling one of his prophets bald.. when he was bald!

So The Devil brings out the worst in you.. (like helping you get your 5 a day when *god* forbids it.)

And god sends his 'prophets' into to towns to destroy everything, steal everything and kill everyone but the virgins who they keep for themselves..

nice..

[BenjaminKuruga]

@ItsYourBlood Yeh the bible actually contradicts alot of things, like I read one part which states "The man who wears long hair disgraces only himself" or something along those lines and then I looked at my parents picture of the stereotypical White-hippie Jesus and started laughing.

[joe12787]

@BenjaminKuruga

That's not really the Bible contradicting itself though, that's just the artist's interpretation of Christ.

I've always found the "white Jesus" interpretations to be hilarious personally. No way could he have been a light-brown haired, blue-eyed, and pale man. I find the pictures with him surrounded by a bunch of blond, blue-eyed kids to be even funnier.

[BenjaminKuruga]

@joe12787 Veiws don't matter, the statistics show that he was more than likely Black / brownish etc. whatever race you wanna call it. but the bible does contradict itself, back then people didn't give a shit about cutting their hair, so most lekely!!!!! Every ones hair stayed at shoulder length.

[streetsidenomad]

@ItsYourBlood the hell have you been reading?!

[ItsYourBlood]

@streetsidenomad um.. The Bible! HA!

[streetsidenomad]

@ItsYourBlood Alright we get it... you're trying to troll on a video that has a different view than you. Quit being an ass and post it on some debate forum if you MUST let us all know what you think.

[ItsYourBlood]

@theblanktonee I didn't once say don't believe in *god*.. im not an Atheist... and congratulations has 2 T's in it.

[bostonteabagger71739]

there's a reason nasa chose one of this man's recordings to be placed on a golden record and sent out into the deepest reaches of the universe representing in part the beauty and creativity of the human race. How many other people have had that honor? BWJ forever!

[lilpieceofmyheart]

Oh, I love this!! Much thanks to Dorian for bringing these could-be-forgotten classics to the web for an entirely new generation to fall in love with!!

[zkamel86]

@ Oker59

You seriously think the Blues is primarily inspired by God??? I'm pretty sure the hundreds of years of slavery and poverty were the primary inspiration for the Blues. You're thinking of Gospel. Jesus!

[ampontier]

I love that he changes his voice halfway through, it makes this song that much more fun and interesting

[oker59]

@ItsYourBlood

That's twice in a week I've seen somebody try to voice the rational voice on a blues youtube; i guess there's some rays of hope!

Of course, the Blues was almost primarily inspired from these religious feelings. Well, we evolve from ignorance!

[nchilbilly]

It pays to rewatch movies. I missed this song in the movie the 1st time I saw it! I didn't care for the movie but I did like some of the old time gospel music so I gave it another view. Sure glad I did!!! I have bought the sound track and am buying some other old songs for a CD to pass out to friends.

This song sends a Message!!!

[madero111]

This tune was in the ending in the film "The Ladykillers", as background music with the closing credits. Tom Hanks was great!

[GwenT42]

@madero111 I watched "Lady Killers" and that's why I looked this song up..SO GLAD I DID! GREAT MOVIE TOO!!!

[pretty9reenpark4]

pure gold awsome thats a sub from me ragtime, blind willie is a legend pure soul i love his voice straight from the heart not the manufactured crap you here today. check out ry cooders version aswell its awsome

[theblanktonee]

this is the first song that ive seen with a lot of likes and NO dislikes :0!!! ima thumbs this up for being pro!

[favoom1]

"Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground" was selected as part of the Voyager Golden Record on the spacecraft Voyager and, last year, was the first man-made object to leave the solar system and journey into space. His stepmother blinded him with lye and he died in the ruins of his burned down home.

[DonTerhune1200cc]

Wow! 1st time hearing this cat. Imho: This song sounds more like Rock than Blues. The rhythm from 1:34 - 1:50 sounds like that cool groove beat that's been used by rock bands since the 1960's. Low down crooning vocals in this song totally lifted for much of the contemporary rock stuff.

