Skip James sings "Crow Jane"

[xXscreamblupoxXx]

I wish this was on the radio, the radio would then become a place only for true music lovers.

[leslyclaypoolio]

i read that he killed a man....i wonder if it's true.

[SmithScapegoat]

Dear YouTube, there is something wrong with the dislike button: there is one. And come to think of it, the view-counter is broken as well. It's only counting my views.

[Metakism]

0:40 Mr.Starts to rollin!

[MrTBONESTEAK]

It should be physically impossible to press the dislike button, don't get it.

[BanjoDow]

one of my all time favorites....

check out my page!

[Squarerig]

ledzep.Thank you for this really wonderful clip.Couldn't be better!

[NadadouroDave]

That shows just how much Jack Black sucks. Lots.

[jpnogg]

That's right achemaro he is brilliant and makes us close eyes and feel.

Muito bom poder ouvir isso, valeu Skip

[haupper]

Did they ever find Jane's body?

[rs4031]

Oh wow, I got to hit replay.

[ieachie]

Where can I dl this version? Mp3 not the video

[francis9888]

@ieachie go on google and google youtube mp3 converter ... and u will find in 2 sec ... Np

[zikart88]

the only kind of blues with some soul!!!

[RAMLIA1]

Sublime!

[TiagoMcCready]

HI PEOPLE, DOES ANYBODY KNOWS A GOSPEL SONG, SKIP JAMES WROTE, THAT APPEAR ON MARTIN SCORCESE'S PRESENTS THE BLUES?! I REMEMBER HEARING A CHOIR WITH GREAT MELODY!! THANK YOU ALL.

[Klinky99]

Its sad because he died in this year...sometimes you know you gotta lay down and die. RIP

[Stagerli]

Skips the best.

So sad he had some many years away from the music . imagine what other nuggets he could have left us with

[ArturPavlovic]

Impresionante documento, único e inimitable. Grande Skip! :)

[craigpsimpson]

The vindication of sorrow: the blues.

[watermelllll]

@LegioVIVictrix The only way to do that, is to convince the younger generation what music REALLY is, and how its supposed to come from the soul. ya know?

[watermelllll]

This generations music is so bad compared to this GENIUS

[LegioVIVictrix]

@watermelllll I agree completely. It is as if all of the heart has gone out of everything. I wonder if we will ever get it back?

[schopenhaur100]

GENIUS!

[Fruscianteistheman]

only 2 years before he passed away as well, amazing man.

[brooklotzkar]

the energy... wow

a true gift from the heavens

[jasontheogre]

woah love that style.

[dovaswillreighn]

this is hardcore

[CoffinAvenue]

What a powerful voice and guitar playing..

[ThisIsClown]

That was sick

[eltonjazz]

Just discovered this gem. Will look elsewhere for this beautiful music. 

[wtfhah]

castrato!



[kickalion]

is that open D or standard tuning? I bet that standard

[TnTKid54]

@kickalion you are right two times, It's standard but a whole step down

[L3adb3lly]

I don't think I've ever listened to this song just once, always 2 or 3 times in a row

[havokbaphomet666]

@L3adb3lly lol same, and i never got bored of it either, been like about 4 years since i keep coming back here lol

[CalebD413]

wow, i just saw derek trucks cover this with his band. It really was awful, just missed the whole point of this song. I never want to hear this played on an S.G again haha

[mistabook]

Incredible!

[ratstompmusic]

this is the best music there is! if you love raw blues you might like Rat Stomp :)

youtube.com/user/ratstompmusic

Our song Reckless Woman and Searching the Forest have a Delta blues style with slide guitar and fingerpicking

[NUJAKKCITIE]

this is the absolute best!! ever!!!!!!!!!

[brandedmonk]

30 dislikes from 30 pieces of shite....This man was one of the greatest musicians of the 20th century; and as far as blues men, even Robert Johnson looked up to Skip James

.

