Clapton sings Johnson

Haven't heard it... not excited at the prospect, though. I've heard a lot of folks try, but none seem to be able to get RJ right. At least Clapton has grown respectful as he's gotten older, but still, that's a tough one to pull off. IMO, Clapton would have a better chance with Muddy Waters tunes. Just don't see him sitting with a guitar across his knee and doing these songs straight, live-to-tape, just him and a mike, the way it needs to happen.

My vote for a modern yet faithful take on Robert Johnson? Get Alvin Youngblood Hart to do it. He's got it right.

Jay

I suppose someone had to do it. RJ's recordings are very crude. It should have been Rory.

There's loads of Robert Johnson covers aboutn (several in fact by Clapton). I guess the difference here is a whole albums worth. I would have thought he would make a reasonable job, I guess we'll have to wait and see.

On the same theme I bought a Peter Green Splinter Group album (Soho Live) in the HMV sale. 2 CD's of live stuff, CD2 containing a number of Johson covers (5 or 7 can't remember). These are pretty good versions, though the gospel chorus introduced on a couple is not particulary successful (IMO). This is a recommended album for Blues fans though (especially at £4.99)

I was just about to say Greeny - it should have been you!

It would be great to get a time machine and go back to 1920, a bedroom with a tape player, an old guitar and record "Johnson plays Clapton". I'd love to hear his version of Wonderful Tonight, then come back to the present and see what music Clapton would be making given this subtle tweak of history.

Kevin

Peter Green/Nigel Watson/Splinter Group have done two CDs covering the entirety of the recorded Robert Johnson. 'The Robert Johnson Songbook' and 'Hot Foot Powder'.

Recommended, but probably not redefinitive...

Paul

Whilst the original recordings are crude they are still the ones to listen to.

They're not that crude.

Clapton doesn't have the soul to do Johnson justice. Should have left well alone.

-- Ian

I am a big fan of Clapton but am unsure whether to purchase this cd.

I don't really see the point of "copying" someone elses material. Surely Clapton is talented enough to create his own material?

Regards

NB

What reissues of Robert J should I look for? My guess is that there are several, different ones of his (quite limited) work.

JohanR

I have the Columbia release of the complete recordings (2 CDs), which comes with decent liner notes. That was in 1990, don't know about the current releases, as you say there's a few to choose from.

Everyone should have these. They're truly great records.

-- Ian

"go back to 1920, a bedroom with a tape player, an old guitar and record "Johnson plays Clapton". I'd love to hear his version of Wonderful Tonight"

I imagine Robert Johnson would rather peel his eyeballs with a razor blade than play drivel like "Wonderful Tonight". Indeed there was probably a clause in his contract with the Devil specifically prohibiting such evil-doing -- if you are going to sell your soul you might as well wait till you get to hell.

Matthew

Eric showed how to do Robert Johnson covers properly THIRTY-FIVE YEARS AGO, with a little outfit called Cream. I don't recall anyone complaining about his version of Crossroads then.
He's just an old man now, doodling in his dotage. Leave the poor fellow alone.

I agree Doc. I get the impression there are some folk on this board who think Clapton's career started about 1980.
Anyway, who doesn't mellow and lose the edge as they get older?

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I don't recall anyone complaining about his version of Crossroads then.

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I complain about it. Cream are one of the most overrated groups of that period IMO. Bombastic and dull, mostly.

-- Ian

No-one above seems to have actually bought the CD; I just did (going cheapish in WHSmith, albeit their chart described it as 'Me and Mrs Johnson'!)

It's good, actually, a few of the blues numbers are a bit too laid-back, there's a good version of Travellin Riverside Blues, and an excellent version of Tomatoes they're red-hot! Sound is exemplary, of course.

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who doesn't mellow and lose the edge as they get older?

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Speak for yourself, Tom!!

Kevin

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Eric showed how to do Robert Johnson covers properly THIRTY-FIVE YEARS AGO, with a little outfit called Cream. I don't recall anyone complaining about his version of Crossroads then.

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Dreadful. Said it then, saying it now. If I recall correctly, even Clapton himself openly regretted that over-the-top treatment of Crossroads (in an interview in Guitar Player magazine some years back, when he was beginning to go "unplugged").

This album was well received by HiFi+.

Complimentary about Claptons singing, despite approaching with reservations.

