Release Date: August 9, 2004.
Recording Time: 43 minutes.
Recording Date: November 1936 - June 1937.
Recorded Location: San Antonio, TX - Dallas, TX.
Release Info: Columbia - COL.517457 2, Legacy - 5174572000, CD, Compilation, Reissue.
Robert Johnson was a blues musician whose 1937 and 1937 recordings heavily influenced many, many future generations of artists. Despite the fact his recording career spanned a mere seven months, he is universally recognized as a master of the Delta blues style, one of the earliest-known styles of blues emerging from the Mississippi delta in the early twentieth century. This second compilation collects sixteen recordings previously available on the 78rpm format and includes recordings of two Johnson songs that have since become blues standards: "Sweet Home Chicago" and "I Believe I'll Dust My Broom." In contrast to the deeply emotive songs released on the 1961 album, many of the tracks on this volume display Johnson's lighter side. In 2003 the record was ranked #424 on Rolling Stone's list of 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Whether he really needed to sell his soul to the devil at the crossroads to reach these great heights, we'll never know... King Of The Delta Blues Singers, Volume II is available as a limited edition of 1000 individually numbered copies on translucent yellow coloured vinyl and includes an insert with liner notes by Pete Welding.
More detail:
King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. II is a compilation album by Robert Johnson, released in 1970 by Columbia Records. In 2003, the album was ranked number 424 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
The album collects sixteen recordings, ten of which were previously available as 78 rpm records on the Vocalion label and were originally recorded during five sessions in 1936 and 1937. Through the course of the 1960s, blues music had become more visible in the popular music landscape of the day. Songs from Johnson's first album had been covered by popular rock artists in the late sixties, including Eric Clapton and the Rolling Stones. Based on the success of that album, Columbia decided it was time to issue another Johnson album with Frank Driggs, the legendary producer and music historian, once again producing. They scoured the vaults again and came up with nine additional Vocalion masters, three unreleased alternate takes and two unreleased tracks (a matrix was made for "Drunken Hearted Man" in 1937 but it seems it was never released). Likely finding no further acceptable recordings, to bring the number of tracks to the same sixteen as on Volume I, "Ramblin' On My Mind" and "Preachin' Blues" from the earlier LP were issued again. Although not quite as popular or influential as its predecessor, it includes recordings of two Johnson songs that have become blues standards, "Sweet Home Chicago" and "I Believe I'll Dust My Broom." In contrast to the deeply emotive songs released on the 1961 album, many of the tracks on Volume II display Johnson's lighter side. King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. II was reissued on August 10, 2004 by the Legacy Records subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment, with the master version of "Ramblin' On My Mind" added as a bonus track.
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As rock has gradually begun to incorporate new elements from other music forms, both musicians and listeners alike seem to have developed a new interest in its roots. Unquestionably, a major influence on much is the blues - more specifically, rural blues. What you hold in your hands is a collection of 17 songs by the greatest down-home blues singer of all time, Robert Johnson. This, the second volume of "King Of The Delta Blues Singers", completes the release og Johnson's total recorded output. Robert Johnson's influence on contemporary rock is just beginning to be felt. The Stones included one of the tunes from this collection "Love Is Vain" on their "Let It Bleed" album. It's even rumored that Johnny Winter learned to play slide guitar off the first Robert Johnson album. So, if you dig contemporary music, especially the blues, give a listen to Robert Johnson, the original master. ~ Jon Waxman
