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King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. II

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King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. II
Compilation album by
Robert Johnson
Released1970 (1970)
Recorded
GenreDelta blues
Length41:00
LabelColumbia
Producer
Robert Johnson chronology
King of the Delta Blues Singers
(1961) 		King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. II
(1970) 		The Complete Recordings
(1990)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
The Hartford Courant(favorable)[2]
Los Angeles Times(favorable)[3]
New York Times(favorable)[4]
PopMatters(favorable)[5]
Rolling Stone(favorable)[6]
Sing Out!(favorable)[7]
Stereo Review(favorable)[8]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music[9]
The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings(2004 reissue) + “crown”[10]

King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. II is a compilation album by American blues musician Robert Johnson, released in 1970 by Columbia Records. In 2003, the album was ranked number 424 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.[11]

Music

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The album collects sixteen recordings, ten of which were previously available as 78 rpm records on the Vocalion label and were originally recorded during five sessions in 1936 and 1937. Through the course of the 1960s, blues music had become more visible in the popular music landscape of the day. Songs from Johnson's first album had been covered by popular rock artists in the late sixties, including Eric Clapton and the Rolling Stones.

Based on the success of that album, Columbia decided it was time to issue another Johnson album with Frank Driggs, the legendary producer and music historian, once again producing. They scoured the vaults again and came up with nine additional Vocalion masters, three unreleased alternate takes and two unreleased tracks (a matrix was made for "Drunken Hearted Man" in 1937 but it seems it was never released). Likely finding no further acceptable recordings, to bring the number of tracks to the same sixteen as on Volume I, "Ramblin' On My Mind" and "Preachin' Blues" from the earlier LP were issued again.

Although not quite as popular or influential as its predecessor, it includes recordings of two Johnson songs that have become blues standards, "Sweet Home Chicago" and "I Believe I'll Dust My Broom." In contrast to the deeply emotive songs released on the 1961 album, many of the tracks on Volume II display Johnson's lighter side.

King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. II was reissued on August 10, 2004 by the Legacy Records subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment, with the master version of "Ramblin' On My Mind" added as a bonus track.

Track listing

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Side one

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Track Song Title Recorded Catalogue Released Time
1. "Kind Hearted Woman Blues" November 23, 1936 Vocalion 3416 1937 2:28
2. "I Believe I'll Dust My Broom" November 23, 1936 Vocalion 3475 1937 2:57
3. "Sweet Home Chicago" November 23, 1936 Vocalion 3601 1937 2:57
4. "Ramblin' On My Mind" November 23, 1936 Columbia LP-1654 1961 2:50
5. "Phonograph Blues" November 23, 1936 previously unreleased 1970 2:38
6. "They're Red Hot" November 27, 1936 Vocalion 3563 1937 2:56
7. "Dead Shrimp Blues" November 27, 1936 Vocalion 3475 1937 2:29
8. "Preaching Blues" November 27, 1936 Vocalion 4630 1939 2:49

Side two

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Track Song Title Recorded Catalogue Released Time
1. "I'm a Steady Rollin' Man" June 19, 1937 Vocalion 3723 1937 2:35
2. "From Four Till Late" June 19, 1937 Vocalion 3623 1937 2:20
3. "Little Queen of Spades" June 20, 1937 unreleased alternate take 1970 2:16
4. "Malted Milk" June 20, 1937 Vocalion 3665 1937 2:20
5. "Drunken Hearted Man" June 20, 1937 previously unreleased 1970 2:26
6. "Stop Breakin' Down Blues" June 20, 1937 unreleased alternate take 1970 2:21
7. "Honeymoon Blues" June 20, 1937 Vocalion 4002 1938 2:16
8. "Love in Vain" June 20, 1937 unreleased alternate take 1970 2:20

2004 reissue bonus track

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Track Song Title Recorded Catalogue Released Time
17. "Ramblin' on My Mind" November 23, 1936 Vocalion 3519 1937 2:23

Notes

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  1. ^ Greenberg, Adam. Review: King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. II. Allmusic. Retrieved on August 7, 2009.
  2. ^ Starger, Steve. "Review: King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. II". The Hartford Courant: 8. April 10, 1971.
  3. ^ MH. "Review: King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. II". Los Angeles Times: M50. December 20, 1970.
  4. ^ Marcus, Greil. "Review: King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. II". The New York Times: 506. November 22, 1970.
  5. ^ Cober-Lake, Justin. Review: King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. II. PopMatters. Retrieved on August 7, 2009.
  6. ^ Goodwin, Michael. Review: King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. II. Rolling Stone. Retrieved on August 7, 2009.
  7. ^ Tearson, Michael. "Review: King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. II". Sing Out!: January 1, 2005.
  8. ^ Columnist. "Review: King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. II". Stereo Review: v. 26. 1971.
  9. ^ Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734.
  10. ^ Russell, Tony; Smith, Chris (2006). The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings. Penguin. pp. 328–329. ISBN 978-0-140-51384-4.
  11. ^ Columnist. RS500: 424) King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. II. Rolling Stone. Retrieved on August 7, 2009.

References

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