Robert Johnson (1911-1938)


He was "a small man, small-boned. He had long delicate fingers, beautiful hands,
enviably wavy hair, and appeared a great deal younger than he acted."

He played in the Mississippi and Arkansas Delta. He was famous locally. 
In 1936, he was paid several hundred dollars for recordings of 29 songs. "He
could hear a piece just once over the radio or phonograph or from someone in
person and be able to play it."

Keith Richards:
"I said, 'who's that', 'Robert Johnson'. I said, 'Yeah, but who's the other guy
playing with him. Because I was hearing two guitars and it took me a long time to
realize he was actually doing it all by himself.
'Love in Vain' was such a beautiful song. Mick and I both loved it.... 'We've got
to do this song...."

And I followed her to the station
	With my suitcase in her hand
And I followed her to the station
	With my suitcase in her hand
Well, it's hard to tell, it's hard to tell
	When all you love's in vain
All my love's in vain

When the train rolled up to the station
	And I looked her in the eye
When the train rolled up to the station
	And I looked her in the eye
Well, I felt lonesome, I was lonesome
	And I could not help but cry
All my love's in vain

When the train, it left the station
	With two lights on behind
When the train, it left the station
	With two lights on behind
Well, the blue light was my blues
	And the red light was my mind
All my love's in vain

Eee eee eee eee ooo
	Hoo, Willie Mae
Eee eee eee eee ooo
	Hoo, Willie Mae
Eee eee eee eee ooo
	Hee vee oh woe
All my love's in vain



You probably know the version by the Rolling Stones 

His complete recordings are available on 2 CDs. Much of my information comes from
the liner notes. 
Peter Guralnick, Searching for Robert Johnson tells his life.