1. An American… Read Full Bio ↴There are several artists by the name Robert Johnson:
1. An American blues singer, guitarist and songwriter (1911-1938) amongst the most famous of Delta blues musicians; ranked fifth in Rolling Stone's list of 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time; considered by some to be the "Grandfather of Rock 'n' Roll"
2. An English lutenist and composer of the late Tudorian and early Jacobean eras (c.1580-c.1634)
3. A 1970s Memphis-based American guitarist
4. A former drummer for KC and the Sunshine Band
1. Robert Johnson (Robert Leroy Johnson, Hazlehurst, Mississippi, May 8, 1911- Greenwood, Mississippi, August 16, 1938) was an American blues singer, guitarist and songwriter, among the most famous of Delta blues musicians.
His landmark recordings from 1936–1937 display a remarkable combination of singing, guitar skills, and songwriting talent that have influenced generations of musicians. Johnson's shadowy, poorly documented life and death at age 27 have given rise to much legend.
The first songs to appear were Terraplane Blues and Last Fair Deal Gone Down, Terraplane Blues became a moderate regional hit, selling 5,000 copies.
Other songs Johnson recorded were Come On In My Kitchen, Kind Hearted Woman Blues, I Believe I'll Dust My Broom, and Cross Road Blues.
Come on in My Kitchen included the lines:
"The woman I love took from my best friend / Some joker got lucky, stole her back again / You better come on in my kitchen, it's going to be rainin' outdoors."
In Crossroad Blues, another of his songs, he sang:
"I went to the crossroads, fell down on my knees / I went to the crossroads, fell down on my knees / I asked the Lord above, have mercy, save poor Bob if you please / Uumb, standing at the crossroads I tried to flag a ride / Standing at the crossroads I tried to flag a ride / Ain't nobody seem to know me, everybody pass me by."
Stones In My Passway and Me And The Devil are both about betrayal, a recurrent theme in country blues. Hell Hound On My Trail utilises another common theme: fear of the Devil. Other themes in Johnson's music include impotence (Dead Shrimp Blues and Phonograph Blues) and infidelity (Terraplane Blues, If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day and Love in Vain).
The most widely-known legend surrounding Robert Johnson says that he sold his soul to the Devil at the crossroads of U.S. Highway 61 and U.S. Highway 49 in Clarksdale, Mississippi in exchange for prowess in playing the guitar. Actually, the location Johnson made reference to is a short distance away from that intersection. The Faustian legend was told mainly by Son House, but finds no corroboration in any of Johnson's work, despite titles like Me and the Devil Blues and Hellhound on My Trail. With this said, the song Cross Road Blues is both widely and loosely interpreted by many as a descriptive encounter of Johnson selling his soul.
The older Tommy Johnson (no relation, although it is speculated that they were cousins), by contrast, also claimed to have sold his soul to the Devil. The story goes that if one would go to the crossroads a little before midnight and begin to play the guitar, a large black man would come up to the aspiring guitarist, retune his guitar and then hand it back. At this point (so the legend goes) the guitarist had sold his soul to become a virtuoso (A similar legend even surrounded virtuoso violinist Niccolò Paganini a century before.
His death remains a matter of controversy. Some accounts state that he was given poisoned whiskey at a dance by the husband of a woman he had been secretly seeing. Others claim that it was just The Devil collecting his debt after the old legend of Robert Johnson dealing with the devil.
However, the latest, and unfortunately less dramatic and more plausible theory (published by David Connell in the British Medical Journal) is that Robert Johnson suffered from Marfan's Syndrome. Marfan's is a genetic disorder characterized by disproportionately long limbs, long thin fingers, a tall stature — all of which can be seen in the two photos that exist of Robert Johnson. Marfan's Syndrome is a cause of heart defects, and a complication such as an aortic dissection could lead to Robert Johnson's excruciatingly painful death.
Eleven 78s were released on the Vocalion label during his lifetime, with a twelfth issued posthumously. All songs are copyrighted to Robert Johnson, and his estate.