[gtrrobster]

awesome!

yeah...'standard tuning' down a whole step...lets him play in the blues friendly chords of A ( A,D,E) but sing it a whole step lower in G......without sounding to country or ragtimey.....

[Crapweeds]

I'm Skip James Bitch!

[pinoyblues69]

The guitar tuning is actually D-G-C-F-A-D... I tried to copy his fingering because there's no accurate tab around... so it's not really standard tuning. It's 2 frets lower from standard tuning.

[inkey2]

@pinoyblues69 so it's just tuned down one entire musical step.......tuned to D as opposed to standard E ?

[pinoyblues69]

@inkey2 yes. i think so.

[GuitarMirth]

Excellent guitar playing! Many bluesmen from the earlier era could keep a rhythm

going & play fills on top, like Robert Johnson. Mississippi John Hurt is a technically impressive guitarist as well.

[pinoyblues69]

the guitar playing is ace! the tune, melodically sweet! the lyrics' quite weird. i'll check out what it means!

[Jonas80111]

he's voice is so nice! GOD LIKE!

[svantebeaverman]

Some of Skip James songs is very innovative! Before it's time

[achemaro]

he looks so sad and brilliant

[imabookie3]

@achemaro hop off skip's nutz, h3e chill

[ganglu]

30 people have no clue about good music.

[dDRuf]

accompanement :o

[KiwisTubeofPaste]

Love the blues?

Check out The Mighty Q.C. 5 :)

Seriously.

[captaindillo]

Amazing

[yomocy]

amazing gutarist



[TheWeslittle]

Thanks for posting. I grew up in james' hometown of bentonia MS

[fatlardXVIV]

Wow, I still get the chills when i hear this song.

[ratstompmusic]

this is such an amazing song! if you're a delta blues fan, check out our band Rat Stomp :)

youtube.com/user/ratstompmusic

[bobgifford]

love this song

[klkgg]

I love His Voice!

[WillyDeVilleMusik]

Heartbreaking !!

[klkgg]

WoW he oozes talent. When I hear this melody my soul dances.

[MrArtfreako]

what tuning is he on?

[ASAT13]

@MrArtfreako He is playing in standard tuning's string to string intervals, but doing it relative to a D note on the sixth string. To play along you would need to tune a standard guitar down a full step on every string.

[2011bente]

Jeg kan aldri høre nok på denne/ can nor ever get tired of "Crow Jane" of Skip James

[Tegenaria]

Fabulous!!

[TheEnno64]

Sooo fucking funny :D

[TrilobiteFilms]

@TheEnno64 why is it funny?

[TheEnno64]

@TrilobiteFilms

It´s a funny songtext

[arad2586]

i wish this song was longer

[1mulc1]

such a gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo­ooooooooood song

[dingus1555]

Skippy James, the real king of Delta Blues...

[fearfultom]

skip james is true blues.His vocals are some of the best I have heard. His singing cant be copied.

[zorbazig]

IMHO one of the best blues ever played by one of the greatest bluesmen !...

[CrazyCorte]

the look in his eyes at 1:53

[kcarpenter17]

@CrazyCorte Nice catch.

[imabookie3]

@CrazyCorte hop off da nutz

[BeerGogglesReviews]

QUALITY AND CLASS

[drawlbag]

Skip unreluctantly recorded this tune in the 60s, but this dark song originates from about 1931 and probably decades before. Skip killed a woman. Hey Joe. Skip also wrote a few tunes that Mr Robert Johnson 'manipulated'. Nehemiah Curtis James RIP

[computer07]

That Is deep ... Longs years in a mans life summed up into a couple of sentences.

[rabagul1]

greatness

[shwatom]

I watched this video (and first heard this song) when I was 18. I didn't know what to think but it's been with me ever since

[SteveStucks]

This Is Music

[ec476405]

Is this from a DVD?

[marcelolemes100]

muito bom demais

[Megajosh2]

Oh my GOD.

[Missevil882]

Definitivemente una leyenda; grande como ninguno, UNICO!!!

[nelson85b]

who couldn't like this...