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Originally posted by Chris Metcalfe:
No-one above seems to have actually bought the CD; I just did (going cheapish in WHSmith, albeit their chart described it as 'Me and Mrs Johnson'!)

It's good, actually, a few of the blues numbers are a bit too laid-back, there's a good version of Travellin Riverside Blues, and an excellent version of Tomatoes they're red-hot! Sound is exemplary, of course.

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Thanks, Chris, to finally give some useful comments about the album as you're still the only person who has actually bought the album, a thing I just did too.

It sure looks very knowledgeable to bash well-established musicians like Clapton, Sting, Phil Collins or Rod Stewart, and it has become fashionable on this forum. It happens that I am playing the disc at the moment and I don't think it's going to leave my player that soon.

Eric Clapton does play the pieces very differently from the way Johnson did, but then again, if he did he would have been called a poor imitator. There are more bluesy records than this one, but the whole thing sounds, excuse me, f****** good to me, and one doesn't want to hang himself after listening to it three times (has anyone here ever listened to Johnson's records for three times in a row ? Phew.). Clapton is in top-shape and has never sung better, and the session musicians are also absolutely top-rated people like the unexpected Steve Gadd on drums, Billy Preston at the organ and, most stunning of all, Jerry Portnoy on the harmonica.

Whether you like it or not, E.C. has hit the mark with his latest record and many of the songs do swing, like the opening track When You've Got A Good Friend and, even more so, the strongly Steve-Gadded They're Red Hot.

So now I'm open to as much Clapton-bashing as you like but please only if you've listened to the record

I guess that's also what Alex95 wanted in the first place ?!

Cheese

Robert Johnson had an unusual recording technique .

He recorded his music with his back to the microphone and in so doing his Gibson L1 sounded different; less treble on his recordings than you would expect for a guitar of this type.

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but please only if you've listened to the record

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I checked out my friend's promo copy. It isn't nauseating; I never expected it to be. Clapton is a great player, and he's put out yet another solid album of his take on some classic blues. My problem with it, as I expected, is the entire approach. Session musicians, swing and polish. It's clean. It's white collar. It's non-threatening. He messes the timing up of course, especially on complicated tunes like Travelin' Riverside Blues, but pretty much everyone does.

I'm glad he left off Terraplane Blues and especially Preachin' Blues, neither of which needs any improving or re-interpreting (in my opinion).

Jay (not a Clapton basher, just a Johnson purist)

PS-

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and an excellent version of Tomatoes they're red-hot!

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Them's tamales what's red hot, not to-mah-toes.

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Originally posted by sideshowbob:

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I don't recall anyone complaining about his version of Crossroads then.

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I complain about it. Cream are one of the most overrated groups of that period IMO. Bombastic and dull, mostly.

-- Ian

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You must have been one helluva prodigy to apreciate or not Cream when you were a mere 2 or 3 years old. Some music must be heard in context. Cream then were pushing the boundaries and at that time they were different class. They've been copied endlessly since then so the intial impact has gone. Likewise Sergeant Pepper now sounds like a great pop album. In 1967 it was like nothing ever heard before.

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Originally posted by jayd:

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Eric showed how to do Robert Johnson covers properly THIRTY-FIVE YEARS AGO, with a little outfit called Cream. I don't recall anyone complaining about his version of Crossroads then.

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Dreadful. Said it then, saying it now. If I recall correctly, even Clapton himself openly regretted that over-the-top treatment of Crossroads (in an interview in Guitar Player magazine some years back, when he was beginning to go "unplugged").

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Bollocks. First of all I'd like to see the source for this. I can't believe he'd disown two of the best rock/blues guitar solos ever recorded. Music evolves. That's what he was playing then and it was wonderful. If he now prefers going back to roots then so be it. Most of us get more mellow as we get older. I'd guess he's listened to (and more particularly played) more real blues than most of us middle class white boys put together.

If you buy the latest copy of Guitarist, Clapton states that he hates the Cream version of Crossroads, and he goes farther than that.
I never really got it with Robert Johnson, on the other hand his namesake Blind Willy Johnson
was everything that people claimed Robert was and more to my ears, for that matter i never got Clapton, he portrays himself as a troubled serious musician, but you did not have to look far to find someone far more serious, talented and untroubled, i suppose he has high standards as Pop Stars go.
[This message was edited by central on Mon 12 April 2004 at 9:37.]

[This message was edited by central on Mon 12 April 2004 at 9:58.]