'If I Had My Way, I'd Tear The Building Down' BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON (1927) Gospel Blues Guitar Legend

" If I Had My Way, I'd Tear The Building Down "
Saturday, 3 December 1927 DALLAS

The " RED HOT BLUES " (1925-1945)
Texas Alexander
Pink Anderson
Kokomo Arnold
Barbecue Bob
Scrapper Blackwell
Black Ace
Ed Bell
Blind Blake
Ishman Bracey
Big Bill Broonzy
Richard "Rabbit" Brown
Willie Brown
Bumble Bee Slim
Gus Cannon
Bo Carter
Sam Collins
Floyd Council
Gary Davis
Sleepy John Estes
Blind Boy Fuller
Son House
Peg Leg Howell
Mississippi John Hurt
Papa Charlie Jackson
Jim Jackson
Skip James
Blind Lemon Jefferson
Blind Willie Johnson
Lonnie Johnson
Robert Johnson
Tommy Johnson
Charley Jordan
Luke Jordan
Leadbelly
Furry Lewis
Cripple Clarence Lofton
Tommy McClennan
Robert Lee McCoy
Blind Willie McTell
The Memphis Jug Band
Buddy Moss
Memphis Minnie
Hambone Willie Newbern
Charley Patton
Robert Petway
Jimmie Rodgers
Frank Stokes
Sonny Terry
Henry Thomas
Ramblin Thomas
Curley Weaver
Casey Bill Weldon
Peetie Wheatstraw
Bukka White
Josh White
Robert Wilkins
Big Joe Williams

Category:

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• down
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[dougiecoolietrini]

The TRUE origins of rock n' roll

[johnnytyranno]

Had this song stuck in my head today, thanks for putting it up.

[TheLoveRub]

@BrokenneckYgor yea and they destroyed most of the original documentation done by supporters in the south

[BrokenneckYgor]

Wide-eyed Jimmy, or James E. Montgo, recorded this song for White people

[HowBrownPhiladelphia]

@edslides1

Grateful Dead couldn't find their ass with two hands.

After 1971, they petered out.

[Midgetmedic]

Blind Wille and Rev Gary Davis are two of the best.

[ERICxISxMONTREAL]

that mutha fucka's BLIND!

[yngvaibucketrucci]

charlie parr does a great version of this but with the name sampson and delilah not if I had my way

[crookcountysellouts]

@elvispelt Some tard must've clicked the wrong button.

[elvispelt]

Who's the plank that doesn't like this song?

[burninhellfire84]

lets go to the jailhouse & have our way !!! all my brothers and sisters ...

who have been wrongfully put in jail by lie tellin cops....

lord knows i am tellin tellin,

they cuse me of being fellon fellon,while i tell truth,

they tell lie's...lord knows ...i hope they die

[edslides1]

grateful dead tear this one a new ASSHOLE!

[fendermac]

Love Blind Willie Johnson and I love this song.I do wish someone would post the Blasters' fine version

[DottyWang]

He was blinded by his step-mother. Listen to his "Motherless children have a hard time" - singing like this comes from suffering

[willwkrueger]

let there be no mistake, as much of todays famous music draws its power and inspiration from the worship of malevolence, the power of blind willie johnsons voice and performance is the power of the gospel, of God, which is truth beauty justice.

[busessuck1]

@Gilligan346 That's what I read, though really nobody today knows bout the lives of these old time black musicians and so researchers like to get a little inventive.

[Gilligan346]

@busessuck1 I've also heard that he was arrested merely for busking in front of a municipal building, as that is illegal. I like your version of the story a lot more though.

[busessuck1]

He was performing this song in the street by the new orleans court house, and his lyrics were misconstrued by police who arrested him

[edslides]

the grateful dead do the best redo

[the215renaissanceman]

This song also has an influence on hip-hop.

M.K.

[TroyBilt007]

Damn I love this. Shirley Manson of Garbage has recorded a version of this. Of course it is in a rock style

[jackwhiskey]

I had no idea the roots of this song went so far back. PP&M probably made it as famous as it ever was but it's interesting to know the etymology of it all. Thanks.

[lidgleymike]

Just read somewhere it was written by Blind Blake in 1926...

[rydochi]

This song was credited to Rev. Gary Davis when it was called "Samson and Delilah" by Peter, Paul & Mary was released. I always find it funny how people get credited for these "traditional" songs...

[truellaksala]

WoW. i found a remake of this song in an epic sci fi series. This is awesome. Origins, remakes, freakin' awesome.