Son House: "Death letter"

Una de las canciones que marcaron definitivamente mis influencias del blues del Delta fue el “Death Letter” de Son House. En cuanto la oí me dejó petrificado y eso que tenía una estructura bastante distinta a lo que estaba escuchando por aquella época. Una letra muy grande y con ritmos repetitivos, pero todo ello con una profundidad que no había visto antes.
Mis grabaciones favoritas de Son House son las de 1930, anteriores a la época de su “nuevo descubrimiento” en los años sesenta, creo que tenían una mayor frescura que las posteriores. Esta versión es de las sesiones de 1965 que tiene mucha mejor calidad de sonido pero pierde un poquito de esa viveza. Con todo y con eso me sigue resultando impresionante y ha sido una influencia decisiva para mí.

SON HOUSE: DEATH LETTER

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I got a letter this mornin, how do you reckon it read?

It said, "Hurry, hurry, yeah, your love is dead"

I got a letter this mornin, I say how do you reckon it read?

You know, it said, "Hurry, hurry, how come the gal you love is dead?"

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So, I grabbed up my suitcase, and took off down the road

When I got there she was layin on a coolin' board

I grabbed up my suitcase, and I said and I took off down the road

I said, but when I got there she was already layin on a coolin' board

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Well, I walked up right close, looked down in her face

Said, the good ol' gal got to lay here 'til the Judgment Day

I walked up right close, and I said I looked down in her face

I said the good ol' gal, she got to lay here 'til the Judgment Day

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Looked like there was 10,000 people standin' round the buryin' ground

I didn't know I loved her 'til they laid her down

Looked like 10,000 were standin' round the buryin' ground

You know I didn't know I loved her 'til they damn laid her down

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Well, I folded up my arms and I slowly walked away

I said, "Farewell honey, I'll see you on Judgment Day"

Ah, yeah, oh, yes, I slowly walked away

I said, "Farewell, farewell, I'll see you on the Judgment Day"

.

I didn't feel so bad, 'til the good ol' sun went down
I didn't have a soul to throw my arms around

I didn't feel so bad, 'til the good ol' sun went down

uhm, uhm

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You know, it's so hard to love someone that don't love you

Ain't no satisfaction, don't care what in the world you do

Yeah, it's so hard to love someone that don't love you

You know it don't look like satisfaction, don't care what in the world you do

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Got up this mornin', just about the break of day

A-huggin' the pillow where she used to lay

Got up this mornin', just about the break of day

A-huggin' the pillow where my good gal used to lay

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Got up this mornin', feelin' round for my shoes

You know, I must-a had them old walkin' blues

Got up this mornin', feelin' round for my shoes

Yeah, you know bout that, I must-a had them old walkin' blues

.

Ah, hush, thought I heard her call my name

If it wasn't so loud and so nice and plain Ah, yeah

uhm,uhm