Robert Johnson

[IWasBored]

in addition to the music and incredible influence, he's got the most badass legend surrounding his life and death, better than pretty much anyone else out there. i bought some compilation a few years ago. every once in a while i listen to it. fucking awesome.

discuss.

 

[MrBrau1]

Yeah. I've been on a bit of a kick lately.

Greatest part was borrowing the woman's car tonite, and having "32-20 Blues" start coming from the CD player.

Gangster music from 1930.

 

[martha]

Greatest part was borrowing the woman's car tonite, and having "32-20 Blues" start coming from the CD player.

So she really is the right girl for you then?

 

[hiphop]

The legend about Robert Johnson has been pumped up and hyped and sold. esp. the film Crossroads etc.

If you take a good listen, you will notice some of his lyrics are full of Voodoo. Like a couple of Blues songs.

He led a miserable life, he was poor, he played very well and sometimes had that creepy, other times that full southern blues voice.

I don´t know what romanticizing about his sad life and the pact is really worth, when you´re not living the life of a Bluesman.

 

[IWasBored]

shane macgowan played sold out shows with the pogues this week. you could say the same for him. does that mean i should burn my copy of rum sodomy and the lash?

 

[hiphop]

shane macgowan played sold out shows with the pogues this week. you could say the same for him. does that mean i should burn my copy of rum sodomy and the lash?

rum sodomy .eversoslightnod.

Robert Johnson never played sold out shows in places like the Pogues - rather at a chicken farm. I dont think you can easily compare a blues artist in oblivion with a band that enjoys major financial backing, but that´s just me.

To explain my point of view... yes, there is a legend, and yes it is interesting. I don´t like when people like him for the morbid fascination they feel about his story. That man led a miserable life, and damn sure hellhound was on his trail. When you´re really getting into the story,when you study the Blues, his works, other Blues artists, that´s a good thing, and it is great music. Anyway I prefer some real background about the belief system rather than being "fascinated" by his pact only, its not a serious way of dealing with the issue, and its not a horror freak show like some would like to believe (and I dont mean you IWB, but people who are mainly fascinated by Johnson because of the crossroads stuff - if that fascinates someone, fine, then go to study the origins of that religion).

 

[IWasBored]

i don't actually own a copy of rum sodomy & the lash, so i don't really know what i was talking about.

I don´t like when people like him for the morbid fascination they feel about his story.

perfectly understandable. i didn't just start this thread with that in mind. i legitametly had been listening to the music.

belief system?

 

[hiphop]

belief system?

I was referring to voodoo again. All that mojo bone and snake stuff is connected to this.. even the way how to make a pact goes way back.. Christians think that Johnson made a deal with the "devil", whereas Voodoo has a wide variety of Gods, some good, some bad. In Vodou, Legba is the God of crossroads and doorways, .. also a trickster but not necessarily bad.. you can even trace that back to Africa (Yoruba call him Ellegua).

 

[IWasBored]

ah.

good to know.

 

[angel_of_L.A.]

Yeah. I've been on a bit of a kick lately.

Greatest part was borrowing the woman's car tonite, and having "32-20 Blues" start coming from the CD player.

Gangster music from 1930.

This is the best description of Robert Johnson that I've ever read!

MrBrau

 

[verte76]

I've read about Robert Johnson. There's no sense in romanticizing his life, but I didn't know about the Voodoo connections, just what the Christians say about "Crossroads".

 

[IWasBored]

or the thing about most likely being poisoned. i didn't just mean the selling his soul to the devil thing.

the bumping of this thread, despite the discussion having very little to do with music, has made me realize i'm an idiot for leaving that cd somewhere and forgetting to put it on my ipod. my computer isn't here.