The Complete Recordings: A double-disc box set was released on August 28, 1990, containing almost everything Robert Johnson ever recorded, with all 29 recordings, and 12 alternate takes. (There is one further alternate, of
Traveling Riverside Blues which was released on Sony's King of the Delta Blues Singers CD and also as an extra in early printings of the paperback edition of Elijah Wald's "Escaping the Delta."
Grammy Awards:
1990 — Best Historical Album The Complete Recordings (Sony/Columbia) Legacy Winner
Grammy Hall of Fame:
1998 — Cross Road Blues (Single) (1936, Vocalion)
National Recording Registry:
The Complete Recordings of Robert Johnson (1936-1937) was included by the National Recording Preservation Board in the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry in 2003.
The board selects songs in an annual basis that are "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame included four songs by Robert Johnson in the 500 songs that shaped rock and roll:
Sweet Home Chicago (1936),
Cross Road Blues (1936),
Hellhound on My Trail (1937),
Love in Vain (1937)
The Blues Foundation Awards:
Robert Johnson: Blues Music Awards
1991 Vintage or Reissue Album The Complete Recordings Winner
Honors and inductions
On September 17, 1994 the U.S. Post Office issues a Robert Johnson 29-cent commemorative postage stamp.
2006 — Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award Winner accepted by son Claud Johnson
2000 — Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame Inducted
1986 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inducted Early Influences
1980 — Blues Hall of Fame Inducted
He was also ranked fifth in Rolling Stone's list of 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.
Considered by some to be the "Grandfather of Rock 'n' Roll", his vocal phrasing, original songs, and guitar style have influenced a broad range of musicians, including Muddy Waters, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, Johnny Winter, Jeff Beck, and Eric Clapton.
2. Robert Johnson (c.1580-c.1634) was an English lutenist and composer of the late Tudorian and early Jacobean eras. He was the son of John Johnson.
3. Memphis-based Robert Johnson has been recording since the early '70s. Some early appearances were on recordings by the Hot Dogs, a band that featured Jack Holder and Greg Reding, later to cross the Mississippi River and become members of the raunchy hard-rocking Black Oak Arkansas.
By the late '70s, Johnson had recorded a single with the Bell Heirs and had established a somewhat regular playing relationship with a rhythm section featuring bassist Dave Cochran and drummer Blair Cunningham. The Infinity label released the premier Johnson effort as a leader, an album entitled Close Personal Friend, yet a collection entitled The Memphis Demos, which came out the following year, is considered to be a much better representation of his work, not the first time a musician's more casual performances beat out a supposedly more serious album project.
4) Robert Johnson was a former drummer for KC and the Sunshine Band
They're Red Hot
Robert Johnson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
I got a girl, say she long and tall
She sleeps in the kitchen with her feets in the hall
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale, I mean
Yes, she got'em for sale, yeah
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
She got two for a nickel, got four for a dime
Would sell you more, but they ain't none of mine
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale, I mean
Yes, she got'em for sale, yes, yeah
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
I got a letter from a girl in the room
Now she got something good she got to bring home soon, now
It's hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got em for sale, I mean
Yes, she got'em for sale, yeah
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got em for sale
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got em for sale (they're too hot boy)
The billy got back in a bumble bee nest
Ever since that he can't take his rest, yeah
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes you got'em for sale, I mean
Yes, she got'em for sale
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
Man don't mess around em hot tamales now 'cause they too black bad,
If you mess around 'em hot tamales
I'm gonna upset your backbone, put your kidneys to sleep
I'll due to break away your liver and dare your heart to beat 'bout my
Hot tamales 'cause they red hot, yes they got em for sale, I mean
Yes, she got em for sale, yeah
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
You know grandma loves them and grandpa too
Well I wonder what in the world we children gonna do now
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale, I mean
Yes she got'em for sale
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
Me and my babe bought a V-8 Ford
Well we wind that thing all on the runnin' board, yes
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale, I mean
Yes she got'em for sale, yeah
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale (they're too hot boy!)
