View Larger
Rate it!
Avg: 5.0 (4 ratings)
- Date Released: August 26, 2003
- Genre: Blues
- Style: Traditional Blues
- Label: Yazoo - Shanachie Records / The Orchard
A perfect introduction to the lonesome sound of the blues
-
We Say...
To narrow the title slightly, call this the best album there ever was to give a friend who just sold his soul to Robert Johnson. (Of course, for that person, it'll be exactly the same thing.) Just about all the other major acoustic blues players are included here, and the stuff by lesser known artists like Frank Stokes or the immortally named King Solomon Hill is chosen with care. The mythology of the Mississippi Delta may be overblown, but Skip James' weirding ways can resist the hype, and the groove of Tommy Johnson exulting "hear me talking pretty mama" in "Big Road Blues" — the closest thing to an overfamiliar track to be found on this collection — remains as light on the ears as ever.
Was "Mama, Tain't Long Fo' Day" the song that Dylan was listening to when he wrote "nobody can sing the blues like Blind Willie McTell"? It's good enough to make you think so, just as Geeshie Wiley's "Last Kind Word Blues" seems to issue from the same abyss as Hank Williams' "Alone and Forsaken." And this remains the essence of the blues: the way it can seduce you into feeling like you're listening to the essence of everything. -
They Say...
Yazoo Records has long been one of the prime sources for rural blues reissues from the 1920s and '30s. Transferred from old 78s, some so rare only a single copy or two are known to exist, these tracks offer a wonderful glimpse into a fabled blues past. Essentially a kind of greatest-hits collection for Yazoo, The Best There Ever Was features lesser known songs from several giants of the genre (Blind Willie Johnson's "I Know His Blood Can Make Me Whole," Charley Patton's "It Won't Be Long," Blind Lemon Jefferson's "Prison Cell Blues") that exhibit the same sort of range and power of their better known works. Also included are stellar tracks from more obscure performers, making the end result a great introduction to country blues. Highlights include the high tenor voice of Sam Collins on "Graveyard Digger's Blues" (a variant of "Sugar Babe," perhaps best known as performed by blues banjoist Dock Boggs), the taut guitar work of Garfield Akers on "Dough Roller Blues," and Geeshie Wiley's forlorn, haunting, and absolutely stirring vocal take on "Last Kind Word Blues." Classic songs by Skip James ("Cypress Grove"), Tommy Johnson ("Big Road Blues"), and Son House ("My Black Mama") round out an impressive track list.
-
You Say...
Write a ReviewI would like to say...
“ The indie iTunes — Hardcore music fans are migrating to eMusic, the iTunes Music Store's cheaper, cooler cousin.”
Rolling Stone
| 01. |  |
Dough Roller Blues - Garfield Akers |
3:12 |  |
| 02. | |
Big Road Blues
|
3:20 | |
| 03. | |
My Black Mama - Pt. 1 - Son House |
3:09 | |
| 04. | |
Ain't No Tellin'
|
3:01 | |
| 05. | |
Cypress Grove
|
3:12 | |
| 06. | |
I Know His Blood Can Make Me Whole
|
3:06 | |
| 07. | |
Mama, Tain't Long Fo' Day
|
3:04 | |
| 08. | |
Barefoot Blues - Jaydee Short |
3:01 | |
| 09. | |
I'll Go With Her Blues
|
3:07 | |
| 10. | |
Squabblin' Blues - Ed Bell |
3:04 | |
| 11. | |
It Won't Be Long
|
3:23 | |
| 12. | |
What's The Matter Blues
|
3:08 | |
| 13. | |
Last Kind Word Blues - Geeshie Wiley |
3:04 | |
| 14. | |
Bullfrog Blues - William Harris |
3:11 | |
| 15. | |
You Gonna Quit Me Blues
|
2:47 | |
| 16. | |
The Gone Dead Train - King Solomon Hill |
3:21 | |
| 17. | |
Outdoor Blues
|
3:10 | |
| 18. | |
Prison Cell Blues
|
2:46 | |
| 19. | |
Graveyard Digger's Blues - Sam Collins |
3:15 | |
| 20. | |
Big Chief Blues
|
2:54 | |
Find a problem with a track? Please let us know.
20 Total Tracks, 62:15 Total Length
We will send an email to with the tracking ID for this issue.
Before reporting defective tracks, please note that you can re-download all of your tracks without losing credits. Please try to re-download your tracks in case a temporary issue caused your problem. If, after re-downloading your tracks, you are still experiencing issues, report them below.
Note: This form is for reporting defective tracks only.
For all other issues (billing, trouble downloading, etc),
contact Customer Support.
Playlists This artist appears on these playlists created by eMusic members
Explore music recommended by this artist’s fans
Credits
- Sam Collins - ? // Sam Collins - ? // Skip James - ? // Blind Lemon Jefferson - ? // Blind Willie Johnson - ? // Blind Willie Johnson - ? // Tommy Johnson - ? // Furry Lewis - ? // Furry Lewis - ? // Blind Willie McTell - ? // Blind Willie McTell - ? // Blind Willie McTell - ? // Memphis Minnie - ? // Memphis Minnie - ? // Charley Patton - ? // Charley Patton - ? // Frank Stokes - ? // Blind Blake - ? // Don Kent - Liner Notes // Richard Nevis - Producer // Richard Nevis - Remastering
Choose from over 4.5 million
music downloadseMusic features legendary and emerging artists in every genre: classic rock to classical,indie to international, soundtracks to spiritual, jazz to country and many more.
MP3 downloads work on any digital media player
With eMusic, you OWN your music without any restrictions. Burn music to a CD, play it on your computer, mobile phone or any digital media player - including iPod®, Zune® and Walkman®.
Songs as low as $0.25
eMusic subscriptions start at just $11.99 a month for 30 downloads - that's less than $0.40 per song! And it gets better from there - our plans go as low as $0.25 per song!
Music Discovery
eMusic is about discovery. We make finding new music fun again with music recommendations from our award-winning team of music experts, member playlists and new music features.
Cancel anytime
With all the great music and site features we're pretty sure you will love eMusic. If not, no problem. You can cancel at any time and keep the music you have downloaded.
© 1992 - 2008 All Media Guide, LLC