Sleepy John Estes- Working Man Blues 1929-1952
Recognisable by his plaintive, crying, singing style and "broken" voice, Sleepy John Estes was one of the great Country Blues pioneers. Estes recorded a memorable body of work, much of it during the 1930s, which earned him a mighty reputation, always retaining a traditional, down-home sound despite recording variously in Memphis, Chicago and New York. His songs, lyrically, were sharply observed vignettes, often dealing with social commentary. And although he was little more than an adequate rhythmic guitarist himself, he recorded extensively with men like guitarist/mandolin player Yank Rachell, and harmonica player Hammie Nixon. This 2-CD set ranges from his first session in 1929, to an unreleased session at Sun Records in 1952. Estes has been namechecked as an important early influence by Bob Dylan and Led Zepp's Robert Plant.
Track List
- The Girl I Love She Got Long Curly Hair
- Broken-Hearted Ragged and Dirty Too
- Divin' Duck Blues
- Black Mattie Blues
- Milk Cow Blues
- Street Car Blues
- Whatcha Doin'?
- Poor John Blues
- Stack O' Dollars
- My Black Gal Blues
- Down South Blues
- Stop That Thing
- Someday Baby Blues
- Who's Been Telling You Buddy Brown Blues
- Married Woman Blues
- Drop Down Mama
- Government Money
- I Wanna Tear It All the Time
- Vernita Blues
- I Ain't Gonna Be Worried No More
- Floating Bridge
- Need More Blues
- Jack and Jill Blues
- Poor Man's Friend (T Model)
- Hobo Jungle Blues
- Airplane Blues
- Everybody Oughta Make a Change
- Liquor Store Blues
- Easin' Back to Tennessee
- Fire Department Blues (Martha Hardin)
- Clean Up at Home
- New Someday Baby
- Brownsville Blues
- Special Agent (Railroad Police Blues)
- Mailman Blues
- Time Is Drawing Near
- Mary Come on Home
- Jailhouse Blues
- Tell Me How About It (MR. Tom's Blues)
- Drop Down (I Don't Feel Welcome Here)
- Don't You Want to Know
- You Shouldn't Do That
- When the Saints Go Marching in
- Lawyer Clark Blues
- Little Laura Blues
- Working Man Blues
- Harlem Bound
- Stone Blind
- Registration Day Blues
- Policy Man
- Rats in My Kitchen
- Runnin' Around
Recognisable by his plaintive, crying, singing style and "broken" voice, Sleepy John Estes was one of the great Country Blues pioneers. Estes recorded a memorable body of work, much of it during the 1930s, which earned him a mighty reputation, always retaining a traditional, down-home sound despite recording variously in Memphis, Chicago and New York. His songs, lyrically, were sharply observed vignettes, often dealing with social commentary. And although he was little more than an adequate rhythmic guitarist himself, he recorded extensively with men like guitarist/mandolin player Yank Rachell, and harmonica player Hammie Nixon. This 2-CD set ranges from his first session in 1929, to an unreleased session at Sun Records in 1952. Estes has been namechecked as an important early influence by Bob Dylan and Led Zepp's Robert Plant.
Track List
- The Girl I Love She Got Long Curly Hair
- Broken-Hearted Ragged and Dirty Too
- Divin' Duck Blues
- Black Mattie Blues
- Milk Cow Blues
- Street Car Blues
- Whatcha Doin'?
- Poor John Blues
- Stack O' Dollars
- My Black Gal Blues
- Down South Blues
- Stop That Thing
- Someday Baby Blues
- Who's Been Telling You Buddy Brown Blues
- Married Woman Blues
- Drop Down Mama
- Government Money
- I Wanna Tear It All the Time
- Vernita Blues
- I Ain't Gonna Be Worried No More
- Floating Bridge
- Need More Blues
- Jack and Jill Blues
- Poor Man's Friend (T Model)
- Hobo Jungle Blues
- Airplane Blues
- Everybody Oughta Make a Change
- Liquor Store Blues
- Easin' Back to Tennessee
- Fire Department Blues (Martha Hardin)
- Clean Up at Home
- New Someday Baby
- Brownsville Blues
- Special Agent (Railroad Police Blues)
- Mailman Blues
- Time Is Drawing Near
- Mary Come on Home
- Jailhouse Blues
- Tell Me How About It (MR. Tom's Blues)
- Drop Down (I Don't Feel Welcome Here)
- Don't You Want to Know
- You Shouldn't Do That
- When the Saints Go Marching in
- Lawyer Clark Blues
- Little Laura Blues
- Working Man Blues
- Harlem Bound
- Stone Blind
- Registration Day Blues
- Policy Man
- Rats in My Kitchen
- Runnin' Around