Love in Vain
| Love in Vain | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Robert Johnson | |
| publication | 1937 |
| length | 2 min 26 sec |
| Genre (s) | Blues , Delta Blues |
| Author (s) | Robert Johnson |
| Award (s) | 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame), National Recording Preservation Board of the Library of Congress (2003) |
| Cover versions | |
| 1969 | The Rolling Stones (Let It Bleed) |
| 2004 | Eric Clapton (Me and Mr. Johnson) |
Love in Vain is a blues song written and sung by Robert Johnson . The song was released as a 78rpm single on Vocalion (Vocalion 04630). The song was recorded in four versions in Dallas , Texas on June 20, 1937 , Take 4 was released as a single. Take 2 and 3 have not yet been found.
The song stands out due to its melancholy lyrics and the sad mood: “When the train rolled up to the station and I looked her in the eye - Well, I was lonesome, I felt so lonesome - and I couldn't help but cry - All my love's in vain ”
Johnson took the musical structure from Leroy Carr's recording In the Evenin 'When the Sun Goes Down . Johnson was a great admirer of Carr's music. It is believed that the song was written for his girlfriend at the time, Willie Mae Powell, whose name is mentioned in the last verse of the song. In the documentary The Search for Robert Johnson (1991) John Hammond Jr. plays the song Willie Mae Powell.
Cover version of the Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones version was released on the album Let It Bleed , and a second version appeared on the live album Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out . The Stones got to know the song when a bootleg collection of Johnson's songs was released in 1968, including Love in Vain . Since the band did not want to try to copy the song, they tried new ways in the direction of "more country", and the lyrics were not taken literally.
Other cover versions (selection)
Madeleine Peyroux , Walter Trout Band, Terry Garland, Peter Green Splinter Group (The Robert Johnson Song Book), Keb Mo (Slow Down), Rocky Lawrence, Pyeng Threadgill, Eric Clapton ( “Me and Mr. Johnson” - already in the text of Layla was referring to Clapton's song: “Please don't say we'll never find a way - And tell me all my love's in vain” ), The Faces , Jubilant Sykes, Jutta Weinhold Band feat. Klaus Henatsch, New Barbarians, Sammy Vomáčka , Santiago Campillo & Miguel Bañon, Galloway & Kelliher
Individual evidence
- ↑ The Complete Recordings - booklet p. 54
- ↑ a b Lyrics Love in Vain
- ^ Keith Richards - Album Booklet The Complete Recordings, p. 26
- ↑ Rolling Stones - Love in Vain - Lyrics
- ↑ Layla Lyrics
- ↑ Coverinfo.de
- ↑ Second Hand Songs - Love in Vain ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
