Robert Johnson / Cream (studio / BBC) / Peter Green Splinter Group (live / studio) / Eric Clapton & Doyle Bramhall II

In his twenty-seven years on earth, Robert Johnson did only two recording sessions, both for the Columbia label, each one stretching over two days; the first in November of 1936, the second in June, 1937 totaling twenty-nine songs.

He lived long enough to see the release of eleven 78s, twenty-two songs.

He passed away on August 16, 1938 (possibly murdered – a founding member of the “27 Club”).

There was one posthumous release in 1939 and after that, his records went out of print; aside from a rare cover, his songs disappeared from public view for the next twenty years.

In 1961, Columbia Records released “Robert Johnson: King of the Delta Blues Singers” a sixteen track LP containing eight songs that were previously unreleased. It was released in the U.K. under the title “Robert Johnson 1936 – 1937” on Phillips label.

This was the last song recorded on the first day of his second session, June 19, 1937. It shows Johnson moving away from his Delta roots and playing and singing in a style more closely associated with players on the East Coast and Piedmont region such as Blind Blake.

Music historian Edward Komara was the first to hypothesize that Johnson based his tune on Blind Blake’s ‘Georgia Bound’, a B-side to a 1929 78.

Blind Blake

Blind Blake: guitar

Recorded August 17, 1929, Richmond, IN

Released B-side to Paramount 78

Blind Blake – Georgia Bound –

Interestingly, when Johnson returned to the studio the following day, the first song he put to wax was ‘Hell Hound on My Trail’ and this would be paired with ‘From Four Until Late’ as the B-side to the latter. An odd coupling to say the least.

Robert Johnson

Robert Johnson: vocal & guitar /

Recorded June 19, 1937, 508 Park Avenue, TX

Released A-side to Vocalion 78

Robert Johnson – From Four Until Late –

Where Blake’s lyrics revolve around pleasures that await him when he returns home, Johnson’s tale is one of betrayal by a woman once again, leaving him no choice but to leave town.

He is so upset with his woman that he blames all women for his misfortunes:

A woman is like a dresser, some man always ramblin’ through its drawers
It cause so many men, wear an apron overall

This type of misogynistic humor is frowned upon now, but it was one of the appeals of Johnson’s work until recently.

Johnson’s recordings sold well during his short life-time, but he was not a huge commercial force; it was his stepson, Robert Jr. Lockwood, and contemporaries such Muddy Waters and Elmore James among other who helped make his songs blues “standards”.

Columbia Records released an LP, “King of the Delta Blues Singers” in 1961 and compilations of his songs began to appear in England on a variety of labels. Folk artists and early blues revivalists in the U.S. began to add a song or two of his to their repertories but more importantly, it was the embrace of British Blues players, particularly Eric Clapton that brought Johnson’s story and his music to a far wider audience than Johnson himself could ever have imagined.

And it is this ever-widening, over-lapping ripple of influence, generation after generation, of musicians learning and reinterpreting his songs that earns him his legendary status.

Eric Clapton may not have been the first in England to record a cover of a Robert Johnson song, but his success certainly brought Johnson’s songs to a wider audience than most.

Clapton first recorded ‘Cross Road Blues’ with his one-off band, The Powerhouse in early 1966. A month later, he chose Johnson’s ‘Rambling on My Mind’ as his debut vocal number for the “Beano” album with John Mayall.

For Cream’s first LP, he brought ‘From Four Until Late’, which the band gave a completely new arrangement, with Jack Bruce’s harmonica work a highlight, while remaining true to the spirit of the original.

Cream

Eric Clapton: vocal & guitar / Jack Bruce: bass & harmonica /

Ginger Baker: drums

Recorded Summer (July, August or September) 1966,

Chalk Farm Studios or Mayfair Studios

Released on “Fresh Cream”

Cream – Four Until Late (2:03) –

This performance was sandwiched between the chaotic ‘Cat’s Squirrel’ and their pile-driving take on ‘Rollin’ and Tumblin’’, allowing the listener just a few minutes to catch their breath.

Clapton shortened the already brief number by dropping the second verse, replacing it with what had been the fourth in Johnson’s song, and then going into the third and moving the fifth up to the fourth’s place and finishing off the number.

For me, it is Jack Bruce’s harmonica on the number that deserves a special shout-out.

Cream

Eric Clapton: vocal & guitar / Jack Bruce: bass & harmonica /

Ginger Baker: drums

Recorded January 10, 1967, Paris Cinema, London

Broadcast January 14, 1967

Available on “BBC Sessions” (Polydor 2003)

Cream – Four Until Late (BBC Session) (1:54) –

Cream shaves almost ten seconds off the number even with Clapton singing all five verses.

The arrangement (and the mix) favors the rhythm section on this performance; Clapton’s guitar was front and center on the studio recording but is hard to hear now.  Baker’s intricate drum work is highlighted as is Bruce’s bass.

Clapton glides from verse to verse and Bruce’s harmonica is trimmed from just over a minute on the studio version to under twenty-seconds here.

We jump forward nearly thirty years to Clapton contemporary Peter Green’s second comeback with The Splinter Group.

This track was recorded live on their inaugural U.K. tour in 1996.  Nigel Watson introduces the number and takes the lead guitar and vocal.

Peter Green Splinter Group

Nigel Watson: guitar & vocal / Peter Green: guitar

Recorded live U.K. tour 1996

Released “Peter Green Splinter Group (Artisan 1997)

Available on: “Peter Green Splinter Group” (Artisan 1997)

Watson takes his time singing the lyrics as Johnson had written them, maybe trying a little too hard to wring all the humor out of them (with his quick asides during the third verse).

The number is played as a duet between Watson and Green, with the band sitting this one out.

There is no instrumental break on this version and to “round” the number off, Watson reprises the first verse, bringing the number to a satisfying close.

Peter Green Splinter Group – Intro (0:15) / From 4 ‘Till Late (Live) (2:42) –

Peter Green Splinter Group

Peter Green: vocal /

Brian Bull: guitar / Dr. John: piano /

Pete Stroud: bass / Larry Tolfree: drums

Recorded

Released on “Hot Foot Powder” (Artisan 2000)

Available on:“Hot Foot Powder” (Artisan 2000)

Four years after The Splinter Group’s debut, the band went back into the studio to record a follow-up to their second album, “The Robert Johnson Songbook”.  This companion piece contained the thirteen Robert Johnson songs that wouldn’t fit on the earlier album.

This time though, they brought in a number of Blues musicians to sit in on the sessions and bring something different to the band sound.

For this number, the guests were Brian Bull on guitar and Dr. John on piano.

Green takes the vocal on this version and the life scarred softness of his voice fits Johnson’s comedic tale of woe beautifully. 

Equally fitting is Dr. John’s tickling of the ivories, bringing out the inherent humor without needing a wink or nudge from the singer.

This is a wonderful performance.

Peter Green Splinter Group – From Four Until Late (2:58) –

In 2004, Eric Clapton returned to the well of inspiration and released his own set of fourteen Robert Johnson covers

titled “Me and Mr. Johnson”. 

As a companion to the studio recordings, he also released a DVD and CD package of additional Robert Johnson

songs. 

For the DVD, he traveled to the now derelict building where Robert Johnson had done his second sessions. 

Joining him was Doyle Bramhall II on second guitar.

Eric Clapton & Doyle Bramhall II

Eric Clapton: vocal & acoustic guitar / Doyle Bramhall II: Steel guitar

Recorded 508 Park Ave, Dallas, Texas

Released “Sessions for Robert J.” (Reprise DVD 2004)

Available on: “Sessions for Robert J.” (Reprise DVD 2004)

This is one of my favorite performances of the number, the two men sitting side by side as night glows through the open windows behind them as if they were sitting on a front porch, playing for whomever might stop by (but mainly for themselves).

There is a sense of peace, especially in Clapton’s vocal, nothing strained, he doesn’t have to reach the back of a stadium, he is just soaking up the atmosphere of this building and projecting it back out.

Eric Clapton & Doyle Bramhall II – From Four Until Late –