Track Listing

1. Cross Road Blues [Version]
2. Traveling Riverside Blues
3. Walking Blues
4. I Believe I'll Dust My Broom
5. Hellhound on My Trail
6. Kindhearted Woman Blues
7. Rambling on My Mind
8. Stop Breakin' Down Blues
9. Come on in My Kitchen
10. 32-20 Blues
11. From Four Till Late
12. I'm a Steady Rollin' Man
13. Love in Vain
14. Terraplane Blues
15. When You Got a Good Friend
16. Sweet Home Chicago

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #16444 in Music
• Brand: Sony
• Released on: 1997-10-07
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .24 pounds

Customer Reviews

In The Beginning...
All the acclaim and legend surrounding this collection is true, and anyone who is interested in American music really should start here.

A word of caution to the uninitiated, though: Robert Johnson did not play the electric blues which are the staple of modern American blues and the roots of Rock n Roll. This is acoustic blues music, solo vocal with (incredible) acoustic guitar accompaniment. It is amazing, amazing stuff--just try to duplicate the guitar parts and you'll understand what a master Johnson was--but don't be looking for rockin' rhythm sections or the big bass sound of later bluesmen.

Just one of dozens of compilations
If I had to pick sixteen out of Robert Johnson's 29 singles, I would end up with pretty much the same ones that Sony has chosen for this collection.
But having said that, I also have to add that there are dozens of Robert Johnson-compilations like this one on the market, and no good reason to get anything other than Columbia's double-disc "The Complete Recordings". And if you really want a single-disc compilation, go for "King Of The Delta Blues Singers", which, although it misses out on a couple of Johnson's best songs, features the most amazing sound you'll ever hear, thanks to a masterful remastering job.

Historic Recordings
To effectively understand the importance of Robert Johnson in American music, it is necessary to separate the man from the myth. It is true that he lived a difficult, hand to mouth existence (by all accounts) and died a pitiful death. Those are tragic facts. What is so honored, respected and admired today is the groundbreaking and historic music that he created and recorded. Considering the era in history and the technology available at the time, these recordings are fascinating and

powerful. Here we have the foundations of not only the great sound of Delta Blues, but also the foundation of many more modern sounds within our American musical heritage, such as folk music. It may seem extravagant to link his importance to such modern performers as the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton or even Led Zeppelin, yet all of these acts have "covered" the music of Robert Johnson and many other reviewers more prominent than myself have offered high praise of the creative

talents of a man who might be forgotten if not for his musical contributions. This album is a MUST-HAVE for any serious student of American musical history, serious Delta Blues fans or simply an appreciation of vintage talent.