Today he is recognized as one of the most important innovators of the Delta blues. Directed by Walter Hill. Johnson’s song has also been covered by many other musicians, such as Eric Clapton, his band, Cream, and most recently, John Mayer. Crossroads is a 1986 American coming-of-age musical drama film inspired by the legend of blues musician Robert Johnson.Starring Ralph Macchio, Joe Seneca and Jami Gertz, the film was written by John Fusco and directed by Walter Hill and features an original score featuring Ry Cooder and guitar virtuoso Steve Vai on the soundtrack's guitar, and harmonica by Sonny Terry. Nobody seemed to know me, everybody passed me by. https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/30112267/Robert+Johnson. Johnson died the following year in Greenwood, Mississippi, supposedly poisoned by a jealous husband of one of his mistresses. more », Robert Leroy Johnson (May 8, 1911 – August 16, 1938) was an American blues singer and musician. Johnson’s recordings were released by several record companies: “Milkcow’s Calf Blues” by Perfect, “Love in Vain Blues” by Vocalion, and “I Believe I’ll Dust My Broom” by Conqueror, A short while after and he was in the ARC Records studios, where he managed to record 29 songs, among which were “Cross Road Blues” (Crossroad), “Last Fair Deal Gone Down,” “If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day,” “Me and the Devil Blues,” “Hellhound on My Trail,” and of course, “Sweet Home Chicago.”. Author Evil_Empire24-7 [a] 918. It certainly makes sense, doesn’t it? "Cross Road Blues" (also known as "Crossroads") is a blues song written and recorded by American blues artist Robert Johnson in 1936. Beyond Robert Johnson, the underlying meaning of a “crossroads” holds much older, ancient meanings, such as the crucifix of Christianity and the ankhe of ancient Egypt. Get instant explanation for any lyrics that hits you anywhere on the web! With his life shrouded in mystery, his early death at the age of 27, and the content of the songs he wrote, the myth of Johnsons’s alleged deal has only grown. (1 fan), Sheet Music If any were to question his talents, one should just sit down and try to play a Robert Johnson song. Johnson’s guitar Author:Sebby 123 CC BY-SA 3.0. "Cross Road Blues Lyrics." Crossroad Blues tab by Robert Johnson. Asked the Lord above for mercy, "Save me if you please." Aside from the Nick Caves, the David Bowies, the Patti Smiths, and the Björks in this world, who walked the road they’ve built for themselves, many who were tempted enough have surrendered to cutting corners, and by chasing fame and riches, in a sense, they made a so-called “deal with the devil.”. It is a paved intersection and you have to brave traffic to get there. View official tab. We almost came at midnight on a full moon, but thought better of the idea. STANDS4 LLC, 2021. He says, “Stand up, Robert Johnson. As a consequence of this alleged encounter, Johnson instantly rose to fame playing all kinds of styles in all kinds of places. His death brought intriguing questions as to exactly how he managed to write one of the most influential blues songs in music history and become an icon for decades after. Robert Johnson ©1989 Delta Haze Corporation. These must have been the first thoughts that came to the minds of many when they witnessed the shy and often times withdrawn boy playing out of nowhere like that. The lyric “I went to the crossroad, fell down on my knees, I went to the crossroad, fell down on my knees, Asked the Lord above ‘Have mercy now, save poor Bob if you please'” — over time, has become a symbolic representation of a sinful man asking forgiveness for selling his soul to the devil. Robert Johnson. "Cross Road Blues (Take 1)" Track Info Written By Robert Johnson The story takes us to the 1930s and the Deep South. Robert Johnson drops to his knees and says, “Maybe not.” The man stands up, tall, barrel-chested, and black as the forever-closed eyes of Robert Johnson’s stillborn baby, and walks out to the middle of the crossroads where Robert Johnson kneels. But then again, it’s usually legends that survive the test of time, and luckily for him, one was built around him, otherwise, his songs and legacy might have been lost forever. Rolling Stone placed it at number three on the magazine's list of the "Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time" in recognition of Clapton's guitar work. I went down to the crossroads, tried to flag a ride. This is a legend about Robert Johnson, a poor blues guitar player, who went down the crossroads at midnight and made a deal with the devil to be the best blues player ever. 8,623 views, added to favorites 507 times. Alleged gravesite with one of Johnson’s three tombstones Author:Alleged gravesite with one of Johnson’s three tombstonesCourtland Bresner CC BY-SA 3.0. Goethe in his tragic play, Faust, took another approach and by inverting the legend, presented a scenario where there is not a bargain but a wager between the scientist who lost all meaning in his life and Mephistopheles (Mephisto), the Devil himself, who promises to provide him with meaning on the condition that when he succeeds, he then agrees to forever be