Robert Johnson, “The Complete Recordings”

Tom Heerman:

This record is amazing! This record is archival!

The blues songs that are attributed to Robert Johnson are integral to the development of rock and roll music as we know it today, especially hard rock and blues based rock. For example, lovable relics like Clapton and Rundgren have both done tribute albums to Robert Johnson. The songs are covered and will continue to be covered by classic rockers as well as up-and-comers. The pliable lyrics are sketches of haunted nights and broken lives. Loose interpretations of the words alter the meanings in interesting ways. Just a change of gender or location and the song can bring on a totally new meaning. It amazes me that one basic blues song can be so much better than another basic blues song. For some magical, or supernatural reason, these have stood the test of time.

As a recording, and a listening experience, I would not recommend this, beyond one listen. The record is not worthy of our top 100 list due to the fact that you would probably never play it after one initial listen, particularly if you have these versions of the same songs:

“Dust My Broom” by ZZ Top
“Crossroads” by Cream
“Traveling Riverside Blues” by Led Zepplin
“Live in Vain” by The Rolling Stones
“Stop Breaking Down” by The Stones or The White Stripes
“Walking Blues” by Bonnie Raitt
“Ramblin’ on My Mind” by Marshall Tucker, Eric Clapton
“Sweet Home Chicago” by The Blues Brothers (or just about every blues artist ever)
“Steady Rollin’ Man” by Eric Clapton

These versions all surpass the original recording by a mile. The record I would recommend is a collection of all these cover songs, and maybe a few more of his songs re-interpreted by other rock artists.  That would be something. This one, for me, is just something to know about, and leave on the library shelf. Rating: 25

Chris McJaggerly:

Right. I suspect that if RJ himself listened to the covers you list, he would agree. He had no electricity, no budget, no accompanying band, and lousy recording equipment. Of course he didn’t record one of the Top 100 albums of all time! Just like Wilber and Orville would agree that they didn’t fly one of the top 100 airplanes of all time.

I’d like to know critics’ reasoning for putting “The Complete Recordings” on the RS Top 100, since it isn’t a “most important” albums list, it’s a “best”albums list, and I have a hard time believing that more than a handful of today’s music listeners genuinely enjoy this record enough to justify a Top 100 rating. In my view, it’s a fool’s errand to try to mix and match important early recordings with the albums that were released at — or after — the culmination of the blues-to-rock evolution.

Speaking of that evolution, after listening to The Complete Recordings, I put on Exile on Main St. I was amazed at how similar the songs in the two albums felt. The vibe is the same, but of course the Stones had more resources to work with that Mr. Johnson, which resulted in a better recording. Rather than honoring RJ by putting The Complete Recordings in my Top 100, you could say I’ll be honoring him by putting Exile on Main St. in my Top 5. Not to mention Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs and about a dozen other albums that RJ inspired.

Even if “most important” and “best” were synonymous, you gotta wonder why an early blues album is more important than — for example — an early jazz album. Why isn’t there a Louis Armstrong album on the RS list? The answer can’t be “because RS was excluding jazz albums,” since Miles Davis made the list. The RS list has no rhyme or reason.

I give Robert Johnson a 25, because that number seems about right, and 1936 is the first year RJ recorded these landmark songs.

Kevin Decker:

Greatest hits are not really part of this discussion.  But for the hell, 25