Blind Willie Johnson ~Motherless Children Have A Hard Time~

[MoeDonuts]

man what a voice... and that guitar...

the man would be a millionaire if he were alive today...

[mouldybear]

Classic song with his god voice as used by shamen in other parts of the world . See old called "Burundi" on Ocora to hear brilliant example.

[gronkifronk]

He is so famous, his song actually made it to outer space!

[tyreesemj1]

if u can't feel this...

[fraterlucifer888]

two words,HELL YEAH

[taurtue]

Pure raw energy, feeling and music

[tony1234872]

I honestly like this song, simply because my mother died 11 years ago when I was 3 and a half, I honestly wish to play it during school assembly for a tribute to my head of year's sake, she lost her mother when she was 11, and was brought up by her dead. Thank's blind willie Johnson, beautiful voice, strong and outthrown.

[666UFO666]

Awesome....



[sirkickbutt1]

Blind Willie McTell has a version of this song on "Atlanta 12 String" (Yazoo) which I like better.

[soulkiss1001]

thanks for posting please try equip.org for more great stuff

[mscosmiccat]

This is just beautiful. Thank you.

[TheSilentAstronaut]

isnt it sad to know that almost everyone in that video is dead now?

[FBlackRules]

@TheSilentAstronaut Yeah it's weird. The kids probably didn't have a lot but they look genuinely happy. We have lots to be thankful for.

[mrlaa1]

R.I.P mum xxx

[maggie10222]

In remberance of mum 24/09/35 - 09/01/87. May you mum find the peace in heaven that often deluded you here on earth

[ewnodak]

The name of the song is "Motherless Children have a hard time" not mother's children

[MrTexasClem]

I enjoyed both seeing the video and hearing the Blind Willie Johnson song. Much obliged to nrm333 for posting both.

[betterthanbrad]

Those kids are such naturals!!

[polishkatie]

I love this recording. Thanks for posting, nrm333.  The footage is totally fake (and from a different time.) I appreciate your effort to show how mamma rules. I adore Willie Johnson and I wonder how many 20somethings understand how his music has influenced American music til this day.

[devfrman]

pretty cool version , great guitar accompaniment,  rootsy!

[billjhyt]

Brother Willie J. really knows how to put down a song. I relate because he knows what he's singing about. My Mother passed several months ago, and I appreciate the reminder of how unique and truly indispensable she was--the center, the heart and soul of the family, not discounting Dad, of course. Thx Willie, even though you're gone too!

[ScroteMonster]

wheres the emotion. this is just flat, emotionless commercial shit. BORING

[TheYearTwentyTwenty]

@ScroteMonster "emotionless comercial shit"? are you deaf? the name of this song is called 'motherless children' can't get more emotional than that for fucks sake. And its hardly comercial if the guy died poor and homeless. read the description >

[milascave]

also Jewish and also love this guy.

[Udiel]

im jewish but i still love this guy...

jeez guys. :]

[MrSugarharp]

There ia a fantastic vinyl album (long since deleted) on the xtra label. On side one there are a selection of blind Willie's recordings. Side two consists of a narrative by Sam Charters telling of how he saught Willie out only to find he was dead, there is a fescinating interview with blind willie's widow. I bought this in 1971 when I was 15.

[TTmaniax]

Blind Willie would've wanted us to repent of our sins and turn to Jesus Christ/Yahshua HaMashiach, the savior of mankind.

Turn from your sins and be saved. A great time of trouble is upon us!

[LTmattYT]

indeed

[JosephMalicke]

Can you imagine how astonished Blind Willie Johnson would be to learn that 50+ years after his death, tens of thousands of people, all over the world, were streaming his music through YouTube. In the 30s, he would play in ragged clothing, in the streets and stations, for anybody who would listen. Now his music is immortal, helping endless generations of folks dealing with life's sorrow.

[mojochessclassics]

@JosephMalicke well said pal

[bok255]

@JosephMalicke and its in space on the Voyager's golden disc....he's intergalactically immortal ;)

[Farmaz]

@JosephMalicke

I wonder what he would think to his music being sent off into space along side Bach, forever to be broadcast around space.

[busessuck1]

@JosephMalicke I doubt a blind man with strong religious convictions woul get astonished all that easily

... if anything it's his own prowess that should be astonishing you, instead of encouraging an urge to patronise

[siroatmeal]

@JosephMalicke really awesome comment man : )

[ashlimaribcu]

@JosephMalicke so true :-) i wish i could see him today.

[pushiwallboy]

pardon me, that was meant for sharonanony

[gothmale18]

Ok....sure.....

Blind Willie Johnson, we love all that you left for us :) How can blues be so purifying and wonderful?

[sharonanony]

THERE WILL BE NO HIDING PLACE FROM THE KINGDOM'S THRONE.

Enjoy ur greedy denial of putting the middle finger up to the Creator's inalienable Rights. JUST TO KEEP DESTROYING THE WORLD. SLAVERY WILL HAVE A COSMIC ACCOUT. THEREFORE HIDE ALL COWARDS, AND ENJOY YOOUR GREED.

[pushiwallboy]

oh shut your pie-hole you big silly!

[M0Faux]

this is awesome.................. thank you

[vicandlinda]

Found the CD about ten years ago by accident having previously had only a couple of songs. Couldn't believe my luck. A treasured possession.

[cdnlady7]

@vicandlinda

What was the CD called?

[PhoenixRising235]

Thank you for posting this...

[ZOMGitsABBEH]

I love you for posting this!

[trailsanddeer]

this is pretty sweet put to a video and the audio is killer.

[KennyBlue51]

Carl Sagan included "Dark Was the Night" on the disc on the twin spacecrafts Voyager I and Voyager II.

[richardyingren]

Wow - what singing!

