Your Past Comes Back To Haunt You: The Fonotone Years 1958–1965 cover

Your Past Comes Back To Haunt You: The Fonotone Years 1958–1965

John Fahey · 2011

341 min · 115 tracks · blues

A rich tapestry of American blues, blending traditional forms with Fahey's unique fingerstyle guitar mastery.

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Is this for you?

Good fit if you like

  • long-form exploration of
  • rich storytelling through guitar
  • intimate backdrop for reflection
  • engaging historical context listening
  • patient unfolding of melodies

Maybe skip if you want

  • seeking instant gratification
  • prefer concise track formats

Where this album fits

Career context
Released in 2011, this compilation captures John Fahey’s formative years with Fonotone Records, representing a period from 1958 to 1965 when he was establishing himself as a pioneering figure in the American primitive guitar movement. This era was crucial for Fahey, as it marked his transition from a burgeoning artist recording for small labels to an influential musician recognized for his innovative approach to folk and blues.
Stylistic neighbors
Leo Kottke· Bert Jansch· Nick Drake

Tracklist

Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.

Disc 1

  • 1 Interview: John Fahey on Fonotone Records and Joe Bussard 2:59
  • 2 Franklin Blues 3:15
  • 3 Smoketown Strut 3:14
  • 4 Steel Guitar Rag 3:24
  • 5 Takoma Park Pool Hall Blues 3:31
  • 6 Buck Dancer’s Choice (1) 3:19
  • 7 Medley: Pretty Polly / Shortnin’ Bread 3:40
  • 8 Barbara Namkin Blues 3:13
  • 9 In Christ There Is No East or West 3:57
  • 10 Stak ’o Lee Blues (Louis Collins) 3:24
  • 11 The Transcendental Waterfall (1) 3:01
  • 12 John Henry (1) 3:09
  • 13 Over the Hill Blues (1) 3:57
  • 14 St. Louis Blues 4:06
  • 15 On Doing an Evil Deed Blues 3:29
  • 16 Reinumeration Blues (Brenda’s Blues) (1) 2:08
  • 17 The Transcendental Waterfall (2) 5:09
  • 18 Mississippi Boweavil Blues 2:46
  • 19 Green River Blues 2:59
  • 20 Over the Hill Blues (2) 2:44
  • 21 Libba’s Rag 3:08
  • 22 Chris’s Rag 3:14

Disc 2

  • 1 St. Louis Tickle 3:12
  • 2 Pat Sullivan’s Blues 3:24
  • 3 Blind Blues (a.k.a. Martin’s Esso Blues) 2:41
  • 4 Poor Boy Blues 3:36
  • 5 Long Time Town Blues 3:29
  • 6 Gulf Port Island Blues 3:32
  • 7 Blind Thomas Blues, Part 1 3:20
  • 8 Blind Thomas Blues, Part 2 3:24
  • 9 New Newport News Blues #2 2:56
  • 10 Wanda Russell’s Blues 3:20
  • 11 Going Away to Leave You Blues 3:13
  • 12 Lay My Burden Down 2:28
  • 13 Hill High Blues 3:06
  • 14 John Henry (2) 2:54
  • 15 Paint Brush Blues 3:18
  • 16 Blind Thomas Blues, Part 3 3:11
  • 17 Blind Thomas Blues, Part 4 3:29
  • 18 You Gonna Need Somebody on Your Bond 3:00
  • 19 Jesus Gonna Make Up My Dyin’ Bed 3:11
  • 20 Banty Rooster Blues 3:13
  • 21 Tom Rushen Blues 3:35

