Historical
revisionism has writ large the name of Robert Johnson in blues annals
while according Charley Patton a comparative footnote. One of the founders
of Mississippi Delta blues, Patton (1891-1934) was already the long-reigning
kingpin of Delta bluesmen when Johnson was still in short pants. Take
a listen and hear why many consider Patton the best there ever was.
Possessor
of a driving, percussive guitar style, a gravel-encrusted holler, often
improvisatory lyrics, complex rhythmic dynamics, an unequaled 'talking'
bottleneck and a deep reservoir of melodic hooks, Patton conjured up
songstuffs that gave vent to both a restless artistic temperament and
a palpable, lingering rage. Hear why John Fahey posits him as a pilgrim
of the ominous, one of the earliest progenitors of Fire Music, powered
by something wholly other which Patton himself did not understand. And,
though less romantic than the oft-trod portrait of Patton as an ego-ruled
sociopath, David Evans' painstaking new research into Patton's personality
reveals why folks like Bukka White and Pops Staples considered Patton
a "great man."
A 7-CD
primer on Mississippi Delta blues with Charley Patton as the central,
generative figure, this set features 5 CDs with all issued and unissued
recordings by Patton and sessionmates Son House, Willie Brown, Louise
Johnson, Henry 'Son' Sims, Bertha Lee, Delta Big Four, Buddy Boy Hawkins,
Edith North Johnson, and even talent scout HC Speir; a 6th CD of artists
in Charley's "orbit" like Ma Rainey, Howlin' Wolf, Poor Boy
Lofton, Kid Bailey, Walter Rhodes, Rube Lacy, Blind Joe Reynolds (newly
discovered track!), Tommy Johnson and Pops Staples; and a 7th CD of
interviews with Patton associates Staples, Wolf, Speir and Patton protégé
Booker Miller. All tracks are fully remastered and pitch-corrected from
the best possible sources, resulting in the definitive versions of this
material.
Also included are a freestanding reprint of John Fahey's 1970 Patton
book, 128 pages of exhaustive new notes by Fahey and blues scholars
David Evans, Dick Spottswood, and Ed Komara, complete lyric transcriptions,
full-size reproductions of the 6 original 1929 Paramount ads, a full
set of 78 record label stickers from all Charley's Paramount, Vocalion
and Herwin releases, and dozens of other dazzling visuals. All housed
in a deluxe '78 Album' hardcover book and slipcase.
TRACK LISTING:
Disc 1:
June 1929
Charley
Patton
1. Pony
Blues
2. A Spoonful Blues
3. Down The Dirt Road Blues
4. Prayer Of Death Part 1
5. Prayer Of Death Part 2
6. Screamin' And Hollerin' The Blues
7. Banty Rooster Blues
8. Tom Rushen Blues
9. It Won't Be Long
10. Shake It And Break It (But Don't Let It Fall Mama)
11. Pea Vine Blues
12. Mississippi Boweavil Blues
13. Lord I'm Discouraged
14. I'm Goin' Home
[10 secs]
Walter
"Buddy Boy" Hawkins
15. Snatch
It And Grab It
16. A Rag Blues
17. How Come Mama Blues
18. Voice Throwin' Blues
Disc 2: October 1929
Charley
Patton
-2. Hammer
Blues (take 1; uniss.)
-1. I Shall Not Be Moved (take 1; uniss.)
1. High Water Everywhere-Part I
2. High Water Everywhere-Part II
3. I Shall Not Be Moved
4. Rattlesnake Blues
5. Going To Move To Alabama
6. Hammer Blues (take 2)
7. Joe Kirby
8. Frankie And Albert
9. Devil Sent The Rain Blues
10. Magnolia Blues
11. Running Wild Blues
12. Some Happy Day
13. Mean Black Moan
14. Green River Blues
[10 secs]
Edith
North Johnson
15. That's
My Man
16. Honey Dripper Blues No. 2
17. Eight Hour Woman
18. Nickel's Worth Of Liver Blues No. 2
Disc 3: October 1929
Charley
Patton
-2. Some
These Days I'll Be Gone (take 1; uniss.)
-1. Elder Greene Blues (take 2; uniss.)