Dorian, thanx again for hooking me up w/ some of the greatest stuff I've ever heard.

[badpdx]

@DonTerhune1200cc: I agree absolutely. Blind Willie seems far ahead of his time, anticipating everyone from gospel singers like Julius Cheeks to blues artists like Robert Johnson to rock artists like ZZ Top.

[JVKProduction]

"In 1945, his home burned to the ground. With nowhere else to go, Johnson lived in the burned ruins of his home, sleeping on a wet bed in the Texas heat. He lived like this until he contracted malaria and died.

And he didn't even complain, what a wonderful person!!

[schs19947]

Sing it Bro Willie...u may not received your accolades down here on earth but to me ur one of the greatest witnesses for Christ...May u rest in His lovin arms..ur music & legacy has blessed me..this truly reminds of my dear grandmother who would sit in her chair and hum this hymn...God rest her beautiful soul RIP grandma 1909-2008

[Liana5943]

He had a wonderful voice too...I love him...

Let your light shine on us Willie...

[nixon6]

I trying to find oldest songs and this was oldest what i found. Do you know songs what are recorded before that?

[rockrocks66]

@nixon6 As far as blues goes, this is pretty old. I don't know if there are any period recordings of W.C. Handy

's stuff. There are some ragtime and jazz stuff older than this.

[lexiy2011]

so pretty, and what a sweet voice

[lornasnail]

What a beautiful voice! x

[Usurped]

Real Feeling!

[awesomeO9001]

This track is insane. If God drove a lambo, he'd be pumping this.

[almostblue22]

@awesomeO9001

Not a lambo. He'd roll in an old Rolls Royce. The ones with those broad curvy wheel wells. Cream-colored car, I think.

[ItsYourBlood]

@almostblue22 He wouldn't roll in any car.. he'd be sporting a pedal bike to be kind to the Earth..

And no one can make sandals look cool.. not even a fictional supernatural entity!

[DottyWang]

By the time Paul McCartney had finished with it chances are it would be unrecognisable, so he could copyright it. 

[EpiphyteAAA]

Willie speaks the language of my soul.

[monicasuetannehill]

wonderful!

[alinesouza1234]

adorei esse video, parabens do brasil, beijos

[ihearlies]

Do you suppose Rev. Wright would let Blind Willie play in his church?

[kathode]

awesome!  wow!

[UtsniatheMightyOne]

has anyone heard that paul mccartney plays this song on one of his recent albums, BUT THE ALBUM CLAIMS HE WROTE THE SONG?!!!

[Mr11151968]

this music is so very special like nothing i ever heard before

[vidiot9]

Not religious, but I love all this early spiritual blues/gospel stuff. SO MUCH SOUL!!!

[123glenrock]

I heard this song on lady killers and loved it ever since.

[JRussoBuffaloNY]

love this song! thanx Dorian

[FungusMossGnosis]

Great, great, so great.

[bkaleel]

We only have 30 recordings by Blind Willie and what you see in the video is the only known picture of him. His story is sketchy but so compelling. If you like this one, do yourself a favor and check out the other 29 songs he left us with, you will not be disappointed. Thanks for posting this

[dwalitrylatte]

you're right. the footstomp and a tired vocal kick ass bad!

[azgarvideos]

pero que buen tema!!!

ese tipo canta desde lo más profundo de su ser.

[colemontelongo]

omg 1:30 with the footstomp is the shit!

[dontdodrugzz1]

FALSE!!!

[Samthemuffinman]

@colemontelongo The growl makes it sound like he's singing octaves. That's awesome

[AChozenSunn]

@colemontelongo watch the language. This is a gospel song

[mkdken]

@AChozenSunn For real! They could of used better words. Lord Have Mercy! LOL

[ELTURBOMAN]

@AChozenSunn go suck a dick!!!

[paulharvdub]

@ELTURBOMAN

Whoever wrote THIS comment is SICK!

[ELTURBOMAN]

@paulharvdub u SICK bastard!

[paulharvdub]

@ELTURBOMAN