his servant. Johnson performed it as a solo piece with his vocal and acoustic slide guitar in the Delta blues-style. Robert Leroy Johnson (May 8, 1911 – August 16, 1938) was an American blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter.His landmark recordings in 1936 and 1937 display a combination of singing, guitar skills, and songwriting talent that has influenced later generations of musicians. Аccording to a well-known German legend of the 16th century, Dr. Faustus, аn esteemed scientist, traded in his moral values and spiritual self to meet his cravings for higher knowledge and power. We did it! Join 1000s of subscribers and receive the best Vintage News in your mailbox for FREE, Police arrest a 72-year-old “suburban grandfather” suspected of being the Golden State Killer, “I’m not dead yet”: some Buddhist monks followed self-mummification, Project Azorian: Howard Hughes’ secret mission, 1960s U.S. satellite that started transmitting again in 2013, The “Walk of Shame” in Game of Thrones historical inspiration, The only unsolved skyjacking case in U.S. history might have a break, Kurt Gödel became too paranoid to eat and died of starvation, “Little Ease”: One of the most feared torture devices in the Tower of London, The humble English girl who became Cora Pearl, Walt Disney softened the original Snow White story. The story behind Robert Johnson’s 1936 song “Cross Roads … Lyrics.com. 25 Apr. There are countless scenarios of individuals we know, knew, or merely mentioned in history, who instead of building a “whatever it takes” road toward their dreams and desires, willingly chose the “no matter the cost” shortcut to reach their goals, thus skipping the walk on that road altogether. His landmark recordings from 1936–37 display a combination of singing, guitar skills, and songwriting talent that has influenced later generations of musicians. "Cross Road Blues" (also known as "Crossroads") is a blues song written and recorded by American blues artist Robert Johnson in 1936. Johnson was one of 11 children. Robert Johnson was born and raised in the Mississippi Delta and began playing guitar in the 1920's. At a young age, he was fascinated by music and perhaps saw it as a potential way out of his hard life as a lonely adolescent African-American living in the South in the very thick of the Great Depression. For there were no hashtags, no Youtube or Instagram, and nobody saw him learn. When it comes to the blues, Big Bill Broonzy said, “you’ve got to have it to play it”. Rolling Stone placed it at number three on the magazine's list of the "Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time" in recognition of Clapton's guitar work. Well, this is it.”–a question asked and answered by Keith Richards himself. With Ralph Macchio, Joe Seneca, Jami Gertz, Joe Morton. The song has become part of the Robert Johnson mythology as referring to the place where he supposedly sold his soul to the Devil in exchange for his musical talents, although the lyrics do not contain any specific references. Legend has it that Robert Johnson, the King of the Delta Blues and the very first rock star, did just such a thing. Test your MusicIQ here! A fine end to a finer legend best suited to represent a modern variant of the Faustian tragedy and perhaps the best way to emphasize the life of a man of which the world knew little about, one that also became an advantage to a record company trying to make a profit after his death. Only by moving his fingers and slightly opening his lips? "Standin' at the crossroad, baby, risin' sun goin' down / I believe to my soul, now, poor Bob is sinkin' down." I went down to the crossroads, tried to flag a ride. Think you know music? I went to the crossroad, fell down on my knees I went to the crossroad, fell down on my knees Asked the Lord above Julia’s husband, Charles Dodd, had been forced to skip town following a dispute with white landowners — a dispute that almost resulted in him being lynched by an angry mob. In accordance with this tale, Robert Johnson was reported to have disappeared for several weeks, returning as one of the most legendary and inspirational blues musicians to have graced the genre. We have an official Crossroad Blues tab … As an itinerant performer who played mostly on street corners, in juke joints, and at Saturday night dances, Johnson had little commercial success or public recognition in his lifetime. more », FAVORITE Anyhow, if he ever did strike a deal with the Devil, which given common sense is highly unlikely, the trickery, after all, was on his side in the end. Web. How could he possess such a talent? 2021. A Tragedy. Cloaked in mystery, bluesman Robert Johnson left his mark on American music. Playlist. With a lack of facts regarding his life, his story was mostly joined together by fascinated individuals collecting hearsay stories from the cities in which he performed and through the subjective interpretations of his lyrics. Johnson performed it as a solo piece with his vocal and acoustic slide guitar in the Delta blues-style. Discovering the Devil's Crossroad “The Crossroads” Author: Joe Mazzola CC BY-SA 2.0. Johnson's shadowy, poorly documented life and death at age 27 have given rise to much legend, including the Faustian myth that he sold his soul at a crossroads to achieve success. I went to the crossroad, fell down on my knees I went to the crossroad, fell down on my knees Asked the Lord above, 'Have mercy, now save poor Bob, if you please' Yeo, standin' at the crossroad, tried to flag a ride Ooo, eee, I tried to flag a ride The song has become part of the Robert Johnson mythology as referring to the place where he supposedly sold his soul to the Devil in exchange for his musical talents, although the lyrics do not contain any specific references. Get instant explanation for any acronym or abbreviation that hits you anywhere on the web! Now family, critics and famous fans look for the real man behind the music. This was the tone of Johnson’s life, one of mystery and loss, and in his own time he would be outright forgotten. The crossroads of Robert Johnson’s time was rural and dirt - no more. Robert Johnson had the blues and then some. Crossroads is the soundtrack to the 1986 film starring Ralph Macchio, Joe Seneca and Jami Gertz, inspired by the legend of blues musician Robert Johnson. His talent was indeed extraordinary, as his legacy of 29 songs recorded in no more than a year attest, as well as the high praise he earned years later from names such as Eric Clapton, Muddy Watters, Bob Dylan, and Keith Richards among the many others. His landmark recordings from 1936–37 display a combination of singing, guitar skills, and songwriting talent that has influenced later generations of musicians. He traveled a lot and people simply couldn’t get enough of him. 300,849 views, added to favorites 2,512 times. Conveniently enough, as it goes, the Devil took the guitar of young Johnson, turned his sorrows into the unique voice now much admired, and scorched his tears all over the strings, thus enabling him to transcend his own living blues into a music of blues with unprecedented emotional profundity and poetic wisdom. How could a boy attract such vast crowds from all around, on every street corner from his home town Hazlehurst in Mississippi, through to Chicago and all the way to the border of Canada? Crossroad Blues Tab by Robert Johnson with free online tab player. As a young man from Mississippi, aspiring to be humanity’s greatest ever guitar player, and desperate because he didn’t feel he was even close, Johnson apparently met Satan at a crossroad where he offered his soul in exchange for extraordinary talent, and ultimately an exit from his pitiful life. Lyrics to 'Crossroads' by Robert Johnson. Peter Burka/Flckr/CC BY-SA 2.0 To God-fearing black folks living in the 1920s Deep South, the blues was clearly "the devil's music." No matter the approach, the core of the story inherently remains: man strikes a deal, depriving himself of a future with the sublime gift of free will in it, to make the future he yearns for, his present. Recommended by The Wall Street Journal Even Robert Johnson’s mentor Ike Zimmerman was said to have practiced guitar in graveyards at midnight. How? Robert Johnson didn't live a long life, but he lived a full one for his years. I went down to the crossroads, fell down on my knees. Their blues rock interpretation inspired many cover versions and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame included it as one of the "500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll". “You want to know how good the blues can get? The songs have brought much weight to his legend over the years. It is said that for every town where he performed, there was at least one mistress warming the bed for him to spend the night. In this episode, I will tell the story of that man. What a fascinating human being. “Johnson is seen today as the grandfather of rock-and-roll,” says Lefevre. For “God help us—art is long, and life so short” –Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Faust. However, there is no escaping the Devil’s trickery as he always wins in the end. Crossroads By Robert Johnson I went down to the crossroads, fell down on my knees. Robert Johnson’s Grave . A legend about a boy with a harmonica as his only friend and a guitar he was unable to play, a boy so fed up with his lonely life, he took his guitar to the intersection of Highways 49 (“The Blues Highway”) and 61 in Clarksdale, Mississippi, to ask the Devil to fine-tune it and give him a way out of his misery. Crossroad Blues chords by Robert Johnson. Tuning: E A D G B E. Capo: 1st fret. We have an official Crossroad Blues tab made by UG professional guitarists. Their blues rock interpretation inspired many cover versions and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame included it as one of the "500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll". 1 contributor total, last edit on Mar 25, 2021. One accurate version. Read another story from us: “Blues Run The Game” – Jackson C. Frank, the forgotten folk legend of the 60s & his tragedy-stricken career. Surely, it couldn’t be hard work and dedication? View official tab. English guitarist Eric Clapton with Cream popularized the song as "Crossroads" in the late 1960s.
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