Not that Johnson was particularly well known while alive, or even for a few decades after his death. His renown came with the 1961 release of the album King of the Delta Blues Singers, which compiled the best of his meager recorded output and finally made it readily available to the masses.
His music was particularly influential on blues-hungry English bands such as the early Rolling Stones. Mr. Rock and Roll Keith Richards gives the following succinct summary of Johnson’s influence and life in his recently published memoirs, Life: “And we realized that the guys we were playing, like Muddy Waters, had also grown up with Robert Johnson and had translated it into a band format. In other words, it was just a progression. Robert Johnson was like an orchestra all by himself. Some of his best stuff is almost Bach-like in construction. Unfortunately, he screwed up with the chicks and had a short life. But a brilliant burst of inspiration.”
The Rolling Stones recorded their own versions of two of Johnson’s songs (“Love in Vain” and “Stop Breakin’ Down Blues”); other well-known rock-‘n’-roll covers are “Crossroads” by Cream (called “Cross Road Blues” by Johnson), “Travellin’ Riverside Blues” by Led Zeppelin at the BBC (and whose lyrics were partially poached for “The Lemon Song”), and, arguably the best of the lot, “Preaching the Blues” (called “Preaching Blues (Up Jumped The Devil)” by Johnson) by The Gun Club.
Of course, it must be mentioned that the “Crossroads” are a crucial part of the Robert Johnson story. Johnson reportedly met the devil at the crossroads of Highways 49 and 61 in Clarksdale, Miss., selling him his soul in a Faustian exchange for mastery of the blues. Hey, I report, you decide.
The above is the backdrop for the “Blues at the Crossroads” concert at Campbell Hall on Monday night as part of the UCSB Arts & Lectures series, a celebration of the 100th year of Johnson’s birth.
The master of ceremonies for this concert was Todd Park Mohr from Big Head Todd and The Monsters. I’ll admit that I had some skepticism about this, given the band’s laid-back and not-so-bluesy output. But Mohr quickly put my doubts to rest with a stunning a cappella version of the traditional gospel blues song “John the Revelator,” sung in appropriately gritty voice. This was followed by Johnson’s “Stones in My Passway” and “Love in Vain,” then “Dry Spell Blues” by Johnson’s mentor, Son House — all in delightful finger-picked Delta blues style on what appeared to be a vintage resonator guitar.
Mohr was then joined by the rest of Big Head Todd and The Monsters, plus relative youngsters Cedric Burnside & Lightnin’ Malcolm for a groovin’ version of “Ramblin’ on My Mind,” which incidentally was the song that Eric Clapton chose for his lead vocal debut back on the Beano album by John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers.
With Burnside moving to be the band’s second drummer, they played on with cool versions of several Johnson songs, such as “Travellin’ Riverside Blues,” “Kind Hearted Woman” and “When You Got a Good Friend.” Malcolm closed this part of the program with a solo soulful take on House’s “Walkin’ Blues” on the resonator guitar.
But this was all warm-up for the highlight of the show — namely, appearances by two blues old-old-timers, starting with 95-year-old David “Honeyboy” Edwards, who was with Johnson on the night he drank the fateful whiskey more than 70 years ago. I don’t have a much of point of reference for what a 95-year-old musician should sound like — Chuck Berry was “only” 83 when I saw him last summer, and Ravi Shankar was 89 when he played in Santa Barbara last year — but Edwards sounds absolutely great! He kicked it off with a stompin’ version of “Catfish Blues.”
After a few more authenticity-drenched songs by Edwards, 79-year-old ex-Howlin’ Wolf guitarist Hubert Sumlin (who was also in town last year as part of the Experience Hendrix tribute) joined in for the down-‘n’-dirty “Sweet Home Chicago,” a song that is usually credited to Johnson but that Edwards claims to have written.
This was followed by a crash course in songs done by Howlin’ Wolf: “Smokestack Lightning” sung with falsetto “whoo hoo’s” by Mohr, “Sittin’ On Top of the World” rousingly sung and with a great guitar solo by Sumlin, “Wang Dang Doodle, and the truly classic “Killing Floor,” which was in Hendrix’s repertoire.