1. Jim Lee-Part I
2. Jim Lee-Part II
3. Mean Black Cat Blues
4. Jesus Is A Dying-Bed Maker
5. Elder Greene Blues (take 1)
6. When Your Way Gets Dark
7. Some These Days I'll Be Gone (take 2)
8. Heart Like Railroad Steel
9. Circle Round The Moon
10. You're Gonna Need Somebody When You Die
[10 secs]
Henry
"Son" Sims
11. Be
True Be True Blues
12. Farrell Blues
13. Tell Me Man Blues
14. Come Back Corrina
Disc 4: June 1930
Charley
Patton
1. Some
Summer Day
2. Bird Nest Bound
[10 secs]
Willie
Brown
3. Future
Blues
4. M&O Blues
[10 secs]
Son House
5. Walkin'
Blues (uniss.)
6. My Black Mama-Part I
7. My Black Mama-Part II
8. Preachin' The Blues-Part I
9. Preachin' The Blues-Part II
10. Dry Spell Blues Part I
11. Dry Spell Blues Part II
[10 secs]
Louise
Johnson
12. All
Night Long Blues (take 1)
13. On The Wall
14. All Night Long Blues (take 2; uniss)
15. By The Moon And Stars
16. Long Ways From Home
Disc 5: May/June 1930, January-February 1934
June 1930
Charley
Patton
1. Dry
Well Blues
2. Moon Going Down
[10 secs]
May 1930
Delta
Big Four
3. We
All Gonna Face The Rising Sun
4. Moaner Let's Go Down In The Valley
5. Jesus Got His Arms Around Me
6. God Won't Forsake His Own
7. I'll Be Here
8. Where Was Eve Sleeping?
9. I Know My Time Ain't Long
10. Watch And Pray
[10 secs]
HC Speir
11. Paramount
Test 1-4/19/30 headlines
12. Paramount Test 2-4/12/30 headlines
[10 secs]
January-February
1934
Charley
("Charlie") Patton
13. High
Sheriff Blues
14. Stone Pony Blues
15. Jersey Bull Blues
16. Hang It On The Wall
17. 34 Blues
18. Love My Stuff
19. Poor Me
20. Revenue Man Blues
[10 secs]
Patton
And Lee
21. Troubled
'Bout My Mother
22. Oh Death
[10 secs]
Bertha
Lee
23. Yellow
Bee
24. Mind Reader Blues
Disc 6: Charley's Orbit-Songs
1. Ma
Rainey-Booze And Blues (1924) 3:08
2. Walter Rhodes-The Crowing Rooster (1927) 3:22
3. Furry Lewis-I Will Turn Your Money Green (1928) 3:11
4. Rube Lacy-Ham Hound Crave (1928) 2:53
5. Tommy Johnson-Bye Bye Blues (1928) 3:11
6. Tommy Johnson-Maggie Campbell (1928) 3:39
7. Tommy Johnson-Big Road Blues (1928) 3:23
8. William Harris-Kansas City Blues (1928) 3:01
9. Kid Bailey-Rowdy Blues (1929) 3:01
10. Kid Bailey-Mississippi Bottom Blues (1929) 3:01
11. Blind Joe Reynolds-Cold Woman Blues (1929) 2:59
12. Mississippi Sheiks-Sitting On Top Of The World (1930) 3:01
13. Charley Jordan-Just A Spoonful (1930) 2:41
14. Blind Pete And George Ryan-Banty Rooster (1934) 2:14
15. Big Joe Williams-My Grey Pony (1935) 3:08
16. Willie Lofton Trio-Dark Road Blues (1935) 3:02
17. Unknown Convict-Blues (1936) 2:47
18. Bukka White-Sic 'Em Dogs On (1939) 2:21
19. Bukka White-Po' Boy (1939) 2:50
20. Willie Brown-Make Me A Pallet On The Floor (1941) 3:29
21. Son House-County Farm Blues (1942) 2:22
22. The Howlin' Wolf-Saddle My Pony (1952) 2:34
23. The Howlin' Wolf-Forty Four (1954) 2:47
24. Roebuck "Pops" Staples & Staple Singers-Too Close
(1957) 5:23
Disc 7: Charley's Orbit-Interviews
1. The
Howlin' Wolf, interviewed by Pete Welding, ca. 1967
2-16. Booker Miller, interviewed by Gayle Dean Wardlow, 1968
17-25. HC Speir, interviewed by Gayle Dean Wardlow, 1968, 1969
26. Roebuck "Pops" Staples, interviewed by Chris Strachwitz,
ca. 1964
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