Cross Road Blues
Robert Johnson
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I went to the crossroad, fell down on my knees I went to the crossroad, fell down on my knees Asked the Lord above, "Have mercy, now, save poor Bob if you please" Yeah, standin' at the crossroad, tried to flag a ride Ooh-ee, I tried to flag a ride Didn't nobody seem to know me, babe, everybody pass me by Standin' at the crossroad, baby, risin' sun goin' down Standin' at the crossroad, baby, risin' sun goin' down I believe to my soul, now, poor Bob is sinkin' down You can run, you can run, tell my friend Willie Brown You can run, you can run, tell my friend Willie Brown That I got the crossroad blues this mornin', Lord, baby, I'm sinkin' down And I went to the crossroad, mama, I looked East and West I went to the crossroad, baby, I looked East and West Lord, I didn't have no sweet woman, ooh well, babe, in my distress
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Written by: Robert Johnson
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
11 facts about this song
Creation"Cross Road Blues" was written by Robert Johnson in the 1930s. It is one of his best-known works.
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RecordingsThe song was recorded in two different versions. The first was recorded on November 23, 1936, in San Antonio, Texas and the second on June 20, 1937, in Dallas, Texas.
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Musical NotationAn interesting fact about the song's structure is that it doesn't adhere strictly to the traditional 12-bar blues form. Johnson employs an 8-bar structure with variations.
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LyricsThe song lyrics depict a man at a crossroads, begging the Lord for mercy and to catch a ride, which is why it is popularly associated with the myth of Johnson making a deal with the Devil.
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Faustian MythThis song has contributed to the Faustian myth around Robert Johnson. The story goes that Johnson supposedly sold his soul to the Devil at a crossroads at midnight in exchange for his mastery of the guitar.
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Cover VersionsMany artists have covered "Cross Road Blues" including Led Zeppelin and Cream. Eric Clapton with Cream is known for their 1968 version of the song, retitled "Crossroads".
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InductionIn 1998, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, marking its significance in recording history.
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Cultural ImpactThe crossroads mentioned in the song has been speculated to be in Clarksdale, Mississippi. The town has embraced this part of their musical heritage by commemorating the location with a marker.
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Blues Foundation's Hall of FameIn 1983, "Cross Road Blues" was inducted into the Blues Foundation's Hall of Fame as a "Classic of Blues Recording".
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InfluenceRobert Johnson's emotive vocal delivery in "Cross Road Blues" has been cited as a significant influence on the development of rock music, particularly in shaping the vocal styles of later singers such as Bob Dylan and Mick Jagger.
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GenreThe song is generally classified as Delta Blues, a subgenre of the blues that originated in the Mississippi Delta.
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Citation
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"Cross Road Blues Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 30 May 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/36509614/Robert+Johnson/Cross+Road+Blues>.
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