The Complete Recordings
Robert Johnson · 1990
107 min · 41 tracks · blues
Raw and haunting, this collection captures the essence of Delta blues with Johnson's emotive guitar work and soulful vocals.
Top tracks — play these first
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Sweet Home Chicago — As one of Johnson's most recognizable songs, it encapsulates themes of longing and migration, becoming a staple in the blues repertoire.
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Hell Hound on My Trail — This track showcases Johnson’s signature blend of haunting lyrics and intricate guitar work, reflecting his deep personal struggles and adding to his mythos.
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Cross Road Blues (take 1) — A pivotal song that explores themes of choice and fate, it has been covered by numerous artists, cementing its place in the blues canon.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
This collection highlights Johnson's unique style and profound influence on blues, despite its loose cohesion due to multiple takes.
What we noticed
- Johnson's guitar work is characterized by intricate fingerpicking and slide techniques, often accompanied by his raw, emotive vocal delivery.
- The recordings maintain a lo-fi quality that captures the essence of the Delta blues sound, with minimal production embellishments.
- Composition 25% of the score
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8/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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7/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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9/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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10/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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4/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Defined its genre or moment. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
Disc 1
- 1 Kind Hearted Woman Blues (take 1) 2:55
- 2 Kind Hearted Woman Blues (take 2) 2:35
- 3 I Believe I'll Dust My Broom 3:00
- 4 Sweet Home Chicago 3:04
- 5 Ramblin' on My Mind (take 1) 2:55
- 6 Ramblin' on My Mind (take 2) 2:25
- 7 When You Got a Good Friend (take 1) 2:41
- 8 When You Got a Good Friend (take 2) 2:54
- 9 Come On In My Kitchen (take 1) 2:52
- 10 Come On In My Kitchen (take 2) 2:40
- 11 Terraplane Blues 3:04
- 12 Phonograph Blues (take 1) 2:42
- 13 Phonograph Blues (take 2) 2:36
- 14 32-20 Blues 2:56
- 15 They're Red Hot 3:02
- 16 Dead Shrimp Blues 2:34
- 17 Cross Road Blues (take 1) 2:43
- 18 Cross Road Blues (take 2) 2:34
- 19 Walkin' Blues 2:33
- 20 Last Fair Deal Gone Down 2:40
Disc 2
- 1 Preachin' Blues (Up Jumped the Devil) 2:51
- 2 If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day 2:35
- 3 Stones in My Passway 2:28
- 4 I'm a Steady Rollin' Man 2:37
- 5 From Four Until Late 2:24
- 6 Hell Hound on My Trail 2:36
- 7 Little Queen of Spades (take 1) 2:13
- 8 Little Queen of Spades (take 2) 2:18
- 9 Malted Milk 2:22
- 10 Drunken Hearted Man (take 1) 2:28
- 11 Drunken Hearted Man (take 2) 2:27
- 12 Me and the Devil Blues (take 1) 2:35
- 13 Me and the Devil Blues (take 2) 2:33
- 14 Stop Breakin' Down Blues (take 1) 2:17
- 15 Stop Breakin' Down Blues (take 2) 2:23
- 16 Traveling Riverside Blues 2:46
- 17 Honeymoon Blues 2:18
- 18 Love in Vain Blues (take 1) 2:25
- 19 Love in Vain Blues (take 2) 2:17
- 20 Milkcow's Calf Blues (take 1) 2:17
- 21 Milkcow's Calf Blues (take 2) 2:20
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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