Customer Reviews
dark was the night - By: M. O. Taylor, 26 Oct 2009 
brilliant collection of blind willie johnson blues songs. well packaged, excellent price & prompt delivery. would certainly recommend to friends, acquaintances, people i can't stand & even passing strangers
Complete Recordings of Blind Wille Johnson - By: , 08 Feb 2004 Johnson was a gospel blues singer whose recordings have thankfully survived from the 20's & allowed a new generation to appreciate just how great an artist he was.
The intonations & sudden changein direction of his vocal style will lift & enrich you & his slide guitar technique has been the inspiration for such artists as Ry Cooder & Eric Clapton.
The songs listed are all without exception of the highest quality with 'Dark Was The Night - Cold Was THe Ground' being used by Passolinniin his film 'The Gospel According To St Matthew'.
Anyone looking to find the very bestin gospel & blues music must add this CD to their collection.
Quite brilliant.
A one man voice and a whole gospel tradition. - By: , 01 Dec 2000 This best selection from Blind Willie Johnson recorded output will alienate you at your first listening. I can only compare this artist's manner, to present day Tom Waits. Accompanied by own guitar & occasional backing guitar or vocals, Johnson dishes out a whole tradition of Texan gospel blues. The recordings have a very good sound quality, unlike those by Blind Lemon Jefferson or some Charley Patton ones. His singing is a rough growling style, but the tunes are there-in the brilliant slide guitar playing (usually with the use of a pocketknife) which duets with his singing. His idea of chopping rhythm was different from today's pounding beats. He does allow a softer singing style to suite the sing-alongs like "Let your Light Shine On Me" or "Sweeter As the Years Go By." In my opinion, his full-throated expression of "Motherless Children" rests unsurpassed even by the numerous covers that include Son House & Bob Dylan. "Dark was the Night-Cold was the Ground" is considered by many as a classic blues recording,in which Johnson sticks to a wordless, hummed singing, letting the slide have complete say. Believe me this is a search worth taking. I would never part with these recordings.
