Label: Document Records.
Release Date: 1991.
Releases: August 15, 1992; April 5, 2005.
Recording Time: 73 minutes.
Recording Date: April 4, 1941 - July 2, 1945.
Styles: Acoustic Chicago Blues, Chicago Blues, Harmonica Blues, Regional Blues.
This is a comprehensive collection of the first Sonny Boy Williamson's work during the World War II years (with the exception of the period of the infamous musician's union ban on recording). Some of the pioneering bluesman's topical songs--"Win the War Blues" and "We Got to Win"--comment directly on then-current events, but there also songs adapted from other blues singers. "Ground Hog," for example, is a variant of Tony Hollins's "Crawlin' King Snake," while "She Don't Love Me That Way" cribs from Sleepy John Estes. The overall sound, however, splits the difference between the earlier country blues of Williamson's Bluebird Records period and the proto-Chicago blues to come.
Credits: Eddie Boyd - piano; Keith Briggs - liner notes; Big Bill Broonzy - guitar; Cifelli - composer; Bill Sid Cox - guitar; Blind John Davis - piano; Lightnin' Hopkins - composer; Armand Jump Jackson - drums; Ransom Knowling - sax (baritone), standup bass; William Marshall - composer; Charlie McCoy - guitar; Johnny Parth - compilation producer, producer; James Caesar Petrillo - composer; Ted Summitt - guitar; Washboard Sam - washboard; Sonny Boy Williamson II - composer, performer, primary artist; Sonny Boy Williamson I - composer, harmonica, harmonica (amplified), primary artist, vocals.
Tracks: 1) Drink on, little girl; 2) Mattie Mae blues; 3) I'm gonna catch you soon; 4) Million years blues; 5) Shady grove blues; 6) Sloppy drunk blues; 7) She was a dreamer; 8) You got to step back; 9) Ground hog blues; 10) Black panther blues; 11) Broken heart blues; 12) She don't love me that way; 13) My Name Black Name; 14) I have got to go; 15) Love me, baby; 16) What's gettin' wrong with you?; 17) Blues that made me drunk; 18) Come on baby and take a walk; 19) Miss Stella Brown blues; 20) Desperado woman blues; 21) Win the war blues; 22) Check up on my baby blues; 23) G. M. & O. blues; 24) We got to win; 25) Sonny Boy's jump; 26) Elevator woman.