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes, now she got em for sale
You know the monkey, now the baboon playin' in the grass
Well the monkey stuck his finger in that old 'Good Gulf Gas', now
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale, I mean
Yes she got'em for sale, yeah
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
I got a girl, say she long and tall
Sleeps in the kitchen with her feets in the hall, yes
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale, I mean
Yes she got'em for sale, yeah
"They're Red Hot" is a song by blues legend Robert Johnson, featuring a simple melody and catchy lyrics. The song describes the singer's love for hot tamales, a popular food in the Southern United States. Johnson sings about a woman who sells hot tamales and her long, tall daughter who sleeps in the kitchen with her feet in the hall. The song also includes references to other animals, such as the baboon playing in the grass and the monkey putting his finger in the "Good Gulf Gas."
While the song's lyrics may seem straightforward at first glance, they are full of metaphor and double entendre. "Hot tamales" could be interpreted as both a food item and a reference to a sexually attractive woman. The line "I got a letter from a girl in the room, now she got something good she got to bring home soon" could also be seen as a reference to a woman returning home with a sexually transmitted infection.
Overall, "They're Red Hot" is a fun, upbeat song that showcases Johnson's playful side. Despite its seemingly lighthearted subject matter, the song also features some of Johnson's signature blues licks and impressive guitar work.
Line by Line Meaning
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
The girl is selling spicy hot tamales
I got a girl, say she long and tall
She sleeps in the kitchen with her feets in the hall
The singer has a girlfriend who is very tall and sleeps in the kitchen with her feet in the hall
Yes, she got'em for sale, yeah
The girl is indeed selling the hot tamales
She got two for a nickel, got four for a dime
Would sell you more, but they ain't none of mine
The girl is selling the hot tamales for very cheap and she would sell you more if she had them, but unfortunately she doesn't have any more to spare
I got a letter from a girl in the room
Now she got something good she got to bring home soon, now
The singer received a letter from another girl who has something good to bring home soon, but we don't know what it is
The billy got back in a bumble bee nest
Ever since that he can't take his rest, yeah
A billy goat got back into a bumble bee nest and has been restless ever since
Man don't mess around em hot tamales now 'cause they too black bad,
If you mess around 'em hot tamales
I'm gonna upset your backbone, put your kidneys to sleep
I'll due to break away your liver and dare your heart to beat 'bout my
Hot tamales 'cause they red hot, yes they got em for sale, I mean
Yes, she got em for sale, yeah
The hot tamales are very spicy and anyone who messes with them is going to experience some serious physical pain.
You know grandma loves them and grandpa too
Well I wonder what in the world we children gonna do now
Even the singer's grandparents love the hot tamales and the children aren't sure what they are going to do about it
Me and my babe bought a V-8 Ford
Well we wind that thing all on the runnin' board, yes
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale, I mean
Yes she got'em for sale, yeah
The singer and his girlfriend bought a V-8 Ford and they have been driving around on the running board of the car while eating the girl's hot tamales
You know the monkey, now the baboon playin' in the grass
Well the monkey stuck his finger in that old 'Good Gulf Gas', now
The monkey and baboon are playing in the grass and the monkey sticks his finger in some Good Gulf Gas, for some unknown reason
I got a girl, say she long and tall
Sleeps in the kitchen with her feets in the hall, yes
The singer repeats the fact that he has a very tall girlfriend who sleeps in the kitchen with her feet in the hall
Yes she got'em for sale, yeah
The girl is still selling the hot tamales
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Robert Johnson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@stefanomontovert6347
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
I got a girl, say she long and tall
She sleeps in the kitchen with her feets in the hall
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale, I mean
Yes, she got'em for sale, yeah
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
She got two for a nickel, got four for a dime
Would sell you more, but they ain't none of mine
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale, I mean
Yes, she got'em for sale, yes, yeah
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
I got a letter from a girl in the room
Now she got something good she got to bring home soon, now
It's hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got em for sale, I mean
Yes, she got'em for sale, yeah
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got em for sale
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got em for sale (they're too hot boy)
The billy got back in a bumble bee nest
Ever since that he can't take his rest, yeah
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes you got'em for sale, I mean
Yes, she got'em for sale
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
Man don't mess around em hot tamales now 'cause they too black bad,
If you mess around 'em hot tamales
I'm gonna upset your backbone, put your kidneys to sleep
I'll due to break away your liver and dare your heart to beat 'bout my
Hot tamales 'cause they red hot, yes they got em for sale, I mean
Yes, she got em for sale, yeah
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
You know grandma loves them and grandpa too
Well I wonder what in the world we children gonna do now
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale, I mean
Yes she got'em for sale
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
Me and my babe bought a V-8 Ford
Well we wind that thing all on the runnin' board, yes
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale, I mean
Yes she got'em for sale, yeah
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale (they're too hot boy!)
