Son House - Death Letter Blues

Death Letter Blues

Death Letter Blues es una de las canciones mas conocidas de Son House, grabada cuando él ya había dejado el blues hace muchísimos años atrás, pero fue incentivado a volver a tocarlo en el revival del Blues de la decada del '60. Todo un milagro para los jovenes de la época ver en vivo y en directo a la persona que había enseñado a tocar a Robert Johnson, compañero de Willie Brown (el que menciona Johnson en Cross Road Blues) y discípulo directo de Charley Patton. Son House es sin duda uno de los grandes precursores del Blues.

Aqui para escuchar en Youtube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdgrQoZHnNY

Death Letter Blues es una variante o adaptación de un viejo tema de Son House que grabó en Grafton, Wisconsin para los Paramount Records en 1930. El tema original se llama My Black Mama y grabó dos versiones distintas.

Aqui para escuchar My Black Mama original de 1930: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXOVG30J4zU

Luego del redescubrimiento y su renovada popularidad enfermaría y volvería a aparecer en contadas ocasiones. Muere de cáncer a la laringe el 19 de Octubre de 1988.

Letras (existen muchas versiones con distintos párrafos dependiendo de la versión, la del video va mas o menos asi): 

I got a letter this mornin, how do you reckon it read?
It said, "Hurry, hurry, the gal, your love is dead."
I got a letter this mornin, I say how do you reckon it read?
You know, it said, "Hurry, hurry, how come the gal you love is dead?"

So, I grabbed up my suitcase, and took off down the road.
When I got there she was layin on a coolin board.
I grabbed up my suitcase, and I said and I took off down the road.
I said, but when I got there she was layin on a coolin board.

Well, I walked up right close, looked down in her face.
Said, the good ole gal got to lay here til the Judgement Day.
I said walked up right close, and I said I looked down in her face.
I said the good ole gal, she got to lay here til the Judgement Day.

Looked like there was 10,000 people standin round the buryin ground.
I didn't know I loved her til they laid her down.
Looked like 10,000 were standin round the buryin ground.
You know I didn't know I loved her til they damn laid her down.

You know I didn't feel so bad, til the good ole sun went down.
I didn't have a soul to throw my arms around.

You know I didn't feel so bad, til the good ole sun went down.
I Said didn't have a soul to throw my arms around.

You know, it's hard to love someone that don't love you
Ain't no satisfaction, don't care what you do
Yeah, it's hard to love someone that don't love you
You know it don't look like satisfaction, don't care what you do

You know, love's a hard ol' fall, make you do things you don't wanna do
Love sometimes leaves you feeling sad and blue
You know, love's a hard ol' fall, make you do things you don't wanna do
Love sometimes make you feel sad and blue

Robert Johnson - Cross road Blues

Cross road Blues

Esta canción fue grabada por el maestro del Delta Blues Robert Johnson. Realizó dos versiones, que fueron grabadas en su sesión de grabación en el hotel Gunter, San Antonio, Texas, el 27 de Noviembre de 1936.

Aqui para escuchar en Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yd60nI4sa9A

Aqui para escuchar la primera versión (menos conocida): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWbwJTFmKd4

Robert Johnson tendría una segunda y última ocasión para grabar en Dallas en 1937 y moriría ese año el 16 de Agosto. Las causas de su muerte aluden a un asesinato por envenenamiento por un supuesto marido celoso.

A partir de las interpretaciones de la letra de Cross Road Blues surge el mito de haber realizado un pacto con el Diablo para aprender a tocar Blues y ser el mejor. Johnson no recibió mucha popularidad durante su vida y vendió pocos discos. Johnson iba a ser invitado para un concierto en el Carnegie Hall en Nueva York lo que podría haberle dado la fama en vida, pero el realizador del evento tuvo que reemplazarlo por Big Bill Broonzy al enterarse que había muerto.

Lo poco que se sabe de Robert Johnson es gracias a los músicos que lo acompañaron alguna vez, como por ejemplo Son House, Johnny Shines, David "Honeboy" Edwards y Robert Lockwood Jr. (su discípulo)

La música y el legado de Robert Johnson se transmitirían luego en incontables músicos que revisitaron sus canciones, entre ellos Muddy Waters, Elmore James, Howlin Wolf, Rolling Stones, Cream, Led Zeppelin, The White Stripes y un interminable etc.

Letras:

Version 1:

I went to the crossroad, fell down on my knees
I went to the crossroad, fell down on my knees
Asked the Lord above, "Have mercy, now save poor Bob, if you please"

Yo, standin' at the crossroad, tried to flag a ride
Ooo, eee, I tried to flag a ride
Didn't nobody seem to know me babe, everybody pass me by

Standin' at the crossroad, baby, risin' sun goin' down
Standin' at the crossroad, baby, eee, eee, risin' sun goin' down
I believe to my soul, now, poor Bob is sinkin' down

You can run, you can run, tell my friend, Willie Brown
You can run, you can run, tell my friend, Willie Brown
That I got the crossroad blues this mornin', Lord, babe, I'm sinkin' down

And I went to the crossroad, mama, I looked east and west
I went to the crossroad, baby, I looked east and west
Lord, I didn't have no sweet woman, ooh well, babe, in my distress

Version 2:

I went to the crossroad, fell down on my knees
I went to the crossroad, fell down on my knees
Asked the lord above "Have mercy, save poor Bob, if you please"
Mmmmm, standin' at the crossroad, i tried to flag a ride
Standin' at the crossroad, i tried to flag a ride
Didn't nobody seem to know me, everybody pass me by
Mmmm, the sun goin' down, boy, dark gon' catch me here
Oooo, eeee, boy, dark gon' catch me here
I haven't got no lovin' sweet woman that love and feel my care
You can run, you can run, tell my friend-boy Willie Brown
You can run, tell my friend-boy Willie Brown
Lord i'm standin' at the crossroad, babe, i believe i'm sinkin' down