Kind Hearted Woman Blues by Rober Johnson - Essay Example

Kind Hearted Woman Blues” by Robert Johnson: A Brief Review Style: “Kind Hearted Woman Blues” composed by Robert Johnson represents the genre of blues music. Composed way back in 1936, this song is considered as the first blues song by Johnson in his remarkable track record of popular and commercially successful urban blues style of the 1930s. Inspired by the style of his contemporary bluesmen, the song includes a variation of old traditional blues (where a single line is repeated four times) style along with Johnson’s own individual style.

The song also reflects a musical tribute to thoroughly composed blues lyrics with related and meaningful verses.Composer: The song was composed on November 23, 1936 in San Antonio, Texas by the legendary bluesman and American musician Robert Johnson. This was the first blues song that Johnson recorded in his successful attempt of blending the style of a number of other popular and contemporary blues composers including Leroy Carr, Kokomo Arnold, and Joe Pullum.Singer: Robert Johnson recorded this song in 1936.

Known for his combination blues style of music, “Kind Hearted Woman Blues” is Johnson’s only guitar solo ever recorded. Johnson’s blues style is a remarkable instance of blending a variation of music including song writing talent, singing and guitar skills. Recognized as one of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of all time (in Rolling Stone’s list), Robert Johnson travelled places, experienced different long term relationships, learned various blues styles, and instilled everything gathered in his music.

This is why Johnson’s blues style differs remarkably from other blues singers and musicians of his time.Performance practice: With “Kind Hearted Woman Blues”, Robert Johnson started his first and only recording session with a short guitar solo in 1936. The song was recorded in a temporary studio with Johnson facing the wall while performing. Witnesses say he was a shy and reserved performer. However, this method of performing while facing a corner would also indicate the technique of corner loading in practicing which is done in order to enhance the sound of the guitar.

A typical Robert Johnson recording session starts with a short warm-up session and then slowly moves on to practicing a mixing fingerstyle and pick playing.Historical period: Blues music in the 1930s is a significant part of pre-war blues music which remarkably witnessed creation and improvement in a number of popular blues styles including various traditional and rural country blues, urban blues, big band blues, and a combination blues of rural and urban as found in Robert Johnson’s music.

Although Johnson was not as widely popular and heard as he should have been during his lifetime, his blues style is considered as one of the most significant and unique blues music of all time. The early period of 1930s was the time when old traditional blues music was going through a crucial stage of transition to create early urban blues style.Lyrics meanings: “Kind Hearted Woman Blues” by Robert Johnson is a blues song depicting elements of urban blues style. Although the woman in the song cannot be identified clearly, the lyrics very convincingly seem to point out the woman to be another man’s wife who had been Johnson’s love interest for a while.

Known for his uncountable short affairs and long term relationships, Johnson travelled places and exchanged emotional ties with various women in each place he went to perform. As a true blues performer and musician, Johnson’s solo guitar playing song reveals much of what he is known to compose – a combination of good and evil, of love and pain, of kindness and jealousy.Sources“Robert Johnson.” Wikipedia. 11 Feb. 2012 “Sessions for Robert J. and Me and Mr. Johnson.” 12bar Blues Guitar. 2012