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes, now she got em for sale
You know the monkey, now the baboon playin' in the grass
Well the monkey stuck his finger in that old 'Good Gulf Gas', now
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale, I mean
Yes she got'em for sale, yeah
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
I got a girl, say she long and tall
Sleeps in the kitchen with her feets in the hall, yes
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale, I mean
Yes she got'em for sale, yeah
@gtimes03
You are an angel!
Thank you so much for commenting!
You've GOTTA LOVE folks who go outta their way, and sacrifice their own free time, for the benefit of strangers/the community
(YOU'RE A SAINT!
Sooo much love and positivity is directed atchu)
ONE LOVE ❤️
@Heisenberg_-
Le diable et moi
On marchait côte à côte
Près de l'autoroute
Pour que mon esprit démoniaque
Prenne le bus et parte au loin.
Il y a des choses
Qu'on n'est pas censés comprendre.
Robert Johnson avait un talent incroyable, un don, mais qu'il souffrait d'un déséquilibre.
On l'entend dans sa musique.
Quelque chose ne tournait pas rond dans la vie de Robert Johnson et c'étais le cas pour jimi Hendrix, pour Kurt Cobain et tous ceux du club des 27.
@AgentXXSmith
Had to "google translate" that action:
The devil and me
We walked side by side
Near the highway
For my demonic spirit
Take the bus and leave in the distance.
There are things
That we are not supposed to understand.
Robert Johnson had an incredible talent, a gift, but he was suffering from an imbalance.
We hear him in his music.
Something was wrong in the life of Robert Johnson and it was the case for Jim Hendrix, for Kurt Cobain and everyone in the club of 27.
@toddessary4283
"I got a girl she's long and tall, sleeps in the kitchen with her feets in the hall." One of my favorite lines, ever.
@anneliselaflamme4354
me too!
@abdelhamidlabsir8574
yeh it's too hot boy ... hhh
@Zeitgeistmusic997
I like, 'I would tell you more but they ain't none of mine' that's spiritual poetry from heaven teaching you to help others within reason....seriously, this song is anointed by God and laid the template to 'Rock 'n Roll'
@brunoblivious
@Zeitgeistmusic997 He says "would sell you more" not "would tell you more."
I'm sure you can still figure out a way to shoehorn that into your outlandish and absurd interpretation of the lyrics.
@Zeitgeistmusic997
@brunoblivious soulless drone, explain how it's outlandish 🤣😂🤣😂🤣 music and creativity always makes you soulless drones stand out. You're just a worthless thing jealous and stuck in your ego cause you're nothing....'sue a side' fixes that, not half thought out broken logic, FYI
@davidzales4821
At a certain point, all of the characteristics that make this an older song melt away and you are left with one of the most legendary songs in existence.
@yuvalmaizel3501
Just watched the new Netflix documentary about Robert.
Made me appreciate his work even more.. AMAZING.
@rosalio818
Same here this track was my favorite
@MastanehNazarian
Should have never been met with that ending :-(