[theatlantisrise]

This is Skip at his finest. He wrote a hell of a blues standard, and the way that hes holding this line is unbelievable. But the Derek Trucks Band took this and made it a real masterpiece...have a listen folks.

[IMattchewB]

@theatlantisrise Awe man, come on now. You know there's no place for a "but" here.

[BadAutio]

Get Low Skip

[djoulsdrummer93]

pure sound 

[DallasJRC]

27 people are dumb asses.

[speciesofpositive]

@DallasJRC 30*

[sibrent1]

@DallasJRC - 5 months later and 3 more people are dumbasses

[DallasJRC]

@sibrent1 haha yep! 

[dmlacfn]

his voice is like water, so pure

just beautiful XD

[metaldealer64]

@edpatatmet "and I wanna dig her grave"

[xcalypsox]

I honestly can't stop listening to this... it's just so beautiful.

[NorthTulsaBoy]

@xcalypsox

It really is (so beautiful).

The guitar playing, which I'm sure, was "today" when Skip first wrote and started playing this song back in the twenties; sounds quaint and old fashioned now...

That somehow sounds negative, but I don't mean it that way; What I'm trying to say is:

The guitar style (and the singing style, too) places the song in time. Instead of being in 1967 (when this was recorded), it's almost as if we're back in 1927. Amazing.

[deewilki]

what the fuck 27 people are retarded i didnt think retards were allowed to acces the net from hospital

[FatherCoughlin]

Where it all began..........catch Furry Lewis in W. W. & The Dixie DanceKings with Burt Reynolds from '73 if I remember correctly. Keep the Blues Alive and support the musicians. RIP Pinetop and all the rest that gave us so much

[ianwalkerdownland]

a masterpiece of guitar playing

[rediryou]

The syncopation in this tune as played by Skip is just ... unreal. Can't even imagine holding that line.

[hypnotiqfilth420666]

I enjoyed every second of this song. Absolutely beautiful.

[fivethumbsfrank]

Skip James is all that is great about authentic blues

[Afereth]

can any of you blues educated dudes recommend a couple of blues singers? I am interested in Robert Johnson, skip James kinda tunes. I've listen to howling wolf muddy waters stuf like that mostly what you'd call mainstream blues I guess. If anyone got any recommendations and has got the time and mood to reply id be grateful:)

[crn40]

@Afereth charley patton, blind willie mctell, blind lemon jefferson, blind blake, fred mcdowell, son house, and elmore james would be a good start.

[busessuck1]

@Afereth There's also Bukka White, Buddy Moss, Frank Stokes, Tommy McClennan, King Solomon Hill, Henry Thomas, Lonnie Johnson plenty more you'll like if you explore a bit, check out ragtimedorianhenry's uploads - I've got a few on my channel too

[sherpa285]

@Afereth My favorites of that era (some already listed by other people): Mississippi John Hurt, Tommy Johnson, Booker ('Bukka') White, Henry Thomas, Furry Lewis, Lead Belly (more folk than blues), Blind Willie Johnson, Blind Willie McTell, Rambin' Thomas, and Charley Patton. What drew me initially into the blues were actually later musicians like John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, and Elmore James. That's one really nice thing about Utube is that you can explore.

[fngrpkn06]

I agree with bluezJbuck listen to the music today you'll hear many of the phrases the old blues and country blues players laid down. How bout the use of the slang for gun "gat", I've heard it in several old tunes just this evening.

[bluezJbuck23]

27 people are idots!! and have no aperieation for soulfelt blues or for the roots of all modern music!! everything from lil wayne to ledzepplin was influenced in some way or another from this man. IGNORANT DIPWIPES!!!!!

[belikewater001]

@bluezJbuck23 Negativity only creates more of the same.

[locomotives420]

Beautiful

[squarepusher645]

Yum. strum..

[1karensky]

the opposing blend of voice and guitar - muse inspired genius!

[jordan3119]

his eyes at the last moment....that's the blues

[RetroJenny]

This is amazing. Thanks for the upload.

