Saturday, January 20, 2018

Mississippi Fred McDowell - Delta Blues (1964)


The simplest and most perfect form of the blues: an acoustic guitar, and a booming, wailing voice. How could music this beautiful and pure have (d)evolved into a bunch of rich dudes jamming on the most boring party music in existence for hours on end? HOW???

Track listing:
1. Write Me a Few Lines
2. Louise
3. I Heard Somebody Call
4. 61 Highway
5. Mama Don't Allow
6. Kokomo Blues
7. Fred's Worried Life Blues
8. You Gonna Be Sorry
9. Shake 'Em on Down
10. My Trouble Blues
11. Black Minnie
12. That's Alright
13. When I Lay My Burden Down

Please see somebody for me

You might also like:
Lightnin' Hopkins -
Lightnin' Strikes (1962)
Loren Mazzacane & Kath Bloom -
Sing the Children Over (1982)

6 comments:

  1. great timing on this, last week I picked up "Somebody Keeps Callin' Me" on vinyl and I've been lamenting not having any of him digitally. On the back of the album there's a quote where he talks about learning slide guitar from his uncle who used a cow bone for a slide.

    ReplyDelete
  2. There are some musical genres I fell away from for whatever reasons. Delta blues is not one of them. Nothing is more existential than this stuff. Show me a song that describes the human condition more concisely and thoroughly than the Rev. Robert Wilkins song title, "I Wish I was in Heaven Sitting Down". You can't. Interested parties would be advised to check out Mr. McDowell's version of that song. Suggest you keep a box of tissues handy when you do. Hearty thanks for the post.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Real blues doesn't use amplifiers. It is a dude with a guitar, a leaky roof, a stubborn woman and a stubborn mule. And troubles that make him sing.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Fred is my favorite of the delta giants no doubt. Sick sick sick. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Don't forget the summertime rv blues festivals with all the baby boomers wearing hawaiian shirts!

    ReplyDelete
  6. How could music this beautiful and pure...being on a dead link - please re-up I have to listen to that. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete