Track Listing

1. Mother's Children Have A Hard Time
2. Jesus Make Up My Dying Bed
3. It's Nobody's Fault But Mine
4. I Know His Blood Can Make Me Whole
5. Dark Was The Night Cold Was The Ground
6. If I Had My Way I'd Tear The Building Down
7. Bye And Bye I'm Going To See The King
8. Soul Of A Man
9. Lord I Can't Just Keep From Crying
10. Keep Your Lamp Trimmed And Burning
11. You'll Need Somebody On Your Bond
12. John The Revelator
13. Praise God I'm Satisfied
14. God Moves On The Water
15. Trouble Will Soon Be Over
16. Church I'm Fully Saved Today
17. Go With Me To That Land
18. When The War Was On
19. Take Your Burden To The Lord And Leave It There
20. I'm Gonna Run To The City Of Refuge
21. Let Your Light Shine On Me
22. Take Your Stand

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #30263 in Music
• Released on: 1998-07-20
• Number of discs: 1

Customer Reviews

A one man voice and a whole gospel tradition.
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 and 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 and 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.

Complete Recordings of Blind Wille Johnson
Johnson was a gospel blues singer whose recordings have thankfully survived from the 20's and allowed a new generation to appreciate just how great an artist he was.
The intonations and sudden change in direction of his vocal style will lift and enrich you and his slide guitar technique has been the inspiration for such artists as Ry Cooder and 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 Passolinni in his film 'The Gospel According To St Matthew'.

Anyone looking to find the very best in gospel and blues music must add this CD to their collection.

Quite brilliant.

dark was the night
brilliant collection of blind willie johnson blues songs. well packaged, excellent price and prompt delivery. would certainly recommend to friends, acquaintances, people i can't stand and even passing strangers