King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. II
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.[10]
| King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. II | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Compilation album by | ||||
| Released | 1970 | |||
| Recorded |
| |||
| Genre | Delta blues | |||
| Length | 41:00 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Producer |
| |||
| Robert Johnson chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |  |
| 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] |
| Virgin Encyclopedia | |
Music
The album compiles sixteen recordings, ten of which were previously available as 78 rpm records on the Vocalion label, 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.
Columbia decided it was time to issue another Johnson album, 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" appended as a bonus track.
Track listing
Side one
| 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 | Vocalion 3519 | 1937 | 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
| 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 | alternate master | 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
| Track | Song Title | Recorded | Catalogue | Released | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17. | "Ramblin' on My Mind" | November 23, 1936 | Vocalion 3519 | 1937 | 2:23 |
Notes
- Greenberg, Adam. Review: King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. II. Allmusic. Retrieved on August 7, 2009.
- Starger, Steve. "Review: King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. II". The Hartford Courant: 8. April 10, 1971.
- MH. "Review: King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. II". Los Angeles Times: M50. December 20, 1970.
- Marcus, Greil. "Review: King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. II". The New York Times: 506. November 22, 1970.
- Cober-Lake, Justin. Review: King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. II. PopMatters. Retrieved on August 7, 2009.
- Goodwin, Michael. Review: King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. II. Rolling Stone. Retrieved on August 7, 2009.
- Tearson, Michael. "Review: King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. II". Sing Out!: January 1, 2005.
- Columnist. "Review: King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. II". Stereo Review: v. 26. 1971.
- Larkin, Colin. "Review: King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. II". Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music: March 1, 2002.
- Columnist. RS500: 424) King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. II. Rolling Stone. Retrieved on August 7, 2009.
References
- Colin Larkin (2002). Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Edition 4. Virgin Books. ISBN 1-85227-923-0.