[Blagga0muffin]

@edpatatmet Research? Into what exactly? Stfu.

[Blagga0muffin]

@edpatatmet Thumb whoring?? on a song like this...cheap...

[bluezJbuck23]

@Blagga0muffin 27 people are idots!! and have no aperieation for soulfelt blues or for the roots of all modern music!! everything from lil wayne to ledzepplin was influenced in some way or another from this man. IGNORANT DIPWIPES!!!!!

[StarfireEKS]

a rusty Skip James but still rockin your Blues away.

[Beelzebrad667]

He had the fuckin blues.

[Filipeeno]

@edpatatmet couldn't stop laughing.

[DiAL033]

Has there been an vinyl/cd release of this or is it TV only? I have some other versions of Skip playing "Crow Jane" but I like this one best.

[MyMoppet52]

It's five in the morning and I think this is the tenth or eleventh time I've listened to this. I am blown away. His playing is so great. I love listening and watching him. I've had days like that...feel like I want to shoot Crow Jane just to see her fall! Wow. I'm a church going Grandma who gets into it with my NRA friends...but I still feel like that some days. His music is spectacular! Thank you for posting.

[greatgoldensnail]

One of the best artists I've ever heard.

[abanks47]

this man was, is, and always be a genius. His music really knows how to penetrate the listener whether he's singing about serenading a woman, losing her or.... well listen to the song :)

[ATDemon55]

@edpatatmet "i want to dig her grave"

[judso420PhD]

a whopping 1% dislike ratio. nice. do it skip.

[fivethumbsfrank]

True, gut wrenching 'soul' music.

[tingulee]

is this about Jim Crow?

[onarix]

it's blues Horrorcore!!!

[bullybeer]

hard ass shit mah nigga! you feel mrh? thumbs up!

[panbread89]

For an upbeat rhythm, this song sure is pretty dark.

[carlorocky]

@edpatatmet Holy crap I just pissed myself at your comment! Lipton tea should use this for their commercial

[robertxtra]

I love Skip.I'm so glad covered by Cream & Deep Purple is classic.

[MrLepa91]

Skip sing low 

[patgarrett5755]

There are 26 deaf people who watch youtube videos?

[gerald554]

skip has the most well know ive ever known that man has the blues in every finger

[beeroosterm]

Can't any of these fucking guys tune a guitar????????!!!!!!!!!!!!! All these legends on YouTube, playing for years, can't tune up their guitars. Saw a Mississippi John Hurt video where his guitar was in tune and almost fell off my chair! What a difference!

[SqueezeMyLemonBabe]

@beeroosterm I'm pretty sure most if not all of those guys back then tuned their guitars without tuners & by ear so I guess there'd be a few times where they'd be somewhat off or when they just didn't feel like getting the 'exact' tone. But John Hurt is incredible though, to add to what you said about him.

[beeroosterm]

@SqueezeMyLemonBabe Actually, no one can play for so long without knowing they're slightly out of tune, which means he must have liked it that way. As well, I'm guessing he's tuned down from standard by at least a step or so, which makes it easy to go sharp when plucked with heavy-handedness...

[crn40]

@beeroosterm you know they hardly ever played in standard tuning, or were tuned to 440A, they usually tuned to themselves or other musicians they were playing with?

[panbread89]

what tunning does he play in...I see him doing barring, the only tunning I can think of is G or D.

[stevef0969]

@panbread89 Its actually standard tuning. The barring is just a B chord (4th fret) and the A7 chord (2nd fret) Not a typical Skip James song, he mostly uses D minor tuning.

[TnTKid54]

@stevef0969 i'm pretty sure he is tuned a whole step down

[UndergroundMan1984]

I wish I could play my Martin and write songs half as well as this man does. Epic...just epic.