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A wonderful follow-up to the first compilation (King of the Delta Blues Singers) of Robert Johnson's small library of recorded work. This album boasts the first album appearance of "Love in Vain," as well as a number of other blues classics penned by the artist. "Sweet Home Chicago," "I Believe I'll Dust My Broom," "They're Red Hot," and "Malted Milk" are all present (and all covered by a multitude of artists -- the Blues Brothers, Elmore James, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Eric Clapton, respectively). As is generally the practice with Robert Johnson albums, a painting stands in for the cover (there are only two known photographs of the artist in the first place, and every other album released uses one of them). The music is certainly impeccable -- the self-accompanying bassline boogie was one of Johnson's greatest contributions to the blues, and it's displayed in all its beauty here. To top this, there's the beauty of his melodic work, and the interplay with his semi-gruff voice that help to make his songs memorable. He is the true legend of the blues, and anyone with even the slightest curiosity in that genre or rock needs to own both this album and its predecessor, or else the box set released in 1990 that covers both of them. ~ Adam Greenberg
Credits: A&R (Coordination) - Stacey Boyle; A&R (Legacy) - Steve Berkowitz; Art Direction - Howard Fritzson; Artwork (Cover Art) - Tom Willson; Compilation Producer (Compilation Produced For LP By) - Frank Driggs; Design - Lisa Wolf; Liner Notes - Jon Waxman, Pete Welding; Mastered By - Joseph M. Palmaccio; Producer (Original Recordings Produced By) - Don Law; Reissue Producer (CD Reissue Produced By) - Jerry Rappaport; Typography (Typographical Design) - Nick Fasciano; Written-By, Composed By - Robert Johnson.
Tracklist:
- 01. Kind Hearted Woman Blues [2:28]
- 02. I Believe I'll Dust My Broom [2:57]
- 03. Sweet Home Chicago [2:57]
- 04. Ramblin' On My Mind [2:50]
- 05. Phonograph Blues [2:38]
- 06. They're Red Hot [2:56]
- 07. Dead Shrimp Blues [2:29]
- 08. Preachin' Blues (Up Jumped The Devil) [2:49]
- 09. I'm A Steady Rollin' Man [2:35]
- 10. From Four Until Late [2:22]
- 11. Little Queen Of Spades [2:16]
- 12. Malted Milk [2:20]
- 13. Drunken Hearted Man [2:26]
- 14. Stop Breakin' Down Blues [2:21]
- 15. Honeymoon Blues [2:16]
- 16. Love In Vain [2:20]
- 17. Ramblin' On My Mind (Take 2) [2:23] (Bonus Track)
Originally Recorded 1936 & Released 1990 (Track 17), Originally Released 1936 (Tracks 1,2,7), 1937 (Tracks 3, 4, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15), 1939 (Tracks 8, 16), 1970 (Tracks 5, 13)
01. "Kind Hearted Woman Blues" - November 23, 1936, Vocalion 3416 (1937)
02. "I Believe I'll Dust My Broom" - November 23, 1936, Vocalion 3475 (1937)
03. "Sweet Home Chicago" - November 23, 1936, Vocalion 3601 (1937)
04. "Ramblin' On My Mind" - November 23, 1936, Columbia LP-1654 (1961)
05. "Phonograph Blues" - November 23, 1936, previously unreleased (1970)
06. "They're Red Hot" - November 27, 1936, Vocalion 3563 (1937)
07. "Dead Shrimp Blues" - November 27, 1936, Vocalion 3475 (1937)
08. "Preaching Blues" - November 27, 1936, Vocalion 4630 (1939)
09. "I'm a Steady Rollin' Man" - June 19, 1937, Vocalion 3723 (1937)
10. "From Four Till Late" - June 19, 1937, Vocalion 3623 (1937)
11. "Little Queen of Spades" - June 20, 1937, unreleased alternate take (1970)
12. "Malted Milk" - June 20, 1937, Vocalion 3665 (1937)
13. "Drunken Hearted Man" - June 20, 1937, previously unreleased (1970)
14. "Stop Breakin' Down Blues" - June 20, 1937, unreleased alternate take (1970)
15. "Honeymoon Blues" - June 20, 1937, Vocalion 4002 (1938)
16. "Love in Vain" - June 20, 1937, unreleased alternate take (1970)
17. "Ramblin' on My Mind" - November 23, 1936, Vocalion 3519 (1937)