Death Letter Blues
| Death Letter Blues | |
|---|---|
| Son House | |
| publication | 1930 |
| Genre (s) | Delta blues |
| Author (s) | Son House |
Death Letter Blues is a song by the Delta blues musician Son House , which he began to work out in 1930 and finally recorded again in 1965. However, this version was not released until 1985.
The song is about a man who hears from a letter of the death of the woman he loves and of the immediate events, e.g. B. the funeral. Lyrically, the piece seems to be heavily influenced by songs by other musicians, such as Death Letter Blues by Leadbelly or On the Cooling Board by Blind Willie McTell . Musically it is based on My Black Mama, Part Two , which came from House's own pen.
Paul du Noyer called Death Letter Blues one of the most emotional performances in the Delta Blues genre. The song was an integral part of Son House's appearances during the 1960s Blues Revival Festival and became one of House 's signature pieces alongside Charley Patton's Pony Blues .
Death Letter Blues was either also covered by other musicians or the piece was at the core of other songs, such as in Special Rider Blues by Skip James . Also Muddy Waters or Grateful Dead were working on the basis of the song.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Du Noyer, Paul (2003). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music (1st ed.). Fulham, London: Flame Tree Publishing, p. 160.