[Xhado0]

This is as good as it gets

[JosephMalicke]

This is one of Skip's pinnacle moments. You can hear how un-worldy his playing and how deathly serious his singing and presentation. It's nice to know its possible to play this well when you're at the end of your life, dying from cancer. He played this music to afford an operation, but you can nevertheless hear how deeply he believes in himself and his music. Skip wasn't arrogant when he said his music was some of the best stuff ever written -- he just bold enough to say it.

[IMattchewB]

@JosephMalicke Ah sheesh...give one a break already.

[lostintheblues]

@JosephMalicke He played this music because it was his soul.....

[BarnesSean]

cool.

[NorthTulsaBoy]

Stunning !

I've listened to these cats for years (Son House, Skip James, Blind Gary Davis, Muddy Waters, etc.), but it's a revelation actually seeing them play- even if it's just a few songs.

Thanks so much for posting the vid.

[jrtpf]

That song is so good, can't get enough of it.

[sphinnix]

Open D

[madFlam1]

@sphinnix standard tuning yo. but down a few steps

[sdhaimish1]

26 dislikes???????

[AikidoChick1022]

Who really cares whether or not the songs about Jim Crow laws or an actual woman? The point is that the song is really beautiful and poignant, the guitar playing exceptional and the man himself a musical genius.

Why do you guys feel have to make this into some kind of socio-political discussion? Damn, just enjoy the music.

[JHart06]

@AikidoChick1022 Damn straight, thank you for saying it!

[BrunoEspo]

total legend

[ricardblanc]

What a sense of syncopation along with the loose strings and falsetto voice giving it an erie bluesy feeling that was Skip James.

[milascave]

It's possible.  But anytime the colors black, white, brown or yellow are implied in an old blues song, good chance they are talking about somebody's race.

Same goes for animals known to be of that color.

[yonner490]

this was the first video i ever watched on youtube 4.5 years ago.. i made a good choice.

[donquixotex]

i always believed that this wasn't an actual woman he is speaking about, but his way of protesting against the "Jim Crow" laws (you can make any assumption as to why he'd change it to Crow Jane, but I can imagine a few especially if this was basically an anti-law song), which is the name of the set of racist laws post-civil war and pre-civil rights movement.

[ancience1923]

@donquixotex makes a lot of sense! he's probably just naming it a female name because that's what most blues songs seem to be about, and it was sort of a metaphor.

[99cosmic]

@donquixotex there might be some credibility to your claim that it isnt about an actual woman but about jim crow laws, but my doubt of that arises when he utters the line "i didnt feel sorry until they let her down." This doesn't follow that logic; i don't see how he'd have sorrow or regret when what basically equates to jim crow laws being abolished occurs...

[donquixotex]

@99cosmic yeah, i have thought about that as well. and you're right, it is difficult to reconcile those couple of lines with my theory. though, people have been known to have a strange connection with that which holds them hostage. so that even when it is long and gone, you do have a pang of feeling a little sorry with that which you had become so accustomed to. that's of course adding another layer of justification and rather difficult to prove. but, it's a thought.

[99cosmic]

@donquixotex the general idea you are referring to is that of people getting so used to a thing that when it is removed, they find it difficult to reorient, to adjust to a new situation. yes, that's part of human nature. but in this case of Jim Crow, not to the degree of 'missing it' or 'feeling sorry that it is gone.' it's a safe bet that Skip is not implying that black people would be missing the cruelties of Jim crow. (i'll finish my thought in another posting under this)

[99cosmic]

@donquixotex that not's human nature, that would be a broken psychology. and you would be hard-pressed to historically find someone (black) who'll claim that they missed jim crow when it was 'over.' even if the song has a dual meaning, not all parts of the song need refer to both meanings. it's one thing to dread the uncertainty that the post- J.C south would bring (which MIGHT be what Skip is referring to), and another thing completely to miss, or feel sorry for the loss of, the evils of J.C

[angrpony]

Now this is a song. Woman wrongs you,, none of this namby pamby "i miss you so much" bullshit. Shoot that bitch in th face!

[DouglasLasken]

Why have I watched this video almost every week since I first saw it a year ago?