Release Date: 1992.
Recording Time: 64 minutes.
Recording Date: March 5 - June 19, 1940.
Release Info: DOCD-5096, CD, Compilation, Reissue, Remastered.
The sixth and final volume in the series assembles the fruits of Blind Boy Fuller's final studio sessions, all dating to the first half of 1940. Despite failing health, Fuller is at his most incendiary on these sides -- "Shake It, Baby" is among his most galvanizing dance tunes, while "Little Woman You're So Sweet" stands as one of his finest originals. Most energetic, however, are the sanctified songs, including "No Stranger Now," "Jesus Is a Holy Man" and "Twelve Gates to the City" -- with his death less than a year away, Fuller burns with spiritual intensity, clearly yearning for some kind of redemption in his final months. ~ Jason Ankeny
Abridged from this album's original booklet notes.
At the beginning of 1940 Blind Boy Fuller was experiencing the medical problems that would eventually lead to his death early the following year. If his health was indeed failing, the sessions that took place in March 1940 gave no evidence of it. Step It Up And Go and Shake It, Baby were as spirited as any of the dance pieces Fuller ever recorded, J. B. Long contributed the powerful Three Ball Blues, and Little Woman You're So Sweet was one of the most original songs associated with the guitarist. In addition, the religious pieces that were being released as by Brother George And His Sanctified Singers now included Fuller for the first time. A version of Gary Davis' Twelve Gates To The City was recorded and, although it lacked the intensity of Davis' performance, it still had a nice commercial swing to it that was helped along by Sonny Terry's harmonica and Oh Red's (Bull City Red) washboard. By the time of the June session, though, Fuller was sounding somewhat tired on the blues numbers. The four sanctified titles were in marked contrast with this. The particular standouts were No Stranger Now and Jesus Is A Holy Man which appear to bear more than a passing resemblance to the Chicago Sanctified Singers 1935 ARC release of "I Ain't No Stranger Now"/"Tell Me What Kind of Man Jesus Is". Both of the Fuller tracks are high energy, storefront gospel performances with guitar, washboard, and group vocals, and there is a palpable emotional atmosphere that compares favourably with the originals (no mean feat in itself). Perhaps Blind Boy Fuller was becoming concerned with his health and turning toward religion for relief. This hypothesis is supported by Richard Trice, who recalled that, before he died, Fuller swore that if he recovered he would forsake blues singing. He was in and out of the hospital for the last six months of his life during which time his bladder infection worsened until he died on February 13, 1941. A major chapter in the history of the blues had come to an end. ~ Ken Romanowski (from DOCD-5096, Document Records, 1992)
Personnel: Blind Boy Fuller, vocal / guitar; Sonny Terry, harmonica on 1, 4, 5; Oh Red, washboard on 1, 3, 4, Sonny Terry And Oh Red (Blind Boy Fuller’s Boys): Sonny Terry, harmonica / vocal; Blind Boy Fuller, guitar / speech; Oh Red, washboard. Blind Boy Fuller (as by Brother George And His Sanctified Singers on 9, 10), vocal / guitar; Sonny Terry, harmonica on 8, 10/ vocal on 9; Oh Red, washboard on 8, 9, 10 / vocal on 9. Blind Boy Fuller (as by Brother George And His Sanctified Singers on 19, 20, 21, 22), vocal / guitar; Sonny Terry, harmonica on 12, 13, 14, 17, 22/ vocal on 19, 20, 21; Oh Red, washboard on 12, 13, 15, 19, 20, 21, 22/ vocal on 19, 20, 21, 22.
Credits: Compiled By, Producer - Johnny Parth; Liner Notes - Ken Romanowski; Remastered By (uncredited) - Hans Klement.
Tracklist:
- 01. Blind Boy Fuller - Blue And Worried Man [2:46]
- 02. Blind Boy Fuller - Passenger Train Woman [2:45]
- 03. Blind Boy Fuller - Shake It, Baby [2:48]
- 04. Blind Boy Fuller - Somebody's Been Talkin' [2:46]
- 05. Blind Boy Fuller - Three Ball Blues [2:53]
- 06. Blind Boy Fuller - Little Woman You're So Sweet [2:44]
- 07. Sonny Terry And Oh Red (Blind Boy Fuller's Boys - Harmonica Stomp [2:46]
- 08. Blind Boy Fuller - Good Feeling Blues [2:37]
- 09. Brother George And His Sanctified Singers - You Can't Hide From The Lord [2:50]
- 10. Brother George And His Sanctified Singers - Twelve Gates To The City [2:41]
- 11. Blind Boy Fuller - Crooked Woman Blues [2:43]
- 12. Blind Boy Fuller - I Don't Want No Skinny Woman [2:45]
- 13. Blind Boy Fuller - Bus Rider Blues [2:41]
- 14. Blind Boy Fuller - You Got To Have Your Dollar [2:41]
- 15. Blind Boy Fuller - Lost Lover Blues [2:44]
- 16. Blind Boy Fuller - Thousand Woman Blues [2:44]
- 17. Blind Boy Fuller - Bye Bye Baby [2:58]
- 18. Blind Boy Fuller - When You Are Gone [2:45]
- 19. Brother George And His Sanctified Singers - No Stranger Now [2:54]
- 20. Brother George And His Sanctified Singers - Must Have Been My Jesus [2:54]
- 21. Brother George And His Sanctified Singers - Jesus Is A Holy Man [2:47]
- 22. Brother George And His Sanctified Singers - Precious Lord [2:46]
- 23. Blind Boy Fuller - Night Rambling Woman [2:47]
Recording date, location, matrix, catalog number:
01. March 5, 1940, New York City, 26594-A, Vocalion 05440
02. March 5, 1940, New York City, 26595-A, Vocalion 06231
03. March 6, 1940, New York City, 26598-A, Vocalion 05575
04. March 6, 1940, New York City, 26599-A, Vocalion 05527
05. March 6, 1940, New York City, 26600-A, Vocalion 05440
06. March 6, 1940, New York City, 26601-A, Vocalion 05476
07. March 6, 1940, New York City, 26602-A, Vocalion 05538
08. March 7, 1940, New York City, 26616-A, Vocalion 06231
09. March 7, 1940, New York City, 26617-A, Vocalion 05465
10. March 7, 1940, New York City, 26618-A, Vocalion 05465
11. March 7, 1940, New York City, 26619-A, Vocalion 05527
12. June 19, 1940, New York City, WC-3138-A, Columbia 37788
13. June 19, 1940, New York City, WC-3139-A, OKeh 05933
14. June 19, 1940, New York City, WC-3140-A, OKeh 05712
15. June 19, 1940, New York City, WC-3141-A, OKeh 05756
16. June 19, 1940, New York City, WC-3142-A, Columbia 37788
17. June 19, 1940, New York City, WC-3143-A, OKeh 05712
18. June 19, 1940, New York City, WC-3144-A, OKeh 05756
19. June 19, 1940, New York City, WC-3145-A, OKeh 05671
20. June 19, 1940, New York City, WC-3146-A, OKeh 05729
21. June 19, 1940, New York City, WC-3147-A, OKeh 05671
22. June 19, 1940, New York City, WC-3154-A, OKeh 05729
23. June 19, 1940, New York City, WC-3155-A, OKeh 05785