The evening ended with another Johnson song, “Dust My Broom,” a song most closely associated with Elmore James. Things were a bit sloppy here, but still all was good. Johnson may have “screwed up with the chicks and had a short life.” But, yes, what “a brilliant burst of inspiration.”
Note: The album 100 Years of Robert Johnson by Big Head Blues Club and featuring the artists at this concert — and a few more — will be released March 1.
— Noozhawk contributor Jeff Moehlis is an associate professor of mechanical engineering at UCSB. Upcoming show recommendations, advice from musicians, interviews and more are available on his Web site, music-illuminati.com.
Kind Hearted Woman
Big Head Blues Club Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Do anything in this world for me
I got a kindhearted woman
Do anything in this world for me
And these evil-hearted women
Man, they will not let me be
Oh, I love my baby
I said I love my baby
Ooh, my baby don't love me
You know I love that man
Can't stand to leave him be
Ain't but the one thing
That makes Mister Johnson drink
I'm worried about how you treat me, baby
I begin to think
Oh, babe
My life don't feel the same
You know you break my heart
When you call Miss So-and-So's name
She's a kindhearted woman
She studies evil all the time
She's a kindhearted woman
She studies evil all the time
You will to kill me
As you have it on your mind
No, no, I love my baby
My baby don't love me, no
You know I love my baby
Ooh, but my baby don't love me
I really love that man
Can't stand to leave him be
In Big Head Blues Club's "Kind Hearted Woman," the singer expresses the complications and pain surrounding his love for his kindhearted woman. He acknowledges her unwavering loyalty and willingness to do anything for him, but despite this love, he feels unrequited affection from his partner. The lyrics also allude to the presence of other women who seek to draw him away from his lover. The singer expresses his frustration with this situation and the emotional turmoil it causes him.
Throughout the song, there is a sense of tension between the singer's love for his kindhearted woman and his feelings of rejection from her. He is torn between his admiration for her and his own feelings of inadequacy. As the song progresses, the lyrics suggest that his heavy drinking is a coping mechanism for his anxiety and insecurity.
Line by Line Meaning
I got a kindhearted woman
I have a woman in my life who is always warm and affectionate towards me
Do anything in this world for me
She is willing to go to any extent to help me out in any way possible
And these evil-hearted women
However, there are other women around me who have ill-intentions and are malicious in nature
Man, they will not let me be
Their behavior and actions are causing trouble for me and I am unable to avoid them
Oh, I love my baby
I am strongly attached to my partner
But my baby don't love me
Unfortunately, my partner does not reciprocate the same level of love and affection towards me
I said I love my baby
I am reiterating my feelings for my partner
Ooh, my baby don't love me
However, it is still a painful truth that my partner does not feel the same love towards me
You know I love that man
I am heavily invested and devoted to my partner
Can't stand to leave him be
I am unable to distance myself from my partner despite the pain and trouble it causes me
Ain't but the one thing
There is only one thing that causes me to indulge in alcohol
That makes Mister Johnson drink
My name is Mister Johnson and the only reason I drink is because I am worried about how my partner treats me
I'm worried about how you treat me, baby
My partner's behavior and treatment towards me is causing me distress and anxiety
I begin to think
These worries and thoughts are occupying my mind and causing me to turn to alcohol as a coping mechanism
Oh, babe
An expression of affection towards my partner
My life don't feel the same
Ever since my partner's negative behavior and treatment towards me, my life has taken a turn for the worse
You know you break my heart
My partner's actions and words are causing me immense emotional pain
When you call Miss So-and-So's name
It hurts me to hear my partner mention another woman's name
She's a kindhearted woman
Despite my troubles with my partner, I acknowledge that she is still someone who is generally kind and empathetic
She studies evil all the time
However, there are times when my partner's thoughts and actions take a dark turn as if she is constantly planning something harmful
You will to kill me
I am worried that my partner may have violent intentions towards me
As you have it on your mind
These fears are rooted in the behavior and thoughts that I have noticed from my partner
No, no, I love my baby
Despite all my troubles, I cannot stop loving my partner
My baby don't love me, no
However, the lack of love and affection from my partner continues to cause me pain
I really love that man
The depth of my love and devotion towards my partner remains unchanged
Can't stand to leave him be
Despite the pain, I am unable to distance myself from my partner because of the strong emotions and attachment I feel towards him
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: ROBERT JOHNSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind