Sonny Boy Wlliiamson 1 The Complete Recordings
(5 CD)
Label : Document
Released :1991
Format : [email protected]
Volume 1
In a brief life of thirty four years Sonny Boy Williamson achieved immortality as the pioneer of what was to become part of the post war electric sound of the Chicago Blues. To allow the harmonica, sometimes described as a 'semi-legitimate' instrument, to compete in a band environment, with drums, usually a piano and recently amplified guitars Sonny Boy literally embraced the microphone along with the harmonica to great effect. Often he would dove-tailing and blend the sound of the instrument with the beginning or end his songs lines. His popularity and influence were immense and survive until today. His techniques paved the way for many blues artists, including Sonny Boy (Rice Miller) Williamson, Little Walter, Junior Wells and many others. This, the first of five remarkable volumes from Document of the complete recordings of the father of amplified blues harmonica, demonstrates how Sonny Boy Williamson 1st brought the instrument from the country to the city and turned the small, pocket sized instrument into a major voice in the blues.
In 1934 Sonny Boy moved to north to Chicago where he worked Maxwell Street and as a sideman with numerous blues groups at the local clubs. Sonny Boy's first recordings (that feature on this CD) were accompanied by Big Joe Williams and Robert Lee McCoy (later to become famous as Robert Nighthawk) was made at the Leland Hotel, Aurora, Illinois, on the 5th May 1937 for the Bluebird label. The first track, Good Morning, School Girl, was not an unknown tune but Sonny Boy brought to it a set of lyrics that have stayed with it ever since. His attractive short tongued delivery and clean swinging harp playing became a hit and has since become a much recorded blues classic tune. Other tracks in this first session include the personal Blue Bird Blues dedicated to Sonny Boy's wife Lacey Belle, and the perennial Sugar Mama Blues.
Sonny Boy went on to record another session in November 1937, Black Gal Blues from this set has become known as "Wild About You Baby", while Early In The Morning was a reworking of the number usually associated with pianist Walter Roland.
It is probably an indication of the interest in their new found star that the Bluebird label offered Sonny Boy another session in March 1938, which saw 10 songs being cut. Tracks from this session include My Little Cornelious (which is another version of "Blue Bird Blues") and the reflective masterpiece Decoration Day, a markedly up-beat version of "You Can Lead Me". The Mandolin of Yank Rachell fills out the sound on this set and lends a brittle driving force to the faster numbers. The fastest, I'm Tired Trucking My Blues Away sees Big Joe Williams guitar setting a furious pace behind Sonny Boy's virtuoso Harmonica playing. This track really rocks and is an indication of the direction in which Sonny Boy Williamson the 1st was to take his music over the next few years.
TRACK LIST
01 - Good Morning, School Girl
02 - Blue Bird Blues
03 - Jackson Blues
04 - Got The Bottle Up and Gone
05 - Sugar mama Blues
06 - Skinny Woman
07 - Up the country Blues
08 - Worried Me Blues
09 - Black Gal Blues
10 - Collector Man Blues
11 - Frigidaire Blues
12 - Suzanna Blues
13 - Early in the Morning
14 - Project Highway
15 - My Little Cornelius
16 - Decoration Blues
17 - You Can Lead Me
18 - Moonshine
19 - Miss Louisa Blues
20 - Sunny Land
21 - I`m Tired Trucking My Blues Away
22 - Down South
23 - Beauty Parlor
24 - Until My Love Come Down
25 - Honey Bee Blues
Sonny Boy (John Lee) Williamson, vocal, harmonica.
With contributions by: Big Joe Williamson, guitar; Robert (Nighthawk) Lee McCoy, guitar; Walter Davis, piano; Henry Townsend, guitar; Yank Rachell, guitar and others...
Volume 2
By 1938 any lingering doubts Bluebird might have had about Sonny Boy Williamson had been laid to rest and they had him in the studio three times that year. Sonny Boy was joined by Big Joe Williams and Yank Rachell during his second session in the studio and it is speculated to be the latter playing guitar on the rather hastily arranged title track My Baby I've Been Your Slave. For the second number Yank Rachell is on his more usual instrument, the Mandolin, to contribute to the crisp backing of Whiskey Headed Blues, a number that has since been given various treatments by artists such as Tommy McClennan and John Lee Hooker. On Shannon Street Sonny Boy describes getting drunk in Jackson and his wife's reaction to the event. Alcohol and Sonny Boy Williamson were not a good mix and he would have increasing problems with it throughout his life. Deep Down In The Ground is built on the base of another song "Stack of Dollars", a song associated with Sleepy John Estes and often performed by Big Joe Williams.
For the next session Sonny Boy Williamson found himself in the recording company of Robert Lee McCoy (Nighthawk) on guitar, Rufus 'Speckled Red' Perryman on piano and an unknown (speculated to be Willie Hatcher) on mandolin. This time round the songs were more of a mixture and Sonny Boy illustrates that both he and his Harmonica have made the transition from a country style of playing to a big city environment sound. On the tracks Little Girl Blues and Low Down Ways it is almost impossible to believe that the same man can be both playing and singing. Other tracks include the swing dance numbers Susie Q, and Goodbye Red which is a reply to Harlem Hamfat's hugely successful "Oh Red!". These upbeat, foot tapping, down-home numbers are balanced by the urban inspired tracks Insurance Man and The Right Kind Of Life.More innovations were to follow on the 1939 session where Sonny Boy was joined by Walter Davis and Big Bill Broonzy. One of the outstanding tracks Little Low Woman Blues has Sonny Boy playing a high register Harmonica which foreshadows the sound of Jimmy Reed. Big Bill's guitar work is more sophisticated than that of Sonny Boy's previous partners, shown to good effect on the tracks Good For Nothing Blues and Sugar Mama Blues No.2 where his delicate runs and fills almost over-shadow the harmonica. On the final track Good Gravy Big Bill and Sonny Boy spark off each other to perform a bravura performance that really swings.
TRACK LIST
01 - My Baby I`ve Been Your Slave
02 - Whiskey Headed Blues
03 - Lord, Oh Lord Blues
04 - You Give an Account
05 - Shannon Street Bues
06 - You`ve Been Foolin` Round Town
07 - Deep Down in The Ground
08 - Number Five Blues
09 - Christmas Morning Blues
10 - Susie-Q
11 - Blue Bird Bblues - Part 2
12 - Little Girl Blues
13 - Low Down Ways
14 - Goodbye Red
15 - The Right Kind of Life
16 - Insurance Man Blues
17 - Rainy Day Blues
18 – Bad Luck Blues
19 - My Little Baby
20 - Doggin` My Love Around
21 - Little Low Woman Blues
22 - Good for Nothing Blues
23 - Sugar Mama Blues No. 2
24 - Good Gravy
Sonny Boy (John Lee) Williamson, vocal, harmonica.
With contributions by: Walter Davis, piano; Yank Rachell, mandolin; Robert (Nighthawk) Lee McCoy, guitar; Speckled Red, piano; Big Bill Broonzy, guitar.
Volume 3 :
The opening eleven tracks on this Document Records Sonny Boy Williamson CD represent the greater part of his only studio appearance in 1939. Sonny Boy was again accompanied by Big Bill Broonzy on guitar and Walter Davis on piano. The first track T.B. Blues is a sombre recording of Victoria Spivey's influential 1929 song. In Good Gal Blues Sonny Boy complains about how much singing he has to do; "Lost my voice, didn't do nothin' but make a lot of noise" registering a mild disapproval at the length of the session but if so he was back on fine form with a report on the heavyweight boxing fight between Joe Louis and John Henry. Other themes explored are the prison inspired tracks New Jail House Blues and Life Time Blues. Big Bill Broonzy again proves his worth on the fast and jivey track Tell Me Baby a song much favoured by blues singers. The session ends with Honey Bee one of two separate songs with this title recorded by Sonny Boy.
It was May 1940 before Sonny Boy returned to the recording studio. This time he was accompanied by pianist Josh Altheimer and the fairly basic drumming skills of Fred Williams. The session kicks off with one of Sonny Boy's greatest recordings Dealing With The Devil, (later covered by several musicians, most notably; British rhythm & Blues great, John Mayal), which includes a chillingly prophetic reference to an ice-pick, later to be the lethal instrument of his own demise.
With the outbreak of war in Europe Sonny Boy recorded the track War Time Blues inspired by a news reel. Decoration Day No.2 reprises one of Sonny Boy's earlier hits and Welfare Store Blues, with its references to Roosevelt, pinch-back soldier coats and tripe, is an updating of the flood blues "Red Cross Store" associated with Walter Roland and Lead Belly. The session was rounded off with My Little Machine and Jivin' The Blues.
Big Bill Broonzy was back for the last session to appear on this CD. Recorded in 1940, they are joined by Blind John Davis on piano and possibly William Mitchell playing an imitation string bass. Western Union Man has Sonny Boy waiting for a message from his wife Lacey Belle and humorously speculating on the reasons for its delay. Shotgun Blues has more than a touch of Big Joe Williams to it and the signature “Well, well” vocal effect of Peetie Wheatstraw on My Baby Made A Change.
TRACK LIST
01 - T. B. Blues
02 - Something Going On Wrong
03 - Good Gal Blues
04 - Joe Louis and John Henry Blues
05 - Thinking My Blues Away
06 - I`m Not Pleasing You
07 – New Jail House Blues
08 - Life Time Blues
09 - Miss Ida Lee
10 - Tell Me, Baby
11 - Honey Bee Blues
12 - I Been Dealing With the Devil
13 - War time Blues
14 - Train Fare Blues
15 - Decoration Day Blues No. 2
16 – New Early Morning Blues
17 - Welfare Store Blues
18 - My Little Machine
19 - Jivin` the Blues
20 - Western Union Man
21 - Big Apple Blues
22 - Springtime Blues
23 - My BabyMade a Change
24 - Shotgun Blues
25 - Coal and Iceman Blues
Sonny Boy (John Lee) Williamson, vocal, harmonica.
With contributions by: Walter Davis, piano; Big Bill Broonzy, guitar; Blind John Davis, piano; Joshua Altheimer piano and others...[/size]
Volume 4:
From the date of his first recordings in 1937 until his death a decade later Sonny Boy Williamson was the undisputed king of the blues harmonica, at least in Chicago. Although there were plenty of other artists using the instrument only William 'Jazz' Gillum achieved anything like the popularity of the boy from Jackson, Tennessee and even Jazz could never claim the mastery that Sonny Boy underlined with every performance.
The period spanned on this Volume encompasses the bulk of World War Two and the infamous ban on recording brought about by James C. Petrillo. Petrillo became president of the Chicago local of the musician's union in 1922, and was president of the American Federation of Musicians from 1940 to 1958. Petrillo dominated the union with absolute authority. His most famous actions were banning all commercial recordings by union members from 1942 - 1944 and again in 1948 to pressure record companies to give better royalty deals to musicians. Although Sonny Boy never commented on this event he was very vocal about the conflict which he saw as a chance for the black American to both prove himself and improve his lot.
Check Up On My Baby is a rallying call track to prevent Hitler, Mussolini and Tojo from 'treatin' your baby wrong', while Win The War Blues sees Sonny Boy fantasizing that "Uncle Sam" is going to give me a Thunderbolt. The usual amount of women seems to be involved in his life and this is reflected on the tracks Mattie Mae, Stella Brown, Black Panter Blues and Desperado Woman. Panter is an American variant of panther and the description of this lethal lady is described in the lyric "You should have heard me holler, I didn't have time to swaller". In contrast to this is She Was A Dreamer. Other songs in the session include Ground Hog Blues a variant of a Tony Hollins hit called "Crawlin' King Snake" and She Don't Love Me That Way which gathers in verses associated with sources as disparate as Sleepy John and Lil Green's "Why Don't You Do Right". Another track Million Year Blues later became a hit for Eddie Boyd, whilst My Black Name Blues re-uses some lines from Leroy Carr's "Twenty Four Hours".
TRACK LIST
01 - Drink on, Little Girl
02 - Mattie Mae Blues
03 - I`m gonna catch you soon
04 - Million Years Blues
05 - Shady grove Blues
06 - Sloppy Drunk Blues
07 - She Was a Dreamer
08 - You Got to Step Back
09 - Ground Hog Blues
10 - Black panther Blues
11 - Broken Heart Blues
12 - She don`t love me that way
13 - My Name Black Name
14 - I Have Got to Go
15 - Love Me, Baby
16 - What`s Gettin` Wrong with You?
17 - Blues That Made Me Drunk
18 - Come on Baby and Take a Walk
19 - Miss Stella Brown Blues
20 - Desperado Woman Blues
21 - Win the War Blues
22 - Check Up On My Baby Blues
23 - G. M. & O. Blues
24 - We Got to Win
25 - Sonny Boy`s Jump
26 - Elevator Woman
Sonny Boy (John Lee) Williamson, vocal, harmonica.
Includes: Blind John Davis, piano; Big Bill Broonzy, guitar; Ransom Knowling, stand-up bass; Charlie McCoy, guitar; Washboard Sam, washboard; Eddie Boyd, piano; and others...
Volume 5:
Between 1944 and the end of his career (and life) in 1948, Sonny Boy Williamson had gone from strength to strength. He had already made reference in song to his appreciation of artists like Fats Waller and he seemed determinedly updating his sound. More and more of Sonny Boy's recordings featured a solid up tempo beat, often provided by drummers such as Jump Jackson or Judge Riley, and the guitarists and the pianists that he favoured (Willie Lacy, big Bill Broonzy and Blind John Davis - even Big Maceo and the ever adaptable Tampa Red for one session) were also capable of moving with the times, providing jazzier accompaniments to show off Sonny Boy's ever increasing skills on the harmonica.
For his last sessions Sonny Boy continued the mix as before but now the performances had more punch and a marked, deliberate swing. He still returned to his roots, recording such tracks as Bring Another Half Pint. The term 'swing' seems to have replaced the previous 'jump' in a couple of tracks like Rub A Dub, Polly Put The Kettle On and Mellow Chick Swing.
Having weathered the recording bans and the war years with his popularity unimpaired, Sonny Boy was the undisputed leader and trend setter for blues harmonica players all over the country. Sadly Sonny Boy Williamson would not go onto explore his musical range further. He was murdered on his way from a gig at the Plantation Club on the early morning of 1st June 1948. Attacked and robbed, Sonny Boy managed to get back to his flat. When his wife Lacey Belle opened the door she was confronted by the awful sight of Sonny Boy covered in blood, swaying on his feet. "Lord have mercy" were his final words before slipping into unconsciousness from which he never awoke.
As the five volumes presented on Document of his entire output attest, the legacy and influence of Sonny Boy Williamson 1st, has been pivotal both upon fellow and future blues harmonica players.
TRACK LIST
01 - Early in The Morning
02 - The Big Boat
03 - Stop Breaking Down
04 - You`re an Old Lady
05 - Sonny Boy`s Cold Chills
06 - Mean Old Hhighway
07 - Hoodoo Hoodoo
08 - Shake the Boogie
09 - Mellow Chick Swing
10 - Polly Put Your Kettle On
11 - Lacey Belle
12 - Apple Tree Swing
13 - Wonderful Time
14 - Sugar Gal
15 - Willow Tree Gal
16 - Alcohol Blues
17 - Little Girl
18 - Blues About My Baby
19 - No Friend Blues
20 - I Love You for Myself
21 - Bring Another Half a Pint
22 - Southern Dream
23 - Rub a Dub
24 - Better Cut That Out
Sonny Boy (John Lee) Williamson, vocal, harmonica.
Includes: Big Maceo, piano; Tampa Red, guitar; Blind John Davis, piano; Big Bill Broonzy, guitar; Big Willie Dixon, stand-up bass; Eddie Boyd, piano; Judge Riley, drums; Ransom Knowling, stand-up bass; and others...
