Peter Green & Robert Johnson –
‘I’m A Steady Rollin’ Man’ –
Three versions by Peter Green Splinter Group
When Robert Johnson was first contracted to record for the American Recording Company (ARC) in the summer of 1936, he was sent to a hotel room in San Antonio, Texas where the company had set up a temporary recording studio.
Pleased with the sales of the four 78s that they had released so far, ARC brought him back for more sessions in the spring of 1937; this time, their make-shift studio was located in an office building in Dallas, Texas.
His first day, he was scheduled between two Western Swing bands and only had enough time to record three songs. The first two done that day were paired as 78. ‘Stones in My Passway’ was chosen as the A-side, and ‘I’m a Steady Rollin’ Man’ was made the B-side.
Robert Johnson
Robert Johnson: guitar & vocal
Recorded June 19, 1937, 508 Park Avenue, Dallas, Texas
Released as B-side, Vocalion 78 ‘Stones in My Passway’
Available: “The Complete Recordings” (Columbia 1990)
Robert Johnson – I’m a Steady Rollin’ Man –
The lyrics paint a different portrait of Johnson than the one that he earlier put forth; here, his “steady rolling” is not a description of his ramblings and footloose ways. He is a hard working man, working both night and day, even working when there are “icicles hangin’ on the tree”. His mistake has been to give his woman everything she wants all at one time; this has put “…ramblin’ in her brain” and now he is all alone.
There aren’t a lot of covers of this song; the first, I believe came thirty-six years after Johnson recorded it when his step-son, Robert “Jr.” Lockwood recorded a version backed by The Aces in 1973. Lockwood would release three more versions, two studio and one live recording, between 1973 and 2001, solo or with minimal accompaniment.
It was a number that Peter Green also seemed to enjoy performing.
He has spoken of how it was Robert Johnson’s music that helped to inspire him to return to recording and playing live after a decade or more away from the music industry.
The Splinter Group’s debut CD featured two studio recordings and ten live performances recorded during a 1996 U.K. tour. One of the studio recordings, ‘Traveling Riverside Blues’, and two of the live performances, ‘From Four Until Late’ and ‘I’m a Steady Rollin’ Man’ were Robert Johnson songs.
Peter Green: vocal, guitar & harmonica /
Nigel Watson: guitar
Recorded live December 1996 (exact date and venue not known)
Released “Peter Green Splinter Group” (Artisan Recordings 1997)
Available: “Peter Green Splinter Group” (Artisan Recordings 1997)
Peter Green Splinter Group – Intro (0:11) / Steady Rollin’ Man* (3:30) –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctys4euPUVA&list=PLUEfby1OkpbISnCLCbg6NdFfIYLavcfkf&index=9
Interestingly, the two live performances of the Robert Johnson songs are each played as a duo, with Nigel Watson taking the lead on the first and Peter Green, the second. After the brief introduction to Green’s number, (“…he’s going to sing and play the harp…”) Green begins to tentatively do just that.
His harmonica intro is rough, making one wonder if he is just warming up; the intro takes just over twenty seconds and then he begins to sing; his voice is little more than a hoarse whisper, but there is a jubilance in his voice, as if he is delighted to be singing these words and playing harmonica. He sings the song without breaks, rolling easily from one verse to the next with only the slightest accompaniment from Watson.
His confidence seems to grow as the number goes on, feeding on the audience’s enjoyment of his performance. After the start of the second stanza, they began to clap in time and as he approaches the end, the clapping and cheers are like those of a crowd cheering on a late round comeback from a fighter who had been on the defensive up until then.
The next recording of the song by the band comes less than a year later, taken from a show they recorded at the famed Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club on April 05, 1998.
Peter Green: vocal, guitar & harmonica /
Nigel Watson: guitar
Recorded live, Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, Soho, London, April 05, 1998
Released: “Soho Sessions” (Artisan Recordings 1999) (Limited Edition – sold at shows)**
Available: “Soho Live at Ronnie Scott’s” (Recall 2CD 2001)
Peter Green Splinter Group – Steady Rollin’ Man (3:33) –
Once again, played as a duet between Green and Watson, Watson’s contributions are more clearly heard on this recording even though Green has better integrated his harmonica into the song in this performance.
Though the differences are minor, this, to me, is the far stronger performance.
As the number is brought to a close, Green restricts his harmonica outro, blowing for a brief twenty seconds (compared to the earlier version’s thirty-eight) and Watson, alone, caps the number with a flourish of guitar.
The next recording comes from sessions done in 2000, with a number of guests joining the Splinter Group.
One of Green’s inspirations starting out, Otis Rush, plays lead guitar on this number and on their take of ‘Little Queen of Spades’.
Peter Green with Nigel Watson
Splinter Group
Peter Green: vocal & harmonica / Nigel Watson: rhythm guitar /
Pete Stroud: upright bass / Larry Tolfree: drums /
Special Guest: Otis Rush: guitar
Recorded: early 2000
Released: “Hot Foot Powder” (Artisan Recordings 2000)
Available: “Hot Foot Powder” (Artisan Recordings 2000)
Peter Green Splinter Group w/ Otis Rush – I’m a Steady Rollin’ Man (3:25)–
The number has been rearranged with special guest Otis Rush on board; the guitar is now the featured instrument and bass and drums have also been brought in. Green’s harmonica is hardly heard, but his vocalist is stronger than on the previous two released versions.
The number opens with only Rush’s guitar, and after about sixteen seconds, Green’s harmonica and the drums join him a most welcome addition. The introduction now lasts forty-seconds.
It may have been Rush’s presence that energized Green; he sings with a glee and strength that was missing before, and the words are all clear. Rush adds perfect fills where Green’s harmonica played on the earlier versions. The number now has the energy that Johnson played it with, bringing the humor to the fore.
Rush takes a too brief (twenty-two seconds) break where there was none earlier. Rush’s playing here may come as a surprise to some expecting the deep string-bending and biting roar of his Cobra sides, but his playing beautifully fits the number and is a joy to hear.
The playing by all of the guests who came on board to lend a hand to The Splinter Group on this tribute to Robert Johnson showed their respect to both Johnson and Peter Green.
*The YouTube video bills this, and all of the recordings on the self-titled debut as “Studio Version” – that is incorrect, it is one of ten live recordings on the set.
**Only the original two LP Limited Edition contains nineteen tracks, every later edition, in all territories have seventeen; missing are the Watson original, ‘Indians’ and a Robert Johnson cover, ‘Terraplane Blues’.
