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If you want to be a good blues singer, people are going to be down on you, so dress like you?re going to the bank to borrow money - B.B. King

Author Topic: Blind Willie McTell, Complete?  (Read 1697 times)

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Offline CF

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Blind Willie McTell, Complete?
« on: July 30, 2007, 06:01:38 AM »
McTell is one of those artists whose ouevre is substantial but not voluminous so even a po' man like me could afford to get his complete recorded output . . . & I very much want to.
I own Sony/Columbia's 'Definitive BW McTell' which some of you may know is certainly not definitive . . .
I checked out Catfish's BWM complete 1927-35 box set but was turned off by some bad reviews (apparently sloppy liner notes & songs begun or ended prematurely!!, What!!) & it's price . . . So I checked it's track list against JSP's 1927-1940 box . . . It appears to contain all of Willie's 1927-? recordings & the recordings from 1929-1933 for Columbia, Vocalion, Okeh that it doesn't have I think are ALL on my 'Definitive' except for possibly one take of 'Broke Down Engine No.2' which I guess I could live without (sniff) . . . & of course the JSP has the complete LOC recordings so that is a no-brainer . . .
So, with the JSP box, my Sony 'Definitive', am I complete up to 1940? & then what else am I missing? There are the Rhodes recordings right? Completists help!
Stand By If You Wanna Hear It Again . . .

Offline blueshome

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Re: Blind Willie McTell, Complete?
« Reply #1 on: July 30, 2007, 06:44:31 AM »
You are short of the Rhodes  "Last Session", the 1949 Atlantic "Atlanta 12-string" (marvellous) available on Atlantic I think, and the 1950 Savoy sessions with Curley Weaver (try Document).

Offline CF

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Re: Blind Willie McTell, Complete?
« Reply #2 on: July 30, 2007, 06:52:38 AM »
Ok . . . musta forgot about those Curley Weaver sessions in '50, wow, sounds great, thanks blueshome . . . what about that 'Broke Down Engine No.2' take 1 or 2 recorded on Sept. 1933? It seems BWM recorded 'Broke Down Engine' & then possibly 2 takes of 'Broke Down Engine NO.2' . . . is this right?
Stand By If You Wanna Hear It Again . . .

Offline blueshome

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Re: Blind Willie McTell, Complete?
« Reply #3 on: July 30, 2007, 02:42:15 PM »
Yes there are 2 versions of Broke Down Engine - they are slightly different but not as good as the original 1931 recording or the Atlanta 12-string version. I wouldn't worry too much at missing one.  Are they both on JSP?

Offline CF

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Re: Blind Willie McTell, Complete?
« Reply #4 on: July 30, 2007, 03:15:43 PM »
Well that's where i'm confused . . . of course the amazon listing for the songs could be incorrect, I've noticed they can be at times, but like I said it seemed to suggest that there was a 'Broke D E', & then two takes of 'Broke Down E No.2, meaning THREE recorded that day . . . only two of which are on the JSP & Columbia Definitive . . . someone with a copy of Blues & Gospel could probably straighten this out . . . anyway, I've already ordered what i'm missing of McTell today . . . & there are 2 newly found alternate takes of BWM songs from '31 on the 2008 Weenie Calendar CD so another reason to purchase that . . . Of course potentially missing one song isn't important but it's annoying to have everything except for ONE damn song . . . I bought a Rob Johnson comp yrs back for one song so . . .   
Stand By If You Wanna Hear It Again . . .

Offline dj

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Re: Blind Willie McTell, Complete?
« Reply #5 on: July 30, 2007, 03:34:14 PM »
Hey, Cheapfeet,

Recorded October 23, 1931 for Columbia:
 Broke Down Engine Blues

Recorded September 18, 1933 for Vocalion:
   Broke Down Engine
   Broke Down Engine No. 2 (take 1)
   Broke Down Engine No. 2 (take 3)

Recorded November 1949 for Atlantic:
   Broke Down Engine Blues

Buddy Moss also recorded versions of Broke Down Engine and Broke Down Engine No. 2 at the 1933 session.

Hope this unconfuses you...   :)   
   

Offline onewent

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Re: Blind Willie McTell, Complete?
« Reply #6 on: July 30, 2007, 03:40:03 PM »
Hi, folks .. here's what I'd suggest .. buy the Michael Gray book 'Hand Me My Travlin' Shoes' and beginning on p. 362, he lists all the recorded output of BWM post-78's (the release dates, label, songs and comments on sound quality) .. it's a lot of stuff, but, you can sort it all out here.  
As an added bonus, you'll have one of the best, if not the best, books on an early bluesman/guitarist/songster that I've ever read, plus, it's a facinating, in-depth look at the South from the Civil War era through the 50's..  Oh, and I learned that BWM didn't travel to the South Americas, Americas is a town in GA ..  :-\
I'd consider this book essential to anyone with an interest in this type of music. .. Regards, Tom

Offline CF

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Re: Blind Willie McTell, Complete?
« Reply #7 on: July 30, 2007, 03:49:17 PM »
Thanks blueshome, Dj & Onewent, I thought there were three recorded that day . . . so I will be out that one tune with my new Blind willie acquisitions, waaaahhhhh!!! . . .
& I will be getting the McTell book as soon as the budget allows, sounds fascinating . . .
Stand By If You Wanna Hear It Again . . .

 


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