Disc 3

  • 1 Yallaboosha River Blues 3:43
  • 2 You Gonna Miss Me 3:20
  • 3 Wissenschaftlich River Blues, Part 1 3:17
  • 4 Wissenschaftlich River Blues, Part 2 3:28
  • 5 Zekiah Swamp Blues 3:25
  • 6 Nobody’s Business 3:12
  • 7 Going Crabbing Talking Blues, Part 1 3:09
  • 8 Going Crabbing Talking Blues, Part 2 3:15
  • 9 You Better Get Right So God Can Use You 3:27
  • 10 Weissman Blues 3:06
  • 11 Dasein River Blues 3:12
  • 12 Racemic Tartrate River Blues, Part 1 3:11
  • 13 Racemic Tartrate River Blues, Part 2 3:13
  • 14 Smoky Ordinary Blues (1) (Dance of the Inhabitants (1)) 3:01
  • 15 I Shall Not Be Moved 3:06
  • 16 Old Country Rock 3:11
  • 17 Little Hat Blues 3:19
  • 18 Guitar Solo Title Unknown (1) (Revelation on the Banks of the Pawtuxent (1)) 2:57
  • 19 Guitar Solo Title Unknown (2) (Night Train to Valhalla (1)) 3:27
  • 20 Some Summer Day (2) 5:44
  • 21 The Langley Two-Step 1:37
  • 22 Dream of the Origin of the French Broad River 2:53

Disc 4

  • 1 Saint John’s Hornpipe 1:12
  • 2 Sail Away Ladies 1:16
  • 3 Dreaming Under the B & O Trestle 3:19
  • 4 900 Miles 4:36
  • 5 Prince George’s Dance 2:59
  • 6 Imrpovisation for Flute and Guitar 3:33
  • 7 Dorothy / Calvert Street Blues (1) (Brenda’s Blues (2)) 1:40
  • 8 Brenda’s Blues (3) 0:46
  • 9 Buck Dancer’s Choice (2) 1:29
  • 10 Night Train to Valhalla (2) 4:22
  • 11 In the Pines 2:49
  • 12 Pretty Polly 3:31
  • 13 Take This Hammer 4:09
  • 14 Yazoo Basin Blues 6:38
  • 15 Stomping Tonight on The (Old) Pennsylvania / Alabama Border 3:47
  • 16 Smokey Ordinary Blues (2) (Dance of the Inhabitants (2)) 2:22
  • 17 Revelation on the Banks of the Pawtuxent (2) 3:17
  • 18 Bean Vine Blues (Pea Vine Blues) 2:18
  • 19 Green Blues 2:46
  • 20 Stone Pony 2:49

Disc 5

  • 1 Dorothy / Calvert Street Blues (2) (Brenda’s Blues (4)) 0:57
  • 2 Days Have Gone By 3:11
  • 3 Some Summer Day (2) 3:47
  • 4 Texas & Pacific Blues (My Bucket’s Got a Hole in It) 2:09
  • 5 John Henry Blues 2:37
  • 6 Brenda’s Blues (5) 1:49
  • 7 St. Patrick's Hymn 1:52
  • 8 Bicycle Built for Two 1:24
  • 9 The Blues You Saved for Me 1:35
  • 10 House Carpenter 1:30
  • 11 How Long (1) 2:25
  • 12 The Portland Cement Factory at Monolith, California 4:32
  • 13 You Take the E Train (The Last Steam Engine Train) 2:33
  • 14 I Sing a Song of the Saints of God 3:14
  • 15 How Long (2) 2:11
  • 16 O Jesus I Have Promised (1) 3:06
  • 17 Untitled (1) 1:09
  • 18 Medley: Untitled (2) / O Jesus I Have Promised (2) 3:24
  • 19 I Am a Rake and Rambling Boy 1:46
  • 20 Medley: Goodbye Old Paint (1) / Whoopee Ti‐Yi‐Yo, Git Along Little Doggies 1:25
  • 21 Goodbye Old Paint (2) 1:00
  • 22 Simple Gifts 0:53
  • 23 Untitled (3) 1:37
  • 24 Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie 1:41
  • 25 Goodbye Old Paint (3) 1:16
  • 26 Western Medley 6:01
  • 27 Durgan Park 2:06
  • 28 The Bitter Lemon 2:46
  • 29 Old Southern Medley (Fragment) 0:12
  • 30 Bottleneck Blues 2:59

What to play next

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Go back to

Twilight on Prince Georges Avenue: Essential Recordings

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Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata