Charley Patton
Screamin’ and Hollerin’ the Blues

Released: 2001
Contents: 7xCD
Revenant No. 212

Winner of three 2003 Grammy awards.

“If I made records for my own pleasure, I would only record Charley Patton songs.” – Bob Dylan

Historical revisionism has writ large the name of Robert Johnson in blues annals while according Charley Patton a comparative footnote. One of the founders of Mississippi Delta blues, Patton (1891-1934) was already the long-reigning kingpin of Delta bluesmen when Johnson was still in short pants. Take a listen and hear why many consider Patton the best there ever was.

Possessor of a driving, percussive guitar style, a gravel-encrusted holler, often improvisatory lyrics, complex rhythmic dynamics, an unequalled ‘talking’ bottleneck and a deep reservoir of melodic hooks, Patton conjured up songstuffs that gave vent to both a restless artistic temperament and a palpable, lingering rage. Hear why John Fahey posits him as a pilgrim of the ominous, one of the earliest progenitors of Fire Music, powered by something wholly other which Patton himself did not understand. And, though less romantic than the oft-trod portrait of Patton as an ego-ruled sociopath, David Evans’ painstaking new research into Patton’s personality reveals why folks like Bukka White and Pops Staples considered Patton a “great man.”

A 7-CD primer on Mississippi Delta blues with Charley Patton as the central, generative figure, this set features 5 CDs with all issued and unissued recordings by Patton and sessionmates Son House, Willie Brown, Louise Johnson, Henry ‘Son’ Sims, Bertha Lee, Delta Big Four, Buddy Boy Hawkins, Edith North Johnson, and even talent scout HC Speir; a 6th CD of artists in Charley’s “orbit” like Ma Rainey, Howlin’ Wolf, Poor Boy Lofton, Kid Bailey, Walter Rhodes, Rube Lacy, Blind Joe Reynolds (newly discovered track!), Tommy Johnson and Pops Staples; and a 7th CD of interviews with Patton associates Staples, Wolf, Speir and Patton protégé Booker Miller. All tracks are fully remastered and pitch-corrected from the best possible sources, resulting in the definitive versions of this material.

Also included are a freestanding reprint of John Fahey’s 1970 Patton book, 128 pages of exhaustive new notes by Fahey and blues scholars David Evans, Dick Spottswood, and Ed Komara, complete lyric transcriptions, full-size reproductions of the 6 original 1929 Paramount ads, a full set of 78 record label stickers from all Charley’s Paramount, Vocalion and Herwin releases, and dozens of other dazzling visuals. All housed in a deluxe ’78 Album’ hardcover book and slipcase.

KEY FEATURES:

* 7 CDs w/Complete Patton Sessions, plus Tracks and Interviews w/Charley’s Orbit
* Deluxe 11″ x 13″ x 3.5″ Hardcover ’78 Album’ and Slipcase
* Reprint of John Fahey’s 1970 Patton Book
* 128 Pages of Exhaustive New Writing on Patton
* Full-Size Repros of 1929 Paramount Ads
* Complete Paramount/Vocalion Record Label Sticker Set

“Lavish. Akin to a perfect museum exhibition.” – Spin

“Best Box Sets of 2001: a museum calibre set.” – New Yorker

“A work of mad and magical obsessiveness..worth every penny.” – Newsweek

“A box set to beg for–jawdropping packaging” – JazzTimes

“Exquisite.” – Wall Street Journal

“Easily the most lavish set I have ever seen in a long career of looking covetously at lavish box sets.” – Village Voice

“So opulent it verges on the pornographic.” – LA Weekly

“5/5 stars..Easily one of the most beautiful collections of recorded music ever assembled.” – Amazon.com

“An artifact in its own right‚ elegantly packaged, digitally remastered and pitch corrected from the best available sources, the Revenant set could redefine the way listeners experience rare antique recordings.” – Blues Revue

“Recording of the Issue. Simply the best blues box set ever released, maybe even the best box set in any genre.” – The Absolute Sound

“The magnificent “Worlds of CP” contains powerful Delta blues recorded in the late Twenties. Patton may have had the most frightening vocal delivery in American music – ravings mixed with powerhouse shouts.” – Playboy

“Fantastically monumental. If immersing yourself in this box of musical treasures doesn’t transport you back in time to the bedrock source of the blues, nothing will. This is a literal cornerstone of any blues collection. Fifty stars.” – ePULSE!

Track Listing
Disc 1
  1. Pony Blues, (Charley Patton)
  2. A Spoonful Blues, (Charley Patton) (listen)
  3. Down The Dirt Road Blues, (Charley Patton)
  4. Prayer Of Death Part 1, (Charley Patton)
  5. Prayer Of Death Part 2, (Charley Patton)
  6. Screamin’ And Hollerin’ The Blues, (Charley Patton)
  7. Banty Rooster Blues, (Charley Patton)
  8. Tom Rushen Blues, (Charley Patton)
  9. It Won’t Be Long, (Charley Patton)
  10. Shake It And Break It (But Don’t Let It Fall Mama), (Charley Patton)
  11. Pea Vine Blues, (Charley Patton)
  12. Mississippi Boweavil Blues, (Charley Patton)
  13. Lord I’m Discouraged, (Charley Patton)
  14. I’m Goin’ Home, (Charley Patton)
  15. Snatch It And Grab It, (Walter “Buddy Boy” Hawkins)
  16. A Rag Blues, (Walter “Buddy Boy” Hawkins)
  17. How Come Mama Blues, (Walter “Buddy Boy” Hawkins)
  18. Voice Throwin’ Blues, (Walter “Buddy Boy” Hawkins)
Disc 2
  1. I Shall Not Be Moved (take 1; uniss.), (Charley Patton)
  2. Hammer Blues (take 1; uniss.), (Charley Patton)
  3. High Water Everywhere-Part I, (Charley Patton)
  4. High Water Everywhere-Part II, (Charley Patton)
  5. I Shall Not Be Moved, (Charley Patton)
  6. Rattlesnake Blues, (Charley Patton)
  7. Going To Move To Alabama, (Charley Patton)
  8. Hammer Blues (take 2), (Charley Patton)
  9. Joe Kirby, (Charley Patton)
  10. Frankie And Albert, (Charley Patton)
  11. Devil Sent The Rain Blues, (Charley Patton)
  12. Magnolia Blues, (Charley Patton)
  13. Running Wild Blues, (Charley Patton)
  14. Some Happy Day, (Charley Patton)
  15. Mean Black Moan, (Charley Patton)
  16. Green River Blues, (Charley Patton)
  17. That’s My Man, (Edith North Johnson)
  18. Honey Dripper Blues No. 2, (Edith North Johnson)
  19. Eight Hour Woman, (Edith North Johnson)
  20. Nickel’s Worth Of Liver Blues No. 2, (Edith North Johnson)
Disc 3
  1. Elder Greene Blues (take 2; uniss.), (Charley Patton)
  2. Some These Days I’ll Be Gone (take 1; uniss.), (Charley Patton)
  3. Jim Lee-Part I, (Charley Patton)
  4. Jim Lee-Part II, (Charley Patton)
  5. Mean Black Cat Blues, (Charley Patton)
  6. Jesus Is A Dying-Bed Maker, (Charley Patton)
  7. Elder Greene Blues (take 1), (Charley Patton)
  8. When Your Way Gets Dark, (Charley Patton)
  9. Some These Days I’ll Be Gone (take 2), (Charley Patton)
  10. Heart Like Railroad Steel, (Charley Patton)
  11. Circle Round The Moon, (Charley Patton)
  12. You’re Gonna Need Somebody When You Die, (Charley Patton)
  13. Be True Be True Blues, (Charley Patton)
  14. Farrell Blues, (Henry “Son” Sims)
  15. Tell Me Man Blues, (Henry “Son” Sims)
  16. Come Back Corrina, (Henry “Son” Sims)
Disc 4
  1. Some Summer Day, (Charley Patton)
  2. Bird Nest Bound, (Charley Patton)
  3. Future Blues, wb, (Willie Brown)
  4. M&O Blues, (Willie Brown)
  5. Walkin’ Blues (uniss.), (Son House)
  6. My Black Mama-Part I, (Son House)
  7. My Black Mama-Part II, (Son House)
  8. Preachin’ The Blues-Part I, (Son House)
  9. Preachin’ The Blues-Part II, (Son House)
  10. Dry Spell Blues Part I, (Son House)
  11. Dry Spell Blues Part II, (Son House)
  12. All Night Long Blues (take 1), (Louise Johnson)
  13. On The Wall, (Louise Johnson)
  14. All Night Long Blues (take 2; uniss), (Louise Johnson)
  15. By The Moon And Stars, (Louise Johnson)
  16. Long Ways From Home, (Louise Johnson)
Disc 5
  1. Dry Well Blues, (Charley Patton)
  2. Moon Going Down, (Charley Patton)
  3. We All Gonna Face The Rising Sun, (Delta Big Four)
  4. Moaner Let’s Go Down In The Valley, (Delta Big Four)
  5. Jesus Got His Arms Around Me, (Delta Big Four)
  6. God Won’t Forsake His Own, (Delta Big Four)
  7. I’ll Be Here, (Delta Big Four)
  8. Where Was Eve Sleeping?, (Delta Big Four)
  9. I Know My Time Ain’t Long, (Delta Big Four)
  10. Watch And Pray, (Delta Big Four)
  11. Paramount Test 1-4/19/30 headlines, (HC Speir)
  12. Paramount Test 2-4/12/30 headlines, (HC Speir)
  13. High Sheriff Blues, (Charley Patton)
  14. Stone Pony Blues, (Charley Patton)
  15. Jersey Bull Blues, (Charley Patton)
  16. Hang It On The Wall, (Charley Patton)
  17. 34 Blues, (Charley Patton)
  18. Love My Stuff, (Charley Patton)
  19. Poor Me, (Charley Patton)
  20. Revenue Man Blues, (Charley Patton)
  21. Troubled ‘Bout My Mother, (Patton and Lee (Charley Patton and Bertha Lee))
  22. Oh Death, (Patton and Lee (Charley Patton and Bertha Lee))
  23. Yellow Bee, (Bertha Lee)
  24. Mind Reader Blues, (Bertha Lee)
Disc 6
  1. Booze And Blues, (1924), (Ma Rainey)
  2. The Crowing Rooster, (1927), (Walter Rhodes)
  3. I Will Turn Your Money Green, (1928), (Furry Lewis)
  4. Ham Hound Crave, (1928), (Rube Lacy)
  5. Bye Bye Blues, (1928), (Tommy Johnson)
  6. Maggie Campbell, (1928), (Tommy Johnson)
  7. Big Road Blues, (1928), (Tommy Johnson)
  8. Kansas City Blues, (1928), (William Harris)
  9. Rowdy Blues, (1929), (Kid Bailey)
  10. Mississippi Bottom Blues, (1929), (Kid Bailey)
  11. Cold Woman Blues, (1929), (Blind Joe Reynolds) (listen)
  12. Sitting On Top Of The World, (1930), (Mississippi Sheiks)
  13. Just A Spoonful, (1930), (Charley Jordan)
  14. Banty Rooster, (1934), (Blind Pete And George Ryan)
  15. My Grey Pony, (1935), (Big Joe Williams)
  16. Dark Road Blues, (1935), (Willie Lofton Trio)
  17. Blues, (1936), (Unknown Convict)
  18. Sic ‘Em Dogs On, (1939), (Bukka White)
  19. Po’ Boy, (1939), (Bukka White)
  20. Make Me A Pallet On The Floor, (1941), (Willie Brown)
  21. County Farm Blues, (1942), (Son House)
  22. Saddle My Pony, (1952), (The Howlin’ Wolf)
  23. Forty Four, (1954), (The Howlin’ Wolf)
  24. Too Close, (1957), (Roebuck “Pops” Staples & Staple Singers)
Disc 7
  1. The Howlin’ Wolf, interviewed by Pete Welding, ca. 1967, (The Howlin’ Wolf)
  2. Booker Miller, interviewed by Gayle Dean Wardlow, 1968, (Booker Miller)
  3. HC Speir, interviewed by Gayle Dean Wardlow, 1968, 1969, (HC Speir)
  4. Roebuck “Pops” Staples, interviewed by Chris Strachwitz, ca. 1964, (Roebuck “Pops” Staples & Staple Singers)