[norgesregenter]

This was how the blues started.

[torrellthaburt]

it started long before this my friend... but it ended when bb king came out commercialised...

[LovelyStrings1]

..that last lady is kind of like Aunt Esther...(Sanford and Son)...

[BordiniBlues85]

thar boy on the sofa at 1:23 make me laugh.. :-)

[mskathy0724]

He reminds me of my little nephew when he was so small. Too cute!

[drlove52]

Blind willie wrote this song about himself. He was blinded with lye in his eyes by his step mother because his dad beat her up. He was 7 when this happened.

[gentleman118]

what an amazing voice

[TennesseeShine]

Oh, God! The video is just like being back home again! My Mama is giving me a tongue-lashing for dawdling the day away and being shiftless and no-account! Great song by a great preacher-man and musician, though!

[singleporter]

Yeah, the title should be "Motherless Children". Good to hear the OG version though, I know the HAWKWIND cover, I'm sure this track was covered by Frank Zappa, and Van Morrison also..

[torkerbmx]

i saw blind willie last night but he couldn't see me

[dadgadwiz]

coglione

[lindenhu]

I totally love this and the song, but you people realize that the song is called "Motherless Children" right? This song has been around, done by Steve Miller, done by Eric Clapton. Come on people, peace to you and all that, but let's get it right.

[tomasperry]

There is of course no film of Willie Johnson. There is only one photograph. His music was only intended for other black people in the South. Yet his magnificent work inspired Eric Clapton and the Stones. How many other poor black singers lived on the streets and died, unregarded, despied and humiliated?

Listen to this: then tell us what you think of the obscne acist filth that rich white men put out as black culture, to make money

[deepwatertree]

I would say it goes a LOT further than to just make money...these "persons" who create "cultures" do not CARE for money, for they are the ones who CREATE it out of thin air...fiat currency...truly worthless, except to the landless peasants (i.e. US)

it's to KEEP people in a state of degradation. or, to impose the imprint that money is god (like 50 Cent, Jay-Z, Kanye, and the rest of the Sigma Pi Phi "Boule'" enterTRAINERS - Rock-a-fela/Rockefeller)...the eye sees all...

[deepwatertree]

..."in the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king"

[arkee71]

fear is all it is and music breaks fear down makes us feel the truth that we are all the same...thats my opinion anyway

[messywoot]

@arkee71

Powerful words my friend

[stacyblue1980]

Love these films. Brilliant video for the song. I cried.

Thanks 4 posting. x

[arjhendrix]

also do see.....

Martin Scorsese presents...

THE SOUL OF A MAN, a film by Wim Wenders.

here a blind man (3 guesses, but only for YOU) will teach you how to see.

grt movie and i hope you see it in ur ac's like i done.

THX(XnotC)

[AlfTheTroll]

Twas a great film.

Scorsese is a genius and takes great care and pride in all his work.

[thefringthing]

The title is "Motherless Children".

[ReaganD]

I am a folksinger from Texas and I've written a blues number for Blind Willie Johnson in Open D as he played it. I am not of course anywhere near as good at slide guitar as he is yet, I hope folks who hear it will listen to his music more he is a preacher in song to me. God bless you Willie!

[FugginNorb]

Not only that, the rural south at the time was a largely shut-off community, and I doubt they would've let film-makers in so easily and could act so naturally around cameras and equipment that might be worth more than their homes.

[nrm333]

you are correct, but i never claimed this was blind willie footage. i simply pick songs i like and try and put footage to them that to me goes well with the great music. thats all. cheers. thanks for comments.

[StickyDirtwood]

yeah man, this is a great video. great choice of music and footage. the song suits the video perfect

[cobrastriesand]

@nrm333 I think you do a wonderful job of it. I end up watching this video at least once a week when I need to feel a little better about being alive.

[BROWL911]

thank you for posting this! people you want to be literal and so picky, pick whats wrong with your life or media these days and hopefully ill be able to turn on a radio and not vomit, or turn on my television and not see a whiney anylistic person that doesnt experience have of what they talk about and would like to be punched in theyre shit on a daily basis

[bminus238]

@FugginNorb whats yer point?

[bminus238]

@FugginNorb whats yer point? i know this footage is not period correct, but its close. who do you think filmed this footage?

[FugginNorb]

Most videos you see are just reenactments made for documentaries or movies, this one appears to be either taken from a film made around the 50's-60's, though it could be from the 40's, when Blind Willie died (that would discount him from being any of the children in the film, as he was around 48 when he died). He died a poor black musician in a genre that was largely obscured by other genres and was widely held as sinful by people of the time. This is not film footage of Blind Willie Johnson.

[librarianeric]

Just exactly what IS this film? I had no idea there was even footage of Johnson.

I've seen country music shorts from the 50s, but didn't know there were ANY of blues artists.

[JohnChildermass]

This song is so sad. Blind Willie Johnson was one of the best.

[brentlayzee]

damn! sing it brother!

[golokamago]

it's really outstanding

[2HoleDraw]

Motherless Children

[etuberalism]

yeah! who else recorded this, LB, Sn house? got it one of those.

[2dust2]

motherless surely...!?

[dbee99]

where is the video from? A movie? Or is it from a documentary? Love the images

thanx for posting

[vodkapower1986]

it's to sorrowfull that this music today doesn't plays anymore everywhere. we are full of gays and whores mercy us! God give us r'n'r and we throw it away! thats the things on Greece!

[vodkapower1986]

yes, -2? Thanks for that,if you don't believe that then we are in a good way..

[etuberalism]

have you cast the first stone?

[skeetabix36]

hes 1 of the best blues artists ever.that title also goes 2 leadbelly

[markox333]

it's good to see yr getting johnson out there man. yr right. every song is the best.